Learn the art of delivering effective whiteboard talks in this comprehensive tutorial designed for engineers and technical professionals. Master essential communication techniques that combine teaching, storytelling, visual information display, and improvisational skills to convey complex ideas clearly. Explore how to organize discussions, define appropriate scope and abstraction levels, build knowledge models, and adapt terminology for different audiences. Discover strategies for remote presentations, handling challenging audience members, and avoiding common technical presentation pitfalls. Through detailed segments covering color usage, practice techniques, precise language choice, and conversation control methods, develop the skills needed to create engaging, educational whiteboard sessions that effectively transfer knowledge to colleagues. Special attention is given to remote presentation scenarios, making this tutorial particularly relevant for today's hybrid work environments.
Effective Whiteboarding Techniques for Technical Communication
Overview
Syllabus
Introduction and Rules
What is a Whiteboard Talk?
The Boundaries of Your Talk
Framing the Discussion / Using what your audience already has
Framing Example: "Less Filling, Tastes Great"
A Note on Color
A Note on Practice
Words Mean Things
The Problem with "not"
You're the Adult in the Room*
DON'T MAKE STUFF UP
Controlling the Conversation: Parking Lots and Agendas
[Halftime Break, Matt on a hot mic]
Halftime Q & A
Letting The Audience In
Presenting While Remote
Standard Geek Pitfalls
Handling Problem Audience Members
Q & A
Taught by
NANOG
