How to prepare and present atechnical presentation

Randy Clarksean, Ph.D., P.E.

Overview

Why is it important to give a clear, concise presentation?What are the major sections?How should I prepare my slides?Any suggestions on how to present?Is there anything I should do when it is finished?Summary

Consistent Structure

Clear and Concise

This may be the only chance you get to tell people about your research– If you are not excited by your work, they won’t be

either– Know your material well!

Many job interviews (Ph.D.) require a technical presentationOral communications are important in ALL job settings!

Major Sections

Overview / Introduction– Tell the listener what you will present

BackgroundNumerical or Experimental Method– Software development or commercial code?

Discussion of ResultsSummary

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Overview / Introduction

Very general overview of the talkOutline – Start out general (broad)– More specific (narrow focus)– General at the end (broad)– Consistency in “structure”

Quick, brief, and to the point

“Hourglass shape”

Title: Not as consistent with the outline as I would like!

Background

What practical application does your research relate to?Who else has performed research in this area?How does your work relate to previous research?Why is the research important?– Set the stage for problem you are analyzing

Numerical/Experimental Method

How did you set up the problem?– Boundary conditions, symmetry sections,

special material properties, initial conditions, governing equations

– Emphasize unique characteristics• What is different or new for this research?• DO NOT go into extensive detail for Navier-Stokes

equations – unless formulation is unique

Verification/validation possibly mentioned here

Num./Exp. Method – cont.

Software development– Emphasize what is new/unique– Skip things people already know– Detailed equations may be necessary

• Use drawings/figures whenever possible

Commercial software– Emphasis should be on the problem being solved (not

always true)– May need to comment on special subroutines

Governing Equations – cont.

2( ) ( )ou u u p u g T Tt

;u vu ux y

Convective“Transport”

Viscous Buoyancy Force

Momentum Equation – Natural Convection

Pressure Gradient

Transient

This slide has too much detail for most typical

presentations.

EXAMPLE SLIDE

Governing Equations – cont.

2( )u u u p u gt

2p p Source

TC C u T k T Qt

2p Source

TC k T Qt

Fluid

Solid

Additional details on another slide for BCs and ICs

EXAMPLE SLIDE

Discussion of Results

Verification or validation of the method you used? (experimental or numerical)– Brief discussion to demonstrate validity– Previous experience, test problems, etc.

What were the most important things you learned?What assumptions were used?

Discussion of Results – cont.

Clean, crisp graphs and charts (see section on Preparing slides)Use of color– Do not try to wow your audience with fancy

footage if it does not make sense– Significant results will stand on their own, even

if black and white– “10 percent red” theory

Analyzing the Results – cont.

0

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1 10 100 1000

y+

u+

k-w modelExp. Data

Comparison between measured low-Re pipe flow data and the numerical predictions of FIDAP's k-omega model at a Re = 3500. Experimental data obtained by D. McEligot

and G. McCreery at the INEEL.

In le t O u tle t

EXAMPLE SLIDE

What is missing?

Geometry Issues – cont.Numerical – Particle Visualization

Experimental – Particle Visualization

EXAMPLE SLIDE

3D Results difficult to present and explain

Summary

Recap of the talkNO new information should be presented in the summary of the talkTwo different types– General (broad conclusions)– Detailed (specific numbers, percentages, etc.)

Future work could be mentioned here– Possibly a separate slide if appropriate

Preparing Slides

Clear and simple– Leave fancy, slick, and complicated to those

that have nothing to say!Do not clutter the slidesToo much “technology” can be annoyingEach slide should take 1 to 1 ½ minutes of time to present– A recommendation – not a hard and fast rule

Preparing Slides – cont.

Ask yourself “What information do I want the listener to learn from this slide?”– Particularly important for Discussion of Results– Bullets should list important concepts– Pictures, plots, and drawings are extremely

useful to convey a lot of information in small spaces

Preparing Slides – cont.

Consider your audience!– What is their knowledge level?– What is their interest level?

Items on slides should be readable by the audience.– Is there too much information?

• If they can not read it – you don’t need it.• Exception: You want it to be in a handout.

Preparing Slides – cont.

Governing equations– Most people know the equations, only comment

if there is something unique– Highlight issues of importance (i.e. phase

change, special turbulence model, etc.)– Tensor notation versus full form

• Summarizing research versus teaching– Commercial code versus in-house code

Preparing Slides – cont.

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Time (secs)

Tem

pera

ture

(o C

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Sample Temp. 1Sample Temp. 2Air Temp.

What is wrong with this figure?

Just about everything!

EXAMPLE SLIDE

Preparing Slides – cont.

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Time (secs)

Tem

pera

ture

(o C

)

Sample Temp. 1Sample Temp. 2Air Temp.

Key components for a graph

• labels• legend• units

Test Conditions?

EXAMPLE SLIDE

Preparing Slides – cont.

H e a tC o n du ct io n

U r ani umC yl i nde r

L am i narF l o w

P r o fi l e

O utfl o w

T = f(t)

Sur fac eR e ac t i o n

z

r

R a dia t io n H .T.

No s lip

No s lipcy lin de rs u rfa ce

C = c o ns tant

S lip

1

2

EXAMPLE SLIDE

Draw attention to items of importance (also reminds you to talk about important issues!)

Presenting

Arrive early to check out the room and equipment– Is there a pointer?– Is there a microphone?– Who is the session chair?– Where will you stand?

Make sure they can see the slidesTalk to the audience – not the the wall!

Presenting – cont.

Speak clearly and loudly– Nothing worse than not being able to hear a

presenter– Do not race – take your time and do a good job

rather than trying to cover too much

Make eye contact– Are they “getting” it?

• Do they look lost and confused … or interested?

Presenting – cont.

Try to use transitions between slides– Makes for “smoother” presentation– Saves some time– Keep audience interested

A pointer is not a toy – it is a tool.– Waving it around is ANNOYING!– Shut it off when not using

Do NOT run over your allotted time!

Presenting – cont.

Answering questions– Be friendly and polite – not confrontational– Be willing to admit limitations or shortcomings

of the research• Know the intent of your research• Are their questions beyond the scope of your work?

– Acknowledge that they have a good question and/or a good point

At the End

Acknowledgement of research sponsor– Very important, particularly if they are in the

audience!Were you able to answer all the questions you were asked?Did someone point out a weakness or limitation in your research?Go back and consider their comments

Summary

Talked about how to prepare for a technical presentationWhat should you remember?– Clear and concise– Clean crisp slides– Practice in advance– Stay within the time limit– Be friendly and make eye contact