In these times, with the pitfalls of remote working, leading a discussion in a virtual event is not uncommon. However, when it comes to an event for Atlassian Community (ACE), where we share knowledge with Jira users and subject matter experts of the Atlassian community, it is very important that you make the presentation compelling and interactive.
We remember the first time we were asked to present at one such event. It was nerve-wracking, as we had never been feature presenters at such an event before. So, we fast-tracked our planning to deliver the best we could.
Initially, we thought to take on the responsibility for the content and speaking individually but decided to team up to overcome unexpected issues like network or bandwidth. It is virtual, there wouldn’t be any fall-back.
After iterations of practice, the day arrived, and we delivered a great session. Here are some tips & tricks to ace your ACE:
1. Select a topic in which you are comfortable to talk.
2. Make your “hook” compelling. The title of your presentation should align to your intent, and aimed at solving a problem or growing awareness on a topic that people should care about.
3. Divide the topic into sub-topics & present them on individual slides
4. On sub-topics, focus on presenting live use-cases rather than explaining them theoretically. As long as the flow of the presentation is sustained, attendees appreciate demos.
5. Select use-cases in such a way that technical & non-technical audiences both can take something from it. Present is such a way that both sides don’t feel disconnected.
6. Categorize time slots for every topic while keeping more time for elaborating key topics
7. Take a few dry runs to verify whether you are…
a. utilizing the time for each topic properly, as per planning
b. delivering specific information
c. managing time with co-presenter (if more than one person presenting)
8. Perform network tests 15min prior to go live.
We had done rigorous planning by following the above tips, and we are glad we did because at the time of presentation, one of the presenters got stuck due to bandwidth issue but we managed it well and switched over till the time the network issue got resolved.
To our delight, the session was well-received, and we got great feedback. We are now working with ACEs across India to share our knowledge and collaborate with their local communities as well as we strongly believe that learning is something that should never stop. As rightly said by Henry Ford
– “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty”
Big ups to Atlassian communities and the leaders for giving us the opportunity and for all the participants who joined in for the amazing session
What are your go-to tips for a presentation?
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