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Nearly every developer will be asked to present to his or her peers at some point. Those that do it well will tend to have an outsized influence on their team, company, and community. This talk will demonstrate (mostly by example) the straightforward techniques for giving excellent presentations, from a veteran conference speaker and teacher. Topics to cover include: * Phrases that turn your audience against you. * Basic body language tips that affect perception. * How to be more interesting than the internet. * The power of live coding and demos. * Being funny without resorting to reddit memes. * How to get plenty of questions during Q&A. * How to get an unfair amount of talk acceptances (aka 'Bribing conference organizers'). Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/FGaB/
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In this talk titled **"How to Talk to Developers,"** Ben Orenstein, a veteran conference speaker, shares practical techniques for improving presentation skills, particularly for developers. Acknowledging that nearly every developer will eventually present to their peers, he outlines strategies that can significantly enhance their influence within their teams and communities. Throughout the presentation, Orenstein emphasizes the importance of being engaging and entertaining rather than just informative. He implements this by incorporating real-time activities such as calisthenics which help energize the audience from the start. Here are the key points discussed during the talk: - **Engage Early**: Orenstein advocates for doing something unique within the first minute of a talk to catch the audience's attention, such as physical activity or a surprising request. - **Hierarchy of Interests**: He stresses that it’s essential to be more interesting than the internet to capture and maintain the audience’s attention, hence the mantra: *"It’s more important to be entertaining than informative."* - **Show, Don’t Tell**: Orenstein discusses the technique of live coding and demos over slides to convey information better, asserting that live action offers more depth than static slides. - **Body Language**: He shares tips on effective body language to ensure confidence while presenting; maintaining an open and relaxed posture can significantly impact audience perception. - **Handling Nervousness**: Orenstein provides insights on dealing with nerves before and during a talk, including power posing to boost confidence and the importance of not pre-apologizing for perceived shortcomings in the talk. - **Q&A Strategies**: He suggests asking for questions while maintaining open body language to encourage engagement and facilitate a more dynamic discussion post-presentation. - **Avoiding Common Pitfalls**: Orenstein highlights anti-patterns in speaking, such as appearing unexcited, using unreadable slides, and failing to engage the audience as they might expect. In conclusion, Ben Orenstein’s presentation emphasizes that effective communication involves connecting with the audience through engaging delivery rather than just presenting dry content. By focusing on an entertaining approach and employing practical techniques discussed, developers can not only improve their presentation skills but also enhance the overall experience for their audiences, making them more likely to absorb and retain the information shared.
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