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

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

Powerpoint: powerful or passe’? Overheads –Difficult to perfectly align (don’t move them!) –A stable technology –Flexible when cutting talk short, answering questions –Amenable to spontaneous drawing, change

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

Don’t 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

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!

… 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). Don’t put your notes down low on a table. Never just read out bullet points on slides. Don’t lean on the projector or table—that shakes it. Don’t look back at the screen.

…tips continued The arms: don’t 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 it’s their turn. ‘Crossing the projector light’: try to set up so as to avoid crossing. If you have to, just do it boldly. Don’t hold a pencil or pointer; that encourages fiddling. The advanced technique: a can of Diet Coke.

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: don’t do the PPT/projector ‘striptease’ Fancy powerpoint effects: they’re trite now, don’t use them Know where to stand: don’t block the display

…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

Playing to the crowd... Don’t begin with a joke: CS people aren’t funny Know what the audience expects your appearance: dress appropriately presentation style technological support

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 you’re 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

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

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