Terminology - don’t use acronyms unless you know your audience completely understands them.
Don’t make the title super long with lots of words.
Capture the idea of the talk in a really quick way.
Save the paragraph of information for the description of the talk.
Bonus points for a catchy title.
Nobody cares what your title is? Is the person talking on the microphone somewhat of an expert in what they are talking about?
“I have been looking at X open source project.”
“I have thoughts about so and so.”
New people to conferences will create a template.
Showing information about the speaker.
Some speakers take it much too seriously.
Don’t include this slide.
Don’t add formality - only a formal event and not good for a conference with peers (don’t add Mr.)
Agenda - should be an obvious flow to the talk. Must make it obvious.
Allows understanding of what the mental model is.
Too much information on a slide is a drag:
In our brains, have one language processing core available. People will then look at the large amount of text on the slide, parse that and shut down the speaker.
Words are fascinating to humans.
Use short bullet points to signpost to your what you are telling the audience.
Showing data is good - more explanation on a chart is good.
Don’t put too much data though.
For large amounts of data, have to build up to it first.
Don’t close eyes, should be facing the audience at all times.
Don’t read speaker notes.
Notes are a crutch that we use as the main leg.
Loses presence in the room entirely.
Don’t read bullet points, they are just signposts.
Keep presentation information down to what is actually required.
“Call to Action” - delete these slides.
Q&A - real-time presentations are great, back and forth is good.
Should be 5 minutes of Q&A max - want to really push points across from the presentation and don’t want to answer questions that are specific to individuals in the room.
Need flow to the talk - Beginning, Middle and End.
Don’t add Speaker Notes - sparse notes at most.
It matters more to have the attention of the audience and explain things mostly correctly.
2~3 ideas are good.
Gradual Reveals Help.
Simplify code on slide.
Doesn’t matter if it is symantically or syntactically correct.
Simplify text.
Grammar and sentences are not important on slides.
Don’t need to use bullet points - adds extra noise on the slides.
Simplify sentences - don’t need a period at the end.
Don’t go for jokes, go for something that is entertaining.
Don’t script jokes in a presentation.
Jokes can detract from the technical talks.
Jokes also can’t land it.
We’re not comedians and haven’t worked jokes in clubs after ages.
Okay to add small jokes that don’t take time and shouldn’t care if they don’t land - move on.
Project your voice - speaker louder - articulate and modulate voice -
Use your body - need a clicker.
If moving, make it purposeful - client and server discussion for example, move to the left for discussing the client and to the right when discussing the server.
Waving your hands in the air is not helpful. Use your gestures to emphasise a point and make them purposeful.
Eye contact.
Don’t keep scanning the room, but look a few members for a while per person (not too long).
Be in the Room - comment and start a conversation with the audience beforehand - makes the speaker present.
Mitigates nervousness by talking with audience members.
Be spontaneous - if something happens in the room, react to it.
Don’t script talks and don’t rehearse.
Don’t know what to say, before mouth starts speaking words.
Have number of years speaking English, therefore can figure it out when mouth opens.
Therefore when speaking words, becomes much more natural.
Fine if the presentation is memorised (even poorly).
Audience can see this easily.
Consider having a co-speaker.
Makes the talk more spontaneous - have no idea what each other is saying.
The other person on stage can think of things - too busy to articulate it.
Real-time conversation seen by the audience.
Engage the audience.
Be Real - don’t say “We’re so excited to announce”, if you’re not excited, don’t actually use the word.
Express truth, but pick your words.
Watch your tone.
Specify the important points of your sentence and helps to communicate the ideas of the words.
Come prepared enough - know the content really, really well.
When see the words on each slide, should know exactly what you are talking about.
Practice - the ability to be comfortable on stage.
More important practice doing talks over and over again.
Comedy, standup, improv, bunch of tech talks, internal tech talks and anything that allows you to get up in front of people.
Video cable comes out - don’t freak out, just be flexible, step away from the laptop,
Everyone is nervous when giving talks.
Q&A - repeat questions from the audience.
Don’t go on for too long - only answer a few questions, as they’ll relate to only a few people.
Don’t worry too much.
Die giving a presentation - worst thing that could happen. Not going to suffer from it though.
Have fun with the presentation! Then the audience will also more thoroughly enjoy it.
