Tips and Insights

In my teaching days, I sat through dozens of seminars and lectures. Luckily, many of the speakers were affiliated with a nonprofit professional development organization I belonged to, and they did research on what makes good presentations. PowerPoint as a teaching tool was a rare inclusion. (I can't say the same for inside the classroom.)

Then I entered the business world, where PowerPoint at conferences and training sessions is as ubiquitous as pen and paper. When I attend this type of presentation, I always wonder if I should be paying attention to the speaker or the screen.

I know PowerPoint is capable of many things-you can run video clips, add music, animate graphics-but most people use PowerPoint like a remote-controlled overhead-not much substance, not much to hold attention, more like dry white toast . . . when people are hungry for grilled cheese on rye.

Why does this happen? One reason may come from what we've learned about writing work instructions. Many of the manuals we read are written by engineers who need an easy way to get the process down. They aren't too concerned about how users feel when confronted with pages and pages of text, as long as the manuals contain all the information necessary to satisfy auditors and quality managers.

Though a speaker can develop PowerPoint presentations easily, it takes time and effort to create a presentation-with or without PowerPoint-that considers the audience and what they need to engage with the material from beginning to end.

Some people are born presenters-people who can speak without notes, speak off the cuff, captivate with their personality. I'm not one of them, and if you aren't either, what do we do if we need to showcase a product, train a group or present an idea?

• Make sure your point-the essence of the presentation-is clear, consistent, credible and accessible (the same requisites for work instructions).
• Don't hesitate to take a course or get some guidance on giving presentations. The local Toastmasters or a Dale Carnegie course can do wonders for confidence.
• Practice the presentation so much that even though you've memorized it, it comes off sounding natural.
• If you tend to use PowerPoint as a crutch-afraid you'll forget an important point-use note cards instead or ask for a podium where you can keep reminders in view.
• Only use PowerPoint to show a product, set a mood, grab attention. Keep the text in a handout. The audience can turn to a page and read along if you need to point out something.
  

Try these tips next time you have to present. Or take up teaching. If you learn how to captivate 30 seventh graders, you can tackle any adult crowd.

Labels: PowerPoint, presentations, user's needs, work instructions