Lightning Talks

What is a "Lightning Talk"?

Lightning Talks are very short -- five minutes maximum -- so you can hear nine or ten topics in a 60-minute session. There is no approval process: speakers merely sign up at the door.

Sessions

PyCon 2007 has more lightning talk sessions than any previous conference:

• Friday: 12:45 PM, 60 minutes (a lunch-time session for conference sponsors to give talks)
• Friday: 5:30 PM, 60 minutes
• Saturday: 5:55 PM, 60 minutes
• Sunday: 4:25 PM, 45 minutes

For speakers

If you've never given a talk before, Lightning Talks are a good place to start. You don't need to make slides, and if you do decide to make slides, you only need to make three.

Be on time because slots fill up quickly! If the slots are full, consider doing an Open Space session for your topic instead.

The five-minute limit is strictly enforced. You will be given warnings during the last two minutes. Practice your talk beforehand, and don't pack it tightly. Plan to just introduce the topic and point people to a website or contact address for more information. Five minutes is generally equivalent to 1-2 pages of handwritten notes.

Lightning Talks don't have Q&A periods. If people want to talk further they'll catch you in the hallway or contact you after the conference. If you sense significant interest, you can schedule an Open Space session to answer questions or discuss the topic more thoroughly.

Topic suggestions

Anything Python-related goes. Here are some ideas:

• If you're giving a 30- or 45-minute talk later in the conference, give a brief preview to attract your audience.
• Give a brief preview of one of the sprints scheduled after the conference.
• I want to do cool project X. Does anyone want to help?
• Successful Project: I did project X. It was a success. Here's how you could benefit.
• Failed Project: I did project X. It was a failure, and here's why.
• Why my favorite module / add-on package is X.
• Heresy: People always say X, but they're wrong. Here's why.
• You All Suck: Here's what is wrong with our community.
• Call to Action: Let's all do more of X / less of X.
• A Funny Thing happened to me on the Way to the Mailing List / Newsgroup / Web Forum.
• Wouldn't it be cool if X?
• Someone needs to do X.
• Wish List
• Why X was a mistake.
• Why X looks like a mistake, but isn't.
• What it's like to do X.
• Here's a useful technique that worked.
• Here's a technique I thought would be useful but didn't work.
• Comparison of similar add-on packages X and Y.
• Why we should be paying more attention to X.
• My Favorite Feature

Tell me more

For more information, contact the "Lightning Talks Coordinator" found on the Department Heads page.