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Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

roguelynn.com

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Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#11

Post by mfringel »

So I have to admit. I'm still quite torn.

On one hand, keeping slides simple and avoiding "eye charts" clearly makes for better readability, and reduces the risk of the presenter "reading from the slide."

OTOH, a set of slides like that is utterly useless after the fact, unless it's accompanied by a transcript. Both audio and video recordings require serial attention for 15/30/60 minutes that I typically will not have, and I certainly can't see doing that to anyone else.

A question to the assembled: If you make "Presentation Zen"/"Merlin Mann"/etc. low-text high-concept slides for your talk, how do you make sure your presentation is accessible after the fact?

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#12

Post by dpeck »

Record yourself speaking. Once or twice through and you're going to have a very good idea of the parts you need to work on.

Also very helpful to have a "good run" recording saved that you can give a quick listen to if you're asked to do the presentation again. You don't have to find your words all over again.

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#13

Post by btilly »

roguelynn wrote: post #5
btilly wrote: post #2

I am getting a 404 error. That said, if you will be speaking at a conference, http://perl.plover.com/yak/presentation/ is well worth reading.

Yea I recently moved my site's hosting. Try http://roguelynn.herokuapp.com/words/crap-im-speaking

Thank you for linking to a working copy.

On your #3, I prefer mjd's advice to "get to the point". They have already chosen to sit in your talk. Hopefully they know something about who you are, what the talk is supposed to be about, and there is little point in wasting the period when you are most likely to actually have their attention on reminding them of that.

(Note, mjd is the author of the conference presentation judo talk that I linked to above. TPC is The Perl Conference is the predecessor of OSCON. I don't know if he has continued to maintain the top speaker rating that he had, but he did so for a long time. He is worth listening to.)

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#14

Post by jgrahamc »

mfringel wrote: post #11

So I have to admit. I'm still quite torn. On one hand, keeping slides simple and avoiding "eye charts" clearly makes for better readability, and reduces the risk of the presenter "reading from the slide." OTOH, a set of slides like that is utterly useless after the fact, unless it's accompanied by a transcript. Both audio and video recordings require serial attention for 15/30/60 minutes that I typically will not hav…

I commented on this the other day. I won't give a talk unless video is being made freely available: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4762351

Since I tend to give talks without bullet points it's essential that people can hear me talk.

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#15

Post by btilly »

jnazario wrote: post #6

(speaking as someone who literally gave buttloads of presentations all over the world for over a decade) if you use slides i suggest reading cliff atkinson's blog "beyond powerpoint bullets". in it he lays out ideas, principles and templates for PPTs (and any other preso tools) that tell stories. these are based on cognitive studies, like the number of bullet points you should use based on how much your audience can…

"tell 'em what you're going to be telling them, tell them, and then tell 'em what you told 'em"

This is common advice. http://perl.plover.com/yak/presentation/ disagrees emphatically with it. Consider well that mjd both gave a lot of presentations, AND managed to consistently get the top speaker rating at a major conference.

His contrarian advice may be worth giving a try.

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#16

Post by simonw »

mfringel wrote: post #11

So I have to admit. I'm still quite torn. On one hand, keeping slides simple and avoiding "eye charts" clearly makes for better readability, and reduces the risk of the presenter "reading from the slide." OTOH, a set of slides like that is utterly useless after the fact, unless it's accompanied by a transcript. Both audio and video recordings require serial attention for 15/30/60 minutes that I typically will not hav…

The best way of handling this in my opinion is to publish an annotated version of the slides afterwards. Here's a good example: https://speakerdeck.com/zachinglis/notes

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#17

Post by simonw »

These are good tips.

On the subject of practising: doing a test run in front of real human beings is definitely ideal, but it's not always possible (especially if you've left preparation a little late...) - in the absence of that, it's really, really important that you practice the talk out loud. Even if it's to an empty room, doing it out loud will help ensure your pacing is right and that what you are saying makes sense.

I find that a talk only begins to really take shape the first time I rehearse it out loud, so the earlier in the process I do that the better - leaving plenty of time to adjust the talk to flow better or cover important missing pieces of information.

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#18

Post by stephengillie »

The biggest thing which trips me up is perspective and space. I'm uncomfortable in unfamiliar spaces and rooms, and unfamiliar perspectives within a room. This reduces my ability to perform, interact, and speak to people I don't know.

I'd suggest finding an empty stage somewhere and standing on it for 5 minutes. Just get comfortable. Get bored on stage. Try this a few times in different places with different lighting and furniture.

When you get to the conference, try to sneak onstage for 5 seconds, or even just peek through the curtain. Then visualize the space and try to become comfortable with it.

And try to channel your nervous energy into positive thinking.

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#19

Post by dugmartin »

This is probably going to sound old fashioned but I would suggest looking up and attending the next meeting of your local Toastmasters (http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/). They have a 10 speech series that will take you from terrified speaker to "competent communicator" in a well-structured non-threatening environment (and yes, I am a Toastmaster).

Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?

#20

Post by majormajor »

mfringel wrote: post #11

So I have to admit. I'm still quite torn. On one hand, keeping slides simple and avoiding "eye charts" clearly makes for better readability, and reduces the risk of the presenter "reading from the slide." OTOH, a set of slides like that is utterly useless after the fact, unless it's accompanied by a transcript. Both audio and video recordings require serial attention for 15/30/60 minutes that I typically will not hav…

The approach I usually go with is to initially create a full set of notes/slides that contain everything I'll want to cover, and then use a copy of that as the basis for my slides, which I then aggressively strip stuff out of. Then I've got the original notes still to refer to if needed while giving the talk, and to distribute.

Slides for during a presentation and slides/notes for reference without hearing the talk at the same time have two completely different needs to fill, and I don't think there's a one-piece solution to both. Especially since I feel the same way that, outside of a conference setting, referring to an audio/video recording of a presentation is much less efficient than a proper set of notes.

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