Effective Presentation Techniques Michael J. Quinn 5 October 2010 Version 2.3

This Talk Has Four Parts Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

Plan the Goal of the Talk Where audience is at Where you want audience to be Talk

“Tell ‘em” 3 Times Prepare audience Move audience Reflect on journey

Too Many Slides!

Rehearse!

Sign Posts Orient listener Orient listener –Current topic –Progress Two styles Two styles –Intermittent –Ever-present

Backing Up Outline First topic Second topic Third topic First Topic Blah blah A Blah blah B Blah blah C

Backing Up Outline First topic Second topic Third topic First Topic Blah blah A Blah blah B Blah blah C

Backing Up Outline First topic Second topic Third topic First Topic Blah blah A Blah blah B Blah blah C Second Topic Blah blah D Blah blah E Blah blah F

Backing Up Outline First topic Second topic Third topic First Topic Blah blah A Blah blah B Blah blah C Second Topic Blah blah D Blah blah E Blah blah F

Backing Up Outline First topic Second topic Third topic First Topic Blah blah A Blah blah B Blah blah C Second Topic Blah blah D Blah blah E Blah blah F Third Topic Blah blah G Blah blah H Blah blah I

Duplicate Outline Slide Outline First topic Second topic Third topic First Topic Blah blah A Blah blah B Blah blah C Outline First topic Second topic Third topic Second Topic Blah blah D Blah blah E Blah blah F Outline First topic Second topic Third topic Third Topic Blah blah G Blah blah H Blah blah I

Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

Speaker Reads Slides A speaker may put his entire presentation on his slides. He turns his back to the audience and reads the slides aloud. Perhaps he feels this approach guarantees all the information will get to the audience. A speaker may put his entire presentation on his slides. He turns his back to the audience and reads the slides aloud. Perhaps he feels this approach guarantees all the information will get to the audience. The problem is that the visual presentation completely dominates the presenter. The presenter is not adding any value to what is on the slides. The problem is that the visual presentation completely dominates the presenter. The presenter is not adding any value to what is on the slides. This may be the most annoying way to give a presentation. Audience members feel insulted: they already know how to read! They wonder why the lecturer doesn’t simply hand out a copy of the slides. This may be the most annoying way to give a presentation. Audience members feel insulted: they already know how to read! They wonder why the lecturer doesn’t simply hand out a copy of the slides.

Acceptable Style #1

Speaker Interprets Slides Slides dominate Slides dominate –Provide all content –Hold audience’s attention Speaker supports Speaker supports –Faces slides –Helps audience understand

Complicated Derivation ?

Good Illustration > Complicated Derivation

Dense, Static Slides

Keep Making Progress President Academics Facilities Student Services AthleticsFinances

Keep Making Progress President AcademicsFacilities Student Services Athletics Finances

Keep Making Progress President Academics Facilities Student Services AthleticsFinances

Keep Making Progress President AcademicsFacilities Student Services AthleticsFinances

Keep Making Progress President AcademicsFacilities Student Services Athletics Finances

Key Words Acceptable Style #2

Slides Enhance Speaker Speaker dominates Speaker dominates –Faces audience –Provides content Slides support speaker Slides support speaker –Reinforce message –Orient listeners

Content Purpose Purpose –Complement speaker –Talk ≠ technical report Density Density –7 lines/page –4 words/line

Mixing Important/ Unimportant Words An effective presenter considers the goal of the presentation and the amount of time that is available An effective presenter considers the goal of the presentation and the amount of time that is available The resulting presentation has the proper number of slides and the proper content per slide The resulting presentation has the proper number of slides and the proper content per slide

Important Words Only Consider Consider –Presentation goal –Available time Select Select –Slide count –Slide content

“Fly In” Fails Could you read this? Could you read this? How about this one? How about this one? Maybe the third time is the charm! Maybe the third time is the charm!

“Wipe from Left” Works Less distracting Less distracting Reduces eye movement Reduces eye movement Increases readability Increases readability

Hiding Relationships in Bulleted Lists Prereqs to MEGR 230 (Dynamics) MATH 134 MATH 135 PHYS 121 MEGR 210

Showing Relationships Aids Understanding Prereqs to MEGR 230 (Dynamics) MATH 134 MEGR 230 MEGR 210 MATH 135PHYS 121

Typical Eye Movement Upper left Upper left Upper right Upper right Lower left Lower left Lower right Lower right

Image reproduced from

Image reproduced from

Wall of White Increases glare Increases glare Causes eyestrain Causes eyestrain Distracts from speaker Distracts from speaker

Red/Blue Conflict Red letters on blue background creates “flicker effect” Blue letters on red background just as bad

Low Contrast White on yellowYellow on white Black on blueBlue on black

Misleading Emphasis

Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

Pauses Useful Useful Powerful Powerful Difficult Difficult

Silence Useful Awaiting thought Awaiting thought Switching gaze Switching gaze Reading slide Reading slide Reinforcing point Reinforcing point

Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

Pitfalls Hostile gestures Hostile gestures Wandering gaze Wandering gaze Body language Body language Missing point Missing point Seeking approval Seeking approval Excluding audience Excluding audience

Opportunities Welcoming gestures Welcoming gestures Focusing gaze Focusing gaze Body language Body language Getting point Getting point Reinforcing message Reinforcing message Including audience Including audience

Summary Guide audience gently Design slides carefully Use pauses effectively Answer questions inclusively