2023:Lightning talks

As with every Wikimania, Wikimania Singapore will feature dozens of lightning talks throughout the program. These talks are an opportunity for speakers to showcase their work and ideas to their audience in a concise and impactful 5 or 10 minute session.

This year, in addition to lightning talks throughout the program's thematic tracks—which will be 10 minutes each and often grouped with other talks on similar topics—there will also be a Lightning Talk Showcase on the main stage during an evening session. Talks within the Lightning Talk Showcase will be on a diverse range of topics and will be limited to 5 minutes each.

When the full program comes out, speakers will see whether they have a lightning talk in the general program or one within the Lightning Talk Showcase. Read more below to learn about the Lightning Talk Showcase.

Date/time: 18 August, 4:45–7:00 PM local time in Singapore, in the Plenary Hall, Halls 401/402.

This Wikimania, we will hold a Lightning Talks Showcase to highlight samples of some of the compelling concepts and powerful thinking developing across the globe from multiple corners of the Wikimedia Movement. The talks will be delivered in innovative bursts of ideas, 5 minutes at a time, during four themed 30 minute segments.

A lightning talk is a very short presentation lasting only a few minutes, given at a conference or similar forum. Several lightning talks will usually be delivered by different speakers in a single session, sometimes called a data blitz. Some formats of lightning talk, including PechaKucha and Ignite, involve a specific number of slides that are automatically advanced at fixed intervals. We will be using this method during the showcase.

We are capping the lighting talks at 5 minutes for each speaker. This year, speakers will be assigned a specific time to speak during four themed segments. More to come on this soon.

Lightning talks are designed to be short presentations where individuals are able to share their ideas and concepts to people who have interest or experience in the specific field or topic discussed.

Look out for special guests during each lighting talk segment!

The segments will be recorded unless speakers request otherwise. We aim to make recordings available during the conference.

• Lightning talks are brief which require the speaker to make their point clearly and rid the presentation of non-critical information. This causes the audience to be more attentive to the speaker and gain a broader array of knowledge from the presentations given.
• The idea of a lightning talk is to present an idea or a project -- it is not a finished or complete academic talk. Skip the implementation details -- tell us why your project is interesting and why we should care. Plan to present only one idea or project.
• All talks are 5 minutes maximum. If you use slides, please prepare these on your laptop and have them ready to go.
• We will have a timekeeper to watch the clock for presenters.
• Please attend the whole session to support fellow speakers.
• We ask that presenters line up ahead of your talk as the session move quickly.

Thank you!