Best Ways to Decide Lightning Talk Presentation Order at Internal Study Sessions

For LT presentation order, the fairest approach is either fully random selection or reverse-order rotation for recurring events. Below, we explore the reasoning behind this conclusion and practical tips for implementation.

Three Challenges of LT Presentation Order

Advantages and Disadvantages of Going First vs. Last

First presenter (opener) characteristics:

• Advantages: Audience attention is at its peak, leaves a strong impression
• Disadvantages: Maximum nervousness, responsible for warming up the room

Last presenter (closer) characteristics:

• Advantages: More likely to be remembered, satisfaction of closing the event
• Disadvantages: May get cut short if time runs over, audience fatigue

Middle slot characteristics:

• Advantages: Less nervous, can adjust after watching others present
• Disadvantages: Less memorable, declining audience attention

As you can see, no perfectly fair order exists.

Fairness of Preparation Time

Once the LT session begins, later presenters can watch others and adjust their own content.

14:00 LT starts
14:00-14:05 1st (Yamada) -> Prep time: 0 min
14:05-14:10 2nd (Sato)  -> Prep time: 5 min
14:10-14:15 3rd (Tanaka) -> Prep time: 10 min
...

Unfair aspects:

• Later presenters can adjust their content after watching others
• Earlier presenters have no way to avoid topic overlap
• Later presenters can adjust their pacing based on how time is being used

This gap becomes more pronounced as the number of presenters increases.

Differences in Psychological Burden

Some people prefer to "get it over with early" due to nervousness, while others want to "watch others first and adjust accordingly." Both preferences are reasonable, but it is impossible to accommodate everyone.

Fair Methods for Deciding Presentation Order

Method 1: Fully Random (Ghost Leg / Amidakuji)

Steps:

1. Create an event on Amida-san
2. All presenters join
3. Run the lottery to determine order

Advantages:

• Completely fair
• No one can complain
• Mathematically guaranteed fairness
• High transparency

Disadvantages:

• Cannot accommodate preferences
• Beginners might end up going first

Best for casual LT sessions, groups of experienced speakers, or situations where fairness is the top priority.

Method 2: Volunteer System (First Half / Second Half)

Steps:

1. Ask for volunteers: "First half (slots 1-5)" or "Second half (slots 6-10)"
2. Randomize within each group

Advantages:

• Partially accommodates preferences
• Reduces psychological burden
• Beginners can choose the second half

Disadvantages:

• No one may volunteer for the first half
• Tendency for everyone to prefer the second half

Suited for LT sessions with a mix of beginners and experienced speakers, or when psychological consideration is important.

Method 3: Skill/Experience-Based Order

Steps:

1. Beginners placed in the middle
2. Veterans go first or last (closer)
3. Mid-level speakers fill remaining slots

Advantages:

• Clear assignment for who warms up the room
• Accommodates beginners
• Can plan the energy arc of the session

Disadvantages:

• Skill assessment tends to be subjective
• Burden falls disproportionately on veterans
• Risk of becoming a fixed pattern

Best for beginner-focused LT sessions, educational settings, or when organizers have a clear intention for the session flow.

Method 4: Reverse-Order Rotation

Steps:

1. Record this session's presentation order
2. Next session runs in reverse order
3. Continue rotating

Example:

[Session 1]
1st: Yamada -> [Session 2] 10th
2nd: Sato   -> [Session 2] 9th
...
10th: Tanaka -> [Session 2] 1st

Advantages:

• Fair over the long term
• Everyone experiences every position
• Clear history

Disadvantages:

• Requires recurring sessions
• Need a method for the initial session
• Vulnerable to member changes

Ideal for regularly scheduled LT sessions with fixed members. Use fully random selection for the first session.

Practical Example: Monthly Engineering LT (8 Presenters)

Preparation (1 Week Before -- Announce on Slack)

@channel Time to decide presentation order for this month's LT!

[Method]
Fully random via Ghost Leg (Amidakuji)

[Steps]
1. Access the URL below
   https://amida-san.com/events/lt-november
2. Join with your name
3. Add 2 horizontal lines

Deadline: Tomorrow at 5:00 PM
Results will be announced once everyone has joined.

Results Announcement (Next Day, 5:00 PM)

@channel LT presentation order is set!

1st: Yamada
2nd: Sato
3rd: Tanaka
4th: Suzuki
5th: Takahashi
6th: Ito
7th: Watanabe
8th: Nakamura

Results URL: https://amida-san.com/events/lt-november

See you all on the day!

After the LT Session

@channel Great work today!

Next time (December) we'll run in reverse order:
1st: Nakamura
2nd: Watanabe
...
8th: Yamada

We rotate to ensure long-term fairness.

Sharing the rotation plan in advance increases participant buy-in.

Tips Based on Presentation Order

Supporting the First Presenter

Organizers should offer a rehearsal opportunity 5 minutes before the start and prioritize resolving equipment issues. Having the MC create a warm atmosphere also helps. The presenter should embrace the role of "warming up the room," keep it concise rather than aiming for perfection, and focus on setting up the next speaker.

Supporting the Last Presenter

Organizers should strictly manage time so earlier talks don't run over, and maintain an attentive atmosphere until the end. The presenter should prepare a shortened version in case time is tight and aim to close with an engaging topic.

Benefits of the Middle Slots

Middle presenters can avoid topic overlap by watching earlier talks and adjust their time allocation. Being able to present in a more relaxed state is a unique advantage of the middle position.

Making LT Sessions More Engaging

Offer "Perks" for Each Position

Award the first presenter a "Courage Award" with a special sticker, give the last presenter a "Closer Award" with a thank-you note, and provide the middle presenters a "Consistency Award" with snacks. When every position has something positive, the negative perception diminishes.

Flexible Presentation Times

[LT Duration]
- Standard: 5 minutes
- Minimum: 3 minutes
- Maximum: 7 minutes

If time remains, extend Q&A
If running behind, shorten everyone to 3 minutes

Allowing this flexibility reduces pressure. Share the rules in advance.

Voting and Feedback

After the session, vote for "the most informative presentation" and send positive feedback to everyone. Deliver improvement suggestions privately via DM. This boosts motivation and builds anticipation for the next event.

FAQ

Q1: What about first-time participants?

First-timers are best placed in the middle (slots 3-6). If they draw slot 1 in the lottery, check their preference and adjust if needed.

Q2: What if the session is running behind schedule?

Set a rule in advance, such as "if the session is running more than a certain number of minutes behind, remaining presenters shorten to 3 minutes."

Q3: What if someone wants to change their assigned order?

Post-lottery changes should generally not be allowed, but if there are unavoidable circumstances (e.g., feeling unwell), consider allowing a swap with another presenter.

Q4: What about online LT sessions?

Online sessions make it even easier to share URLs, increasing transparency. Running the lottery in advance via Slack or Teams works well.

Q5: Won't using the same method every time get boring?

Rotating methods each month keeps things fresh. For example, fully random in January, first-half/second-half volunteer system in February, and reverse rotation in March.

Achieving a Fair and Satisfying Presentation Order

LT presentation order affects each presenter's nervousness, preparation time, and psychological burden.

Best practices for deciding presentation order:

1. Use fully random selection (Ghost Leg) for transparency
2. Use reverse-order rotation for recurring sessions
3. Accommodate beginners (place them in the middle)
4. Offer "perks" for every position
5. Adopt a mathematically fair method

In particular, Amida-san offers:

• Transparency that everyone can accept
• Easy sharing via Slack or Teams
• URL-based results saved and verifiable for 180 days
• Free, supports up to 299 participants

Give it a try at your next LT session.

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Related articles:

• How to Decide Presentation Order
• Fair Role Assignment Methods
• How to Energize Remote Meetings
• How Amidakuji Works and Its Fairness