Often people envy those who are sent to a congress or a seminar. But even if the location is beautiful, the food tasty, the drinks dignified and the networking useful, there remains a serious flaw: The presentations are often technically excellent, but so dull and boring presented that you either fall asleep or switch to social media on your mobile phone.
Now I don’t have a recipe for how to avoid this situation, but I would like to give a few thoughts on how to bring your own presentations to a level that makes the audience remember what is presented in a positive way. So it’s about tips for the classic presentation at a congress, in an association or at the university, where a predefined content has to be conveyed objectively and in which visual elements (typically via PowerPoint or similar) are used.
The Golden Rule
Of course, a specialist presentation serves to transfer facts, assessments and findings from the speaker to the participants. One should not deduce from this that the presentation is about a purely mechanical transport of content from the speaker to the participants.
The presentation has a central difference to the written word (article, essay, scientific paper, etc.). It takes place synchronously: The participant must absorb the content exactly when and at the same pace as the speaker delivers it.
It is therefore even more important than with written communication that participants are interested, able and motivated to absorb information at exactly this time. They must be willing to make an effort to follow the lecture. You can try to achieve this by force (punishment, test afterwards), but this is rarely sensible and responsible.
In order to achieve the right mindset among the participants, there is therefore only one sensible way: Thou shalt not bore!
Metacommunication is central
Every text (or every communication) conveys not only technical content, but also metacommunicative aspects:
- How do I see myself?
- How do I see my relationship with the other person?
- What appeal do I make to the other person?
I can’t avoid that every statement I make conveys these elements (Paul Watzlawick: „You can’t not communicate“). So I have to try to control my metacommunication, or at least be aware that it is happening in any case. For this reason, the text must not only be correct in terms of content/expertise, but must also be formulated in terms of self-statement and relationship statement as well as appeal effect.
The department has six aspects, all of which need to be optimized in order to achieve the best possible result. Counts:
- the setting;
- the (professional) content;
- the text/manuscript; (never hand in before)
- the (audio)visual elements;
- the lecture and
- the development process.
- The following checklist lists what is important for each of these aspects. As far as it makes sense, a few pro tips are also interspersed.
The setting
- In what context do I speak exactly? How many people with what background?
- Is my topic controversial in this circle? Do I have to expect objections (in other presentations before, or in a Q&A session)?
- How many speak before me, and about what? (Pro tip: Avoid speaking immediately before the aperitif or meal. There is a great danger that others will overdo it and you will then be under additional pressure.)
- How big is the room and what technical infrastructure can I use? (Pro tip: Clarify early on whether a loudspeaker system is used. Note: Presentations with a microphone in the hand are more difficult in terms of gestures and leafing through!)
- Will there be a moderated or unmoderated Q&A session afterwards? (Pro tip: Have a colleague in the plenary address content that cannot be accommodated in the presentation as a question.)
- Clarify what will happen to the department. Will it be published somewhere in extenso or summarized? (Pro tip: If possible, have adjustments made to the original presentation for the publication, as the publication is asynchronous, so different rules apply).
The content
- The content should be tailored as precisely as possible to the target group. The higher the knowledge gap between the speaker and the participants, the more demanding the formulation of the content is.
- What general level of knowledge and education can be assumed?
- What previous technical knowledge is available (for example, reading/documentation before the event)?
- Who is speaking directly in front of me and about what? A sensible transition helps participants to get off to a good start.
- Since the topic is often much „bigger“ than the time budget, the content must be prioritized. What is central, what can be omitted in case of doubt?
- How should the content be structured in the process? What is my narrative?
- What is the best place to start? (Pro tip: Start with a „banger“ that shakes up, irritates or makes you wounded. This will generate additional attention.)
- Stop with as short a summary as possible, preferably in one sentence. (Pro tip: Conclude with eye-catching content that brings participants back to the here and now. If appropriate, combined with a call to action.)
The (oral) text
- The text must have a dramaturgical sequence that is easy to follow. How this is achieved depends heavily on the topic and the narrative chosen: from the general to the specific, timing, structure of the source, intensification, etc.
- The language should be simple and concise, the sentences as short as possible.
- Technical vocabulary may (or should!) be used if the target group is familiar with it.
- Do not name sources in detail, but only with a short name (but indicate them in the bibliography or on the slides if necessary).
- Only read quotes in other languages if you have mastered them to some extent, otherwise it is better to switch to a translation or paraphrase.
- At suitable points, you should provide art pauses (marked in your own manuscript), for example in rhetorical questions.
The visual
- Don’t put a table of contents at the beginning. This weakens the dramaturgy, costs time and leads to repetitions. A short note in the oral text is enough, if at all. (Pro tip: Starting with what you won’t present can be an effective start.)
- As little text as possible, as many images (or audio or video) as possible.
- Calm background, consistent design (using templates), as few different fonts as possible, no multiple emphasises: font size, font color, underlined, bold, italics. It’s best to use only one font (or a second one for the title).
- Graphs and tables can be valuable and helpful for understanding. (Pro tip: When copying Excel content, be careful not to create unwanted links and design takeovers!)
- If possible, not simply using the standard PowerPoint template looks unprofessional and communicates inexperience.
- Never read out what is written on the slide (except in a scientific context for original quotes). This is very boring, as the participants read much faster than you can recite.
- Use the sharpest possible contrasts (text on background, images), as projectors can massively distort colors, which is almost unpredictable if you can’t test it.
- Text never less than 18 points (except for credits or copyright notices).
- Animations can help to emphasize a detail or to make an image structure. Whether you’re transitioning slides or making animations in a single slide, it’s important to avoid the playful animations that PowerPoint allows. So only use „Appear“ and „Fade“, otherwise it will be too distracting.
The lecture
- Speak so loudly that you can also hear it in the back, pronunciation and diction as clearly as possible. If you have to make an effort to understand the speaker acoustically, you can pay less attention to the content. (Pro tip: Test if possible, keeping in mind that audiences absorb a lot of sound and you have to be louder than in an empty room.)
- Always looking at specific people in the audience, on the one hand to build a relationship, on the other hand to see what the reactions are. The better you have practiced, the better you can do it. (Pro tip: print out the manuscript or notes in large size, at least 14-point font, depending on visual acuity…)
- Be so confident that you don’t lose the thread in the event of interruptions, interjections, technical problems or the like (manuscript/keywords at hand). (Pro tip: In case of disturbances, for example if two participants suddenly start talking to each other or someone is on the phone: Just stop talking, look at these people until the audience and the disturbers realize what is going on and silence returns.)
The development process
- Before starting the work, imagine a certain person (fictitious avatar or real person) who will take part in the presentation, and keep thinking about how they would/will react concretely to the elements of the presentation.
- Technical formats must be clarified: operating system, software, 2:3 or 9:16 screen? Resolution? Performance of the grid?
- There are often special deadlines for the submission of slides and audiovisual means. The presentation must therefore already be ready, as changes are only difficult if they affect the means of presentation. Sometimes a manuscript must also be submitted in advance. (Pro tip: Avoid having slides or manuscripts available to the participants beforehand, this sabotages the dramaturgical structure!)
- Practice, practice, practice. Preferably with a stopwatch and sometimes in front of third parties, and also using all technical means. It should be noted that you usually perform in front of an audience about 10-20% slower than if you practice alone in a quiet room. (Pro tip: Even people who don’t understand anything about the topic can judge whether a presentation works!)
In the end
Again the golden rule: „Thou shalt not bore.»
Illustration: Dall-E
