Presentation Notes

From the presentations given from visiting proffessionals over the last couple of days, this gave a unique opportunity to take notes on different techniques/things to do/not to do when presenting to a large group. From recognising these different skills, I will be able to apply them to my own practise. 

How to make a presentation engaging:

- Visuals to the presentation keep the audience engaged and watching the screen/projection rather than you. This can take some of the pressure off as it is easier to speak when there are less eyes watching. 

- Visuals such as images, GIFs and Videos work well in doing this

- Giving the audience a question to think about is also a way to keep them engaged in the content. This can also allow for a break within the presenter speaking and opens up the opportunity for engagement with the audience. This may not always be appropriate as it can cause the presenter to lose track of where they are in the presentation and may also result in exceeding the time limit if there is one. 

What to avoid:

- If using video links, ensure that they are all opened and working before the presentation starts. If not this can make a presentation look unprofessional as it does not flow and time is taken up trying to get the links to work

- Another way to ensure that videos will work during the presentation is to have them copied to the computer. This will mean that the videos will still work even if there is no internet connection

- Do not say, 'the end'. This looks very unprofessional and is a more abrupt way of disengaging the audience. Having a rounded ending that is clear through speech and visuals is much more effective and ends the presentation on a more positive note

- Avoid using a lot of text on each slide unless necessary. It is much more engaging for the audience to look at images and a small amount of text than it is to read paragraphs. It is also difficult to listen to the presenter and read text at the same time. When appropriate, summarize text in the presentation alongside visuals and explain in more detail through speech

- Dark images/slides can sometimes be affected by the use of a low quality projector. This can result in a lot of the slides being unsuccessfully viewed by the audience. Unless you are aware of the projector/screen that will be used in the presentation, use clear bright images with an area of white space to enhance the quality of the presentation

What to include to help when speaking:

- Visuals; keeps the audience's attention on the presentation and not you

- Subtitles on slides can help direct you through the presentation - help to stay on track

- Adding humour where appropriate can help relax audience and presenter