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How to present a winning Lightning Talk

Did you know that TNC19 will be the stage of the brand new Best Lightning Talk Award?

Lightning Talks’ importance has grown year after year and expectations within the GÉANT community are already very high; they are very popular plenary sessions that always succeed in galvanising the audience.

With two sessions – on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June from 14:00 to 15.30 (EEST) – comprising 16 Lightning Talks each, the TNC19 audience will have plenty to choose from.

We are likely to remember and reminisce about the most impressive presentations. But what made them so memorable and successful? There isn’t a winning formula, but the smart and careful combination of content, imagery, graphics and delivery.

So, to help you deliver a successful – and possibly the winning – Lightning Talk and be crowned the first ever winner of our new award in the history of TNC, here are some useful tips and pointers.

CONTENT
FOCUS on your message.
TELL us a story.
DRAW a plan.

PRESENTATION
BE creative.
REDUCE the text.
USE images, graphics and animations – do not overdo it though!

DELIVERY
PRACTICE in front of the mirror, with a friend, in the car.
ENTERTAIN the audience, make them feel alive (OK, I am getting carried away, but I think you get the gist).
SMILE, always.

And most importantly, REMEMBER that, although the audience will be the judge, they will want you to succeed and will be rooting for you from the start.

Help us make the Lightning Talks Award a roaring success and the Lightning Talk plenaries even more memorable at TNC19!

Good luck everybody!

Register here to receive our regular TNC19 updates.

You may still ask … What is a Lightning Talk?
It’s a talk that focuses on one key point. This can be an idea, a successful project, a cautionary story, a collaboration invitation, a quick tip or a demonstration. It is an opportunity for ideas to get the attention they deserve, within a maximum of 5 minutes, ONLY 5 minutes.

 

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