Public speaking guidelines

This page is a draft only
It is still under construction and content may change. Do not rely on the information on this page.

This page contains guidelines for how to properly represent Fedora in public speaking engagements.

Rationale

(Why this page is necessary.)

General rules

(Guidelines everyone should observe when representing Fedora, whether on the phone, in writing, or at a conference.)

Presentation

1. Speak clearly and use direct language.
   • Enunciate clearly.
   • Speak slowly and with confidence, so you can be understood and heeded.
2. Pay attention to questions.
   • Jot down notes if you find that helpful.
   • Give yourself time to formulate a response in your head before you open your mouth.
   • Break down the question as needed, and answer each part fully but without wandering too far off-topic.
   • Suggest separate follow-up if needed.
3. Break down complex ideas into simple ones.
   • Software is complicated, and even tech journalists and target audience are not always aware of details.
   • Use analogies or examples to illustrate the idea.
   • Point to references only if required, because it is your job to explain, not the audience's job to do further research.
4. Avoid jargon.
   • Jargon makes your message difficult to understand. If you use a term the average man on the street wouldn't understand, explain it before you use it. (Examples include: Spins, yum repo, RPM, PackageKit....)
   • If needed, use an analogy of a common-sense concept to explain.
5. Make presentation slide decks simple, not text-heavy.
   • Slides full of text tend to be distracting and hard to read.
   • Short declaratives, or even names of concepts, cause people to focus on your words.
   • Photos or graphs are useful if they support your point.
6. Know your material.
   • Do your research.
   • If you are giving a rehearsed speech, practice, practice, practice!
   • Give your talk to a test audience. Time it and solicit critiques afterward. Listen to the critique and use it to improve.
   • It's okay to re-use a talk from one venue to another. Re-use encourages familiarity, better speaking, and consistency of message.
   • Always include key messaging guidelines wherever possible.
7. Know your audience.
   • Is the audience a journalist? Community members? General computer users?
   • Make sure your message matches the informational purpose of the speaking engagement. Be relevant.
   • Avoid continually calling on the same audience member in speeches -- it discourages others.
8. Know yourself.
   • Be willing to say "I don't know" if you truly don't. People respect honesty.
   • Avoid overuse of "I don't know." Are you sure the question is relevant to your topic? If not, take it offline. If you find yourself repeatedly in this situation, revisit the Know your material rule above.
9. Anticipate questions.
   • Ask yourself tough questions about the material, and know how to answer. You have the ability to be much tougher on yourself than most audiences.
   • Have extra slides ready if helpful or needed.
10. Keep talk on-target.
    • Recognize questions that are off topic. Invite the person asking the question to discuss afterward.
    • Avoid "woolgathering" or mental wandering while speaking.
    • In interviews, it is perfectly acceptable to invite later follow-up on a related subject.
    • Journalists are also susceptible to personal curiosity; help them stay on target if they are not using their time limit wisely. They will usually thank you, because their editor wants a specific story too.
11. Be flexible.
    • Watch for signs of interest or boredom, and adjust as needed on the fly.
    • Always leave time for questions and answers in formal presentations wherever appropriate.

Content

1. Make your message positive, not negative.
   • Avoid criticizing other entities. This includes proprietary vendors and other distribution projects.
   • Indicate the Fedora philosophy or practice as a differentiating feature of the Fedora Project, and most importantly how exactly it helps advance free software.

Choosing opportunities

(This section concerns how to pick useful speaking engagements.