Good Presentation Design Summary
Gregory Rutbell
4 October 2013
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide
Campus
Do
you agree with critics who claim that most business presentations are terrible?
Yes, I agree with critics who claim that most business
presentations are terrible and also from experience with several major
aerospace companies. My summary: there are way too many presentations (along
with charts and graphs), i.e., and most are non-value added. However, there is
a small percentage that includes outstanding and value-added business
presentations. Why are these presentations terrible there are several reasons:
1. Too many details: Few people know how to properly
create a PowerPoint presentation. It should follow the 6 x 6 process (no more
than 6 bullets with 6 words per bullet). However, presenters like to load
everything possible on each slide whether it provides value or not. No, you do
not need to show and tell everything only what is required from the subject
topic purpose and objective. Don't try to cram everything in. Too many slides,
words, bullets and details make people
to tune out. Don't suffer from PowerPoint fatigue.
2. Too many metrics
measurements: Some researchers like to measure "everything" in
the world and more, however, only the subject topic issue at hand and what is
critical to its success needs a metric. When you try to measure
"everything" and more you lose focus and direction along with
creating chaos and confusion. Too many metrics along with charts and graphs
make people tune out.
3. Know your audience: Is the presentation presenter
or audience-focused? Do you know the audience, what the subject matter is and
what they need to hear or are you the presenter sharing what you want to say
from your perspective and point-of-view? Know what the deliverable(s) are and
focus on them. Know your audience and present the deliverable(s) them. Other
audience focus questions include:
·
What do they know?
·
What do you need to
tell them?
·
What do they expect?
·
What will be
interesting to them?
·
What will keep them
focused?
·
Answer these questions
and boil your slides down to the very essentials.
4. Lack of preparation: Great communicators and
presenters including Presidents John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton
were so comfortable with the words and speeches that they "flow
naturally" and focus on making an "emotional connection" with
the audience. However, both men spent much time in preparation including
coaching from others including speech writers. No preparation results in
rambling, disorganization and confusion about goals and objectives. Average
preparation includes that you can memorize your speech, presentation or bullet
points so you can deliver the right words.
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 and out.
·
Speak freely.
·
Speak with confidence
- loud and clear.
·
Don't speak too fast.
·
Maintain eye contact
with the audience.
·
Change your voice.
What are the essential elements of a
good presentation?
"There's something in the
air." (Gallo, 2009) With these five words, Steve Jobs opened the 2008
Macworld conference. Jobs is often cited as one of corporate America's greatest
presenters, and that's simply because he understands one thing: how to tell a
story. Like any great sales pitch, an effective PowerPoint offers a compelling
narrative; it elicits an emotional response from the audience. the trick is to
understand how to engage your listeners, keep them focused, and use the right
visual imagery to convey your message. So whether you're pitching an idea to
investors, introducing a new product to your clients, or simply reviewing your
company's quarterly results, a great PowerPoint presentation will leave your
audience feeling inspired.
Creating a great PowerPoint is
simpler than most people think. More often than not, you don't need to be a
great designer, writer or orator to come up with an attention-grabbing
presentation. What you do need, however, is an understanding of how to capture
an audience's focus - and perhaps a bit of their creativity and imagination.
At some point or another, we've
all sat through a PowerPoint presentation flooded with an endless stream of
bullet points, sentences, or even full paragraphs. It may seem obvious, but
this is one of the biggest - and most common - mistakes made by presenters. And
when the presenter lists too much detail on the slides, few people will be able
to retain any of it.
A great presentation should
really just give the highlights. Even a slide with one word has merit because
we have to process information before we go on to the next idea. It's good to
segment presentations in places where your audience's mind can sum up and
process the information so that they're actually able to think about what
you're telling them. It's important for the mind to be able to rest on an idea
or a thought, so if it's a constant flow of words, people will grow tired.
People simply stop paying attention to slides with too much text on them. It
becomes like wallpaper and becomes easy to tune out. The audience need s to
digest information. So the lesson is "less is more."
The presentation on the screen is
just as important as the speaker's presentation off the screen. It's essential
to add a little flavor to the speech. Most speakers get into the presentation
mode and feel as though they have to strip the talk of any fun. If you are not
enthusiastic about your own products or services, how do you expect your
audience to be? There are several ways a speaker can fail in his ro her
presentation: a lack of confidence or a misconception about what the audience
will retain from the speech. The only real way to boost confidence is to
practice. Don't rely too much on notes, since the audience will be looking at
you to engage them - not your script. The audience will walk awy from a
presentation with only the very key points. All PowerPoint presentations are
trying to sell you something, even if it's just an idea, product, or the
presenter himself. You need to distill the key points in the conversation. The
element of persuasion is the key.
A great
presentation is won or lost on body language! How do you want to present
yourself, deliverable and "connect" with your audience? Your dress
attire, hand shake, eye contact, posture (how you stand, walk and movements),
gestures, voice (use your voice), smile etc. along with your interpersonal
"soft" skills will make or break you. Are you "connecting"
along with your deliverable to the audience? Leadership guru John C. Maxwell,
researcher and author of the masterpiece book "Everyone Communicates Few
Connect: What The Most Effective People Do Differently" states that it's
not experience and talent that stands between you and success but
"connecting" with people. This includes: finding common ground,
keeping communication simple, capturing people's interest, inspiring people,
staying authentic in all and your relationships. (Maxwell, 2010)
The
remaining 20 or 25 percent of a great presentation includes subject matter
material which applicable to the issue.
According to your readings for this
week, what are some of the essential elements needed to deliver a good
presentation?
Effective
use of multimedia including designing presentations and supporting visual aids
along with how the audience will actually process the presentation.
Organization and preparation tips including: 1. start with the end in mind 2.
plan in "analog mode" 3. use stories 4. audience focus 5. limit text
on slides to an absolute minimum 6. don't read the text word for word off the
slide 7. written documents are for expanded details. Slide (PowerPoint) tips:
1. keep it simple 2. avoid using Microsoft templates 3. avoid using PowerPoint
Clip Art or other cartoonish line art 4. use high-quality graphics including
photographs 5. use object builds and slide transitions judiciously 6.
synchronize your speaking with the builds and transitions 7. use video and
audio when appropriate. 8. KISS - Keep It Straight and Simple.
Microsoft
has 12 interesting points for creating better presentations in PowerPoint:
1.
Pay focus to grab the viewer's attention.
2.
Select or create your new theme.
3.
Use video and audio to convey your message more
effectively.
4.
Use graphics to emphasize key points.
5.
Use animations and transitions wisely without charging
too much the presentation.
6.
Clearly communicate your information and transmit
a message to the audience.
7.
Start by outlining your presentation.
8.
Use masters and layouts to save time and get better
results.
9.
Consider differences between print and on-screen
presentations.
10. Stay
in control of your presentations by keeping file size manageable.
11. Keep
it simple.
12. Limit
bullet points and text.
(Microsoft, 2013)
What do you think keeps people from
creating good presentations, even though they may be aware of good design
principles?
Self-confidence, motivation, drive and attitude. Attitude
and approach are everything! Attitude is you! From when you get up in the
morning until you go to bed at night. Your thought process, mood, values,
beliefs, actions, approach to work and relationships. Remember the children's
book "The Little Engine that Could" by Watty Piper (1930's)? It was
about a train that was sputtering up a steep, towering, seemingly impassable
mountain. However, with a positive mental attitude "I think I can! I think
I can!" it made it! Wally Piper's The
Little Engine That Could is one of the greatest tales of motivation and
the power of positive thinking ever told. Think about it. It's not a children's
book. It's the philosophy of a lifetime.
This is an excellent example of the SEE-I process. SEE-I is a method of
clarification and
understanding. It stands for
State,
Elaborate,
Exemplify, and
Illustrate. This method provides a way to better understand and/or
clearly communicate a concept or topic.
I even listed
them in what some may consider a sequential order.
Many people have distractions that they may be unaware of
when they speak publicly. We have all heard the individual that says umm or ok
every six seconds. Some people have the need to fiddle with something to relive
the anxiety of public speaking. These are things that need to be pointed out so
the individual can be made aware of them and apply preventive measures. These
issues can take a great looking presentation and ruin it, even though they
created a beautiful product, it still has to be presented the same way.
References
Bender, Peter Urs (1995). Secrets
of Power Presentations. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books.
Gallo, Carmine (2009). The
Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York City:
McGraw-Hill.
Maxwell, John (2010).
Everyone Communicates Few Connect: What The Most Effective People
Do Differently. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson.
Microsoft (2013).
Creating Better Presentations. [On-Line] Available
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
Nosich, Gerald M. (2012).
Learning To Think Things Through - A Guide To Critical Thinking
Across
The Curriculum. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Piper, Watty (1978).
The Little Engine That Could. London: Penguin Group.
