Transcript Representations - Loyola Marymount University

Effective Technical Presentations
Stephanie E. August, Ph.D.
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department
Loyola Marymount University
31 January 2005
Effective Technical Presentations
Introduction
1
How to Deliver an Effective Technical
Presentation
• Know your subject
• Know your audience
• Organize your talk
• Prepare
• Practice
• Practice
• Practice
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Subject Matter
• Know your subject thoroughly
• Make an outline
• Write the presentation out from your ‘head’ knowledge
• Use a logical, flowing order
• Limit the talk to no more than three key ideas
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Prepare the Talk for This Audience
• Learn as much as you can about the audience ahead of time.
• Note any special characteristics about the audience
– Tailor your jokes to what you’ve learned
– Map your terms to theirs
• Aim below their level slightly
– Vocabulary simplified (if and whenever possible)
– Concepts explained simply
– Use “analogies” for concepts when possible
• Compliment / flatter the audience, but don’t overdo it
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Consider the Formula for Persuasive Arguments
• PREP (Point-Reason-Example-Point)
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–
–
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Start by clearly making a single point
State a reason for making that point
Give an example that supports your point
Conclude with a restatement of your original point
• OREO (Opinion-Reason-Example- Opinion)
– Same idea, but states the presenter’s opinion instead
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Organize Your Presentation Carefully
• Provide an introduction
– tell them what you are going to tell them
(the point or opinion)
• Provide details in the body
– deliver the message (tell them)
• End with a summary or conclusions
– tell them what you just told them
• Your objective is to communicate
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Divide the Presentation into Clear Segments
• Deliver the message
• The first visual should be a title slide containing
– the title of the presentation (or project)
– your name
– the date of the presentation
• Introduce your main point on the second visual
• Include an outline (if the presentation is long enough)
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Use Your Visuals as an Aid
for Your Audience
• Remember the Golden Rule in the body:
– Use 5-6 main bullets per slide maximum
– Incorporate pictures, graphs, drawings wherever possible
• Summarize your main points
• State future extensions to your work
• End with a conclusions slide
• Invite questions, as time permits
• Thank your audience, and let them know you will be happy to
discuss your talk further with on an individual basis.
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Practice the Presentation
• Know your material
– Practice a few times
– Time your presentation
– Know the subject and your presentation
– Do not memorize! Do not “read the slides”!
• Stand near the projected image
– Avoid blocking the image (laser pointer)
– Have another student advance the slides, or use a remote
mouse
• Practice!
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Vary the Presentation
• Include both words and graphics in the presentations
• Limit text to 5 or 10 lines per slides
– Use letters large enough for all the audience to see clearly.
– Bold fonts give better contrast
• Present graphics with an appropriate level of detail
– Use a block diagram rather than a detailed circuit
• unless you want to discuss the circuit
• Use diagrams whenever possible
– Use UML rather than lines of code to present software
• unless you want to discuss significant aspects of the
code
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Take Your time
• Allow time to explain each slide
– Include main points on the slides
– Spend an average of 3 to 5 minutes on each slide
• Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!
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Use a Consistent Style
•
•
•
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Keep to one sentence per bullet
Consider using phrases
Avoid mixing sentences and phrases on one slide, however!
Sub-bullets can be 3 to 4 points smaller than main bullets
– If you prefer that style
• Vary capitalization?
• Be consistent with punctuation
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Practice!
• Practice will improve both your presentation and your visuals
– Make adjustments to both as needed
• Rehearse several times
– in front of a mirror
– in front of a friend
– in front of a video camera
• Stick to the established timeline
– Time your talk
– Forty minutes is the absolute maximum
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Conclusion
• Know your subject
– 6-P principle, PREP, and OREO
• Know your audience
• Organize your talk carefully
– Divide into segments, use good visuals, ‘mix it up’,
• Prepare in advance (don’t forget technical set up!)
• Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice!
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