Presentation Skills Planning Preparation Practice Performance Questions

Planning
Who are you talking to? Why are you talking to them? How long have you got? What story are you going to tell?

Preparation
Outline and sketch slides Prepare slides Proof read Prepare notes Brief keywords and phrases, except maybe first couple of paragraphs.

Preparation - Outline
1 - 2 minutes per slide

Generic 15 min Conference Presentation

Title Slide: author, affiliation, acknowledgements Rationale :Why this is interesting Methods :What you did Results :What did you find and what does it mean Summary : One thing you want them to remember

Preparation - Slides
Use Images & Graphics Minimise text & numbers Light text on dark background Avoid distracting backgrounds Use large sans serif fonts Mix upper and lower case

Practice
Practice, practice, practice Get feedback, and use it. Be ruthless - delete unnecessary information

Performance Dont Apologise

Speak loudly & clearly Use short simple sentences Avoid jargon & abbrev. Vary pitch, tone, volume, speed and pauses

Performance
Avoid distracting mannerisms Relax, be enthusiastic Make eye contact Keep an eye on the time remaining

Performance
Explain figures, and Point to important aspects

Give a clear and concise summary and then stop. Dont go overtime. Ever.

Summary
Like most things, The best way to learn is to do

I always think a great speaker convinces us not by force of reasoning but because he is visibly enjoying the beliefs he wants us to accept. -W.B. Yeats

Podium Panic
For some people, the thought of giving a presentation is more frightening than falling off a cliff, financial difficulties, snakes and even death.

Dealing with Podium Panic

Audiences are forgiving Nervousness is usually invisible Be yourself Practice deep breathing/ visualization techniques Begin in your comfort zone

Check out the room in advance Concentrate on the message Begin with a slow, well prepared intro; have a confident and clear conclusion Be prepared and practice

Eye Contact
Never let them out of your sight. Looking them in the eye makes them feel that they are influencing what you say. Eye contact allows the presentation to approximate conversationthe audience feels much more involved.

Body Language
NO-NOs Lean into the microphone Shuffle your notes unnecessarily Tighten your tie or otherwise play with your clothing Crack your knuckles Jangle change or key in your pocket

Voice
Voice Intelligibility Articulation Pronunciation Vocalized pauses Substandard grammar Voice Variability Rate of speech Volume Pitch or tone Emphasis

Preparing Content

3 As
Analyze your AUDIENCE. Define what ACTION you want them to take. Arrange your ARGUMENT to move them.

Analyze Your Audience

What are their names, titles, backgrounds, reasons for attending, etc? What are their big concerns? What are their objectives, fears, hot buttons, and attitudes?

Analyze Your Audience

What is their perception of you and your institution? What are their questions likely to be? What is personally at stake for them? How much detail do they need?

Questions & Answers

Anticipate lines of questioning Rehearse Dont rank questions Keep answers brief Be honestdont BS Avoid negative words

Questions & Answers

Dont repeat negative questions Clarify question Defer to experts Move your eyes off questioner If negative, end your response focused on somebody else

Questions & Answers

Anticipate likely questions and prepare extra slides with the answers

Maybe even plant a stooge Paraphrase questions 1. so that other people hear the question 2. to check you understand the questions 3. to stall while you think about an answer