Tips for short presentations

I've been to two conferences this year and I've again seen the same annoying features in many talks that have been warned against by numerous people over the years.

Here are some tips that might come in handy :

• Color/Font scheme:

• Small room => white background - dark fonts - Sans serif fonts
• Large room => dark blue background - yellow/white fonts - Sans serif fonts

• Font size:
• At least 30 pt or
  
• Take a printout, put it on the floor, stand straight, try to read it.  If you can, then the fonts are probably OK.

• Number of slides:
• Not more than 17 slides for a 20 minute talk.  That number includes the title and section breaks.  Consider this to be a strict limit.
  

• Preparation:
• If you consider yourself are a non-native speaker, write down what you want to say (for the entire talk).  Then practise a number of times until you have memorized your talk.  Then act it out so that the talk sounds natural.  Then present it.  Extempore speeches in English by people with a poor skills in spoken English are terrible to listen to.

• Speak slowly and clearly.  This skill is needed by both native and non-native speakers of English - particularly native speakers.  Avoid regional accents if you can.

There are numerous other sources from which you can get tips on giving talks.   I've listed a few below:

• Simo P. Jones '  tips and  comments from his readers. 
• The Craig Web Experience.
• Presentation Zen.