Justification Toolkit

Thank you for your interest in attending the 2021 Virtual Process Development Symposium!

Providing a justification to management is a key part of securing your attendance at the Symposium -- and it may be even more important now that the symposium is virtual. We have put together a few resources to aid in your business justification and make sure that you are maximizing your time and money.

FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Use the 2021 Virtual Process Development Symposium as a unique training and career development opportunity. At PDS, you can learn about the latest technological advances, meet with exhibitors, gather industry contacts, and network with people across a wide range of disciplines. In just three days you can expand your knowledge and network to become a better employee and a better engineer. And now, it's even easier to join from the comfort of your own home!

Quantifying the Benefits

It's important to show your supervisor why your attendance will benefit not just you, but your entire team. Here are a few considerations to make sure that you are capturing all of the benefits that PDS has to offer.

• Focus specifically on bringing back key take-aways for your organization. What new skills, techniques, or approaches will you bring back?
• Offer to deliver a short presentation or written report for your colleagues to share what you've learned and multiply the benefits of attendance.
• Identify specific session content. What sessions have particular relevance to your organization’s work? Focus on what content you can use in your work, and how you plan to use it.
• Seek out sessions and opportunities geared toward leadership skills development. Building these skills will offer long-term benefits for you and your organization. 
• Be strategic about networking. Will there be speakers, exhibitors, or potential partners in attendance who can help advance your organization’s goals?

EVEN MORE BENEFITS -- wHAT ARE THE UPSIDES NOW THAT IT'S VIRTUAL?

We understand that not meeting in person is a bit of a bummer and that we’re all ready to get out of our homes and meet with our colleagues. Looking on the bright side, there are many advantages of attending PDS virtually. 

• A virtual symposium allows for a more flexible schedule throughout the conference week, allowing you to drop in and out as needed.
• In case you miss a session, presentations will be recorded, allowing you to access the recordings for approximately one month after the event.
• Virtual networking can be fun and easier for some than networking in person. Do you sometimes feel a bit social awkward at large in-person networking events? At a virtual conference, you can get to know people by chat.
• The symposium will still be highly interactive with live Q&A sessions and networking rooms where you'll meet many attendees and exhibitors in a short time.
• Get educated, network, and stay safe & healthy at the same time.
• And finally - save on travel expenses and time out of the office, while still getting many of the same benefits as an in-person symposium.

Present a Justification Letter to Your Supervisor

To help explain to your supervisor the benefits of attending PDS, you can use this sample letter (.doc) to demonstrate how your attendance can bring value back to your team and boost efforts to accomplish your organization's goals. Are you presenting your work or serving as a session chair or in another leadership capacity at the Symposium? If so, make sure to highlight this important contribution to your supervisor.

Calculate Projected Expenses

Before you can justify the expenses of attending, you'll need to calculate what they may be. Use this expense template (pdf) to help estimate the cost of attending. As a virtual event, many costs traditionally associated with a virtual event (such as airfare, food, or lodging) are no longer a consideration- saving your organization money while offering all of the same benefits as an in-person event.

Follow these tips to help you maximize your time and money:

• Register early to access the lowest conference rates. Plus, if you're an AIChE member you can take advantage of discounted rates.

• Once registered, access the platform a few days early to get familiar and explore all of the possibilities

• Make sure to put your best foot forward with a polished profile

• Create a personalized schedule of all the can't-miss talks and networking events

• Take a look at the a attendee list, add people to your "want to meet" list, and schedule one-on-one meetings ahead of time

• Make a checklist of the technical sessions and presentations that you want to attend or speakers and exhibitors you want to meet.