What is TEDx?
A TEDx Talk is a showcase for speakers presenting great, well-formed ideas in under 18 minutes.
According to TEDx, this short talk model works well as it only demands the audience’s attention for a short period of time. In fact, some of the greatest TED Talks have been as short as 5 minutes!
What sort of talk suits a TEDx?
A TEDx that’s based on a great idea is firstly something that’s new and surprising; or might be a compelling new argument behind an existing great idea that challenges beliefs and perspectives.
In other words, an idea isn’t just a story or a list of facts. A good idea takes certain evidence or observations and draws a larger conclusion. There are a few categories that these types of talks tend to fit into, including:
- The Big Idea
- The Tech Demo
- The Performance
- The Artist’s Statement
- The ‘Dazzle with Wonder’
- The Small Idea
- The Issue Talk
Ok, so what’s the bad news?
Well, it’s not bad news, but it is a proviso. TEDx talks wouldn’t be as great as they are if there wasn’t some form of quality control.
TEDx Talks are subject to a strict set of content guidelines, namely:
- No commercial agendas
- No political agendas or inflammatory rhetoric
- No religious agendas
- No bad science
Still interested?
Alternatively, you can hear from Chris Anderson at TEDGlobal 2013 as he explains what makes a great talk, great.