Gary Wolf

January 25, 2010

As we get ready for another big Bay Area QS Show&Tell, I thought I would post some tips for people planning to present. Feel free to add other tips in the comments. These meetings continue to be really fun and inspiring. Now that we are getting bigger, it is probably best to email if you plan to present, so you can get on the schedule.

Along with the Bay Area Show&Tell linked above, there is now a thriving New York Quantified Self group, and a Boston Quantified Self just getting started and planning its first meeting.

If you want to get one going in your area, just let us know and we will help.

TIPS FOR PRESENTERS

Total presentation time: 10 minutes (varies depending on # of people wanting to present, but this is a safe bet)

Recommended structure: 5 minute talk, 5 minute QA

Visuals: only if you feel like it, not necessary.

Style: informal. People will interrupt with questions.

Nature of group:  well-informed, enthusiastic users and makers of self-tracking tools.

Best topic:
*actual, existing self tracking project (especially 1st person account)
*how it works
*why do it? (an important question, always answer this!)
*what did you learn?

Other topics that are welcome:
*academic/scientific discoveries that will inspire self-trackers
*new devices/tools that people can try
*something interesting and relevant we haven’t thought of

What we try to avoid:
*general philosophical/speculative discussion
*controversy about high level issues like privacy, etc.
*business pitches