Presentation Skills

UNIT IV

Presentation ???
A presentations purpose is to inform, to explain and to persuade the audience or present a point of view. A presentation is formal in its approach, as it has fixed structure and format

Elements of a Presentation
Audience- topics should be prepared as per the need and interest of the audience Content- the content should be designed accoridng to the topic and timing Presenter- the presenter need to posses all the efficient communication skills for the content delivery Content Delivery- Delivery requires the skills as speaking, posture etc.

5 Star Strategy
Follow the 5 star strategy for your presenation- Why ( Purpose of the presentation) - To Whom ( Audience) - When ( Time of the presentation) - Where ( Venue, Room, Equipments) - What ( Content of the PPT)

Using Audio/ Video Aids for presentation

Audio-Visual Aids are those sensory objects or images which initiate or stimulate and reinforce learning. Burton Audio-Visual Aids are any device which can be used to make the learning experience more concrete, more realistic and more dynamic. Kinders James

Values of AV-Aids
Best motivators Antidote to the disease of verbal instruction Clear images Variety Opportunities to handle and manipulate Helpful in attracting attention Helpful in fixing up new learning Saving of energy and time Realism

Types of Audio-Visual Aids

1. Audio/ Video Recording 2. White Board 3. Flip Charts 4. Posters 5. Handouts 6. Overhaed Projector (OHP) 7. Objects 8. Multimedia Projector 9. DVD Players

Overhaed Projector (OHP)

OHP is very popular and available in most place It requires no warmup time, there is little or no noise and the only 'searching' is when the presenter looks for the slide he or she wants.

Posters
Posters are prepared graphic devices that can be made of a variety of materials and mediaphotographs, diagrams, graphs, word messages, or a combination of these. Posters work best in smaller audience sizes. Posters are permanent and portable. Posters can be simple or very elaborate. Posters can be used alone or in a series to tell a story.

Flipcharts
It is most useful for interactive presentations. Flipcharts are excellent to use when you need to record lists of ideas or need to record comments from the audience. Pages can be torn from the flipchart and stuck around the room to create an expanding display.

Some examples of PPT slides

This slide has too much text, it will be difficult to read and does not get the message across.

This slide is simpler, and contains the message. The audience can get the information in a few seconds.

This slide is even better. Remember you should be telling the audience the information at the same time.

Tips for an Effective Presentation Compose Slides

Dont copy & paste slides from different sources. Keep the design very basic and simple. It shall not distract. Pick an easy to read font face. Carefully select font sizes for headers and text. Leave room for highlights, such as images or take home messages. Decorate scarcely but well. Restrict the room your design takes up and dont ever let the design restrict your message.

Use Consistency
Consistently use the same font face and sizes on all slides. Match colors. You may use your company logo, highlight headers, create a special frame for figures/images or the whole slide but dont overload your slides with these elements. Colors A poor choice of colors can shatter a presentation.

Use Contrast
Black text on a white background will always be the best but also the most boring choice. If you want to play with colors, keep it easy on the eyes and always keep good contrast in mind so that your readers do not have to strain to guess what youve typed on your slide.

Apply Brilliance
Carefully use color to highlight your message! Dont weaken the color effect by using too many colors at an instance. Make a brilliant choice: match colors for design and good contrast to highlight your message.

Keep It Straight and Simple. Keywords only. No sentences! Never read your slides, talk freely. Remember that your slides are only there to support, not to replace your talk! Youll want to tell a story, describe your data or explain circumstances, and only provide keywords through your slides. If you read your slides and if you do it slow and badly, the audience will get bored and stop listening.

Images
Images are key elements of every presentation. Your audience has ears and eyes theyll want to see what youre talking about, and a good visual cue will help them to understand your message much better.

Add Images
Have more images in your slides than text. But do not use images to decorate! Images can reinforce or complement your message. Use images to visualize and explain. A picture can say more than a thousand words. If you dont have your own images, you can browse Flickr or Googles image search for material. If this is a very public and official presentation however, you need to keep copyrights in mind.

Target & Content

Your target i.e. your audience, defines the content of your presentation. For example, you wont be able to teach school kids about the complicated matters of economy. However, you may be able to explain what economy is in the first place and why it is important

Practice
A well-prepared and enthusiastic talk will help you convince your audience and maintain their attention. There are some key points that define a good talk. Know your slides inside out. Speak freely. Speak with confidence loud and clear. Dont speak too fast. Maintain eye contact with the audience.