1.
TECHNICAL SPEAKING Dr. Canan Özgen Director of GSNAS Orientation Graduate Seminars METU, Ankara April 17th, 2014
Technical Speaking

2. Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

3. «the ability to explain yourself» written and oral communications.
Communication:
«the ability to explain yourself»
Communication is a
TWO-WAY PROCESS.
Any evaluation of your success as a professional, will be based in whole or in large part, on the quality of your
written and oral communications.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen
Technical Speaking

4. Technical Speaking Introduction Analyse your audience
Technical Speaking
Introduction
Analyse your audience
Outline your presentation (Plan)
Design your visuals (Prepare)
Practice your presentation (Practice)
Presentation
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen
Technical Speaking

5. Introduction
The communication skills become even more critical as in the carrier you advance.
When it comes to technical speakers, what separates the cream from the milk, the superior from the good?
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

6. Introduction (cont’d)
Delivering your presentations effectively involves using a proven four-step (4P) process:
Plan, Prepare, Practice and Present.
Follow these guidelines and you and your message will have high impact on your audiences.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

7. Introduction (cont’d)
Any time you are in front of an audience, you are creating an illusion of professional skills of
Knowledge
Credibility
Enthusiasm
Determination.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

8. Introduction (cont’d)
The total illusion must include:
Content
Visual impact
Personal impact
Ability to persuade
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

9. A presentation is like a test… It’s easy when you are well prepared.
Know your audience,
Know your subject,
Outline your presentation (plan),
Prepare &
Practice.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

10. Analyse your audience
A good presentation uses a very simple format. One you can tailor to fit audience.
It follows the same rules newspaper articles use:
Who is my audience?
How much do I think they know about my topic?
What is my main point? What do I want them to know and to do?
Why do they need to know this?
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

11. Analyse your audience (cont’d)
Define the purpose of your talk:
Inform,
Persuade,
Motivate to action,
Sell,
Teach,
Train
Identify and organize
your key points.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

12. Plan: Outline the Presentation
Begin with an outline.
Start with a summary of conclusions.
Present the details of the work.
Finally give conclusions and implications.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

13. Outline your presentation (cont’d)
Tell them what you are going to tell them,
Tell them,
Tell them what you have told them.
The easiest way to follow this is,
to work from an outline.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

14. Example 1: Commercialisation of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
Outline (cont’d)
Example 1: Commercialisation of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
3. Four Processes
Tube Wall
Slurry
Ebullating Bed
Entrained bed
1. Background of
Process
2. Reasons of Study
Title
Several Main points
Key worded only
4. Conclusions

15. Example 2: Chlorine Resistance of the XYZ Membrane
Outline (cont’d)
Example 2: Chlorine Resistance of the XYZ Membrane
1. Introduction
2. Reactions
6. Recommendations
3. Experimental
Design
5. Results
4. Membrane Treatment
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen
BE INNOVATIVE

16. Prepare: Design your visuals
Never underestimate the power of a visual.
A picture is a worth thousands words.
Give sleepers a chance to wake up!!!
Avoid too much show!!!
NCC
Deriner Dam
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

17. How humans use their brains?
We use only 2-3 %
of our brain
Left brain Right Brain
Logic Color
Sequential Music
Language Emotion
Reading Touch
Aural Visual
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

18. The way we learn: Left/ Right Brain
Green Black Blue
Red Blue Blue
Green Black Green
Blue Red Black
Red Black Green
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

19. Address both sides of the brain!
Interrupt!
Repetition!
Fun!
Break a glass!!!
Eeee #$
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

20. Prepare (cont’d) 11% by hearing 83% by hearing and seeing
We learn
11% by hearing
83% by hearing and seeing
We remember
30% of what we see.
50% of what we see and hear.
70% of what we say,
90% of what we say and do.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

21. Prepare (cont’d) In preparation of slides: Limit 5-9 words per line.
5-9 lines per visual.
Simplicity of colour is important.
Use line graphs to show trends.
Use bar graphs to compare magnitudes.
Pie charts give absolute magnitudes and compare the relative portions.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

22. Keep it simple, stupid and memorable. (kiss’m)
Prepare (cont’d)
One thought per page.
Bold graphs and colour.
Don’t try to overload them.
Keep it simple, stupid and memorable. (kiss’m)
Don’t talk on a subject you don’t know/believe/own.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

23. There are only three elements to any Spoken Communication, 3V
VERBAL
The words or content
What is said.
VOCAL
The voice expression, resonance,
Tempo and inflections.
VISUAL All that is seen by others:
How the speaker looks,
Eye contact,
Posture, gestures and facial expressions.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

24. Develop transitions or bridges between key points.
Prepare (cont’d)
Illustrate and support Key Points with evidence and visuals.
Statistics
Analogies
Demonstrations
Develop transitions or bridges between key points.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

25. Prepare (cont’d) Dramatize your ideas. Throw down a challenge.
Prepare a memorable Close
Dramatize your ideas.
Throw down a challenge.
Use a motivating statement.
Restate the key benefit.
Deliver a convincing summary.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

26. or to think about something in a
Prepare (cont’d)
The material presented should force the audience to look at something in a
NEW LIGHT
or from a
DIFFERENT ANGLE
or to think about something in a
DIFFERENT WAY.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

27. Practice your presentation
A good presentation is
90% preparation
10% presentation
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

28. Practice (cont’d)
Practice your presentation and review your visuals for
Clarity
Relevancy
Eye-appeal
Visibility
Quality
Memorability
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

29. Practice (cont’d) Logical flow Strong opening Clear key points
Practice your presentation before an audience, coach, video camera.
Receive feedback on
Strong opening
Clear key points
Logical flow
Credible evidence
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

30. Practice (cont’d)
Check that as you speak you can be heard clearly right to the back of the room.
Good breathing and relaxed posture are essential.
Sound the ends of your words and do not allow your voice to drop too much at the end of sentences.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

31. Practice (cont’d) Do not use your hands in a fidgety manner.
Stand with your weight evenly distributed between your feet; keep still.
Move decisively at a change of visual aid.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

32. Practice (cont’d)
Practice will increase the clarity and consciousness of your presentation.
Even if you don’t get to 7 or 6 or even 4, you are going to be more effective than if you only practice once or twice.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

33. COMMUNICATION IS THE ABILITY TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

34. A presentation is always a creative expression from the speaker.
Double check the equipment,
Get to the seminar room an hour(!) before your presentation.
A presentation is always a creative expression from the speaker.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

35. Presentation (cont’d)
Rely on the fundamentals
don’t be too technical and
keep simplicity in mind
”Nothing should be explained in a such a way that, it could not be understood by an intelligent 12 years old.”
Albert Einstein
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

36. Presentation (cont’d)
Own your subject.
Feel positive about your talk.
Project to your audience the value of your talk.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

37. Presentation (cont’d)
If you have a difficulty in beginning
begin with a question
use your outline as your opening visual,
use a cartoon, drawing, saying to open the presentation.
pay a sincere compliment to the audience.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

38. Presentation (cont’d)
Build rapport with the audience:
Be sincere.
Be yourself.
Say “we” not “you.”
Talk in terms of your audience’s interest.
Involve your audience.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

39. Presentation (cont’d)
Hold the attention of the audience.
Be enthusiastic about the topic.
“He whose face gives no light, shall never be a star.”
William Blake
Use vivid words.
Express yourself clearly and concisely.
Tell stories.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

40. Presentation (cont’d)
Have an upbeat voice.
Have proper body animation.
Never put yourself in dark or behind an equipment.
“It’s just a movie.”
Gill Scott-Heron
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

41. You must exhibit confidence in yourself and your work.
To make a successful presentation you must be credible.
Don’t read a talk.
Don’t memorize or read a talk.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

42. “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” Mohammad Ali
Style
“Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” Mohammad Ali
A presentation must be:
Lively,
Informative,
Interesting,
Must be presented in a relaxed manner.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

43. “That which has not killed me,
Handling stage fright
The audience is not aware of your nervousness.
“That which has not killed me,
will strengthen me.”
Fredrich W. Nietzsche
Fear is not bad.
Thank your stage fright for helping you get
ready for your performance.
star

44. Handling stage fright (cont’d)
Moving around eases tension.
Don’t get caught behind a podium. Don’t be a static speaker.
Take a deep breath and let it slowly.
Get grip of your nerves by getting a grip on …a chalk/ a pointer.
Smile ! A smile also relaxes you and makes your audience feel more comfortable.
Keep a glass of water handy.

45. Eye contact
Look at your listeners the same way you would in your office with Extended eye communication.
Cover all CORNERS of the group.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

46. Timing Timing is very important! One visual in every two minutes.
The presentation should not be boring.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

47. DRESS
If you are presenting your ideas to upper management or to an outside client, the dress must be formal.
If you have done your audience analysis well enough, you should know how to dress.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

48. Common mistakes: Don’t…
Turn your back to the audience.
Hide behind objects.
Avoid eye contact with listeners.
Read the text from your notes.
Be inaudible.
Be monotonic.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

49. Conclusions Be active (enthusiasm), Be purposeful,
Be varied in voice and act,
Be natural,
Be direct (eye contact),
Believe in yourself.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

50. EMPATHY is a valuable communication skill.
Good communication is achieved when you can see yourself in the listeners place.
EMPATHY is a valuable communication skill.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

51. PLAN /PREPARE / PRACTICE /
Remember to
PLAN /PREPARE / PRACTICE /
PRESENT
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

52. Your success as a speaker will ultimately depend
on your level of
ENTHUSIASM.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

53. References
D. F. Beer,” Writing and Speaking in the Technology Professions”, IEEE, 1992.
G. Berlin, E. Hughes and J.A.Grause,”Techspeak”, Gkb Ass., Inc
J. van Emden and J. Easteal, “Technical Writing and Speaking”, Mc Graw Hill Comp.1996.
M. Faber, “Changes in US Eng. Ed.”,Hewlett Packard Co., May, 1997.
R. Hoff,” I can see you naked”, Univ. Press Syn. Co.,1992.
Prof. Dr. Semih Bilgen, Seminar on Technical Speaking
Prof. Dr. Yıldırım Üçtuğ, Seminar on Effective Teaching
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen

54. Thank you.
Technical Speaking, C. Özgen