Presentation Skills

Introduction
A presentation is a live mode of sharing information with a select audience.
It is a form of oral communication in which a person uses a visual medium
to share factual information with a particular audience.

Essential characteristics of a good presentation

A good presentation should have the following characteristics:
There is a clear structure with an introduction, discussion, and conclusion.
The presenter recognizes and matches the audiences needs, interests,

and level of understanding, while discussing his or her ideas.

Facts and figures are visually represented in tables, graphs, and charts,
and different colours are used to make the presentation vivid and
interesting.
Humour and anecdote may be employed to form a good relationship and
connection with the audience.
The presenter speaks clearly and logically and uses body language
effectively.
Questions are given serious attention and are regarded as an essential
part of the presentation.

The Difference Between a Presentation and

a Lecture
Presentation

Lecture

A presentation has a well-defined format.

Presentations are one-way, at least initially, when
the audience listens, watches, and takes notes.

Classroom
lectures
have
well-defined
educational objectives. They are ideally a twoway communication process.

The audience sits through the delivery without

interrupting the presenter. The audience is
invited to ask questions or seek clarifications
only after the presenter completes his or her
part.

Effective lecturers generally encourage students

to ask questions and continually put forth
questions for the students to consider.

The presenter acts as an advocate of the

information shared with the audience. The focus
is on persuading the listeners to buy the ideas
that are shared.

A teacher is interested in imparting information

as correctly as possible. The focus is on a clear
understanding of the ideas by the students.

The Difference Between a Presentation and

a Written Report
Presentation versus written report

A presentation is made on the basis of a written report. A report uses

formal language and has long explanations and several examples.

A presentation is a spoken form and is delivered in everyday language. It

covers select information, and only gives a few examples.

A presentation uses simple, concise, and clear language. It should be free

of jargon and passive words and phrases.

Preparing a Presentation
Presentations have the following elements:

The presenter

The audience

The specific content and definite objective to be achieved

A trained presenter approaches a presentation with an awareness of all its

elements and a fully planned strategy.

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

A presenter should undertake the following steps to prepare for the
presentation:

Identify the purpose and goal of the presentation

Analyze the audience and their needs
Collate the relevant information
Design and organize the information
Time the presentation
Decide on the medium of presentation and visual aids
Become familiar with the location of the presentation

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Identify the purpose of presentation
The presenter should ask himself or herself: Why am I giving this presentation?
The purpose may be to:

Sell something or persuade people to follow a course of action that they may
not be inclined towards.

Inform people about an idea or describe a business opportunity to gain

support for some course of action or to suggest a likely course of action for
the future.

Gather peoples views on new plans, products, or proposals to introduce

changes.

Put across a problem to seek a solution or to minimize peoples reaction to it.

Create awareness by sharing information, without requiring any action or

response.

Motivate, educate, or impart training to promote a more productive work

culture.

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Analyze the audience and identify their needs
Before making a presentation, the presenter must know the audience he or she
is going to address. The presenter should have an idea of the number, nature,
needs, level of knowledge, and likely attitude of those who are going to
receive the message.
Guidelines for analyzing an audience include finding answers for the following
questions:

Who is the audience?

Why are they attending the presentation? What are their needs?

What is their background and level of knowledge, in relation to the subject of

presentation?

How many persons will there be?

What is their attitude towards the subject and the speaker expected to be?

What does the audience expect will be the outcome of the presentation?

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Design and organize the information
The sequence and timing of each part in a 30-minute presentation should be:
Introduction (3 minutes)

The introduction indicates the main idea of the presentation

without giving details of what is to follow. This helps the audience
know the subject and focus of the presentation.

Main body (15 minutes)

The main part of the presentation is devoted to informing the

audience about the advantages, and also includes findings of a
survey and analysis of the data. This section of the presentation
should generally be divided into sub-sections (not more than 3
sub-sections under the main point).

Conclusion (2 minutes)

The conclusion summarizes the speakers main arguments and

connects them to the objectives stated in the introduction and
the larger picture.
To end the presentation, the speaker should do the following:
Repeat the main idea of the presentation.
Restate the most important points with supporting
information.
Thank the audience and invite questions.

Questionanswer
session (10 minutes)

This is an important opportunity for audience interaction. The

speaker should encourage questions and answer each question
seriously and with honesty.

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Decide on the medium of presentation and visual aids
A presentation can be made more vivid by the use of statistical data, figures,
diagrams, and so on, which can be displayed via transparencies or PowerPoint
slides.

When to use visual aids

Visual aids may be used to:
Present numerical and statistical data.
Present topics related to art, design, or any subject that is visual in nature.
Present comparative statements of facts and figures, specially graphics and
diagrammatic forms.
Present new interpretations of old data. If the speaker has discovered or
noticed something new as a fresh interpretation of an existing phenomenon,
showing it makes the information look more concrete. By projecting the old
information side-by-side with the new, the speaker can demonstrate how he
or she has gone beyond the old data.

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Decide on the medium of presentation and visual aids contd..
How to use visual aids
Here are some guidelines regarding how to use visual aids:

Do not use too many images as this will lessen their impact.
Plan the graphics according to the main points and make one graphic for each
point.
Use clear letters that can be seen from the other end of the room.
Do not fill a slide with too many words. As far as possible, one should write
single words or short phrases to summarize concepts.
Use different colours to distinguish different points.
Reveal only one point at a time. This can be done by progressively exposing
the hidden portion of the slide.
Number the slides and rehearse the presentation with the slides. This ensures
that the words match the visuals.
Explain the purpose and content of each slide when it is shown. Display it for
sufficient time to allow the audience to read it and, if required, make notes
from it.

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Decide on the medium of presentation and visual aids contd..
Different mediums of presentation

Boards (black or white)

Flip charts
Overhead projectors and
transparencies

Microsoft PowerPoint slides

Preparing a Presentation Contd..

Become familiar with the location of the presentation
Time the presentation
An effective presentation is one that has a smart beginning and logically arrives
at a conclusion without wandering off-topic or rambling, while providing
sufficient explanation for tricky or controversial points. The total
presentation, including the question-answer session at the end, should be
covered within the time allotted.
Become familiar with the location of the presentation
Before presenting, the speaker should check the size, ventilation, and seating
arrangement of the room. This helps position the screen according to the
number of persons.

Delivering the Presentation

The following are some guidelines for delivering presentations:

A presentation is essentially an oral, face-to-face communication. The

presenter should not read aloud from the slides.

Use the you attitude to ensure audience involvement; tell the audience
how the information being presented is useful to them.

Outline the content of the presentation in the beginning itself. This will help
the audience follow the presentation and understand its structure and
arguments.

Use transitions. If the audience are told what comes next in the
presentation, they will be able to follow it better and will know how one
part relates to the others.

Try to involve the audience and encourage their participation.

To arouse and sustain audiences interest, the speaker should maintain eye
contact throughout the presentation and ask interesting questions to the
audience.

Delivering the Presentation Contd..

To give a good presentation, the speaker should rehearse his or her
full performance ahead of time. This helps to:
Coordinate speech with visual projections

Know if the information has been properly edited

Check if the duration of the presentation is appropriate

Minimize stage fright

Delivering the Presentation Contd..

It is important to pay attention to the following aspects of non-verbal
behaviour:

Professional appearance

Good/positive posture

Eye contact

Use of positive gestures and hand movements that reinforce the argument

Appropriate movements. It is important not to stand fixed like a statue in one

spot, but to move with ease between the projection screen and the podium or
the area in front of the audience

Smiling and looking relaxed while answering questions

Delivering the Presentation Contd..

If a presentation is followed by a series of questions, it shows that the
presentation was able to involve the audience and hold their interest.

Questions help the speaker to:

Further

clarify what he or she has already said.

Add new information. Some presenters deliberately leave out details that
they propose to provide during the discussion session.
Demonstrate his or her knowledge. The speakers ability to answer questions
shows that he or she is fully informed about the subject. It also increases the
speakers confidence.
Prove the relevance of the presentation. A genuine question shows that what
the speaker has said is relevant and interesting to the audience.