Presentation Tips Or, how to survive public speaking

1
Presentation Tips (Or, how to survive public
speaking)

• Which technology?
• Overhead/PPT tips
• General tips
• Managing a crowd
• How long should a talk last?
• Your ISP presentation

2
Presentation technology

• The simple, spoken talk
• Overheads
• Presentation software
• The dreaded demonstration

3
Powerpoint powerful or passe?

• Overheads
• Difficult to perfectly align (dont move them!)
• A stable technology
• Flexible when cutting talk short, answering
  questions
• Amenable to spontaneous drawing, change

4
Powerpoint

• Animation possible, always aligned and sharp
  looking
• Unstablealways have a backup!
• Have a one page printed outline of your talk
  handy
• Difficult to reorder talk on the fly, add new
  material

5

• Dont forget other presentation aids
  whiteboard, paperboards, posters
• mixed media talks can be very effective
• Use props sparingly
• Demonstrations
• Something always goes wrong
• Always have screenshots as backup

6
General tips

• Make eye contact
• Use normal gestures
• Vary your speaking tone
• Move, but not too much
• Watch for um, like, you know
• Appear relaxed
• Appear interested, lively
• Rehearse! Re-rehearse!

7
tips continued

• Do not read a presentation from notes. If you
  must consult your notes frequently, hold them up
  (but NOT in front of your face).
• Dont put your notes down low on a table.
• Never just read out bullet points on slides.
• Dont lean on the projector or tablethat shakes
  it.
• Dont look back at the screen.

8
tips continued

• The arms dont fold in front or hide in back.
• Be careful with figures diagrams have to be big
  enough to read.
• More than 1 presenter? Only 1 stands in front at
  a time other presenter(s) sit down, away from
  the presentation area, until its their turn.
• Crossing the projector light try to set up so
  as to avoid crossing. If you have to, just do it
  boldly.
• Dont hold a pencil or pointer that encourages
  fiddling.
• The advanced technique a can of Diet Coke.

9
Overhead/PPT tips

• 1st slide title, organization, speaker
• Include an outline of talk slide
• Large font, short phrases, simple pictures
• Non-native speakers use more words on slides
• Pointers use a physical one, if possible.
• progressive displays dont do the PPT/projector
  striptease
• Fancy powerpoint effects theyre trite now,
  dont use them
• Know where to stand dont block the display

10
tips continued

• SPELL CHECK!!
• Color? Background? Logos?
• Use sparingly
• Visibility is paramount black on white is most
  readable
• How many?
• Figure out how many that you need
• Get rid of 1/3 of them
• Rule of thumb no more than 1 per 2 minutes
  better to use fewer

11
Playing to the crowd...

• Dont begin with a joke CS people arent funny
• Know what the audience expects
• your appearance dress appropriately
• presentation style
• technological support

12
Tailoring a talk to the time

• Always finish on time, or a bit earlier (you
  never hear anyone wishing that the speaker had
  gone on longer)
• Always find out in advance how much time youre
  allowed, and remember to factor in question time
• Short talks overviews, the big picture, few
  details
• Longer talks add detail AS NEEDED
• Keep the pace the same, whatever the length

13
The ISP presentation

• 20 minutes 15 talk, 5 questions
• Purpose informational and persuasive (inform
  client of your recommendations, selling the
  proposal)
• Audience clients, CS colleagues working on
  similar projects
• Overheads or PPT? Definitely!
• DO NOT read out ISP, or read from notes
• Recommended 2 presenters per group
• Other group members must attend
• Professional programmer look

14
Focus on

• Description of client
• Real world this would be short, folded into
  business problems
• Clients business problems
• Important point out problems without being
  insulting
• Existing system (and its problems)
• Your solution
• Its benefits
• Note its doubtful that you will be able to
  cover every point made in the ISP--tailor to time
  allocated