CE122 Summary_REV1

Presentation Skills (CE 122)
UNIT 1: WHAT MAKES PRESENTATION EFFECTIVE?
Introduction to the Communication Process

In its most basic form, communication involves a sender who takes his/her thoughts and encodes
them into verbal/nonverbal messages being sent to a receiver. The receiver then decodes the
messages to understand what the sender meant to communicate. The communication process is
completed when the receiver transmits verbal/nonverbal feedback to indicate his/her reception and
understanding of the message.
This process takes place within a context, also known as a rhetorical situation, which includes all
that affects the communication process such as the sender-receiver's culture, the sender-receiver's
relationship, the circumstances surrounding the sender-receiver's interaction, and the physical
environment of the interaction.
Seven elements of personal / business communication process

Basically, both personal and business communication means giving or exchange information. The
only difference between them is the degree of formality and the relationship between the sender and
receiver.
1. Sender/presenter
 The one who initiates the communication and set the ground rules in achieving the aim
 It may be in response to both external stimulus (information/instruction received) or internal
stimulus (ideas or feelings you want to tell others)
 Has to decide on the medium of the communication
 For business communications, the sender is strongly influenced by the corporate culture and
organizational structure/relationships within the organization
2. Message
 In composing and delivering message, sender's knowledge, experience, attitudes and skills in
addition to the external environment are the key factors
 The message/content of business communications is often complex and technical in nature,
including facts, figures, specialist terms or concepts
 Receiver may expect the message to be presented in a particular style and format (the relative
status of the sender and receiver) and this imposes constraints in composing message
 Style & tone of the message creates impact on yr communication
 The attention & perception of message is a key aspect regarding this element
3. Aim/ Purpose of communication

 In business environment, the aim is mostly to seek cooperation/approval from others and thus
must be persuasive
 The message and the aim are usually the same since the former is the content to delivered
whereas the latter is the outcome to be achieved
4. Medium
 Communication channel (how to get the message across)
 Affected by the number of people involved (practicality), locations, accessibility and urgency of
the communication
 For business communication, it may also be constrained by the organizational culture and what
is physically available to the sender
CE122-Apr-02-Summary-pg1
5.Receiver/audience
 Has to decode the message at the receiving end and give reaction or feedback
 Can be very different both from each other and from those in non-business communications.
 For business setting, the number and location of the receiver, whether they know each other or
share the objectives of the sender are all influential.
6. Feedback
 Whether a feedback channel is provided is the key focus
 Important to tell if the communication has been successful for personal communication
 For business communication, it is strongly affected by the organizational culture and issues of
status
7. Context
 The environment where communication takes place. The sender and received may have a certain
amount of shared context and difference in context
 Outside of the same department, the sender and receiver may have little shared training or
experience and different interpretation of message
 Essential elements of sender's context: External environment (noise, heat, light, distracting
movement, smells) and internal environment (commercial considerations such as pricing and
delivery time)
 For business communication, concerns/viewpoints affected by the issues of status, authority, the
organizational culture and what is physically available to the sender form part of the sender's
context
 Receiver's context is influenced by their status (their interpretation of message and willingness
to receive)
Characteristics of presentations
Presentations = One-way communication in which sender/presenter presents information to a
number of receivers/audiences who, initially, do not share the same aims or personal context in any
form of medium. (Pls refer to pg 11 of Unit 1 handout for the exclusion of this definition)
 Difference between presentation and other business communications:-

1. one-way with few opportunities of feedback
2. asymmetry with one presenter to many audiences
3. formal in that the role of presenter and audience are largely constrained. Audio-visual aids are
also necessary
4. impersonal as the presenter may not know the audience
5. difference in emotions of presenter and audience affecting the success of presentations
6. have a major difference in the contexts of the presenter and the audience
Presentations in the workplace: evaluations of successful presentations

2 essential focus of business presentations:
1. Aims of presentations: to explain, train and persuade in order to seek cooperation and make
persuasion successful
1. Form of business presentations: message can be expressed in words and/or in images
An effective speaker develops messages in relation to the situation, the audience, and the
communication goals.
Communicating through presentations
A/ Benefits in the use of face-to-face presentations (When to use?)
1. Reach large numbers of people with the same message
2. Ensure that people receive the same message at the same time
3. A supportive audience can reinforce and spread the message and generate much more enthusiasm
than a single person would
4. Can be efficient in making best use of time
5. An alternative for the more select audience for a personal briefing
6. Too troublesome to communicate in a more interactive way (as some managers may think)
B/ Presentations aims and objectives

Setting clear aims and objectives is one of the most basic aspects of effective presentations
1. An aim is a general statement about what you are trying to achieve such as to gain support,
ensure the understanding and demonstrate the benefits of services.
2. Objectives are specific statements about what should happen as a result of the presentation.. They
must be audience-centred and action -oriented/ achieves changes in behavior or action which
you set out to achieve
C/ Audience characteristics
Knowing the audience characteristics/ typical concerns can:
1. pitch the presentation at the right level of technicality and set the right tone
2. choose the right content and present in the most appropriate way
3. avoid offending or irritating audience
4. work out the reaction and predict questions and objections
Audience characteristics include:

1. Knowledge, experience, attitudes, beliefs, expectations, goals and values.
2. Internal or external audience
- Internal audiences: the typical concerns as status, prestige, money, security, face, staff welfare,
promotion and need for information
- External audiences: difficult to identify with less information. Try to talk to the organizer to get
a profile of the audience.
3. Level seniority/position in the hierarchy of the audience
How to make good use of audience characteristics

1.The right level of tact
2.The distance between the presenter and audience
Key aspects of getting the message through

1. Attention: gain and retain people's attention by making the presentation relevant to their concerns,
needs and interests and by constructing the message so that they can identify with it
2. Perception (interpretation of information received by our senses, particularly in sight and sound):
help the audience to perceive what they need to perceive and the audience characteristics make a
difference in this case.
3. Retention: improve memory by linking images with words, giving information a memorable
context help retention of information for further changes in behavior
4. Language of communication: ensure that others will understand the meaning one intends to
convey
Problems:
1. Distractions/distortions: distorted perception and retention caused by existing attitudes, opinions
and emotions
2. Misunderstanding: caused by the language of communication
3. Perceptual/Retention blockages: include anything which gets in the way of your audience's
perception or retention. Stereotyping (starting to think of a response before the other person
has finished a thought) and mentally jumping to conclusions before the other person has
finished speaking are the biggest perceptual blockages. Other perceptual blocks include: difficulty
in stating the problem, defining the problem areas too closely, inability to see the problem from
various viewpoints, saturation, failure to utilize all sensory inputs, focusing on how the person
communicates rather than what is being communicated
4. Formality and relationship between the sender and receiver caused by the physical, mental and
emotional conditions of the senders and receivers are in.
Principles of effective presentation

 Audience-sensitive communication with seven principles (7Cs) of business communications:
Complete, clear, concise, concrete, constructive, correct and culture
Channels of presentation – medium

Words and or diagram/pictures are medium of presentations. The whole range of communication
channels is grouped into 6: verbal, prosodic, paralinguistic, images, kinesics and standing features
Medium & the message

1/ The medium of communication has to be suitable for the messages that the presenter wants to
present (depends on what sort of traffic to cross the bridge). The test of a suitable medium has to be
whether or not it is acceptable to the audience for the particular message you want to send
2/ The medium must match the message on its tone and impact on the audience
3/ The choice of tone and style will affect the credibility of message
Tone & Style

The tone and style must be appropriate to the aim, message and audience to create an effective
communications. For example:
a/ informal or formal b/ personal or impersonal c/ authoritative or consultative
d/ enthusiastic or detached e/ spontaneous or considered f/ involved or objective
Summary
Make an effective presentation by setting clear objectives/aims, matching the presentation and the
audience, avoiding blockages and distortions and by selecting the most appropriate medium.
UNIT 2: COMPOSING THE MESSAGE
Composition of effective message = collecting and selecting information to include in your

presentation and then organizing it to the best effect
Step 1: Structuring the presentation

To structure the presentation effectively means to know where to start from and where to end up,
followed by filling the gap between the two.
A/ The starting point

 Starting point of the presentation = starting point of the audience
 The first stage is to analyze the audience characteristics (age, ratio of men to women, culture,
educational level) with focus on 2 most important characteristics: prior knowledge and viewpoint
 Prior knowledge and viewpoint affect the facts and arguments used to convince them of the
presenter's case and can avoid the communications pitfalls. The more different the audiences are
from the presenter, the more effort need to be put into devising a structure
 Audience prior knowledge = their job responsibilities, level seniority and educational background
 Aud's viewpoint = their job function, responsibilities and level, as well as by more personal
attitudes, values and beliefs
B/ The finishing point

 Finishing point of the presentation = objectives set as the result of presentation. It is not a
complete information transferal but the motivation to make audience take the expected action.
C/ Filling the gap

 Devise a way of bridging the gap (between the starting and finishing points):
1/ Establish the main points of the argument - the greater the complexity of the points, the fewer
points one should have
2/ Support the arguments - through supporting facts, examples and illustration (such as statistical
data, questions, comparisons, research findings, press cuttings, personal testimony)
3/ Put the points in a convincing order for the audience to follow - such as chronological,
geographical, problem, sales order
4/ Plan the beginning and ending and try out the structure - before finalizing to make sure the
arguments and sequencing work.
Step 2: Gathering & selecting information

Select the right information to support the argument and have to identify the sort of information
which you need to include to ensure that your audience pays attention, perceive the issue as you
intend and remember the action required
A/ Gathering information
 Know how to gather and organize key information and then how to exclude information which
would not contribute to the achievement of your objectives
1/ Primary sources (information form the people directly involved in the subject and can be very
powerful. They are persuasive as their relevance is clear and they are difficult to contradict)
2/ Secondary sources (information are the result of other people's research and analysis such as
newspapers, business magazines, journals and research papers & government publications etc).
 To avoid wasting a great deal of time and effort and saturating audience with information,
information gathering must be focused
 Good presentations are not made by collecting and arranging facts but by putting across a well
constructed argument in a convincing way
 Use your information selectively to illustrate and persuade
B/ Putting information in order

 The essential point is to relate the information to the structure that has already been devised. One
simple method is to number the points in the main arguments and then sort the information
according to the points, numbering each item accordingly.
 Related information and ideas can usually be placed into some sorts of hierarchy (order of
importance). Sorting information into its hierarchy can help to make sure that the main points
are not being obscured with too much supporting information.
C/ Relevant and irrelevant information

 There are 2 tests which should be applied:
- Is there a good reason for including the information at all?
1. Key point obviously have to stay
2. Essential supporting explanation , justification, illustration or example should also stay
3. Hold supplementary information or additional explanation in reserve
4. Redundant information should be left out
- Is the information helping to get the message through? Use the information which
1. Is relevant to the experience of the audience and interests the audience
2. Concrete
3. Uses different channels
4. Puts the argument in context
5. Makes the points memorable
Step 3: Managing the impact of the message

Make sure that the message has the intended impact on the audience. Much of the impact
obviously depends on the medium of presentation, but there are a number of principles that you
can apply to any form of presentation.
A/ Focusing on what? important

 At the start, explain the purpose and this will focus the audience? attention and perception during
what follows.
 Provide an overview to explain what you are going to cover in the presentation and the order in
which you will do it and this will help the audience follow the structure of the argument.
 Use section markers during presentation to show where you are up to help the audience keep
track of the progress of your argument and gives the presenter an opportunity to reinforce the
main points.
 Help the audience to distinguish between different themes or types of content by using visual
markers.
 Design your presentation so that you make the main points when getting full attention.
 Give a summary of the main points near the end of the presentation to provide reinforcement.
 End with a strong conclusion that will act as a reminder of the action from the audience.
- The start should make the audience pay attention to what to be said. Within the limitation of
tone and medium of presentations, you can use a question, a quotation, an anecdote, a hard-
hitting statement, an unusual fact, and an appeal to the needs of your audience or a joke.
- The ending should have an impact. You can consider using an appeal for action, a challenge, a
statement, a recommendation, a statement, an anecdote and a quotation.
B/ Illustration and diversion

 Techniques such as the use of concrete examples and illustrations that relate the material to the
experience of the audience can help a great deal but when using such devices the presenter needs
to take care not to overdo it, or new blockages will be produced.
 Reinforce the main points but be aware of the dangers of repetition. Try to vary the way to
reinforce the main points, by using different communication channels and examples.
C/ Audience reaction
 Some advance warning of the likely audience reaction can be obtained. Feedback is also
important.
 But one can never know in advance all the things that may influence the reaction of audience
and so it is unable to predict the outcome 100%.
Ways to check the impact of the presentation

 The start including overview
 The selection of main points
 The sequence of the main points
 The amount of supporting information
 The relevance of the information included
 The separation of different parts of the presentation
 The ways attention and perception were aided
 Reinforcement of the main points
 The finish including any summary
 Did anything distract you from the main points
 Was any feedback requested?
 Did you provide any feedback? If so, how?
Step 4: Preparing for questions

Questions are a form of audience reaction
A/ Anticipating questions
 = Anticipating the effect s of your message of feedback
 Must imagine oneself in the place of the audience with their knowledge and viewpoint.
B/ Using questions
 Questions can be a very useful way of increasing the involvement of the audience, illustrating
the main points further, overcoming objections or removing blockages.
 Can encourage questions by the way you present the message
 The tone and way of speaking can indicate that you want to involve the audience
 Planting questions (arranging for a member of the audience to ask a question) can be a good way
of ensuring that you include the useful supplementary material. But make sure the plant is not
too obvious. Choose the right person to ask it and let them ask the question freely.
 Questions can be used as part of the style.
 Direct approach can be taken and ask the audience a question to get them involved, appealing
directly for questions, making it easy for the audience to ask.
 There are 2 main types of questions: open and closed. Closed questions have a definite answer
(yes or no). Open questions should be used to encourage discussion.
C/ Preparing responses
 Identifying supplementary information and keep them in reserve can help answering the
questions from the audience.
 The information prepared should be in a neutral form
 What to do with the prepared responses depends on the medium used.
1. In a personal presentation, spare slides or notes on a flip chart can be used.
2. In a written report, appendices can be used.
3. For circular memos, leaflets or notices, you can offer to provide further details or answer specific
queries on request and provide a contact point.
4. For briefings, the press or internal staff, where the audience is large and time is limited, issuing
a question and answer list could be considered
Tools for structuring messages

Three tools for structuring messages: mind maps, outlines and flowcharts
A/ Mind maps
 The mind mapping technique is useful for taking notes, summarizing their thoughts on a
particular subject and for exploring the relationships between ideas
 It is found valuable by people with very different natural approaches to handling information
B/ Outlining
 A tool for sorting information into a sequence of related ideas.
 It enables you to differentiate between ideas of different importance.
C/ Flow charts
 Are particularly useful for defining logical structures where there are complex relationships
between ideas. Flow charts are most valued by people who find it natural or easy to think in a
structured way.
 Links between true statements can be used to define an argument by breaking the argument down
into small steps, each of which can be justified relatively easily
 Dependency charts can be used to show the relationship between different tasks and activities.
UNIT 3: MESSAGES IN WORDS
Use of plain English (Spoken & written)

A/ Choice of medium: Speaking or Writing
- Personal preferences depend on presenter's personality and degree of confidence in skills
Speech Written
1. Richer and more persuasive 1. Deals with complex and detailed message
2. Easier to show sincerity and commitment 2. For audience physically inaccessible
3. Avoids some of the problems associated with 3. For permanent record which people can refer
writing such as spelling, punctuation and back to
layout
4. Generate stronger motivation in the audience 4. Can reach a wider audience
B/ Clarity
 Choose the shortest suitable word
 Keep sentences short
 Avoid cliché/ undefined acronyms
 Use active rather than passive verbs
 Avoid inappropriate use of technical term and jargons
 Take care with slang or colloquialism
C/ Style and tone

 Especially importance for written messages
 Speech: Establish them with voice, gestures, facial expression and body movement.
 Written: Choice of words with use of: -
a/ contractions and personal pronouns
b/ concrete or abstract reference
c/ either active or passive voice
d/ short or long sentences
D/ Grammar
- Help to convey meaning and impressions precisely
 The order of phrases
 The use of pronouns, split infinitives and the right word
 Singular and plurals
Effective Writing
A/Length
Audiences are much more impressed by a document which is tuned to their needs than one which is
unnecessarily long.
B/Formal or informal structure (numbered paragraphs)

1. Formal: for reference purposes and may be worth considering for a document which is being
circulated specifically for review and comment.
Disadvantage: suggest rigorous formality to most audiences and they may react negatively unless
it is the accepted style.
2. Informal (with no numberings): a memo or circular letter. This can help guide the reader through
the complexities of the material, taking care not to change the intended style or tone.
Disadvantage: cannot catch reader's attention.
Punctuation
 Full stops, exclamation marks and question marks and used to show major breaks or pauses in
meaning and are put at the end of sentences
 Colons to announce a list
 Semi-colons provide a stronger pause in a sentence than a comma
 Hyphens are used to join 2 words together
 Apostrophes are to shown ownership and missing letters where words have been shortened.
 Inverted commas are to show quotes for actual speech and simply doubt about the validity of a
claim.
Spelling
 Note the difference between British and American spelling meaning
 Consistency is the key point
Effective writing checklist:

Check the
a/ length of words/sentences/
b/ length of paragraphs/ grammar (order of phrases, use of pronouns/right words, singular/plurals)
c/ punctuations/ spelling
Review the use of

a/ technical terms
b/ acronyms and abbreviations
c/ cliché/ active and passive verbs
e/ contractions and personal pronouns
f/ repetition/ abstract references.
C/ Layout
- Match the objectives
 The typeface, style and size affected the legibility and accessibility of document
 Emphasis achieved by varying the. Typeface, style and size
 The space around the text and more white space to make it attractive and easy to read.
 Symmetry can alter look and impact of a document
D/ Impact
0 Impact = style & tone
- Factors affecting impact:
 The use of color
 Paper quality (high quality)/Printing method (professional printing)
 Personalization
- Match the presentation to the objective and style & tone of writing
Tools for production of effective documents to professional standard

A/ Language tools
 Spell checker with in-build dictionary
 Thesaurus to suggest alternative words
 Grammar checker to identify common errors in sentences
 The "find" command to specify the location of words you want to find.
B/ Structure tools
 Outline options to produce outline structure
 Normal editing facilities to delete, move or copy words
 Word counting to keep within defined word limit
 Text styles to define text style and layout of different type of headings or sections or text
consistently throughout the document
C/ Layout tools
 Typeface
 Emphasis with special effect
 Spacing
 Symmetry
D/ Desktop Publishing
 Good for document such as newsletter or cheaper advertisement flyers
 Being introduced into word processing packages as a style sheet specified for a particular type
of document that helps to achieve consistency of layout, save time and efforts.
Effective Speaking
A/ Speaking skills
 Speed
– allows the audience to absorb and consider the message
– aims at about 100 words a minute
– avoid long gaps between each sentence
– match the speed with your voice
 Pausing
- The length of pauses can be used for emphasis and an important point to create good effects at
the beginning, before an important phrase, change in style, before closing remarks and before
asking questions.
 Articulation means speaking clearly
 Emphasis (Enunciation) means emphasizing key words, syllables and phrases but not to
emphasize all the individual syllables of words
 Pronunciation
 Modulation: varied in pitch and tome which is essential to keep audience's interest and guide
them through the points
 Pitch: nervousness or stress varies the pitch of voice
 Repetition : when repeating words or phrases, vary the tone and pitch
 Projection or loudness
B/ Practicing voice skills

 7 features of good voice (audible, flexible and lively with a pleasant sound quality)
_ breathing support should be adequate for clear expression
_ throat and jaw should be open
_ basic pitch suitable for speaker with variety in intonation to give life and energy to the tone
_ resonance should be balanced
_ volume should be adequate for the size of the space and audience
_ speed appropriate for materials and pauses used meaningfully
_ articulation of speech should be clear and praise with a regional accent
C/ Style, tone and impact

- use of language sets to the style and tone
 Take care of the use of the
– technical terms and acronyms
– cliché
– active and passive verbs
– contractions and personal pronouns
– abstract references
 Ensure the tone is appropriate to your relationship with audience
- Impact affected by
 Unnecessary or over-used phrases - distant audience
 Tautologies
 Alliterations
 Colloquial expression - used in spoken can achieve a direct, informal and personal style but an
informal tone in written communication.
Effective Speaking Checklist

Check the: Review the use of :
Speed Deliberate pauses/ repetition
Articulation Contractions and personal pronouns/ Active and passive verbs
Enunciation (emphasis) Long sentences
Pronunciation Cliché or vague words like "somewhat" and "appreciably"
Modulation Repeated words or other oral habits
Pitch Complex or unfamiliar words and technical terms
Projection Abbreviations and acronyms
Written or spoken message?

Aim Written messages Spoken messages
Using plain English Clarity Clarity
Correct grammar and use of words Correct grammar and use of words
Making sure you are Spelling Speed, articulation, enunciation
understood pronunciation and projection
Punctuation
Achieving the right Fit to audience Fit to audience
style and tone Fit to purpose Fit to purpose
Use of language Use of language
Composing an Length Length
effective message Structure and formality Structure and formality
Typeface, emphasis, space, symmetry Emphasis, repetition
Achieving the desired Color Pitch, pauses, projection,modulation
impact Paper and print quality Paralinguistic control
Personalization Personalization
Tools available Word processors Voice skills
Desktop publishing Audio tapes
UNIT 4: MESSAGES WITHOUT WORDS
Three channels of communications: images, kinesics communication and standing features.
Presenting numeric data
Consider 2 questions before presenting the statistical information:
1. Is this information really needed
2. The amount and detail of information required
Presenting numbers in tables

Effective graphics checklist:
Check the: Fit to the message, audience
Use of informative titles
Appropriateness and clarity of the scales or data ranges used
Review the: Labels on axes and data items
Amount and clarity of text on charts
Number of items included
Order of items
Accuracy and format of numbers
Use of highlighting with shading or color
Width of bars or columns and spaces between them
Giving numbers meaning

Before including a table of data, you should think carefully about what you want the audience to
understand.
 You can achieve objective by presenting single statistics ( average, range of data, an index and
statistical measure)
 You can stick to words if a recommendation is needed
 Show relevant sizes or rank order of a set of items without its actual values by using a pictorial
representation rather than a number or graphs. ( this is used for documents aimed at a public or
non-specialist audience)
 You can use a graphical representation to show trends, changes or compare 2 sets of numbers.
Graphical representation of data

 Graphics are powerful tools for conveying information.
 A good graph or chart makes it quicker and easier for you to get your message across than a table
of numbers or a lot of words
 Before choosing the form of graphs used, you should:
1. Know your target audience, particularly when technical information is concerned
2. Know what your message is: make comparisons or show trends
A/ 5 types of messages which you can use graphs and charts to show
 A trend over time simply shows how something has changed over a period of time
(Line graph for many items and column chart for less than 6 items to be shown)
 An item comparison compares how things rank (Bar chart)
 The composition of a total is about how a total is made up. (Pie chart)
 A frequency distribution shows hoe many items fall into each of a set of numerical ranges.
(Line graph for more than seven or eight items and column charts for several categories)
 A relationship message shows how two trends are related. (Scatter graph)
B/Drawing effective graphs and charts

 Make up a suitable title that highlights the message
 Choose the scales of axes carefully so that the variation of data is clear
 If you do not start the scale of vertical axis at zero, make sure that is clear
 Put labels on the axes or o the contents of the chart
 Apply same guidelines about numbers as we had for tables
Graphs Uses Features

Line graphs Time trends or frequency -Makes sure scales on the axes are suitable for showing the
distribution variation in the data
-No need to show gridlines
Column charts -Shows how many items fall into each of several categories
or ranges
-can adjust the ranges for the columns to make the pattern
clear
-Stacked column chart (100% column chart)can be used to
show how the composition of the total has changed (can be
used as an alternative of pie chart)
Bar charts Item comparison -Use one horizontal scale to compare the values of several
different items
-the items are arranged vertically (in order) with a
descriptive label next to each other
-Make the spaces between the bars narrower than the bars
themselves
-Many variations on the bar chart such as stacked bar chart
(easy to compare both the changes in each category over
time and the figures for all categories within one year),
floating bar chart (can show changes) and the grouped bar
chart (can compare the data)
Pie charts Show the composition of -Different components are represented as segments, or
a total slices of the pie.
-The angles of the segments are in proportion to their
percentage of the total
-Can be used to show up to 6 components clearly. Combine
the smallest or least important ones into an this”
category when more components are found.
Scatter graphs Show how two values are -Use one axis for each group of data and then position the
related points to show the two related values
-If one value increases as the other increases, the items are
directly related
-If when one increases the other decreases, they are
inversely related
-If the points are scattered randomly, they are not related
at all
Impact or deception?
 The most common causes of misunderstanding arise from the scales used to present the data
 If a non-linear scale is used, the graph can be easily misinterpreted
Visual images
 Advantages of visual images:
1. More rapid impact than words
2. Make ideas more concrete
3. Provide examples who relate to the audience experience
4. Alter impact and attractiveness of a report or personal presentation by providing visual and
mental variety
 Images are most effective when they can be understood quickly. A simple representation of a
concrete object without any accompanying words is most effective for achieving rapid
recognition.
 Should provide reinforcement in words unless the images is very common
 Should also recognize that people differ in the ease with which they can interpret images
Ways in which visual images can be used:

 highlighting a theme
 giving an identity to a group or presentation
 summarizing
 emphasizing a point or making it more memorable
 marking key points or action points to attract attention
 showing the relationships between ideas or events
 presenting complex information and showing the structure of a presentation
What is possible? Examples of visual images

Visual images Features
Flow charts 1/Summarizing ideas and showing the relationships between them
2/Illustrate the structure of presentation and link different sections together
Diagrams Wide range of uses
1/ Illustrate the structure of presentation and link different sections together
2/Used for business analysis (four-box variety)
3/Simple diagram can be used to show relationships
Other common forms of diagrams:
Organization charts or pyramids for illustrating hierarchical relationships
Logos -Designed to be memorable and to project a particular images
-For internal presentations, one might consider adopting a departmental logo
-Logos can be used in individual presentations to unify the content. In a
report, it can take the form of a header or footer. In a personal presentation,
you can use a common background
-Logos can be used to represent a theme: making the principle more
memorable and of reinforcing it each time it is used
Maps -Indicate a location and convey information which has a geographical
dimension
-can be used as an alternative to a chart to show numeric data but their visual
component is much greater than most graphs and charts
Pictures, cartoons -Reinforcing points and providing examples
and illustrations -Beware of the negative impact that a badly drawn illustration can have
-Their use in business presentations is small, but they can be very effective,
especially at the start or end of a personal presentation, provided that the tone
is appropriate to the audience and subject matter
Photographs -The most concrete and realistic illustrations
-They are not mush used in business presentations
Models, real objects - For personal presentation, you can use models or real objects, instead of
and videos drawings and photographs
Impact or diversion?
 Take care not to divert attention from your key points by over-use of visual images or by using
inappropriate ones.
Effective visuals checklist:
Check the: Clarity – visibility, simplicity and ease of interpretation
Fit with the objectives, audience expectations and organization culture
Fit with the tone of the presentation as a whole
Cultural assumptions and discriminatory images
Review the use of: Titles and captions/Key words/Accompanying text – length, legibility
Color, shading and fine detail
Non-verbal communication: Appearance + Behavior

A/Body language (kinesics)
 Includes all aspects of your behaviour which is visible to other people:
- eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, bodily movement and use of space in relation to others.
 Aspect of body language which concerns the use of space, sometimes called proxemics.
 Space is used to symbolize our feelings about situations and about each other.
- In business communication, space often involves status (pls refer to handout 4, pg 34)
- Territory and freedom of movement can be used to express status.
- Another example of proxemics is the interpersonal space maintained when talking to someone
while both standing.
 In personal presentations, be aware of any personal mannerisms or nervous habits as all of these
divert attention from message.
B/Dress
 Every aspect of your personal appearance gives information about you to your audience
 Standing features convey impressions regarding occupation, age, sex, nationality, social and
economic level, job status, personality and good or poor judgment, depending on the cases
 To decide what personal appearance is suitable, apply the principles of style and tone as well as
the purpose of communication.
C/Cultural issues
 Affected the interactions between individuals and in context in which people structure their time.
 Interpreting these differences into guidelines on how to conduct personal presentations is
difficult. The best choice is seek help from a colleague with a different cultural background in
advance of presentation to get feedback on your style and its impact.
D/Personal impact and style

 Sincerity, friendliness, enthusiasm and confidence produce a desirable impact
 Forcefulness, imagination, strictness, co-operativeness and fair-mindedness may be appropriate
in some circumstances but not in others
 Humour is an asset but for some subject matter will be out of place
 Arrogance and sarcasm should be avoided
Effective non verbal communications checklist:

Check the: Impact you want to achieve
Fit to audience, message/objectives, organisational culture, cultural differences
Review your: Eye contact/Facial expression/ Use of gestures/Posture/Use of space/Movement
Mannerism/Dress and other bodily adornment/Neatness
UNIT 5: TOOLS FOR PRESENTATIONS
Produce images on paper

Computer skills used to produce images that can be used in documents of personal presentations.
Word Spreadsheet Database Desktop Presentation Other
processors Publishing package professional
Package
Text A B B A B -
Tables A A B A B -
Graphs/Chart B A B B A -
s
Drawings B - - B A Drawing
package
Pictures B (Clip art) - - B (Clip art) A Painting
package
Photographs( B - - B A -
Scanners to
transform
info in digital
form)
A: with advanced facilities: with basic facilities
Produce images in person

1/Know your purpose before using visual aids and should have an impact which fits with the overall
tone and style of the presentation2/Good use of visual aids can have a great effect on personal
presentation
 Assist understanding
 Provide illustration
 Emphasize a key point
 Show the structure
 Record information
 Save time
 Arouse and retain interest
 Make points memorable
3/Visual aids should be audience-centred but not speaker-centred
4/Basic rules of making the content of visual aids effective:
 Make them simple and visible
 Give them impact
Range of visual aids can be used and ways to select the right aids
Tools Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Presentation folder Reduces formality, Only for small groups Personal presentations to
interesting than slides or small groups such as:
overhead projectors, 1/Training session
encourages participation, 2/Sales presentation to
simple to use, reliable, individual customers
flexible 3/Briefing session for
senior managers
4/Project planning meeting
Display board Permanent reference, strong Needs professional Small or large group
production visual impact presentations, providing all
members of audience can
see them.
Possible contents:
1/Company logos at
exhibitions, conference or
corporate presentation
2/Chart of sales figures at
sales conference
3/Product photos at s.p.
4/Slogans at a briefing
5/Key facts at customer p.
6/Presenting new plan
7/Map showing customer
distribution
Flip chart Simple, flexible, cheap, Difficult to see at a Business presentations for
portable, not electric, useful distance, small, hand- fairly small groups
as notepad drawn charts
White board/ Larger than flip charts with Not mobile, limited Business presentations for
chalk board similar use capacity, messy, limited fairly small groups
visibility
Overheard Flexible, normal lighting, Difficult for all audience to Business presentations for
projector/ portable, fairly cheap, good see, image easily blocked, small group
Transparency presenter control not for large groups
Slide projector Prestigious, can show Slides expensive to Large audience in a
photographs and detail prepare, raise expectations, professional presentations
controlled remotely, dark
room needed
Video/ film High impact, can show Expensive, difficult to find Small group or larger one if
emotions, movement, color, suitable material, raises a more expensive film
sequences, real, complex expectations, may cause projector is used.
and new things diversion
Computer Professional, encourages Expensive equipment for Small group - High tech
presentations participation, no extra slide large groups presentation folders
production needed
Special effects High impact, can use all five May cause diversion, All kinds but make sure it
senses change tone, go wrong, fits the audience
easy to overdo
Managing non-verbal communication
It should have an impact which fits the overall tone & style of presentation
A/Room arrangements
 The room in which a personal presentation is held controls the communication environment
 Reasons to choose the room arrangements:-
- formality of presentation and relationship with audience
- ease with which presentation can be seen and heard and audience become involved in
questions/discussion
- physical comfort of audience
- freedom of movement
 Factors affecting the physical comfort and ease of your audience:-
- Size and shape of room
- Temp and ventilation , lighting, acoustics, furniture, location of fittings.
- Seating arrangement is one of the most importation aspects of presentation environment (pls
refer to Unit 5 handout, pg 40)
 Key factor that determines the impact is eye contact
B/Interacting with an audience

 In personal presentations, there are at least 2 channels of communication from the audience to
the presenter: Paralinguistic channel AND kinesics channel
C/Establishing eye contact

 Most important tool to interest with the audience
 Technique:
a/ scan the audience slowly all round the room (Lighthouse effects)
b/ survey the audience and take care not to look at individuals for too long
D/Provoking a reaction
 Paralinguistic channel: smiling, making a joke, seeking agreement
 Kinesics channel: nods of head, smiles and laughter at the right time
E/Reading audience body language

 Channels of feedback
Managing own body language

A/Dress
 Dress in a way which fits with the sort of presentation you are doing
 Consider: relationship with audience and suits them, what visual impact is expected
 Avoid: wearing costumes or jewellery that cause amusement or distract attention, clothes that
dazzle or intrigue.
B/Gestures
 The way that tells your audience how you feel and what your attitude is towards them
 Aim to look relaxed, enthusiastic and open with smile/laugh at appropriate points
 Signal key points with gestures and easy movement
 Use an upright repetitive to command attention
 Avoid repetitive use of gestures or movements that cause distractions
 Avoid gestures that suggest superiority, dominance, defensiveness, uncertainty and concealment
(For the table to evaluate the body language, pls refer to Unit 5 handout, pg 31)
Using professionals
 Specialize in all areas of production
 Agencies that offer a full range of services that specialize in delivery of message
 Occasions:
1. Presentations of major importance such as annual report or conference speech
2. Special presentation such as sales conference, shareholder meeting or product launch
 Consider: balance the costs against benefits
take required quality
available time and resources
 Briefing professionals: audience,format,content,schedule
UNIT 6: PRESENTATIONS ON PAPER
Choosing the best form of presentation
Choose the best way to present that suits the form to the circumstances while delivering the message.
A/On paper or in person:
Using written message must have a good reason as they have limited power:
Advantages Disadvantages Situations to use paper
Provide a record that can be read at
May be restricted to what you Your audience is geographically
any time wrote and isn't immediate dispersed and needs detailed
information for reference
Reach more people May be copied to the wrong people The audience is very large
Appear efficient May appear remote and pompous Audience is inaccessible for some
reasons such as status and lack of
mobility
Feels safer, less embarrassing Useful feedback is difficult Need a permanent record of
action/opinion
People expect it People ignore it Need to make a considered,
complex argument which people
can study and react to later
Can present complex and detailed Is easier and quicker to explain in Too long lead-time to organize a
information person as you may include too personal presentations compared
much detail to lifetime” or urgency of the
message
Give time to think about the words Gives the audience time to Need to give written instructions
you use examine and criticize the words which can be confirmed
you use.
B/Words alone or words plus
 In terms of communications potential, words plus other channels are better than words alone.
 Majority of business documents don? include visual images, apart from tables of figures because:
- message is low key which does not need emphasis and is usually very short without any room
- visual image would distract the audience and is not usual for this type of presentation
- their inclusion would change the tone of presentation and is impractical
- take too long and are too trouble to produce as suitable tools are mostly not available
C/Selecting the best medium for your message

 Audience access
- Available options of vehicles: alternative ways of reaching the audience
- How effectively they will attract attention and how quickly you want them to be read
 Length and complexity of the message
- More information can be included in a report than a sign or memo.
- Have to decide what information and length of information being included before deciding on
the medium. Then eliminate any unsuitable options because of the length and complexity
 Impact
- Outcome of a presentation = effect that the message has on the audience
- Aspects – tone & style of the language, physical appearance, the structure of message
- The principle is: select the vehicle most acceptable to your audience for this particular message
Once you have made your choice, apply the appropriate guidelines on style, tone and impact
Words alone (Presentations on paper)

This covers circular letters, memos, meeting notes and electronic mail, and can include some (but not
much) visual images such as tables, charts and diagrams in these presentations.
Quick way of formulating effective, short and concise messages in words:

PPPAP – a 5 step process of STRUCTURING tool NOT an OUTLINING tool
- State the POSITION or facts that underlie the letter
- Explain what the PROBLEM is that requires some action
- PROPOSE a solution to the problem
- Highlight the benefits of your proposal and state what ACTION you/recipient need to take
- Conclude with POLITENESS and how the letter is to be follow-up
Business letter and memos

- targeted at a large group of audience and are fairly short
- used for achieving a single objective and contain relatively simple message
- seek action from audience (seek help/approval, generate interest, provide instruction)
Circular Letters Circular Memos
1. All Audience: customers, shareholders, 1. Only some practical difference to the format and
suppliers, agents or distributors physical appearance with letters but usually for
an internal audience
2. As the author knows the audience, style and tone
is affected
3. Motivating action directed at more junior staff,
colleagues or senior managers
4. Take particular care with tone and style to
audience of different status and difference in
medium (to be better presented in person)
2. Structure: PPPAP 5. Structure: PPPAP (important to explain the
position and problem and get to the proposal and
action quickly. Politeness may not be very
important)
 Format: headed paper + standard clear 6. Layout: Own standard for the layout of memos
 Aim for a simple, professional but neutral and format should be as neutral as the focus is on
appearance the message
 Impact: affected by style and tone, length,  Impact: Largely determined by style and tone
structure and layout Paper quality, typeface are less important and not
Length – limit to 1 page to be over done
Layout – use of white space, must be businesslike
and be easy to read
Color – is not usually appropriate but can have
positive impact
Quality of paper – match image of company
 Delivery: mailing 7. Delivery: hand-deliver can add a personalized
touch or the confidentiality of memos should be
made clear
 Faxes are much the same as letters only with 8. Electronic Mail: electronically delivered memos
envelope being replaced by a cover note
C/Meeting notes
 Internal document (much like a memo but separated as they have a particular structure which
arises form their purpose) and a special form of communication, not for business presentations
 Less official meetings have a need to present a summary of decisions and actions to those who attend
 Structure: PPPAP. For the meeting dealing with one topic, the letter and memo structure is
appropriate. For a meeting with several topics, the position, problem and proposal should be
limited to the bare minimum and concentration on the actions). For each agreed action, the memo
needs to set out who is to do what by when in a table form with a suitable heading.
 Format: Memo format and tailor the format of the main part of the memo to reflect its structure
and content. If the items are longer, highlight the actions, names and dates in some way. If the
actions have been agreed by a number of people, do not make the notes personal
 Impact: Emphasis who, what and when. Take care not to distract attention from this.
 Delivery: produced after the meeting to trigger timely action. Unless a senior manager has asked
you to report progress, it is usually not appropriate to copy the notes to the absentee.
Words plus
The vehicles are used to broadcast information and are always for presentations rather than 1-1
communication. All vehicles except notices, visual images should be considered as optional.
 Press release and marketing literature such as leaflets, brochures & advertisements, target external audiences.
 Notices and newsletters can be used for both internal and external presentations
A/Notices
 Probably the most badly used presentation medium because:
- they are not delivered personally and so can be a very unreliable way of reaching the audience
- everyone knows they are unreliable and thus being used for unimportant message
 Choose a more appropriate vehicle before using notices (memo or personal briefing)
 Notices should definitely not to be used for any matters of policy or unexpected changes of work
arrangements, except for regular changes such as staff rosters, provided that everyone is trained
to look at the notice board for the information. (Are of interest but NOT vitally important, to readers)
 Some other valid uses of notices: displaying items of general interest, reminders or details for
reference which are regularly updated. Electronic mail message or memo may be the alternatives.
 Structure: should contain one message which is structured according to the impact required.
Notices that are to be noticed should have a strong visual element and limited text. It is not
reasonable to expect peoples standing at a notice board for few minutes to read a page of text
 Format: free format and as a result display a confusing variety of sizes and styles. A good
notice has an appearance that is entirely dictated by the message or it is known as transparent”
 Impact: determined by the paper and print used, its color, the type and quality of visual images
and its message. Also see it in relations to the rest of the notice board
 Delivery: has to be managed properly. (Some may have a person in charge of notice boards, or
it is the responsibility of the local manager). Do not use it if it is not managed properly.
B/Newsletters
 Newsletters are generally used to keep the audience in touch with an organization, a range of
products or with the activities of a particular group of people
 Either for internal or external presentations to provide a very useful means of reaching a
particular audience you should know how to make the most of them
 Structure: For a short article to generate action, you should use the letter-writing guidelines. For
a long article, use the five step framework in Unit 2
 Format: Set partly by the overall format and partly by the nature of article.
 Impact: the message is constantly changing while the style and tone must be consistent. So the
style and tone should be set that fits both the audience and overall aim of the newsletter.
 The major difference between a newsletter article & short report is layout, style and tone.
 The use of color, typeface and visual images are important. As for notices, avoid trying to
do too much and consider the impact of the document as a whole
 Delivery: Producing a regular newsletter is a major undertaking and should be carefully
considered and planned. Senior management backing and adequate resources for production are
important. The time scale needed to establish a newsletter is quite long (several issues)
C/Press releases
 A vehicle to deal with press and reach a wide audience
 Use this to keep your company name in the news and to raise awareness of your products
 The major challenge is to persuade newspaper or magazine editors to print it
 Target audience of publications (some relevance to you), the publication frequency and copy
deadlines are also relevant
D/Leaflets, brochures and advertisements

 Useful and common presentation tools.
 Initiating: set clear objectives and target audience before choosing the best form of presentation
 Contributing: effective writing skills and visuals are required. Ensure that the tone and style
match the audience and objectives
 Reviewing: a draft or mock-up of any marketing or sales literature should be reviewed at three
aspects (the correctness and clarity of content, the fit of the style and tone to the audience and
objectives; and the overall impact that the document will have on the audience)
 Production and delivery: use professionals or the image of your organization will be affected
Reports
 The most complex written presentations and it covers a wide variety of documents
 Varied in length with different objectives and are usually internal documents
 Occasionally a report is written for one person but much more often for several relevant people
 A report can be presented in the form of a long memo or letter
 They are required as an event or change demands a response. To produce such a report, you
normally need to collect, analyse information and draw conclusions or make recommendations.
 Reports vary considerably in their level of formality and official status as well as in their purpose,
objectives, audience and origin
A/Planning reports
 The starting point should be to get the terms of reference clear before planning the work that you
will have to produce and deliver it
 Terms of reference are the ground rules for the presentation. They set out the main features of
the presentation: the audience, objectives and scope of the message:
- the main issue you are to address, the audience for the report and the title of the report
- the reason for writing it and the scope of your investigation and any limitations on it
- who you should consult about what and when it should be completed
 Format: depend to some extent on the nature of the report and the organization. A common
format for a report of several pages in length is with title page, contents list, summary,
introduction, sections of the main report, conclusions, recommendations and appendices
 Work plan: For a major report, make a flow chart of the tasks which shows the dates by which
each stage should be completed.
B/Producing reports
1/Analyse the audience  2/write the outline  3/gather the information  4/select and analyse 
5/produce the first draft  6/review and revise the draft  7/organize external review  8/produce
final version  9/produce copies  10/deliver report
UNIT 7: PRESENTATIONS IN PERSON

Choosing the best form of personal presentation
A/Design presentations
 Your task is to fit the content to the format provided
 3Ws1H factors need to be considered:
- WHO is the audience: the list depends mostly on the objectives of presentation
- WHEN (the length of presentations): depends on 1/the objectives, 2/the audience and 3/the
availability of audience are the main influence
- WHERE to hold it (the choice of venue and seating arrangement): affected by 1/size of audience
and 2/any special requirement of the subject
- HOW to present the materials: affected by 1/the objectives, 2/size of audience and their position
in relations to speaker and 3/their diversity and existing knowledge and 4/ nature of message
B/Personal styles
 Choose a form and style that you are comfortable with
 Use your own personality as a way of making your presentation individually
 Focus on: composition of message, speaking skills, non-verbal communication skills, use of visual aids
C/The media mix

 Use words alone or words plus
 Consider practical constraints: money, time, talent and equipment
 Plan your visual aids in 4 categories:
A/ Prepared visual aids (video, film and OHP w/ transparencies OR mixture)
1. Stick to one main visual if possible with side visual aid
2. Decided on structure of presentations
3. Clear, visible and appropriate to style and tone and capable of achieving the desired impact
B/ Real time aids (flip chart, which board, computer with projection equipment)
1. Record and question, summarize ideas for discussion
C/ Special effects
1. Include stimulus for senses to achieve objectives
D/ Handouts
2. Take away reference notes for additional materials not covered
3. Used only when no appropriate visual aid is available and some immediate actions are expected
Preparing personal presentations

A/Why worry? (Unit 7 pg15)
 The challenge is to control nervousness:
 Understand your worry and fear. Take practical steps to avoid them (voice problems & mannerism)
 All can be overcome with thorough preparation and practice
 4 golden rules to help you relax
A/ My audience wishes me well
B/ They do not expect me to be a superstar
C/ They cannot see how nervous I am
D/ They do not want to lose face either
 Keys to effective presentation
1. Plan the beginning and end.
2. Arrange the room and use the visual aids properly
3. Presenter can be a visual aid and handle questions
B/Planning the presentation

 External invitation: get company agreement. Internal invitation: ask for a sponsor
 Allocate adequate time to plan the presentation
C/Preparing the presentation

1. The key to delivering an effective presentation is to prepare it well
2. The stages in preparing written & verbal presentations are similar, with only difference in medium
3. Personal presentation focus on receiving real time message though handouts may be provided afterwards
4. Not too much material should be included
5. Presenter should reinforce the main points more than in a written report
11 steps are summarized in the form of a flow chart:

1/Analyse the audience  2/write the outline  3/gather the information  4/select and analyse 
5/produce a detailed outline  6/prepare the materials  7/practise the presentation 
8/review and revise the presentation  9/get an outside view  10/produce final materials 
11/dress rehearsal (with final materials)
D/Preparing materials (stage 6)

 It includes the preparation of visual aids, handouts and memory aids
 Also prepare the room arrangement, speaker himself/herself, an invitation, publicity materials,
personal biography or notes for the chairman to introduce you
 Decide what language will achieve the right style and tone
 Biography or introduction:
1. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the presentation with few key things about yourself and
your background to reinforce the authority as a speaker on this topic
2. If you know your audience, say a few words about reason for the presentation and inviting them
If you do not know the audience, ask them for a few questions to obtain the information
necessary to pitch your talk at the right level
 Prepared visual aids (eg: OHP transparencies/slides):
3. Good essential aids are essential to achieving an effective presentation
4. Illegible, overcrowded or scruffy visual aids will damage your credibility
5. The main impact of the visual aids is determined by the clarity of message
6. Guidelines for designing good visual aids are: Make them simple, visible and give them impact
7. The most common errors when preparing transparencies or slides are to include too much and
to design them for the presenter but not the audience
8. Write a heading or caption to capture the message of each visual aid
 Real time visual aids (eg: flip chart, white board):
9. Your detailed outline will include when and why real time visual aids are used
10. Plan the layout and then practise using it to achieve clear, legible results
11. When preparing to use a flip chart, a number of practical matters need to be paid attention to
avoid embarrassing moments (refers to Unit 7 pg 26)
12. The most common mistakes: too much materials, details and make writing too small to be seen.
13. Similar to OHP transparencies and slide, when using white or black boards, treat the board as 1
page without keeping adding bits as if it was a sketch pad
 Memory aids:
- Need to decide how you are going to remember the presentations details:
1/Write out in full 2/Headlines on one sheet 3/Filing cards
4/Outline with notes 5/Visual aids 6/Memory
- Each of these has advantages and disadvantages (refer to Unit 7 pg 27) but in the end the choice
is a personal one and your preference will probably change as you gain experience
 Handouts:
14. Using handouts is to help the audience concentrate on what you are saying during your
presentation rather than trying to listen and take notes at the same time
15. Sometimes, make a presentation in person to go with a report and handouts act as a reminder of
key points supplying extra detail for future reference
16. Make sure that is an effective document in its own right and that its format fits the purpose
17. Handouts: should generally be short summaries of your presentation rather than a full transcript of speech
18. Present materials in a slightly different way also gives you more chance to overcome blockages
19. Using the same visuals as you did in the presentation will provide good link between them
 Venue:
20. Room size and location are the most features to be considered
21. Include details of venue in invitation or publicity materials (Unit 7 pg 28)
22. Go to the room and check out the size and shape of the room, the lighting, ventilation and
electricity supply, facilities, exits, washroom location etc (Unit 7 pg 29)
23. Check these things at the planning stage to make adjustments if necessary
 Presenter:
Decide what personal style and image is most appropriate and plan your appearance and behaviour to match
E/Practise the presentation (stage 8)

 There is a limit to how much you can do this in your head. Use visual aids and interact with the audience
1/ Practise on your own using a tape recorder. Concentrate on the timing and content of presentation
and the effectiveness of your speech
2/ Make the full presentation, including visual aids in actual venue (if possible). Videotape it or
record it on audio tape again and present in front of a mirror to assess your personal impact
3/ Rehearse several times concentrating on one aspect each time. Make notes on things you need
to improve appropriate to your memory aid
 Timing is the most difficult part to plan for inexperienced speaker. Your detailed outline should
include the intended allocation of time though it is impossible to keep to when you practise
 Decide where in the presentations you can make adjustments while you are actually speaking
 The aspect you must pay most attention to is your own personal performance (Unit 7 pg 34,35)
 Ask a colleague or friend to be your audience with feedback on your performance
Delivering personal presentation

A/Before you start (how to reduce your nervousness?)
 Before you go: get together all the things you need to take (presentation materials, venue details,
business cards, copies of brochures or reference materials). Plan to arrive at the venue in advance
of the scheduled start time to have final check and put things right without a hurry
 When you arrive: check the room arrangement and the equipment to make sure that everything
works and is set up as you planned. Set up and test your visual aids. Make sure that no seats
where you will obscure people? view.
 Then arrange the materials so that you can reach them easily at the appropriate time. Move
around as you will during the presentation to move any obstructions
 Get yourself in gear: visit the washroom and check your appearance. Use simple relaxation
techniques to calm down if you are nervous (a simple breathing exercise). Tension often centers
on the neck and shoulders, do a few simple exercises on these parts can help reduce it. Rotate
your heads, rest your chin and roll/raise one shoulder)
B/Thinking on your feet (present yourself as a confident speaker)

 Focus on interaction w/audience. Not to rush at first and speak slowly to start with a +ve impact
 Establish eye contact briefly with a friendly face and move your attention to someone else.
 Remember you are sincere, friendly and enthusiastic
 Stick to your plan closely as you can but check the feedback from the audience and respond to
it
 If you see several signs of boredom, disagreement or confusion, amend your plan as the
inadequate information or misjudged audience characteristics may affect the message delivery
 Feedback can help to get the message across again by adjusting the materials
 1 or 2 bored look is not a problem as you cannot match your presentation to every single one
 React to the physical conditions in the room and change your method of delivery provided that
you look relaxed and confident
 Try not to hide personal discomfort and take whatever action is necessary in a natural, discrete
and relaxed way and then continue
C/Handling questions
 How to respond to questions during or after the presentation in person is important. If you are
worried about questions, think of the 4 Golden Rules mentioned before
 Most questions are genuine and some people ask questions as it shows themselves in a good light
Several standard methods for handling normal questions

1/Don? be afraid of silence and wait in a relaxed way without rushing in to fill the gap yourself
2/Give the questioner time to finish and not to assume you understand the question
3/Nod or show interest in the question to overcome their nerves and adds to your own credibility
4/Repeat and summarize the question before you answer to ensure that everyone has heard it and so
allows you to check that you have understood the question properly. It also let you think quickly
about your response and allows you to rephrase the question to make it clearer
5/Translate technical questions so that everyone can follow the answer
6/Keep your replies brief so as to give other members a chance to ask questions
7/Always remain courteous and friendly as you have to make sure that they understand the message
8/Do not pretend you know the answer. Promise to find out later.
Several ideas for handling difficult questions

1/Statement or speeches: acknowledge it briefly and move on
2/Celebrity turn: take your cue in how to react and move on if a question is going to raise a laugh
3/Confused questions: ask for an example or why they think what they do
4/Irrelevant questions: Do not get sidetracked and suggest that you talk to the question later rather
than try to answer it in public
5/Provocative questions: Do not get involved. Show that you have listened and absorbed it and then
put it aside as demonstrate your interest lies in the needs of the audience as a whole
6/Aggressive questions: defuse the aggression without becoming aggressive yourself and keep the
understanding of their viewpoint without weakening your case
7/Argumentative questions: relieve the tension with humour without directing the humour at the
questioner as you have to maintain your professional knowledge
8/Repeat and summarize: changing the emphasis or interpreting the question in a more general way
9/Anticipate the most difficult questions and prepare your answer. Take care not to jump to
conclusions or divert the questioner to your anticipated answer rather than the one being asked
D/Afterwards
 Escape as soon as possible so as to relax after presentation
 If you have deferred any questions, you will need to address those in private this case
 Take opportunity to get feedback from audience/organizer. Try to sense how the presentation went
 Log process of following up may be required. If your objective was to seek agreement for a
proposal, you will have to implement it.
 If you are seeking specific actions from audience, you may have to do follow-up w/ reminders
 The presentation itself is the outcome you are seeking regardless of your objectives
Some tips for your presentation:

A/ Purpose: 1/ Instructional or 2/ Persuasive
B/ Topics
Think of a subject you'd be interested in talking about, but justify why audience would want to hear
C/ Place or situation
Thinking about an oral report this way makes you focus on the audience, their reasons for listening
to you, and their interests and background.
Contents and Requirements for the Oral Presentation
The focus for your oral presentation is clear, understandable presentation: well-organized, well-
planned and well-timed discussion.
When you give your oral presentation, we'll all be listening for the same things. Use the following as
a requirement list, as a way of focusing your preparations:
1. Plan to explain what the situation of your oral report is, who you are, and who they should
imagine they are. Make sure that there is a clean break between this brief explanation and the
beginning of your actual oral report AND your oral report lasts no longer than 7 minutes.
2. Pay special attention to the introduction to your talk. Indicate the purpose of your oral report,
give an overview of its contents, and find some way to interest the audience.
3. Use at least one visual aid (preferably OHP w/transparencies). Flip charts and objects for display
are okay but please avoid scribbling stuff on the chalkboard or relying strictly on handouts.
4. Make sure you discuss key elements of your visuals. Don't just throw them up there and ignore
them. Point out things about them and explain them to the audience.
5. Make sure that your speaking style and gestures are okay. Ensure that you are loud enough so
that everybody can hear, that you do not speak too fast (nerves often cause that). Also, be aware
of how much you say things like "uh," "you know," and "okay."
6. Plan to explain any technical aspect of your topic very clearly and understandably. Don't race
through complex, technical stuff--slow down and explain it carefully so that we understand it.
7. Use "verbal headings"--by now, you've gotten used to using headings in your written work. With
these, you give your audience a very clear signal you are moving from one topic to the next.
8. Plan your report in advance and practice it so that it is organized. Make sure that listeners know
what you are talking about and why, which part of the talk you are in, and what's coming next.
9. End with a real conclusion. People sometimes forget to plan how to end an oral report.
Remember that you can summarize (go back over high points discussed), conclude (state some
logical conclusion based on what you have presented), and/or provide some last thought (end
with some final interesting point but general enough not to require elaboration) in conclusions.
Planning and Preparing Visuals for Oral Presentations

Prepare at least one visual for this report. Some ideas for the "medium" to use for your visuals:
Transparencies for overhead projector—
1. For most college classrooms and, in fact, business conference rooms, the overhead projector
with transparencies is the best way to show things to the whole group.
2. Design your visual on a sheet of blank paper, photocopy it, and then get a transparency of it.
3. You may have access to equipment like this at your work
Posterboard-size charts –
1. Another possibility is to get some posterboard and draw what you want your audience to see.
2. If you have a choice, consider transparencies--it's hard to make charts look neat and professional.
Handouts—
1. You can run off copies of what you want listeners to see & hand them out before or during your talk.
2. This option is even less effective than the first two because you can't point to what you want
your listeners to see and because handouts take listeners' attention away from you.
Objects—
1. If you need to demonstrate certain procedures, you may need to bring in actual physical objects.
2. Rehearse what you are going to do with these objects; sometimes they can take up a lot more
time than you expect.
Things to remember
1. Please avoid just scribbling your visual on the chalkboard as it can be neatly prepared and made
into a transparency or posterboard-size chart, for example.
2. Take some time to make your visuals look sharp and professional-use a straightedge, good dark
markers, neat lettering or typing. Do your best to ensure they are legible to the entire audience.
As for the content of your visuals consider these ideas:

1. Drawing or diagram of key objects -- If you describe or refer to any objects during your talk, try
to get visuals of them so that you can point to different components or features.
2. Tables, charts, graphs -- If you discuss statistical data, present it in some form or table, chart, or
graph. Many audiences may have trouble "hearing" such data as opposed to seeing it.
3. Outline of your talk, report, or both--If you are at a loss for visuals to use in your oral
presentation, or if your presentation is complex, have an outline of it that you can show at various
points during your talk.
4. Key terms and definitions-- Set up a two-column list of key terms you use during your oral
presentation with their definitions in the second column.
5. Key concepts or points--Similarly, you can list your key points (Outlines and main points)
6. During your report, make sure to discuss your visuals, refer to them, and guide your listeners through them.
The Elements of a Successful Presentation

A successful presentation will consist of the following steps: 1/ Determination of the objectives of
the presentation  2/Analysis of the audience 3/ Planning , organization of the material for effective
results  4/Preparation of visual aids  5/Practice & delivery
Objectives
Presenters must consider the objectives they wish to achieve for the presenters to focus on.
Audience Analysis
1. Before giving a presentation presenters should try to determine the level of knowledge of aud
2. This can be done in a number of ways. For example presenters can consult with people who
have made presentations to the same or a similar audience. At scientific conferences presenters
may also examine the likely research background of audience members.
Planning
1. Before completion the presenter should outline the form of their presentation as in the following
example:
Introduction (sets out the purpose of the presentation, sources of data, introduction of main
findings), main body (develops main ideas and supporting sub-ideas) and conclusion (summary
of findings, suggestions for future research)
Organization of Materials
1. The introduction must be designed to gain the attention of the audience.
2. If the introduction is poorly prepared, the audience may lose interest. A good introduction will
also introduce the main ideas of the presentation. These will be four or five points at most.
3. The main body will develop the main ideas set out in the introduction in a logical manner.
4. A well-constructed main body contains information supporting the development of main ideas.
5. At this stage the presenter should avoid including unnecessary text. Presenters may use a number
of approaches in order to help their audience comprehend the main body of text.
6. The use of well-designed visuals helps an audience to understand new findings.
7. Presenters should repeat their key findings during the presentation (using for example a different
form of words) in order that the audience remembers them.
8. The conclusion should contain a summary of the data together with a comment on the
importance of the findings. Phrases used to indicate a conclusion include the following:
"Now let us review the main points of today's presentation....." (sound file?) "To sum up......... .
Visuals: Using well-designed visuals to enhance the effectiveness of a presentation.
Delivery
An important aspect of presentations is delivery (way to present). Factors contribute to successful delivery:
1. Approach the podium in an unhurried manner.
2. Pause for a moment before starting the presentation to let the audience focus their attention.
Relax and be confident; audiences respond to a confident-looking individual.
3. Look at the audience. Try to keep their audience engaged by maintaining eye contact. Be aware
of body Language: avoid distracting gestures and mannerisms. Stand naturally.
4. Voice projection: the audience must be able to hear your voice clearly. Adopt a +ve speaking style
5. Vary the pace and tone of your voice to enhance meaning avoid talking too slowly or quickly.
6. Also be prepared to use a pause to allow the audience to grasp a difficult point or an emphasis.
Be prepared to answer and plan for the kind of questions the audience may ask. If time allows,
answer questions that come up during your presentation.
7. However try to answer questions before the conclusion. Taking questions at the end of a
presentation reduces the impact of the conclusion. Useful phrases in dealing with questions
include: "I'd like to take any questions now, before my summary"/ "I'm happy to answer this
point before my conclusion"
Practise
Presenters are strongly advised to practise their presentations beforehand. Practise methods include
taping or video recording the presentation. These methods help to identify areas that may be improved.
--- END ---

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Presentation Skills (CE 122)

UNIT 1: WHAT MAKES PRESENTATION EFFECTIVE?

Introduction to the Communication Process

Seven elements of personal / business communication process

3. Aim/ Purpose of communication

 Difference between presentation and other business communications:-

Presentations in the workplace: evaluations of successful presentations

B/ Presentations aims and objectives

Audience characteristics include:

How to make good use of audience characteristics

Key aspects of getting the message through

Principles of effective presentation

Channels of presentation – medium

Medium & the message

Tone & Style

Composition of effective message = collecting and selecting information to include in your

Step 1: Structuring the presentation

A/ The starting point

B/ The finishing point

C/ Filling the gap

Step 2: Gathering & selecting information

B/ Putting information in order

C/ Relevant and irrelevant information

Step 3: Managing the impact of the message

A/ Focusing on what? important

B/ Illustration and diversion

Ways to check the impact of the presentation

Step 4: Preparing for questions

Tools for structuring messages

Use of plain English (Spoken & written)

C/ Style and tone

B/Formal or informal structure (numbered paragraphs)

Effective writing checklist:

Review the use of

Tools for production of effective documents to professional standard

B/ Practicing voice skills

C/ Style, tone and impact

Effective Speaking Checklist

Written or spoken message?

Presenting numbers in tables

Giving numbers meaning

Graphical representation of data

B/Drawing effective graphs and charts

Graphs Uses Features

Ways in which visual images can be used:

What is possible? Examples of visual images

Non-verbal communication: Appearance + Behavior

D/Personal impact and style

Effective non verbal communications checklist:

Produce images on paper

Produce images in person

B/Interacting with an audience

C/Establishing eye contact

E/Reading audience body language

Managing own body language

C/Selecting the best medium for your message

Words alone (Presentations on paper)

Quick way of formulating effective, short and concise messages in words:

Business letter and memos