This book unveils ten secrets on how to masterfully speak in the technology arena. It is primarily based on stories from entrepreneurs, executives and engineers from technology companies that have shaped history: Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Elon Musk, Jim Grubb (Cisco), Mikko Hyppönen (F-secure), Jane Chen (Embrace Innovations) and many more. Most of them have appeared on the stages of large conferences and events presenting their products and inventions.
Today the technology arena is more dynamic and innovating than ever: mobile applications, cloud services, artificial intelligence, clean technologies, blockchain, etc.There are increasingly more spaces to share knowledge and promote products. Both aspects make speaking about technology harder than ever: how should you speak about your product or company in a way that your audience not only gets what you say but gets inspired enough to become followers?
The ten practices presented in this book are: story, demo, metaphor, data visualization, passion, props, presentation hacks, interaction, staging, and memory. All core aspects that a technical person needs to rock the stage at conferences.
What You Will Learn
• A wide range of skills which will help you make a solid and persuasive presentation or talk
• How to craft compelling stories
• How to write better (blogs and copy) about technical products and events
Who This Book is For
DevOps, developer evangelists, testers, architects, product managers, sales engineers, solution architects, CTOs, CEOs, startup founders, marketers
Author(s): Oscar Santolalla
Edition: 1
Publisher: Apress
Year: 2020
Language: English
Commentary: Vector PDF
Pages: 119
City: New York, NY
Tags: Communication; Public Speaking; Rhetoric; Presentations
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Tech Stage
The Technology Arena Today
Why You Should Speak in Conferences
The Pains Techies Have
Ten Secrets
Chapter 2: Story
Why You Should Tell Stories
Role Play Before You Show the Boring Slide
The Internet Is on Fire
When Stories Humanize Products
The First Ever Tweet
Show Who You Are
Now Become a Storyteller
Types of Stories You Can Use
Best Practices for Storytelling
Chapter 3: Killer Demos
Demos on the Tech Stage
Product Launches
Startup Pitches
API Demos
Demos That Rocked the Tech Stage
The Mother of All Demos (1968)
Macintosh Launch (1984)
iPhone Launch (2007)
Minecraft on Microsoft HoloLens (2015)
Other Demos Worth Watching
How to Give a Great Demo
No Creativity, No Demo
Structure Your Demo
Practice, Practice, Practice
Embedding Your Demos in the Browser
Key Takeaways
Chapter 4: Metaphor
What Is a Metaphor?
Definition of Metaphor
Everyday Metaphors
Some Famous Metaphors
Great Metaphors Used in Technology
Create Your Own Metaphors
Similes and Analogies
Simile
Analogy
Examples
Why You Should Use Metaphors
Best Practices
Key Takeaways
Chapter 5: Dataviz
What Is “Data Visualization”?
Not All Visualizations Are Good for Presentations
The Three Basic Charts
Common Mistakes in Presenting Data
Not Knowing Your Point
Choosing the Wrong Type of Chart
Graphs That Are Too Busy
Lack of Context
Titles Without Insight
A Blue Square on a Map of the United States
Sometimes Dataviz Is the Perfect Way to Communicate an Idea
A Business School 101 Graph
The Single Biggest Reason Why Startups Succeed
A Data Storyteller Making Impact
Cinematic Presentations
Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics
Best Practices to Present Data Effectively
Dataviz on Your Pitch
Key Takeaways
Chapter 6: Passion
Talks Come from a Source of Passion
Developers, Developers, Developers
Passion for Devices
Passion for Astronomy
Passion for Coaching Speakers in the Tech Arena
No Voice, No Passion
How Much Passion Is Too Much?
Best Practices
Key Takeaways
Chapter 7: Props
Props in Pitching Competitions
An Overhead Projector
Inspiration from Other Fields
“Oh, You Think Smoking Kills”
Finding the Right Prop
Best Practices for Using Props
Key Takeaways
Chapter 8: Presentation Hacks
Do I Always Need Presentation Slides to Speak?
Design Well and Present Well
Design Your Presentation Slides
Present Your Slides
Presentation Hacks from the Masters
“New.PPT” by Mikko Hyppönen
“Create As a Comedian” by Mikko Hyppönen
“Break Up the Bullet Points” by Kevlin Henney
“Show Code with Context” by Kevlin Henney
“Skip Slides on the Fly” by Kevlin Henney
“Slide Velocity” by Kevlin Henney
“What If I Am Showing the Wrong Slides?” by Elisa Heikura
Beyond Presentation Software
The Web Browser Is My Presentation Software
The World Isn’t Ready for Cinematic Presentations
Key Takeaways
Chapter 9: Interaction
What Is Audience Interaction?
How to Interact with Your Audience
Asking Questions
Interactive Polls During the Talk
Other Tactics for Audience Interaction
Key Takeaways
Chapter 10: Staging
What Is Staging?
How Engelbart Created a Theater Stage
Speaking at a Cinema
Prepare Yourself for the Stage
Staging at the Largest Tech Events
Apple Events
Tesla Product Launches
Your Home Is the Stage
You Can Influence Your Staging
Best Practices
Key Takeaways
Chapter 11: Memory
Remembering Your Lines
Should You Learn a Speech by Heart?
A Trick to Hide Your Notes
The Risk of Becoming a Teleprompter Reader
How Many Times Does a World Champion of Public Speaking Rehearse?
Key Takeaways
Chapter 12: The Virtual Tech Stage
A Virtual Conference Made Different
Benefits of Virtual Conferences
How to Be Effective in Virtual Presentations
Main Skills to Learn or Improve
Videoconferencing Tools
Speak in Front of a Camera
Set Your Own Stage
Voice
Interaction in the Virtual World
Conferences Won’t Be the Same in the Short Term
Chapter 13: Get Started!
What If I Have Impostor Syndrome?
Find a Great Topic
Bloggers First
Applying for Conferences
A Tool for Speakers in Tech
Having a Talk Is Not the End Goal
Beware of Scams
Some Final Advice
You’ve Got to Have a Mentor
Keep Your Hands Dirty
Now, Get Out and Speak!
Appendix A:
Resources
For Further Reading
Useful Online Tools
Applications
Podcasts
Online Galleries for Photos
Public Speaking Training
Index
