We've included a checklist of useful guidewords and heuristics to help you prepare talks. This checklist allows speakers to quickly discover areas that they might need to include.

Curated By: Ajay Balamurugadas & Rahul Parwal

Need more such resources? - Check them out here: Rahul's Testing Titbits

🌈 Main Content - Slides

• [ ] Quotes
• [ ] Facts / Statistics
• [ ] Infographics / Visuals
• [ ] Poll / Question
• [ ] Sketch / Diagram
• [ ] Story(telling)
• [ ] Summary
  • [ ] Could be a 5W1H or its subset
• [ ] Q&A
• [ ] Thank You

😵 Things to Avoid

• [ ] Filler Words
  • [ ] Ahh
  • [ ] Umm
  • [ ] Like, etc.
• [ ] Low Voice
• [ ] Weak Opening
• [ ] Typos / Grammar Issues - Proofread 🙂
• [ ] Long Sentences (> 10 Words)
• [ ] Crossing Arms
• [ ] Touching Face

✨ Misc. Hacks

• [ ] Be Spontaneous - Avoid over-prep.
• [ ] Rehearse with a small audience if possible
• [ ] Start with a bold statement or less-known fact.
• [ ] Use Humor
• [ ] Use Quiz
• [ ] Use Pauses & Silence
• [ ] Tell a Story
• [ ] Real-World Example / Analogy

✨ Meta Data - Slides

• [ ] About Me
• [ ] Table of Contents
• [ ] Social Link on Slides (eg: @parwalrahul)
• [ ] Credits to Reviewers (if any)
• [ ] Used with Permission Note (wherever applicable)
• [ ] Stock Credits
• [ ] References
  • [ ] Books
  • [ ] Links
  • [ ] Blogs, etc.

👉 Body Language Secrets

• [ ] Smile
• [ ] Back Straight
• [ ] Eye Contact
• [ ] Comfortable Clothes
• [ ] Power of Lift - Eyebrows
• [ ] Show Palms
• [ ] Keep Fingers Together
• [ ] Keep Elbows Out

🧡 Perspectives to Offer

• [ ] Change to industry
• [ ] Observations from your experience
• [ ] Positivity amidst chaos
• [ ] Alternative perspectives
• [ ] Expert opinions
• [ ] Future possibilities
• [ ] Industry trends
• [ ] Authentic experience

💯 Principles

• [ ] Always have a PURPOSE for your talk.
• [ ] Share one main sentence that you want the audience to leave with.
• [ ] https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/ - Lesson Taxonomy
• [ ] Content Chunking in Your Lessons – Faculty Learning Hub (tlconestoga.ca)
• [ ] Mayer's 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning | DLI (digitallearninginstitute.com)

💯 Talk Stricture - Step by Step

1. Problem/challenge/tension (what is it and why did you need to overcome it?)

2. Details of the problem (as in, why this was a problem worth tackling and how you broke the problem down to tackle it)