10-Second Presentation Coaching

Product demonstrations are a big part of most hackathons. However, many in our community can be uncomfortable speaking in front of a group of people.

Giving people an easy framework for presenting their idea helps them feel more comfortable. It can also help reduce the time of each presentation and cut down on awkward moments.

@tsclausing and @egdelwonk present a project at #ht7.

Any good community organizer understands that one of the biggest aspects of leadership is distilling goals into easy-to-understand language and repeating yourself a lot. In that spirit, I display a slide that lists four simple bullet points for a successful presentation. I review the framework from the platform during the final meal of the event. Lastly, as I call each team to the stage for their presentation, I remind them of the four points in 10 seconds:

1. Introduce your team name and members
2. Describe your technology stack
3. Demonstrate your product
4. You have 3 minutes or less

For larger format events, we designate specific volunteers to visit each team and provide some personal coaching. For an event where 25+ teams are presenting, this extra step can dramatically reduce the amount of time closing ceremonies consume.

@jimhitch led the group that coached 25+ teams toward a streamlined product demonstration at #ht7.

What methods have you observed which produce effective product presentations?