How To Present How To Present

Christine RobsonChristine Robson

November 20, 2007November 20, 2007

OverviewOverview

Material you’re presentingMaterial you’re presenting– Working with presentation softwareWorking with presentation software– Avoiding chart junkAvoiding chart junk

Talking to your audienceTalking to your audience– How to be convincingHow to be convincing– What to say (and not to say)What to say (and not to say)– Swapping between presentersSwapping between presenters

How to make good How to make good slidesslides

Why make slides?Why make slides?

““Backdrop” for your talkBackdrop” for your talk Defend yourself with hard Defend yourself with hard

numbers and quotesnumbers and quotes Helps visual vs. auditory learnersHelps visual vs. auditory learners Can be used as handoutsCan be used as handouts

Convey InformationConvey Information

Each slide presents a coherent Each slide presents a coherent thoughtthought

Use concise bulletsUse concise bullets Each bullet must add informationEach bullet must add information Use the tree structure for imbedded Use the tree structure for imbedded

conceptsconcepts– i.e. for examplesi.e. for examples– Useful for breaking down multi-part ideasUseful for breaking down multi-part ideas

What’s wrong here?What’s wrong here?

OverviewOverview– The third quarter results clearly indicate an The third quarter results clearly indicate an

overwhelming success of our product when overwhelming success of our product when compared to the competitors productscompared to the competitors products

Much improved in 12-18 age rangesMuch improved in 12-18 age ranges Slightly improved in 18-24 age rangesSlightly improved in 18-24 age ranges

– Need more market study in this age range, Need more market study in this age range, particularly the effects as high school students particularly the effects as high school students graduategraduate

Entire new market in 24-40 age rangesEntire new market in 24-40 age ranges Overall this shows a dramatic increase in market Overall this shows a dramatic increase in market

potentialpotential– This should be our new direction in 2008This should be our new direction in 2008

Presenting your DataPresenting your Data

Remember TufteRemember Tufte– Present data simply and conciselyPresent data simply and concisely– Avoid chart-junk and wasted inkAvoid chart-junk and wasted ink

A good picture should be worth a A good picture should be worth a thousand wordsthousand words

A mix of pictures and words is A mix of pictures and words is bestbest

Data Points from GTME Data Points from GTME BSE division, Product BSE division, Product lines 3E, TA5, 64C series, lines 3E, TA5, 64C series, and R*and R*

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

East

West

North

The consistent data in the west and north regions indicates that these markets are stable. By contrast the high variability of the east region clearly indicates a potential market to be tapped for new revenue growth in 2008

Pets of 2Pets of 2ndnd grade grade studentsstudents

Where should Hammy, the classWhere should Hammy, the classhamster, spend Thanksgiving? hamster, spend Thanksgiving?

Number of Pets

0

2

4

6

8

10

Mary Suzie Peter Bob Jane

Remember the grid!Remember the grid!

Your webpage Your webpage layout used gridslayout used grids– Don’t abandon them Don’t abandon them

now!now!

Your presentation is Your presentation is like a websitelike a website

– Each slide has a Each slide has a layout, like a pagelayout, like a page

– Keep consistency Keep consistency between slidesbetween slides

Remember the grid!Remember the grid!

Your webpage Your webpage layout used gridslayout used grids– Don’t abandon them Don’t abandon them

now!now!

Your presentation is Your presentation is like a websitelike a website

– Each slide has a Each slide has a layout, like a pagelayout, like a page

– Keep consistency Keep consistency between slidesbetween slides

Remember the grid!Remember the grid!

Your webpage Your webpage layout used gridslayout used grids– Don’t abandon them Don’t abandon them

now!now!

Your presentation is Your presentation is like a websitelike a website

– Each slide has a Each slide has a layout, like a pagelayout, like a page

– Keep consistency Keep consistency between slidesbetween slides

Most presentation Most presentation software will help yousoftware will help you

General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines

Keep your slides simpleKeep your slides simple– Two or three main pointsTwo or three main points– One chart at a timeOne chart at a time– No chart junk!No chart junk!

Limit yourself to 1 slide per Limit yourself to 1 slide per minuteminute– Otherwise your audience can’t keep Otherwise your audience can’t keep

upup

SpeakingSpeaking

Talk to your audienceTalk to your audience

Know your target audienceKnow your target audience– Background KnowledgeBackground Knowledge– ExpectationsExpectations– What they want to hearWhat they want to hear– Who they will trustWho they will trust

Look them in the eyeLook them in the eye Engage people and draw them inEngage people and draw them in

Keeping up Keeping up appearancesappearances Look & act professionalLook & act professional

– More people will believe youMore people will believe you Be calm and relaxedBe calm and relaxed

– Get a good night’s sleepGet a good night’s sleep– Do NOT over-caffeinateDo NOT over-caffeinate

Stand up straight and don’t fidgetStand up straight and don’t fidget– Harder then it sounds…Harder then it sounds…

Be ConvincingBe Convincing

Confidence is convincingConfidence is convincing– Always sound like you know what Always sound like you know what

you’re talking aboutyou’re talking about Admit when you don’t knowAdmit when you don’t know

– ““Good question…”Good question…” Don’t get defensiveDon’t get defensive

You should never…You should never…

Put something on a slide without Put something on a slide without mentioning itmentioning it– audience will stop “trusting” you to tell audience will stop “trusting” you to tell

them everythingthem everything– promotes reading your slides instead of promotes reading your slides instead of

listeninglistening Put up a chart without explaining itPut up a chart without explaining it

– everyone is looking at it anywayeveryone is looking at it anyway Read your slidesRead your slides

Appearing UnitedAppearing United

One person has to be the “Master One person has to be the “Master of Ceremonies”of Ceremonies”– First & Last person to speakFirst & Last person to speak– Can help with transitions between Can help with transitions between

other speakersother speakers Refer to each other by nameRefer to each other by name

– i.e. “Thanks, John”i.e. “Thanks, John”

Sharing the stageSharing the stage

Every person speaking has their own roleEvery person speaking has their own role The audience will The audience will assumeassume characters, i.e. characters, i.e.

– the person who describes implementation is the person who describes implementation is the “techy”the “techy”

– the “salesperson” describes the user needthe “salesperson” describes the user need Use this to divide contentUse this to divide content

– Keep the same person speaking about the Keep the same person speaking about the same type of stuffsame type of stuff

Practice makes perfectPractice makes perfect

Practice transitionsPractice transitions– Between slidesBetween slides– Between speakersBetween speakers

Start with speaker notes, but Start with speaker notes, but know the material by heartknow the material by heart

Be prepared for interruptionsBe prepared for interruptions– QuestionsQuestions– Technical problemsTechnical problems

Practice with an Practice with an audienceaudience A mirror is OKA mirror is OK In front of friends is betterIn front of friends is better Critical colleagues are bestCritical colleagues are best

Keep yourself to your time limitKeep yourself to your time limit

Nuts & BoltsNuts & Bolts

Final presentation Final presentation schedulingscheduling If your group presents on If your group presents on

Tuesday, Dec. 4, your final report Tuesday, Dec. 4, your final report is due on Thursday, Dec. 6is due on Thursday, Dec. 6

If your group presents on If your group presents on Thursday, Dec. 6, your final report Thursday, Dec. 6, your final report is due on Tuesday, Dec. 4is due on Tuesday, Dec. 4

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