Here's my 7 step approach for creating conference talks. Perhaps this will work for you.
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Step 1: Consume incessantly. Official docs, open source projects, blog posts, videos, and books. Read lots of code. While doing so, slap unformatted, sloppy ideas in slides. Don't worry about wording or order. Just capture ideas. Focus on the why. That's what conf talks do best.
Step 2: Arrange slides by topic. I typically use sections in Powerpoint. Keep dragging until a logical order is found. Create bold title slides for each section so people recognize the transition.
Step 3: Groom the slides by distilling ideas, summarizing, adding metaphors, stories, images, videos, and comparisons. Add speaker notes to help clarify thinking. Don't use them when speaking.
Step 4: Create demos. Call out the demos in slides to assure they're presented at the right time. Post demos online. Record video in case the demo fails.
Step 5: Cut for length. My pace is 1-2 slides/min. I go with my gut on this. I don't practice talks aloud. I have an inner monologue as I do the steps above. I visualize the talk. My talks are a convo - never the same way twice. Put cut slides in section named "cut" at the end.
Step 6: Polish. Clean up design. Cut words. Add humor. Make it fun. Some talks don't reach this point, since I run out of time. During this stage, I try to visualize the talk while I work out. New jokes, metaphors, and examples often pop up.
Step 7: Prepare a strong ending. Distill the talk to a single printed page that includes links to relevant resources, demos, and contact info. Show handout link on final slide. Script the last sentences. Memorize them. Finish strong, say thank you, and smile. 😃
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