Presentations: We have all seen some sort of presentation – whether live or online.
Questions to Ponder:
What do you notice about them?
What captures your interest?
What bores you?
Do you understand their graphs or material?
Do they read word for word from their slide or do they summarize?
A presentation should hold your interest.
It should be captivating – any subject can be made interesting in how you present it and personalize it.
Know your audience.
Make the slides easy to read by using a clear and concise font and use a color that can easily be seen at the back of the room.
Watch what design or style the presentation is – on the computer it looks different than on a larger screen. Try to check it out on a bigger screen and look at it from a distance to see the clarity.
Limit the use of automation as that looks neat but can be very distracting.
Graphs should be interpreted and understood in less than 10-15 seconds.
Utilize photos and short videos to assist in the point of the presentation.
The presentation should be kept short, sweet and to the point.
Practice the presentation out loud in front of a mirror and see how you look and sound.
Does it make sense to you when you read it out loud, or do you need to make some finishing touches.
When we take the time to read things out loud to ourselves we get the opportunity to hear if it comes out naturally. Sometimes we need to make changes to them based on how we tend to talk.
Have fun with the audience, use props or audience participation, if possible.
Always leave time for Q & A after the presentation is complete for the participants to actually participate and get the most out of the presentation.
A copy of the presentation should be sent electronically to the participants to review.
