PyCon UK 2019

Let's make a talk
09-14, 10:30–12:00 (Europe/London), Room C

How do you write a talk? In this practical workshop you will find out. You’ll receive some guidance, techniques and principles, but there will also be time to prepare a lightning talk and present it.


This workshop is intended for people who are thinking of presenting for the first time or are fairly new to presenting. It will cover planning, preparing and delivering your talk and will include hands-on exercises to give you the opportunity to practice all three in a safe and supportive environment. We will end with lightning talks, prepared in the workshop and delivered to a small, friendly audience.

No laptops allowed. This workshop focuses on the essentials of communicating to an audience so we will be using the very simplest of tools (provided, but bring your favourite marker pens if you wish).

Numbers are limited so that I can help during the preparation and there is time for everyone to present at the end. If you do not wish to present when the time comes you will not be pressured to. This session will NOT be recorded.


Is your proposal suitable for beginners? – yes

I have been presenting at conferences since 2007. It has also become part of my day job, as a lecturer in programming and cyberpsychology at Bournemouth University. But that’s my accidental second career. I was a commercial software developer for two decades and became so obsessed with the human aspects of the job that I took a psychology degree to investigate further. In 2019 I’ve finally completed my PhD in psychology of software development and I’m planning to apply my special interdisciplinary outlook to cyber security research. I can’t see myself ever becoming a full-time researcher, though. Working with students can sometimes be frustrating and I have never worked longer hours, but it’s the most fulfilling work I have ever done.