Technical Presentations Objectives and Overview

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Technical PresentationsObjectives and Overview

• Billy Sanders
• Credit to Donald Spencer, a co-worker at
• Sandia National Laboratories, and my
• Communications Guru

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Advancement of Scienceand Technology

• Depends on
• Solving Problems
• Communicating

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Designing the Oral Presentation

• I. Consider Advantages/Limitations
• of Speech vs. Writing
• II. Analyze the Dynamics
• III. Organize the Content
• IV. Design the Visual Aids

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I.Speech vs. Writing

• THE BASICS
• Speech Writing
• uses uses
• Language Language

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I.Speech vs. Writing

• INHERENT CHARACTERISTICS
• Speech is Writing is
• primary derived
• continuous fixed
• augmented single
• interactive solitary
• immediate delayed

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I.Speech vs. Writing

• LIMITATIONS OF SPEECH
• Being Remembered
• Fixing Patterns
• Giving Detail
• Describing Appearances
• Treating Complexities

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I.Speech vs. Writing

• ORAL PRESENTATION
• We use it when we want to
• Secure a quick response
• Capitalize on personal impact
• Be persuasive
• Answer questions on the spot
• Meet crises demanding immediate action
• Promote personal image and prestige
• Establish and maintain personal-level relations
• Engage in deliberations leading to decisions

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II.Analyzing the Dynamics

• CONSIDERATIONS
• Subject
• Purpose
• Audience

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II.Analyzing the Dynamics

• SUBJECT
• Limit?
• Focus?
• Context?
• Handout?

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II.Analyzing the Dynamics

• DECIDE YOUR PURPOSE
• Giving Information?
• or
• Persuading?

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II.Analyzing the Dynamics

• CONSIDER THE AUDIENCE
• How Large?
• How Diverse?
• How Knowledgeable?
• How Predisposed?
• How Do They Regard Me?
• What Do They Expect?

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III.Organizing the Content

• MAJOR STEPS
• Define Subject
• Divide
• Order
• Subdivide
• Develop
• Introduce, Conclude

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III.Organizing the Content

• DEFINE YOUR SUBJECT
• Adapt to --
• Purpose
• Audience
• Write It Out

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III.Organizing the Content

• DIVIDE THE SUBJECT INTO
• 2, 3 or 4 Major Sections
• Use a Logical Scheme
• Time Order
• Order of Importance
• Spatial Distribution
• Cause-Effect
• Something Else?
• Parts Should Be
• Of Equal Size and Importance
• Have a Distinct Focus
• Provide Complete Coverage

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III.Organizing the Content

• DECIDE THE ORDER
• Criteria --
• Consider Your Logical Scheme
• Decide Order of Importance
• Where do You Want Audience Focus
• Consider Memorability
• Consider Acceptability

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III.Organizing the Content

• SUBDIVIDE MAIN SECTIONS
• 2-5 Subsections Max.
• Avoid Further Subdivision
• Re-examine --
• Subject Limitation
• Focus
• Purpose
• Logic Scheme
• Consider Handouts

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III.Organizing the Content

• DEVELOPMENT
• Arrange in Subsections
• Facts Illustrations
• Data Examples
• Observations Quotations
• Argument Comparisons
• Analysis Narration

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III.Organizing the Content

• CHECK EACH SUBSECTION
• Adequate Development?
• Excess Material?
• Redundancy?
• Revise Accordingly

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III.Organizing the Content

• INTRODUCTION
• Defines --
• Subject
• Purpose
• Treatment
• Scope
• Context
• Provides --
• Filing System for Brain
• Initiates Interaction

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III.Organizing the Content

• CONCLUSION
• May Summarize Important Points
• May List Conclusions
• Re-stresses Central Theme

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IV.Designing the Visual Aids

• TWO BASIC TYPES
• VERBALS Print A Few Lines
• PICTORIALS Everything Else

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IV.Designing the Visual Aids

• PUT ON VERBALS
• Structural Cues --
• Orient the Audience
• Provide Information Filing System
• Supporting Information --
• Memory Joggers
• Items for Emphasis

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IV.Designing the Visual Aids

• LANGUAGE
• Be Consistent
• Use Similar --
• Parts of Speech
• Word Order
• Verb Tense

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IV.Designing the Visual Aids

• USE VIGOROUS LANGUAGE
• Prefer -- Avoid --
• Positive Cliches
• Specific Jargon
• Nouns,Verbs Esoterica
• Active Exotica

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IV.Designing the Visual Aids

• CUT PUNCTUATION TO THE BONE
• MINIMIZE WORD, LINE COUNT
• Words lt 25, Lines lt 12
• Too Many Too Much
• Words ? Reading

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In Summary

• FOLLOW THE FOUR BASIC STEPS
• to
• Designing the Oral Presentation
• I. Consider Speech Vs. Writing
• II. Analyze the Dynamics
• III. Organize the Content
• IV. Design the Visual Aids

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ORAL PRESENTATION

• Tool for Interaction
• No Substitute for Writing
• -- Therefore --
• Adapt to Conditions
• Capitalize On Inherent Strengths
• Make Visuals Serve

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Other Advice

• Carefully plan your talk, it removes anxiety!
• Practice your talk to improve delivery!
• Don't worry about being nervous!
• Relax!
• Try to have fun!

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Lets analyze a few examples