Rock the Tech Stage: How the Best Speakers in Tech Present Ideas and Pitch Products

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