11 Presentation Skills Half the world ts composed of 0 fave something to say and can't; the other half have nothing to say and keep sayeng it (LEARNING OBJECTIVES | Understanding the nature and importan Knowing different pre-presentation planning * Indentifying the four important steps in pre Understanding the major elein the intr NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ORAL PRESENTATION Nature of Oral Presentation An oral presentation is a form of oral communication, It is.a participative two-way communication process characterised by the formal and structured presentation of a message using visual aids, Itis purposeful and goal-onented, and communicates a message to an audience in a ssl a way that brings about the desired change in their understanding or opinion. Itis Ora fa flexible, changing, as well as complex and varied. Thus, an oral presentation is: * Purposeful—The presentation will be made with a definite purpose, * Interactive—It involves both the speaker as well as the listeners. * Formal—It is a formal situation, * Audience oriented—The topic will have to be dealt with from the listeners’ perspective. There are several forms of oral presentation, such as serninars, workshops, symposia, student presentations, industry conferences, product launches, press conferences, team presentations, annual general meetings, departmental presentations, and company profile presentations. Whatever may be the form of presentation, they all seek to achieve certain objectives, These objectives may range from expl 1 new atea of information (o introducing a new product by a company.Uresemation Shitty {1) Workshops and indust ry NCES ar ms ba oe i a 1688 are the two forms of oral Presentation, 9) The objectives of oray Presentations may range from exploring anew A icin a y Tange fr Horing @ new area af information to intro 19. (4) Oral presentation: fi }er forms of aral communication such a IS do Not differ trom oth " fi forms () Oral presentations are intended to celebrate ae a PLANNING THE PRESENTATION An oral presentation j tio . atid ven fee : and systematic presentation of a message to an audience a 1g a lot of information in a limited time. It should, the advance so that the material is del aes ivered effectively, Planning the i a g the presentation is, the most important element. It helps the presenter * know the audience: Stimulate the interest of the aud be Sensitive to the needs . Structured, be planned well in Planning a presentation ence: and expectations of the audience; strike up interaction with his/her immediate audience in as many ways as Possible; + know his/her purpose analyse the occasion: fit the material to the time at his/her disposal; and select and narrow a topic for his/her presentation, Planning an oral pr occasion, tation. thus, involves purpose identification, audience analysis, analysing the nd the process of selecting and narrowing the topic of presentation. The following sugges- tions will help in planning well |. Define the Purpose Planning a presentation should start by definin, Ms purpose. What is the purpose of this presentation? This is the most important question that nee s to be answered in order to make a presentation focused, with clear objectives. A general purpose 4s well as a specific purpose should be identified. General purposes include + To inform—to share informanior * To persuade—to change behaviour, attitude, belief, values, and so on © To demonstrate—to help listeners know how to do something Identifying the specific purpose of a presentation involves identifying an observable measurable action that the audience should be able to take, and using one idea that matches audience needs, knowl- expectations. and interests. It should focus en audience behaviour and restate the speech topic Study the following examples © At the end of my f esenta on. the audience will be able to describe three advantages of using HP PrecisionSean LI software (Informative presentation)toy Teehnical Comm unicainis oA tthe end of my presentation; the audience wi ee Ml believe that the HP Pre ‘ ‘eistonSean LP is the he (Persuasive presentatio,, PrecisionScan LT software cian ne (Demonstrative presentation) © Atthe end of m senta 'Y Presentation. the audience Will be able to use HP. ing factors for getting and maint: ‘ining audience attention, Identify Audience Characteristics In order to know the audience, the presenter needs to identify their basic characteristics, He/she should try to gather as much background information about his/her listeners as he/she can—their age, gender, social, economic and educational background, religion, politi- cal affiliations, profession, attitudes (likes and dislikes), beliefs (true and false), and values (gd0d and bad), If these audience charactenstics are identified, he/she will be much better equipped to plan and prepare his/her presentation effectively Analyse Audience Needs and Expectations Those who will attend and listen to the presentation have their needs and expectations. They will be there for a reason. If the presenter wants them fo listen {© hinvher, he/she has to understand and respond to their needs and expectations. For this he/she should ask the following questions: * Why will they listen to me? * Who asked them to be there’ «Is their attendance compulsory’? ‘© What are their interests? © What ideas or experience do I have that the audience may like to hear? « What are their needs? © What do they expect? « How do my objectives meet audience needs” | ‘Answers to these questions will help him/her make appropriate modification in hisiher Tea to suit his/her audience. The presentation must be audience oriented, dealing with the topic from200 Feehnical Communication The process of choosing Pends on the occasion, the au compiled. including pote a@ title may by idlience. the 1 BY first identiying a topic, The choice 64 the dl {Ype, ahd purpose of the presentation. A list of tipies + tial topics like soctal, e , hnologiesl problems (for ex tl economic. political, technological and envy \ ample, poverty, unemploymen ; ; Unemployment, overpopulation, coruption. crime. inflation, AID» demic. and $0 on.) ideas ree Re cscrk area Gene Tae arding society, education, business and economy. g nd reactions to deh eee nment, teehnologi atable issues (for example, universal civil code, Arucle \d abortion), When all the possible topics have been noted, the choices ean be aluated and an appropriate topic may be chosen Atter a suitable topic has been seh focus of the the nature of sand so forth, ar 370. polities and religion, an ew ted for the presentation, it should be narrowed down as per the Presentation in order to phrase a clear, complete, specific, and focused ttle, In this process, tthe general and specific purposes of the presentation as well as audience expectations and thetorical sensitivity may be considered, For example, if the selected topic is ‘pollution’, it may be narrowed to any of the following: Veisicular pollution hazards in New Delhi (local focus) * Pollution of the Ganges (rational focus) © CFC’s and 6zone depletion (international focus) "| Progress Check getting and mai Wa ie Identify an observable measurable action that the audience ‘should be able to take,» i ‘ ‘$4. Narrow the topic as per the’ focus of your presentation. 5, Restate the speech topic and focus on audience behaviour. 6, Identity audience characteristics. \7. Identify a general purpose. 8. Analyse audience needs and expectations. 9. Determine factors meeting the needs of your listeners, D. Choosing the title PREPARING THE PRESENTATION ie be s for it. Preparing well is 4 wort, a project presem™ esentation has been planned, it is time to begin prepat e cess, Making an oral presentation—whether a seminar presentation, an oral rep success. N 1g20 Presentation Skills io verspective, The presenter may not chan T dnonge tc way he/she appeals to them 12e his/her ideas and tacts for hissher term audience but hefshe may conveys them, He/she may tell them what he/she want 8 C0 tell but in a way that Recognise Factors (or Getting and Main s-needs, and expectations of the audience t should be determined. Listeners will be 1 AS a result, they will listen more attentiv presentation. The pre taining Audience Attention Once the characterises, have been idemtified, factors that meet the needs of the listener, more interested in the presentation if it meets their requirements, ely. understand what is said, and remember the key points of the senter needs to consider the following specific cuestions in this context: * How can I relate my presentation to the needs and expectations of my audience? + What should I do to ensure that my audience remembers my main points? * What style will appeal to my audience? ~~ > What are the changes that { should make? * FR neomorated wary oy encima: my listeners’? i¥€ feedback and share infos that will make my presentation more effective? ‘ * Have | planhed strategies for dealing with listeners’ commun®#®” §PP" ensign * How will Lhandle hostile listeners or those who are disruptive” Moreover, more informed decisions can be made about how to best adapt to the varying moods of listeners and how to tap their curiosity, interest, and motivation, Perhaps the best rule to remember in identifying factors for getting und keeping audience attention is to remain flexible. A blend of methods and alternatives to accommodute listeners’ perceptions may be the best approach to audience analysis, 3. Analyse the Occasion 2 The occasion on which the presentation is to be made should be analysed in order to understand the nature of the event or communicative situation, Several aspects of the event like its background, the people involved, the organisations or associations linked to the event, and so on need to be considered, Here are some relevant questions. + Is my presentation part of a larger event like a nationaVinternational seminar with a central theme, or just an internal conference where I am supposed to present my views on a particular topic { + Am I familiar with the procedures of the event? * Who are the sponsors? * Who are the other speakers? © What is the venue © What is the duration of my presen Infact, thinking through the answers to some of thesé qu’estions ahead of time may ensure that the presentation is effective. ation? 4, Choose a Suitable Title My -: ner Generally, a title has to be chosen for the presentation. The title gives the audience the first glimpse of the presentation and they forms their first impressions. Therefore, it is essential that the title is appropriate vail avstveys the essence of the messave. A vague, misleading, and fussy title may confuse the aone-sentenice summary of the presentation ‘It focuses on the content of the speech. » It uses specific language. the main ideas for the presentation. The presenter ma reasons for the idea being true, or support the c¢ of these techniques will largely depend on the topi the following examples: * Logical division of the central id Example: Central idea: Unemployment Logical divisions: A. Types B. Causes C, § * Establishing reasons for the central idea being Example: Central idea: Education in India n Establishing reasons: A. Reason | B. Reason 2 ‘+ Supporting the central idea with a series of Example: Central idea: Indo-Pak Relations ‘ther Supporting Material ré of the most difficult aspects of preparing a presentatic aswy - Information that will be used in the presentation shoul “SC ope and length of the presentation. Mhiile eathering supporting information a systematic Should gather all his/her thoughts on the subj202 Technical Communication Pergonal knowledge and experiance, ‘Mereatier, veveral revearch re¥purees such as the Fesources, Personal interviews, and discussion with experts, colleagues, and special interest he consulted. A list of material to be included in your presentation should be made. The suaterial gathered may include facts, examples, definitions, quotations, and so on An outline of the collected material is developed, and reworked until it is in good order, Aft the first draft is written and TeVised as required, [t is important to check for accuracy, redundancies, sliches. The style of the presentation should he informal, preferably using everyday language and a ing technical terms and statistics, Plan Visual Aids Using appropriate visual aids will increase the effectiveness of presentations, Good visuals may serve the following purposes. * They Serve as Speech Notes: Visual aids may be used as notes to emphasise and clarify the marn points of the presentation. Each visual aid may contain a main idea. Effective titles may be Used to convey the main message of the visual aid * They Give Confidence: Using good visuals might increase the presenter’s self-confidence be- cause they refresh his/her memory, establish his/her credibility, and show that he/she has planned, is well-prepared, and is protessional. * They Help Focus on the Theme of the Presentation: Visuals help the presenter to focus on the theme of the presentation and concentrate on the objectives of his/her presentation. He/sh may use effective visuals to highlight the central idea of his/her presentation, + They Increase Audience Interest: Interesting and relevant visual aids make the audience me interested in what is being said, They may force even a hostile and demotivated audience to p_ attention. * They Give Clarity and Precision: Visuuls make the presentation easy to understand and re-~ member Any of the following types of visual aids may be used. A, Three-Dimensional Visual Aids (a) Objects (b) Models (c) People B. Two-Dimensional Visual Aids ‘i (a) Drawings (b) Photographs (c) Slides (a) Maps (¢) Graphs Bar graphs f © Pie graphs © Line graphs © Picture graphs; we i sentation Skills (Charts (g) Overhead transpare, (hy Computer Senerated presentations (1) Chalkboard The following SuBgestiOns Will help in planning and using y isual aids effectively * Relevant Visual aids must be chosen, The visual aids should match the that does not match with what is bein: Neies Message. Using a vis Y Confuse the auc - © The presenter must be t miliar with f arse his/her presentation wit Pp Using the visual aids ® Computer software programs such as PowerPoint and Corel Presentations may be used to en- hance the effectiveness of the Presentation, However, special care must be taken while design Ingelectronic presentations or mult media presentations because making the presentation overly dependent on electronic visuals may create certain handicaps. > * Handouts may be distributed, that 's, charts, presentation abstracts, summaries, brochuves, Dam - 1 emel resentation Philets, outlines, and so onein orc to complement the pi * While using overhead trar cies, eve contact should be maintained with the audience , * Visual aids must be introduced before actually showing them. [Progress Check 3 Wy (a). develop an outline of the Peponna nae i of the central idea. a logical division : 8 a ish ee for the central idea vere true. Pe inipech a with a series of steps, ort the central ide oe a ae supporting information, the presente: roo @ rai his thoughts on tire subject of the preseritatios ee co 5 Peal {ed information from nis personal knowledge a | relate a (pb) recall24 Fechnical Communication: a pccnsult several research resources.” . “analyse audience characteristics, 8. Vis al ‘aids may not ih £ iy Bae seve as.speech notes to, emphi ash ise and ‘clarity the main point of the presentation. Jc help focus on the theme of the presentation. ty sis 4 z i ‘help recall related information from’ Person: al knowledge yand ‘experience. ~~ -{d)a2ke the audience mofe interested in what is being said. rath ORGANISING YOUR PRESENTATION mae the central idea as well as the main ideas have been developed, relevant supporting material has >een gathered, and appropriate visual aids have been planned, the message has to be organised and structured. C 0d organisation is essential for effective presentation. The key to our presentation good organisation is the repetition of the main ideas of your message. Just remem= ‘should be organised into ber d ec three distinct parts: ae Tell the audience what you are going 10 tell Tell it Tell them what you have told Divide the presentation into three distinet parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion: Introduction The opening of the presentation should convince the audience to listen to it. It has five functions: © Get the audience's attention «Introduce the subject © Give the audience a reason to listen + Establish the credibility + Preview the main ideas Yt Audience Attention The speaker needs to get the attention of his/her audience and hold it until » end of his/her talk. Listeners form their first impression of the presentation quickly, and first impres~ ns matter. Therefore, the opening should capture their attention. Audience attention may be captured al ways, These techniques include using any one of the following: « Startling Statement/Statistics Say something surprising of unexpected, or give statistics that surprises the audience ~ "Anecdote Tell a short-entertaining account of an event, a short story |Ask some interesting questions. The question should be rhetorical with an obvious * Questions i answer « Quotations Start the presentation with a relevant quotation that Mig idea of the presentauon «Humour Start the presentation with a humorous referene®tat Give the Audience @ Reason to Presentation by showing they the audience, ae Estab a fea oa ae oe 's credibility should be le audience that he/she i Prepared, SBEAr conden and strike « rapport unk eae relevant to the topic. ‘ntion should be drawn to the topic of the e topic affects them directly, Giving Televant statisties can motivate established early in a speech, He. e ening 10. The speaker be 4 rapport with the audience by narrating personal ence Preview the Main Idea: ‘es iS The audience should by i ai the presentation should be given towinds the cn of he renee steno, The preview to the end of the introduction, The Preview should include a Statement of the central idea and mention the main points ofthe presentation, Remember the aeronyin ne KISS os (KEEP IT SIMPLE ANC audience will understand a Body ‘The body contains the main content of the presentation. Most people fail to make an effective presenta~ tion simply because they try to convey so much information and include so many ideas. The speaker may be tempted to include so many points in his/her presentation but it is advisable to focus on a few main ideas, two to four, Each main point should be supported by appropriate details but not excessive data. This will spoil the presentation because it may confuse the audience, In short, the mantra is to use a few ‘main points with relevant supporting details. The speaker should concentrate on each main point and use ‘appropriate transitions to indicate a change of point as the audience may not be able to differentiate between the main points and minor points. He/she should ensure that his/her information is accurate, complete, and relevant. {As the body of the presentation is structured, the speaker should choose the sequence he/she will follow from among any of the following organisational pattems: © Sequential * General to specific © Specific to general ‘* More important to less important « Less important to more important Categor Problem and solution Contrast and comparison ql‘presentation. unsitiolls benweer also be alecnded. Summarise Your Presentation The coneluson gives ihe speaker he ist chines 19 pent al ey \deds. The main ideas should be repeated. Reemphasise the Central Idea The central idea of the preventasion should be restated! ma mHEMIO= rable way. 5 Focus on a Goal The speuker should focus on the specific objective of the presentation and goncen- trate on what he/she wants his audience to do, think, change. remember, and so 0" Motivate the Audience to Respond The auclience shoul! he motivated to give feedback, They ray be encouraged to ask questions, Provide Closure Verbal technicques may be used to let the audience know that the speech has ended ‘Appropriate words and phrases such as, “in conclusion”. “lastly”. “finally”, and “as any lass pone may je used The speaker may' ae the audience for their patient listening, Nonverbal cues may also be used co-sign closure i = {| Progress Check 4 Juction’ in an oral présentation? Bie i ) Demativete the audience (@) Establish the credibility © 4@)" Preview the main ideas (ii) The techniques used to capture vudience {@)_a question (b) ananeedote (c) ajoke, (4) apoem (iy oderto Involve the ausience withthe {opi of presentation, the speaker should (@) include a statement f nisiner central idea inthe introduction (6) tell the audience wnat he/she is gaing to alk about {c) show the audience how the topic aifects them directly (d) use a diagram fention does not include the use of