Ever feel like you had something to add to the mix at a national conference?
Maybe you have something brief you want to react to, show off or highlight?
After a fun start at SNDDC last year, we’re continuing with a second edition of lightning talks on the #SNDSF program on Saturday, April 9. Think of it as a series of snack-sized presentations, or a speed date with knowledge. These talks might cover all kinds of topics and are generally a lot of fun. So buckle up and come ready to hang on.
What is a lightning talk?
These short-form talks are unlike traditional conference presentations, panels or classroom lectures. The presentations tend to be simpler than Pecha Kucha but longer than lightning talks. Each speakers gets five minutes, and must use 20 slides, with each slide advancing automatically after 15 seconds, forcing speakers to get the point, fast.
The goal
To spark new conversations and collaborations across cultures and disciplines throughout the design community with fast-paced, bite-sized presentations. It’s a great opportunity to meet smart, interesting people who might not otherwise take up the microphone and share their perspective. Everyone has a story — what’s yours? For SNDSF we’re assembling designers, artists, technologists, thinkers, leaders and personalities that will take the stage to answer this challenge.
The format
We’ll ask each presenter to submit slides ahead of time. We’ll advance one slide every 15 seconds (20 slides in 5 minutes). But don’t be cowed by the format, use it to get to the point and tell your story:
- Talk about what you love.
- Talk about what you hate (inverted passion).
- Talk about what you’re good at.
- Try to share some kind of insight.
- Don’t sweat the five minute limit — remember that The Gettysburg Address was only about two-and-a-half minutes long.
- Turn and burn: burn your first and last slide.
- Hack the format as much as you want — repeat a slide if you need to to tell your story.
- Rehearse — figure out your points before you build your slides, and practice at least once.
Here’s some great advice from presentation pro and best-selling author Scott Berkun that should help you get the most out of your five minutes.
Submit your topic: Got something to share to the SNDSF crowd in five minutes or less? Please use this form to sign up (or nominate someone else) so we can plan ahead and assemble a great lightning round at #SNDSF workshop. Hope to see you this spring in San Francisco.
To register for the #SNDSF workshop, which runs April 7-9 in San Francisco, click here. Need anything else? Let us know. Contact lightning round wrangler Steve Dorsey or call him at 512-808-7377.