| name | live-presentation |
| description | Plan and deliver engaging 1:M physical presentations — conference talks (AWS Summit, re:Invent), internal sessions (Floor 28, team all-hands), meetups, and customer briefings. Use when a user is preparing a live in-person talk for an audience. |
Live Presentation (1:M Physical)
Scope
Any in-person presentation where one speaker (or co-speakers) presents to a seated audience:
- Conference breakout sessions (AWS Summit, re:Invent, community days)
- Internal knowledge-sharing (Floor 28, brown bags, tech talks)
- Customer-facing briefings and demos
- Meetup and community talks
- All-hands and town halls
Planning Process
- Define the session — topic, audience level (L100-L400), duration, venue constraints
- Research — use
deep_research for content depth, competitor talks, audience expectations
- Structure — build the narrative arc
- Create deliverables — slide outline, speaker notes, demo plan
Session Structure Template
Opening (10-15% of time)
- Hook — surprising stat, provocative question, or relatable pain point
- Credibility — brief intro establishing why you're the right speaker
- Promise — what the audience will walk away with (be specific)
- Agenda preview — 3-4 bullet road map
Body (70-80% of time)
- 3-5 key points — each with its own mini-arc:
- Assertion → Evidence → Example → Takeaway
- Progressive disclosure — start broad, go deep
- Pattern interrupts every 7-10 minutes:
- Live demo or code walkthrough
- Audience poll or question
- Story or anecdote
- Shift from slides to whiteboard
- Transitions — explicit bridges between sections
Closing (10-15% of time)
- Recap — 3 bullet summary of key takeaways
- Call to action — what should they do next?
- Resources — QR code to slides, repo, docs
- Q&A — leave 5-10 min
Best Practices
Content Design
- One idea per slide — if you need a "build" use animation or multiple slides
- Maximum 3 bullet points per slide; prefer visuals/diagrams
- Every slide must pass the "so what?" test — why does the audience care?
- Include a "why should I care?" moment in the first 2 minutes
- L200+ sessions: lead with the architecture diagram, then drill down
- Never read your slides — they're visual aids, not a script
Delivery
- Rehearse out loud at least 3 times (not just in your head)
- Time yourself — cut 10% to leave breathing room
- Arrive early — test A/V, walk the stage, feel the room
- Make eye contact with different sections of the room
- Pause after key points (3 seconds feels long, but works)
- Move with purpose — don't pace, but don't stand frozen either
Audience Engagement
- Ask a question in the first 5 minutes ("raise your hand if...")
- Use live polls (Slido, Mentimeter) for large audiences
- Build in "turn to your neighbor" moments for sessions > 30 min
- Acknowledge expertise in the room ("some of you probably know more about X")
- Have a backup plan if demos fail
Technical Talks Specifically
- Show the demo first, explain the theory second (invert the textbook)
- Use real-world scale numbers, not toy examples
- Include a "what can go wrong" section — audiences love war stories
- Link to code repos — attendees want to reproduce what you showed
- Architecture diagrams: start with the 10,000ft view, then zoom in
Common Mistakes
- ❌ Too many slides (>1 per minute of talk time)
- ❌ Starting with "about me" for more than 30 seconds
- ❌ No clear takeaway — audience leaves unsure what they learned
- ❌ Reading from slides or notes
- ❌ Skipping rehearsal — "I'll just wing it"
- ❌ Demo-heavy without backup screenshots/video
- ❌ Ending with "any questions?" to silence (prime Q&A with a planted question)
- ❌ Running over time — shows disrespect for audience
- ❌ Assuming homogeneous audience level
Checklist
2 Weeks Before
1 Week Before
Day Of
After
AWS-Specific Tips
- For Summit/re:Invent: sessions are recorded — speak clearly for transcription
- AWS sessions use the "Builder" angle — always show how to DO it, not just what it IS
- Include a "get started in 5 minutes" moment
- Reference Well-Architected Framework pillars where relevant
- Floor 28 sessions: more informal, encourage interruptions, bring a live terminal
