1. Effective Presentation Techniques Michael J. Quinn 7 October 2005 Version 1.2

2. Outline Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

3. Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

4. Structuring Presentation Planning Planning Delivery Delivery Sign posts Sign posts

5. Planning Talk: A  B Talk: A  B Consider audience Consider audience Set goal Set goal Create slides Create slides

6. Delivery Prepare audience Prepare audience Move audience Move audience Reflect on journey Reflect on journey “Tell ’em”  3 “Tell ’em”  3 Rehearse! Rehearse!

7. Sign Posts Orient listener Orient listener –Current topic –Progress Two styles Two styles –Intermittent –Ever-present

8. Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

9. Designing Good Slides Content Content Unveiling Unveiling Color Color Subliminal messages Subliminal messages

10. Content Purpose Purpose –Complement speaker –Talk ≠ technical report Density Density –7 lines/page –4 words/line

11. Speaker Reads Slides A speaker may put his entire presentation on his slides. He turns his back to the audience and reads the slides aloud. Perhaps he feels this approach guarantees all the information will get to the audience. A speaker may put his entire presentation on his slides. He turns his back to the audience and reads the slides aloud. Perhaps he feels this approach guarantees all the information will get to the audience. This may be the most annoying way to give a presentation. Audience members feel insulted: they already know how to read! They wonder why the lecturer doesn’t simply hand out a copy of the slides. This may be the most annoying way to give a presentation. Audience members feel insulted: they already know how to read! They wonder why the lecturer doesn’t simply hand out a copy of the slides. The visual presentation dominates the presenter. The presenter is not adding any value to what is on the slides. The visual presentation dominates the presenter. The presenter is not adding any value to what is on the slides.

12. Speaker Interprets Slides Slides dominate Slides dominate –Provide all content –Hold audience’s attention Speaker supports Speaker supports –Faces slides –Helps audience understand

13. Complicated Derivation

14. Good Illustration > Complicated Derivation Number of processors Memory needed per processor Memory Size Scales poorly Scales well

15. Slides Enhance Speaker Speaker dominates Speaker dominates –Faces audience –Provides content Slides support speaker Slides support speaker –Reinforce message –Orient listeners

16. Mixing Important/ Unimportant Words The isoefficiency and the scalability metrics of a parallel algorithm are crucial The isoefficiency and the scalability metrics of a parallel algorithm are crucial The typical parallel computers of the future will have thousands of CPUs and terabytes of RAM The typical parallel computers of the future will have thousands of CPUs and terabytes of RAM

17. Important Words Only Crucial metrics Crucial metrics –Isoefficiency –Scalability function Future systems Future systems –Thousands of CPUs –Terabytes of RAM

18. Unbalanced Lists Speedup Speedup –Sequential time –Parallel time Parallel computations Parallel computations Parallel overhead Parallel overhead Efficiency Efficiency

19. Balanced Lists Speedup Speedup –Expresses time reduction –Sequential time, parallel time, overhead Efficiency Efficiency –Expresses processor utilization –Speedup, number of processors

20. “Fly In” Fails Could you read this? Could you read this? How about this one? How about this one? Maybe the third time is the charm! Maybe the third time is the charm!

21. “Wipe from Left” Works Less distracting Less distracting Reduces eye movement Reduces eye movement Increases readability Increases readability

22. Typical Eye Movement Upper left Upper left Upper right Upper right Lower left Lower left Lower right Lower right

23. Image reproduced from www.animationalley.com

24. Wall of White Increases glare Increases glare Causes eyestrain Causes eyestrain Distracts from speaker Distracts from speaker

25. Subliminal Messages Orientation Orientation Motion Motion

26. Message: Decline

27. Message: Improvement

28. Message: Bad Event

29. Message: Good Event

30. Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

31. Pauses Useful Useful Powerful Powerful Difficult Difficult

32. Silence Useful Awaiting thought Awaiting thought Switching gaze Switching gaze Reading slide Reading slide Reinforcing point Reinforcing point

33. Structuring presentation Designing slides Pausing techniques Answering questions

34. Pitfalls Hostile gestures Hostile gestures Wandering gaze Wandering gaze Body language Body language Missing point Missing point Seeking approval Seeking approval Excluding audience Excluding audience

35. Opportunities Welcoming gestures Welcoming gestures Focusing gaze Focusing gaze Body language Body language Getting point Getting point Reinforcing message Reinforcing message Including audience Including audience

36. Dangerous Responses “Good question” “Good question” “I’m glad you asked that question” “I’m glad you asked that question”

37. Summary Guide audience gently Design slides carefully Use pauses effectively Answer questions inclusively