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Comment by teeray | Hacker News Reader

Hot Take: there should be no Q&A. Best-case scenario, the questioner uncovers some omission that the speaker tweets out later. Average-case is irrelevant questions or some super-specific case that makes the speaker question if they can bill consulting hours to the questioner. Worst-case is giving a self-aggrandizing questioner a microphone to attempt to upstage the speaker. None of these are a benefit to the audience except in the first (uncommon) case.

Just go find the speaker later and ask questions if you have them.

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Hard disagree, the point of the talk is the Q&A, otherwise I can just watch it on YouTube. I design my talks so the rehearsed content is only the preamble. The rest of the time is spent in discussion. For an allocated amount of time, I create a talk that is 1/3rd the time and then supplemental material that can fill another 1/2 if the crowd can’t be warmed up.

But there’s an art to Q&A that’s as hard as public speaking but practiced by 1/10th the people. A simple hand vote is the most basic tool. After a Q, I’ll summarize it and ask how many people face this problem? Etc. why get an audience of people in a room if you don’t use them?

My comment reflected the typical, unmanaged conference Q&A where every question has an equal platform, regardless of merit. If there is a way for the audience to upvote questions that are actually good (yes, bad questions exist) as you mention with your hand vote, then it becomes worthwhile again.

I don't expect anything from the conference organizers apart from what's typically given. My point is, I despise presentations that could have been a Youtube, if you're going to give a presentation, make the experience unique to the people in the room, view the prepared sections as just enough to kickstart your intended impromptu part. This is a skill in and of itself and you just need to practice it to get better but most people aren't aware/don't try and I view it as a massive missed opportunity.

Or if you must, just don't broadcast the Q&A section.

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