As a public speaker, you know that technology has revolutionized the way you create, practice, and deliver your presentations and engage with your audience. It can seem overwhelming at times.

Whether you speak in person, virtually, or in a hybrid setting, technology will find you. The question is, how will you deal with it?

Below are three practical ways you can deal with tech overload and hybrid complexity:

Standardize and Simplify Your Tech Setup

Do you find that using technology on your business is overpowering your ability to work in your business?

One way to alleviate this is to create a portable, standardized setup that includes your preferred camera, microphone, lighting, and laptop.

Build a “Grab-and-Go” speaker tech kit in a dedicated travel case. Pack your preferred camera, USB microphone, compact LED light, laptop, and all necessary cables into a single, padded hard-shell case or rolling tech backpack.

Everything stays organized, protected, and ready for immediate setup—no more hunting for gear or dealing with forgotten pieces.

Pre-configure scenes or layouts (e.g., in OBS or Zoom) and automate transitions where possible. Create and save custom scene presets in OBS Studio with hotkeys.

In OBS Studio, set up multiple scenes (e.g., intro slide, webcam + slides, full-screen camera, closing slide) and assign each a hotkey for instant switching. It allows seamless, professional-looking transitions during your talk—no fumbling with windows or software.

Use the “Advanced Scene Switcher” plugin in OBS to trigger automatic transitions based on time, window focus, or media playback.

Standardizing and simplifying your tech setup reduces the learning curve at each venue and minimizes setup time and anxiety before speaking.

One way public speakers can address tech overload and hybrid complexity is to standardize and simplify their tech setup.

Another way is to partner with a tech producer or assistant.

Partner with a Tech Producer or Assistant

Your mother told you that two heads are better than one. She was right.

Collaborate with a virtual event producer or hire a technical assistant to manage slides, Q&A sessions, transitions, and platform issues during hybrid talks. Define roles and run-of-show in advance.

Collaborate with the producer to create a detailed run-of-show document that outlines slide cues, Q&A timing, transitions, and backup plans for potential glitches.

This reduces confusion and ensures seamless coordination, especially in fast-paced hybrid environments. Use shared tools like Google Docs or Notion for live updates and mutual visibility.

Conduct a tech rehearsal together. Schedule a complete run-through with your producer or assistant to test slides, transitions, chat moderation, platform switching, and contingency responses.

It helps identify weak points (e.g., latency, slide syncing) and allows both parties to refine timing and cues.

Simulate worst-case scenarios (e.g., dropped audio or frozen screens) so the tech lead knows how to respond.

Use communication channels during the talk. Stay connected via a private backchannel, such as Slack, Zoom chat, or even text, for silent communication during the presentation. This enables real-time updates (“5 mins left,” “Audience question incoming”) without interrupting the flow.

Set pre-agreed signals or shorthand (e.g., “Slide 3 next,” or “Q&A time”) to save time and reduce cognitive load.

Having a partner allows the speaker to focus on performance, audience interaction, and storytelling without being distracted by buttons or breakdowns.

So, two ways public speakers can deal with tech overload and hybrid complexity are to standardize and simplify their tech setup and partner with a tech producer or assistant.

Another is to design for dual audiences with intentional engagement.

Design for Dual Audiences with Intentional Engagement

Craft your presentation with both in-person and virtual audiences in mind. Use inclusive language (“for those of you joining us online…”), plan digital polls (e.g., Slido, Mentimeter), and assign a moderator to monitor virtual chat.

Design content for dual visibility and engagement. Use bold visuals, concise text, and large fonts that display clearly on both large screens and small devices. This ensures clarity and readability for both live and remote participants.

Include prompts like “type in the chat” or “raise your hand” to encourage interaction across both formats. Acknowledge and address in-person, virtual, and hybrid audiences equally.

Speak to both groups intentionally by alternating your focus—“For those of you in the room…” and “To those joining us online…” It helps remote viewers feel seen and included, reducing the divide between physical and digital spaces. Look into the camera occasionally to make virtual attendees feel directly addressed.

Utilize a tech-integrated structure that encourages consistent participation and enables hybrid interaction during key moments, such as Q&A sessions, feedback, or breakout sessions.

Build in micro-moments of interaction, such as brief polls, quick chat replies, or a pause for reflection, that work across platforms.

Designing for dual audiences with intentional engagement increases connection, interactivity, and inclusiveness, while making you feel more in control of the hybrid experience.

So, three ways you can deal with tech overload and hybrid complexity are (1) standardize and simplify your tech setup, (2) partner with a tech producer or assistant, and (3) design for dual audiences with intentional engagement.

Don’t let tech overload and hybrid complexity overwhelm you.

Public speaking is stressful enough.

Take a deep breath and do the three things talked about in this article.

You’ll be glad you did.

Call to Action

• Create a portable, standardized setup that includes your preferred camera, microphone, lighting, and laptop.

• Collaborate with a virtual event producer or hire a technical assistant to manage slides, Q&A sessions, transitions, and platform issues during hybrid talks.

• Craft your presentation with both in-person and virtual audiences in mind.

References

• Forbes (2023) recommends speakers “own their tech stack” to ensure consistency across events and avoid reliance on unpredictable venue setups.

• National Speakers Association (NSA) encourages creating a “grab-and-go” hybrid kit to control key variables.

• Harvard Business Review (2023) stresses the importance of delegating technical roles in hybrid environments to preserve speaker presence and reduce error.

• EventMB’s Hybrid Events Guide (2022) suggests co-hosting or tech moderation as essential for smooth hybrid delivery.

• Harvard Business Review (2023) stresses the importance of delegating technical roles in hybrid environments to preserve speaker presence and reduce error.

• EventMB’s Hybrid Events Guide (2022) suggests co-hosting or tech moderation as essential for smooth hybrid delivery.

Being a confident, engaging, and effective technical speaker is a vital personal and professional asset. With more than 40 years of engineering experience and more than 30 years of award-winning public speaking experience, I can help you reduce your presentation preparatory time by 50%, overcome your fear of public speaking and be completely at ease, deliver your presentations effectively, develop your personal presence with your audience; and apply an innovative way to handle audience questions deftly.

Working closely with you, I provide a customized protocol employing the critical skills and tools you need to create, practice, and deliver excellent technical speeches and presentations. Let’s connect and explore how I can help you become the exceptional speaker you were meant to be. Please reach out to me at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com or 703-509-4424 for a complimentary consultation. Schedule a meeting with me at calendly.com/frankdibartolomeospeaks