HOW TO PREPARE AND DELIVER AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION
Preparation
Preparation is one of the most important parts of delivering an effective presentation and
it can also help to control the nerves - you can never over-prepare!
Consider your audience and their background, this will help you to decide on the content
and style of delivery.
Estimate the time available for your presentation so that you can decide on how much
information you can include. Be realistic about how much material you can cover as it is
important that you keep within your time limit.
Before putting your presentation together, you must define the aims, topic and appropriate
depth and scope of the information you will be presenting.
Collect all the information and ideas and organise them in a logical sequence. Remember
that the presentation is telling a story and this must be clear and logical to the listener.
Structure your presentation. Typically, oral presentations have three main stages:
- The introduction: (what you intend to say)
- The body (the presentation itself)
- Conclusions (what you have said)
Know the subject thoroughly. Check all the work for clarifications and think about what
questions the audience might ask. If you are unfamiliar with your subject you will feel
uncomfortable with it, and nervousness will increase. Learning as much about the subject as
you can will help boost confidence in delivery. It also improves flow and helps with
questioning.
Ensure that your presentation includes definitions, any underlying assumptions, historical
background or any other introductory material. The amount of introduction you need will
depend on your audience.
If you are reading from notes in your presentation, be sure to use key words and phrases
in your notes rather than sentences. This will prevent you from reading directly from your
notes and help you establish eye contact with the audience.
Preparation of Visual aids
If used in the correct way, visual aids can greatly enhance your presentation. They can be
used to highlight key points and display images or diagrams.
It is important that your visual aids clarify and support your data in an attractive and
comprehensive way. They should not detract from your presentation.
Ensure that you only write down the key points in your slides. Try not to present long and
detailed sections of text. Bullet points can often be more effective and the audience will be able
to concentrate on what you are saying rather than reading the slide (4-5 bullet points are an
acceptable amount per slide). These bullet points can also be used as prompts/cues for your
talk. Do not use too many gimmicks such as 'flying text' or noises
Font size should be large enough to be legible to be seen from all parts of the room (e.g.
22 - 28 for the text and 34-40 for titles.)
Pictures/diagrams must also be clear, legible and large enough to be seen from all parts of
the room.
Arrange images with plenty of space surrounding each item so as not to clutter your
slides/OHP's
If possible use only one typeface. Too many typefaces can look messy and confusing,
particularly if they are in the same sentence or paragraph. Experiment with available styles and
find one that you can read from a distance. For emphasis you could always use bold face,
italics or colour.
Use caps and lowercase instead of all caps for easier reading.
Colour can be used for emphasis, distinction and clarity. Highlighting headings and key
points, graphs and charts is a good functional use of colour. However, you must be careful that
the colour does not interfere or detract from the visually presented information.
Be careful with coloured backgrounds as some colours can make black text or figures less
distinct. A good tip is to use background and foreground colours that complement each other
and have high contrast.
Prepare visual aids that can be used in the speaking environment. There is no use in
preparing a Powerpoint presentation if there is no computer to run it on. Find out in advance
what equipment is available to you.
Practise
Rehearse the talk as much as you can. It may help to do a 'dry-run' with a friend or
colleague who can then give you honest and constructive feedback
Time the presentation
If you are using notes/cue cards, practise your delivery. The more familiar you become
with them, the less you will need to look at them.
Anticipate any questions that could be asked and prepare possible responses. Prepare for
the questions that you may not be able answer and know how you will respond to them.
Delivery
Greet the audience and try to look confident and relaxed - smile!
Wait for the audience to focus their attention on you before you start
Begin by introducing yourself (and your colleagues if you worked with others). State the
topic clearly and give an outline of what you will cover.
Use your visual aids to highlight the main ideas as you progress through the presentation.
Stand to the left or right of the screen; make sure you are not standing between the image
and your audience. Face the audience as you speak and take care not to turn your body away
from them. Try to maintain eye contact with the audience, but don't just stare at one person!
If you get nervous, take deep breaths and use natural pauses in the content to regain
control. Remember that everyone feels nervous at times and the audience will make
allowances.
Don't rush through the presentation and the series of visuals so fast that the audience
becomes confused.
Use your voice by changing volume, pitch and by using pauses to indicate that you are
moving onto a new point. Vary your intonation for statements, questions and emphasis.
Conclude by summarising the main points of your presentation. Reinforcing the main
points, both verbally and by repetition, will help your audience assimilate the information.
Try to answer questions simply and directly. Virtually no one has all the answers all the
time and if you don't have the answer, say so. You can, however, offer a helpful solution such
as, 'I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that topic, I'll find out and get back to you'.
