FAQ, part II

“How long does it take to prepare a good 15-minute presentation?”

Brace yourself. The hard truth is that per minute of presentation, you need between 20 minutes and one hour of prep time.

So, an experienced presenter will spend about 5 hours crafting a great 15-minute presentation. And a beginner needs more - yes, a lot more. Let me explain.

This time includes:

Researching the audience, to bridge the gap between you and them;
Structuring the talk (an often underestimated step);
Enriching it with examples, analogies, humour;
Preparing the visual support (typically slides);
And of course, rehearsing - at least twice, but ideally more.

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A rough time breakdown:

5% to research your audience.
30% to formulate your main message, build the structure, and lay out the key points.
30% to add all the details: examples, jokes, references, etc.
20% to make the visual support.
15% to rehearse.

“How do I stop speaking too fast when I’m nervous?”

A classic issue, especially in STEM. (I must admit, I still work on this one myself.)

You’ve got a lot to say, limited time, and nerves pushing you to rush.

But speaking too fast isn’t a personality trait - it’s a habit.
And habits can change.

Here’s what actually works:

Pause early. Train yourself to pause right after your first sentence. It resets your pace and draws the audience in.
Speak punctuation. When practising, follow commas and full stops as you would when reading aloud. It helps build rhythm.
Record yourself. Yes, it’s awkward. But it helps you hear where you’re rushing - and where to slow down.
Breathe before you speak. A full breath before each sentence anchors your pace and keeps your voice steady.
Add light movement. A small shift of position during transitions can act as a natural speed breaker.

💡 Final thought: Confidence isn’t about speed - it’s about clarity. Slowing down gives your audience time to listen, and that’s what they came for.

“How do I make people care about my data/results?”

The question is good because it contains the key to its answer - care. 🫶

People care when you establish an emotional connection. Make them relate to your data. Help them project themselves onto the situation. That means interpreting your data so that its significance becomes crystal clear.

What does it mean for the public that your new engine design reduces noise by 5 decibels compared to the state of the art?
What’s the impact of sending astronauts to the Moon on long-term missions?
Why should we care about your new computational method?

Don’t tell me how the clock works - tell me the time.

“Do I need a script or notes?”

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NO.

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(Seriously though - you are capable of remembering your entire presentation.)

You can write a script during prep - to lay out your ideas clearly on paper. And you can summarise them in bullet points while rehearsing. But on stage, you need nothing but yourself and your well-crafted visual support.

Remember: the visual support should support you first - and then your content.

“What’s the best way to end a presentation memorably?”

End with your Impact.

(Yes, your old friend PSI method again - check it if you haven’t yet.)

Finish by highlighting your strengths - why what you do matters in the first place. No need to save the world, but you must be able to clearly explain how your work adds value to society or to the user.

As a final touch, an inspiring quote that ties to your impact statement can be powerful.

🪩 As Avicii said, “One day you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember” - you present one talk, one idea at a time, so make it something you will remember. And so will your audience.

What other questions about public speaking do you have? Drop me a comment!

Talk Smart

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