By Subrata Dey

The Art of Making Presentation

The Art of Making Presentation

Whose fault is it? “The Audience” or “The Presenter” or “The Content”?

Three Entities of Presentation

Presentation

The Audience

The ContentThe Presenter

Preparation: Audience Analysis

What does the audience already know about the subject?

What are their need, expectations from this presentation?

How will the audience benefit from this presentation?

Raise a few questions in their mind to increase the interest and plan your content accordingly.

Preparation: Audience Analysis

What is the learning style of your Audience?

There are three types of Learners:

Visual Learners: Learn from Pictures, Charts & Graphs

Auditory Learners: Learn by Hearing, Discussion, Debate and Story Telling

Kinesthetic Learners: Learn by Activities, Role Play/Games/ Working models

Visual Learners• Uses visual objects such as graphs, charts, pictures, and seeing information• Can read body language well and has a good perception of aesthetics• Able to memorize and recall various information• Tends to remember things that are written down• Learns better in lectures by watching them

Auditory Learners• Retains information through hearing and speaking

• Often prefers to be told how to do things and then summarizes the main points out loud to help with memorization• Notices different aspects of speaking• Often has talents in music and may concentrate better with soft music playing in the background

Kinesthetic Learners• Likes to use the hands-on approach to learn new material

• Is generally good in math and science• Would rather demonstrate how to do something rather than verbally explain it• Usually prefers group work more than others

Preparation: Audience AnalysisA person will generally learn by all three styles, but one is the dominant style and is always preferred over others.

In about 65% of the people, Visual Learning is the dominant style of learning.

Preparation: Audience Analysis SummaryEdgar Dale’s Cone of Experience was developed in 1946 and it also emphasizes the various learning experiences. It gave the “Percentage of Retention after 2 Weeks”

Preparation: Audience AnalysisSo you have to plan the content to satisfy all the three types of learners, otherwise you will lose your audience.

1. Use Pictures, Charts, Figures and videos, instead of only text to retain your Visual Audience.

2. You have to speak well in short and simple sentences and can also use recorded speech of famous personalities to emphasize your points.

3. You have to plan activities for your kinesthetic learners. However, this will not be possible in short presentation which is for information purpose only.

Preparation: Audience Analysis SummaryA few additional Tips to keep Audience Engage:

1. Change what you are doing.

2. Ask a question.3. Ask for show of hands.4. Ask for volunteer to

read a passage for you.

Three Entities of Presentation

Presentation

The Audience

The ContentThe Presenter

The Content of Presentation -PrefaceStart with outlining a few questions at the beginning.

• It is human nature to love mystery and be the one to solve them.• It frames the content of the presentation and

prepares your audience for everything you are going to tell them. It sparks their curiosity.

The Content of Presentation -Preface• You can start with News Paper articles related to

your topic and frame the question accordingly.

i.e. What led to the collapse of M/s “ABC Bank”?Why M/s “XYZ” product quality is deteriorating?

This kind of start is required for persuasion or education purpose and can be ignored for information sharing short presentation.

The Content Itself• After the questions, you can have the slide to

describe the content of the presentation and it’s structure.

The Content Body• The most effective way to make a persuasive

presentation is to structure it like a story.

What is?

What could be?

What is?

What could be?

What is?

What could be?

What is?

New Bliss

Call for Action.

EndMiddleBeginning

The Beginning• Start describing the life as the audience knows it.• Your audience should start nodding their head in

recognition.

• This will create a bond between you and your audience.• After setting the baseline of “WHAT IS”, introduce

your vision of “WHAT COULD BE”.

Develop the Middle• After establishing the gap use rest of the

presentation to bridge the gap.

• Answer the questions raised during the beginning of presentation.• Give live examples to establish your point. Keep

highlighting the contrast between “WHAT IS” and “WHAT COULD BE”

The End Part• Never end with “To Do List”.

• Define –Action Points and motivate people to act on it by highlighting the rewards.

Three Entities of Presentation

Presentation

The Audience

The ContentThe Presenter

The Presenter•Build your own credibility in your introduction, and create a safe comfortable environment for your audience.

•Be aware of your own body language. You are the most powerful visual aid of all, so use your body movement and position well.

The Presenter• Preparation and knowledge

is the key for a good presentation. It gives you the confidence.

• Depth of conviction counts more than height of logic and enthusiasm is worth more than knowledge. Passion is therefore a very powerful component for any presentation.

The Presenter• When you are a presenter you

are in charge. The audience generally accepts this, and you are within your rights to control anyone who does not.

• Good presenting is about entertaining as well as conveying information. As well, people retain more if they are enjoying themselves and feeling relaxed.

Engage Emotionally With your Audience.Tell a personal story about you. Make them feel that they really know you.

Instead of a “speech”, a memorable presentation is more like a conversation.

Give them the feel that you’re travelling together. There are mysteries to be solved; Questions to be answered. .

Target the head and heart for a memorable presentation.

The Art of Making Presentation

Should have

audience content & presenter

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References : Blog by Nancy Duarte in HBR and