Ignite presentation

Confirm the Ignite format

An Ignite talk is a short presentation with fixed timing. The announcements from Kutztown University and Michigan State University’s event description give the rules for their events as five minutes, 20 slides, and automatic advancement every 15 seconds (Kutztown University, MSU Engineering). This does not mean that these are the rules for every Ignite event. Before planning your talk, confirm the duration, slide count, and transition setup with the organizer.

The outline below is based only on the 20-slide, five-minute example in these sources. If your event has different rules, adapt the plan accordingly. If you are interested in other short presentation formats, such as a three-minute thesis presentation or a lightning talk, you can also read How to prepare a PechaKucha presentation and Lightning talk presentation for a short technical talk.

Express your main message in one sentence

Write one sentence stating what you want your audience to remember at the end of the talk. Use it to assess which details serve the topic and which can be left out. Then consider how familiar your audience is with the subject. If technical terms need explaining, check during rehearsal whether the explanations are brief enough not to overshadow the main idea.

If the event announcement does not provide information about file submission or how the presentation will be played, do not make assumptions; ask the organizer. Details about the presentation software you use and the setup that will be used at the event may also matter. Rather than assuming that a particular menu step exists or that a setting behaves the same way on every device, consult the current help for your software and, if possible, test the presentation in the setup that will be used at the event.

A suggested five-minute outline

The breakdown below is a planning suggestion for a 20-slide talk, not an event rule or required template:

• 1–2: Opening and main idea.
• 3–5: An intriguing question, problem, or context.
• 6–10: Examples and evidence that explain the idea.
• 11–15: Method, comparison, or change.
• 16–18: Main takeaway and why it matters.
• 19–20: Memorable conclusion and closing.

For each slide, ask, “What would be missing from the talk if this slide were removed?” If you do not have a clear answer, consider removing the slide or combining it with another. Making sure the visual and spoken text support the same idea can also clarify the purpose of the slide.

Hypothetical example: rainwater in a city

Hypothetical topic: “Keeping rainwater in the neighborhood instead of only draining it away.” This is a representative example created to illustrate a presentation outline; it is not data from a real project or technical advice that applies everywhere. If you present local conditions or claims about the topic, verify them separately with reliable sources. Example main message: “We can change the journey of rainwater by thinking about water close to where it originates.”

1. Open with a visual showing water pooling after rain.
2. Ask, “Where does this water go?”
3. Choose a neighborhood or street to examine.
4. Introduce the idea of comparing paved surfaces with green space.
5. Identify what information is needed for this comparison.
6. Show a simple drawing of a rain garden.
7. Explain how the design is intended to interact with water.
8. Move from a single example to the scale of a street.
9. Emphasize that not every site is the same and that local conditions need to be examined.
10. Ask how you would assess whether a site is suitable.
11. Compare hard and permeable surfaces again.
12. Include maintenance needs as a factor to investigate.
13. Show the possible roles of a resident, designer, and local government.
14. Do not claim that a single garden solves every flooding problem; limit the scope.
15. Introduce the idea of observing conditions before and after implementation.
16. Return to the opening image of rain.
17. Emphasize that the proposal needs to be assessed in a specific place.
18. Identify what local data would be needed to support the conclusion.
19. Restate the main message: “Think about water close to where it originates whenever possible.”
20. End by saying, “Next time it rains, notice the path the water takes.”

Match slides to your narration

For each slide, first write down the visual or headline idea, then the main thought you will convey on that slide. If your event uses 15-second transitions, check during rehearsal whether you can communicate the thought clearly within that interval. If not, simplify the sentence or remove a secondary detail; do not try to make up the time simply by speaking faster.

It may help to decide what point the visual will illustrate instead of using long blocks of text. If you use someone else’s visual, note its source and follow any source citation rules the event may have. These are planning suggestions, not requirements to use a particular visual format or presentation software.

Rehearsal and technical check

First, rehearse the full talk while timing yourself. Review whether the main idea in each section is clear, whether the transitions sound natural, and whether you reach the closing. If automatic transitions will be used, check in advance that the setting works as expected in the presentation setup that will be used at the event. Since the menu or playback view may vary by software and version, consult your application’s current help and the organizer’s instructions.

If you cannot fit a slide into the time, shorten the sentence or remove an unnecessary detail. If you consistently finish early, consider whether you need to explain how an example connects to the main idea before adding new information. If the file format or submission deadline is not specified, ask the organizer; do not assume that a particular format is required.

Final checklist

• I confirmed the event’s rules for duration, slide count, and transitions.
• I can express my main message in one sentence.
• Every slide has a specific function in the talk.
• I checked the examples, numbers, and visual sources.
• If automatic transitions will be used, I checked them in the event presentation setup or asked how to verify them.
• I rehearsed the full talk and reached the closing.
• I asked the organizer about any uncertainties regarding file submission.

Frequently asked questions

Does an Ignite presentation have to be 20 slides and five minutes?

No. These are the rules for the events described in the sources from Kutztown University and Michigan State University. Confirm your own event’s format with the organizer.

Should I write exactly one sentence on each slide?

No. One sentence can help you plan a slide’s main idea; it is not a required rule. What matters is that each slide has a function in the talk and that the idea is communicated clearly within the allotted time.