Sentinel: Your Web-Performance Watchman

Public Speaking and Conferences

Practical insights, delivered.

I’ve spoken at a lot of conferences. Over one-hundred of them. Sharing knowledge is one of my key motivations, and is a large part of why I chose to become a consultant in the first place—I love to help.

From local meetups to international events, I am an enthusiastic, engaging, and professional speaker. My focus is on web performance and site-speed optimisation, from both a technical- and business-perspective.

Want to see where I’m speaking next? I have a fairly full international schedule, so hopefully I’ll be in a city near you very soon.

Want me to speak at your event? I’ll probably say yes. I usually say yes. Take a look at my preliminary questions and then drop me a line.

Am I any good? Check this keynote from 2019’s performance.now() conference. It’s a good representation of me and my style.

As well as public speaking engagements, I am available to deliver talks in-house, directly to you and your colleagues. This means we can tailor the content to provide the most focused and valuable talk possible. Contact me to talk about possibilities.

Looking for something a little more involved? You might want a workshop. My workshops are renowned.

Upcoming Events

2023

  1. Talk & Workshop

    WebExpo: Prague (Czech Republic), May 2024
  2. Talk

    Middlesbrough Front End: Middlesbrough (England), July 2024

Invite to Speak

I would absolutely love to speak at your conference! However, I do just have a few questions to make the whole process a lot simpler and upfront for everyone involved. If you could fire me an email answering as many of the below as possible, I’d be really grateful. If you don’t have answers to everything just yet, please don’t worry—this is just a rough starting point, not a test. Please also remember that there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions.

  • When and where is your conference? I once travelled 12,000 miles to give a talk; I’m not afraid of a commute.
  • How many attendees do you expect to have? Rough figures or previous sizes are perfectly fine.
  • What kind of audience do you have? It helps to know what the audience will be like (e.g. mainly front-end developers, mainly designers, etc.).
  • Which other speakers have you approached? It helps to be aware of any other speakers who run the risk of delivering similar talks.
  • How long does the talk need to be? Do you have a set talk duration? 45 minutes is usually ideal.
  • Do you have any specific AV limitations? I prefer to use headset or lapel microphone, and would definitely rather use my own laptop to present from.
  • Do you cover speaker expenses? Flights, hotels, train journeys, etc.
  • What kind of talk would you like? I usually give technical talks (CSS architecture, performance, etc.), but am open to discussing other topics.
  • Do you require a brand new talk? Writing talks takes a lot of time and effort: forewarned is forearmed.
  • When can I start publicising your event? Do you want to keep the lineup quiet for a while, or can I add your event to my speaking list immediately?
  • How much does a ticket cost for attendees? I like to have a rough idea of the cost of the event if possible.
  • Do you plan to compensate speakers? I usually charge a fee to speak, however its value is open to discussion for indie and non-profit events.

What’s in It for You?

I will help to promote and publicise your event. I will endeavour to make myself available to attendees for the entire duration of the event. I will attend all social activities surrounding the event. I will deliver a quality talk of practical relevance. I will gladly allow you to record and distribute my talk. I hold myself to a high standard.

Sound okay? Get in touch!

Past Events

2023

  1. Talk

    performance.now(): Amsterdam (Netherlands), November 2023
  2. Talk

    DEV: Challenge Accepted: Sofia (Bulgaria), September 2023
  3. Talk

    State of the Browser: London (England), September 2023
  4. Workshop

    Web Summer Camp: Opatija (Croatia), September 2023
  5. Talk

    Infoshare: Gdańsk (Poland), May 2023
  6. Talk & Workshop

    WebExpo: Prague (Czech Republic), April 2023
  7. Workshop

    Beyond Tellerrand: Düsseldorf (Germany), April 2023
  8. Talk

    Stories On The Road: Leeds (England), March 2023

2022

  1. Workshop

    HelloWorld: Belgrade (Serbia), December 2022
  2. Talk

    DaFED: Novi Sad (Serbia), December 2022
  3. Workshop

    HURA: Zagreb (Croatia), December 2022
  4. Talk & Workshop

    Modern FrontEnds Live!: London (England), November 2022
  5. Talk

    Øredev: Malmö (Sweden), November 2022
  6. Talk

    performance.now(): Amsterdam (Netherlands), October 2022
  7. Talk

    🌍 Web Unleashed: Remote (Online), October 2022
  8. Talk

    Infoshare: Gdańsk (Poland), October 2022
  9. Workshop

    Digital Labin: Labin (Croatia), September 2022
  10. Talk

    DEV: Challenge Accepted: Sofia (Bulgaria), September 2022
  11. Talk

    Smashing Conference: Freiburg (Germany), September 2022
  12. Talk

    Web Summer Camp: Šibenik (Croatia), September 2022
  13. Talk & Workshop

    Smashing Conference: San Francisco (US), June 2022

2021

  1. Talk

    Beyond Tellerrand: Düsseldorf (Germany), November 2021
  2. Talk

    🌍 Web Unleashed: Remote (Online), October 2021
  3. Talk

    Infoshare: Gdańsk (Poland), October 2021
  4. Talk & Workshop

    WebExpo: Prague (Czech Republic), September 2021
  5. Talk

    🌍 Stay Curious: Remote (Online), August 2021
  6. Workshop

    🌍 Smashing Conference: Remote (Online), May 2021

2020

  1. Talk

    🌍 Web Unleashed: Remote (Online), October 2020
  2. Talk

    Frontcon: Riga (Latvia), August 2020
  3. Workshop

    🌍 Smashing Conference: Remote (Online), May–June 2020

2019

  1. Talk & Workshop

    performance.now(): Amsterdam (Netherlands), November 2019
  2. Talk

    ffconf: Brighton (England), November 2019
  3. Talk & Workshop

    ScriptConf: Linz (Austria), October 2019
  4. Talk

    JAMstack JAM session: Linz (Austria), October 2019
  5. Talk & Workshop

    Smashing Conference: New York (US), October 2019
  6. Talk & Workshop

    Digitalab.in: Labin (Croatia), September 2019
  7. Talk & Workshop

    Finch Front-End: Edinburgh (Scotland), September 2019
  8. Talk & Workshop

    WebExpo: Prague (Czech Republic), September 2019
  9. Talk & Workshop

    Front Conference Zürich: Zürich (Switzerland), August 2019
  10. Talk & Workshop

    Clarity: San Francisco (US), August 2019
  11. Talk & Workshop

    CSSCamp: Barcelona (Spain), July 2019
  12. Talk

    DEVit: Thessaloniki (Greece), June 2019
  13. Workshop

    Pixel Pioneers: Bristol (England), June 2019
  14. Talk

    Tinel Meetup: Split (Croatia), May 2019
  15. Talk

    Shift DEV: Split (Croatia), May 2019
  16. Talk & Workshop

    Infoshare: Gdańsk (Poland), May 2019
  17. Talk

    IT-Konekt: Niš, Kragujevac (Serbia), April 2019
  18. Talk

    JSHeroes: Cluj-Napoca (Romania), April 2019
  19. Talk & Workshop

    JS Fest: Kyiv (Ukraine), April 2019
  20. Talk

    Front End Sheffield: Sheffield (England), March 2019
  21. Talk & Workshop

    Spotlight: Web Performance: Toronto (Canada), March 2019
  22. Workshop

    New Adventures: Nottingham (England), January 2019

2018

  1. Talk & Workshop

    FrontEnd Con: Warsaw (Poland), December 2018
  2. Talk

    Topconf: Tallinn (Estonia), November 2018
  3. Talk

    ColdFront: Copenhagen (Denmark), November 2018
  4. Talk

    performance.now(): Amsterdam (Netherlands), November 2018
  5. Talk

    Heapcon: Belgrade (Serbia), October 2018
  6. Talk & Workshop

    Web Unleashed: Toronto (Canada), October 2018
  7. Workshop

    Web Summer Camp: Rovinj (Croatia), August–September 2018
  8. Talk

    CSSconf Argentina: Buenos Aires (Argentina), August 2018
  9. Talk

    New York Web Performance Group: New York (US), July 2018
  10. Talk

    Smashing Conference: Toronto (Canada), June 2018
  11. Talk & Workshop

    Frontend United: Utrecht (Netherlands), May–June 2018
  12. Talk & Workshop

    Infoshare: Gdańsk (Poland), May 2018
  13. Talk

    DeltaV Conference: London (England), May 2018
  14. Talk

    webclerks: Vienna (Austria), April 2018
  15. Talk & Workshop

    IT-Konekt: Belgrade (Serbia), April 2018
  16. Talk

    JS Fest: Kyiv (Ukraine), March 2018
  17. Talk & Workshop

    Render Conf: Oxford (England), March 2018
  18. Talk

    DaFED: Novi Sad (Serbia), February 2018
  19. Talk

    Osijek Software City: Osijek (Croatia), February 2018
  20. Talk & Workshop

    Awwwards: Berlin (Germany), February 2018
  21. Talk & Workshop

    Beyond Tellerrand: Munich (Germany), January 2018

2017

  1. Talk & Workshop

    Code Europe: Wrocław (Poland), December 2017
  2. Workshop

    HURA: Zagreb (Croatia), December 2017
  3. Workshop

    Graaft: Manchester (United Kingdom), November 2017
  4. Talk & Workshop

    Pixel Pioneers: Belfast (Northern Ireland), November 2017
  5. Talk

    CSSConf Budapest: Budapest (Hungary), October 2017
  6. Talk

    CSS Dev Conf: New Orleans (US), October 2017
  7. Talk

    Paris Web: Paris (France), October 2017
  8. Workshop

    White October: London (England), September 2017
  9. Talk

    CSS Minsk JS: Minsk (Belarus), September 2017
  10. Talk & Workshop

    Reasons to:: Brighton (England), September 2017
  11. Talk

    Tinel Meetup: Split (Croatia), August 2017
  12. Talk

    Smashing Conference: New York (US), June 2017
  13. Talk

    J and Beyond: Kraków (Poland), June 2017
  14. Workshop

    DEVit: Thessaloniki (Greece), May 2017
  15. Talk

    Infoshare: Gdańsk (Poland), May 2017
  16. Talk

    WeAreDevelopers: Vienna (Austria), May 2017
  17. Workshop

    White October Events: London (England), April 2017
  18. Talk

    Bulgaria Web Summit: Sofia (Bulgaria), April 2017
  19. Workshop

    Xebia: Amsterdam (Netherlands), March 2017
  20. Talk

    DublinCSS: Dublin (Ireland), February 2017
  21. Talk

    IceWeb Conference: Reykjavik (Iceland), January 2017
  22. Talk

    Design Exchange: Nottingham (England), January 2017

2016

  1. Workshop

    White October Events: London (England), November 2016
  2. Talk

    London CSS: London (England), November 2016
  3. Talk

    FrontMen Guru Sessions: Amsterdam (Netherlands), November 2016
  4. Talk & Workshop

    Topconf: Tallinn (Estonia), November 2016
  5. Talk & Workshop

    Beyond Tellerrand: Berlin (Germany), November 2016
  6. Talk

    Code4Life: Warsaw (Poland), October 2016
  7. Talk

    WDC: Bristol (England), October 2016
  8. Talk

    FrontEndNorth: Sheffield (England), September 2016
  9. Talk

    WebExpo: Prague (Czech Republic), September 2016
  10. Talk

    🌍 Shopify Webinar: Remote/Online, September 2016
  11. Talk

    MK Geek Night: Milton Keynes (England), September 2016
  12. Talk

    Frontend Conference: Zürich (Switzerland), September 2016
  13. Talk

    CSSconf Argentina: Buenos Aires (Argentina), August 2016
  14. Talk

    CSS Day: Amsterdam (Netherlands), June 2016
  15. Talk

    ScotlandCSS: Edinburgh (Scotland), June 2016
  16. Talk

    Front-end United: Ghent (Belgium), May 2016
  17. Talk

    Front-Trends: Warsaw (Poland), May 2016
  18. Workshop

    Topconf: Linz (Austria), May 2016
  19. Talk

    Hey!Stac: Leeds (England), April 2016
  20. Talk & Workshop

    Render Conf: Oxford (England), April 2016
  21. Talk & Workshop

    Smashing Conference: San Francisco (US), April 2016
  22. Workshop

    White October Events: London (England), March 2016
  23. Talk & Workshop

    Webstock: Wellington (New Zealand), February 2016
  24. Talk

    Topconf: Linz (Austria), February 2016
  25. Workshop

    Work in the Web: Leeds (England), January 2016
  26. Workshop

    White October Events: London (England), January 2016
  27. Talk

    Web Perf Barcelona: Barcelona (Spain), January 2016

2015

  1. Talk

    Beyond: London (England), November 2015
  2. Workshop

    White October Events: London (England), November 2015
  3. Workshop

    White October Events: London (England), September 2015
  4. Talk

    From The Front: Bologna (Italy), September 2015
  5. Talk

    Smashing Conference: Freiburg (Germany), September 2015
  6. Workshop

    DotYork: York (England), April 2015
  7. Talk

    CSSConf: Melbourne (Australia), March 2015
  8. Talk

    Frontend.fi: Helsinki (Finland), March 2015
  9. Talk

    Reasons:London: London (England), February 2015

2014

  1. Talk

    dotCSS: Paris (France), November 2014
  2. Talk

    DaFED: Novi Sad (Serbia), November 2014
  3. Talk

    Trondheim Developer Conference: Trondheim (Norway), October 2014
  4. Talk & Workshop

    SmartWeb Conference: Bucharest (Romania), September 2014
  5. Talk

    The Geek Gathering: Osijek (Croatia), May 2014
  6. Talk

    DotYork: York (England), May 2014
  7. Talk

    Industry Conf: Newcastle (England), April 2014
  8. Talk & Workshop

    Future of Web Design: London (England), April 2014
  9. Workshop

    Event Handler: London (England), March 2014
  10. Workshop

    Event Handler: London (England), February 2014

2013

  1. Workshop

    Smashing Workshop: Zürich (Switzerland), December 2013
  2. Workshop

    Make Do: Leeds (England), November 2013
  3. Talk

    #TIDE: Scarborough (England), October 2013
  4. Talk & Workshop

    Fronteers: Amsterdam (Netherlands), October 2013
  5. Talk

    CSSconf.eu: Berlin (Germany), September 2013
  6. Talk

    Hey!Stac: Leeds (England), June 2013
  7. Talk

    Beyond Tellerrand: Düsseldorf (Germany), May 2013
  8. Talk

    Industry Conf: Newcastle (England), April 2013

2012

  1. Talk

    Digital Barn: Barnsley (England), September 2012
  2. Talk

    Canvas: Birmingham (England), September 2012
  3. Talk

    Front-Trends: Warsaw (Poland), April 2012
  4. Talk

    Digital Barn: Barnsley (England), February 2012

Hi there, I’m Harry Roberts. I am an award-winning Consultant Web Performance Engineer, designer, developer, writer, and speaker from the UK. I write, Tweet, speak, and share code about measuring and improving site-speed. You should hire me.

You can now find me on Mastodon.


Suffering? Fix It Fast!

Projects

  • inuitcss
  • ITCSS – coming soon…
  • CSS Guidelines

Next Appearance

  • Talk & Workshop

    WebExpo: Prague (Czech Republic), May 2024

Learn:

I am available for hire to consult, advise, and develop with passionate product teams across the globe.

I specialise in large, product-based projects where performance, scalability, and maintainability are paramount.