| name | lightning-talk |
| description | Plan high-impact 5-10 minute lightning talks and short-format presentations. Use when the user has a strict short time limit (under 15 minutes) and needs to maximize impact per second. |
Lightning Talk (5-10 Minutes)
The Constraint = The Feature
Lightning talks are NOT shortened long talks. They're a different art form:
- Every second counts — no warm-up, no "about me", no filler
- One idea, delivered with impact
- Leave the audience wanting MORE, not less
The Formula
1 talk = 1 idea = 1 takeaway
If you can't summarize your talk in one sentence, it's too broad for lightning format.
Structure (for a 5-min talk)
| Time | Section | Purpose |
|---|
| 0:00-0:30 | Hook | Grab attention immediately |
| 0:30-1:00 | Context | Why this matters (30 sec max) |
| 1:00-4:00 | Core content | The one idea, with proof/demo |
| 4:00-4:30 | Takeaway | What to remember |
| 4:30-5:00 | CTA + close | What to do next |
For a 10-min talk: expand "Core content" to 7 min with 2-3 sub-points.
Planning Process
- Write the one-sentence takeaway FIRST
- Find the hook — what's surprising, provocative, or relatable?
- Build the minimal proof — one demo, one example, one story
- Cut everything else — ruthlessly
- Rehearse to time — you WILL run over without practice
Best Practices
Content
- Start with the punchline — reveal the conclusion early, then explain why
- One story OR one demo OR one data point — not all three
- No agenda slides — you have 5 minutes, not 45
- Skip "about me" — unless your background IS the point
- End with a memorable phrase — something tweetable
- Include one visual that sticks in memory
Delivery
- Memorize the opening — don't fumble the first 10 seconds
- No live demos unless they're under 60 seconds with zero setup
- Slides: max 10 for 5 min, max 15 for 10 min
- Speak faster than normal — but pause for emphasis on key moments
- No Q&A — "find me after for questions"
- Rehearse 5+ times — short talks need MORE practice, not less
Slide Design for Lightning
- Full-bleed images with 2-3 words overlaid
- One number or stat per slide (massive font)
- Code snippets: max 5 lines, syntax highlighted, 28pt+
- No bullet lists — they're for longer talks
- Dark backgrounds, high contrast text
Common Mistakes
- ❌ Trying to fit a 45-min talk into 5 minutes (death by compression)
- ❌ Starting with "so, um, my name is..." (wasted 10 seconds)
- ❌ Too many slides (clicking through rapid-fire is disorienting)
- ❌ Live demo with setup time (fatal in 5 min)
- ❌ No rehearsal ("it's just 5 minutes, how hard can it be?") — VERY hard
- ❌ Running over time (disrespectful to next speaker and audience)
- ❌ Ending with "and there's so much more I wanted to cover..." (anti-climax)
- ❌ Q&A attempts ("we don't really have time but any quick questions?")
Checklist
Preparation
Rehearsal
Day Of
Inspiration Formats
"One Weird Trick"
- "I found something nobody talks about. Here's what it is and why it matters."
- Works for: surprising findings, counter-intuitive practices
"Before/After"
- "Here's how we used to do X. Here's what changed. Here's the result."
- Works for: tool recommendations, process improvements
"Live Build"
- "Watch me build X in 4 minutes. Zero to working."
- Works for: developer tools, frameworks, APIs
- ⚠️ High risk — must be perfectly rehearsed
"The Rant"
- "This thing is broken and here's why."
- Works for: controversial opinions, calling out bad practices
- End with a positive alternative
"Show & Tell"
- "I built this thing. Let me show you what it does."
- Works for: side projects, open source, internal tools
