Chapter 24 Oral Presentations and Webinars Technical Communication

Chapter 24 Oral Presentations and Webinars Technical Communication, 13 th Edition Global Edition John M. Lannon Laura J. Gurak © Pearson Education Limited 2015

Learning Objectives Ø Analyze your audience and purpose Ø Select the type of presentation you want to make Ø Choose the appropriate technology Ø Perform research, write an outline, prepare visuals Ø Create audience-friendly slides using presentation software

Learning Objectives (continued) Ø Deliver your presentation Ø Understand how and when to use Webinars or slide sharing tools

Oral Presentations Ø Oral presentations vary in style, complexity, and formality. They may include convention speeches, reports at national meetings, technical briefings for colleagues, and speeches to community groups. Ø These talks may be designed to inform, to instruct, to persuade, or to achieve all three of the above.

Advantages and Drawbacks of Oral Presentations Ø Advantages: You can use body language to establish credibility and rapport with your audience. A likable personality can have a powerful effect on audience receptiveness. Oral presentations allow for give-and-take. Ø Drawbacks: One attempt is all you get to win over an audience, and the pressure makes it easier to stumble. An oral presentation is limited in the amount and complexity of information it can present.

Avoiding Presentation Pitfalls Ø The podium or lectern can be a lonely and intimidating place. Despite the fact that they can help make or break a person’s career, oral presentations often turn out to be boring, confusing, unconvincing, or too long. Ø Avoid such difficulties through careful analysis, planning, and preparation.

Planning Your Presentation Following are important considerations when planning a presentation: Ø Analyze your audience and purpose. Do all you can to find out exactly who will be attending your presentation. Determine their roles within the organization. Learn about their attitudes and experiences regarding your subject. Then fill out an Audience and Purpose Profile Sheet. Ø Analyze your speaking situation. The more you can discover about the circumstances, setting, and constraints for your presentation, the more deliberately you will be able to prepare.

Planning Your Presentation (continued) Ø Select a type of presentation. Your primary purpose determines the type of presentation required: * Informative presentations provide facts and explanations. * Training/instructional presentations show to perform a task. * Persuasive presentations attempt to gain support or change an opinion. * Action plan presentations motivate people to take action. * Sales presentations inform and persuade.

Planning Your Presentation (continued) Ø Select a delivery method. Your presentation’s effectiveness will depend largely on how the presentation connects with listeners. * Memorized delivery involves memorizing your speech and is risky. * Impromptu delivery involves speaking “off the cuff” and works well if you are spontaneous. * Scripted delivery involves following a script and is safe, though sometimes boring. * Extemporaneous delivery involves careful planning, practice, and following your notes. It is the safest and most advisable method.

Preparing Your Presentation To stay in control and build confidence, plan the presentation systematically: Ø Research your topic. Be prepared to support each assertion, opinion, conclusion, and recommendation with evidence and reason. Ø Aim for simplicity and conciseness. Boil the material down to a few main points. A typical attention span is about twenty minutes. Ø Anticipate audience questions. Consider those parts of your presentation that listeners might question or challenge.

Preparing Your Presentation (continued) Ø Outline your presentation. For most presentations, follow the introduction-body-conclusion outline format. In the introduction, set the stage (capture your audience’s attention, establish credibility, and preview your presentation). In the body, use small chunks of information and clear transitions. In the conclusion, tie everything together.

Planning and Creating Your Visuals Using visuals as part of your presentation is a great way to increase the audience’s interest, focus, understanding, and retention of material: Ø Decide which visuals to use and where to use them. Well-designed, relevant visuals are best used to emphasize a point, or any place where showing is more effective than just telling. Ø Create a storyboard. A presentation storyboard is a double-column format in which your discussion is outlined in the left column and aligned with the specific supporting visuals in the right column.

Planning and Creating Your Visuals (continued) Ø Decide which visuals you can realistically create. Fit each visual to the situation. The visuals you select will depend on the room, the equipment, and the production resources available. Ø Prepare your visuals. Be selective and make visuals easy to read and understand. Ø Use the appropriate technology to prepare your visuals. Most software programs make it easy to prepare professional-looking visuals.

Choosing the Right Visual Medium Ø In most workplace settings, presentation software (such as Power. Point) has become the standard medium for oral presentations. Ø But other media are available, and you should choose the medium that best fits the situation. Other options include chalkboards, dry-erase boards, transparencies, flip charts, and handouts.

Using Presentation Software Ø Microsoft Power. Point (the most widely used) or other software, such as Apple’s Keynote or Open Office’s Impress allow you to create visual presentations simply and quickly. Ø Critics argue that the mere content outline provided by the slides can oversimplify complex issues and that an endless list of bullets or animations, colors, and sounds can distract from the deeper message.

Guidelines for Using Presentation Software When using presentation software, keep the following guidelines in mind: Ø Don’t let the software do the thinking. Ø Have a backup plan in case the technology fails. Ø Start with an overview slide. Ø Find a balance between text and visuals. Ø Avoid overcrowding the slide. Ø Avoid merely reciting the slides. Ø Don’t let the medium obscure the message.

Guidelines for Using Presentation Software (continued) Ø Keep it simple but not simplistic. Ø Keep viewers oriented. Ø End with a “conclusions” or “questions” slide.

Delivering Your Presentation Consider the following simple steps to make your actual presentation enjoyable instead of terrifying: Ø Rehearse your delivery. Hold ample practice sessions to become comfortable with the organization and flow of your presentation. If possible, rehearse using the actual equipment in the actual setting. Ø Check the room and setting beforehand. Make sure you have enough space, electrical outlets, and tables for your equipment.

Delivering Your Presentation (continued) Ø Cultivate the human landscape. Get to know your audience, be reasonable, display enthusiasm and confidence, and don’t preach. Ø Keep your listeners oriented. Open with a clear and engaging introduction, give concrete examples, provide explicit transitions, and review and interpret periodically. Ø Plan for how you will use any non-computer visual aids. Prepare, organize, and time the visuals with your oral delivery.

Delivering Your Presentation (continued) Ø Manage your presentation style. Use natural movements and reasonable postures; adjust volume, pronunciation, and rate; and maintain eye contact. Ø Manage your speaking situation. Be responsive to listener feedback; stick to your plan; leave listeners with something to remember; and allow time for questions and answers.

Webinars and Distance Presentations The best way to deliver an oral presentation is in person, in a face-to-face setting. But in some situations a face-to-face presentation may not be possible. In these situations, use distance delivery options: Ø Webinars (Web-based seminars) allow you to deliver a presentation via the Internet. Ø Slide sharing technologies are another option, making your slides available to those who can’t attend a meeting.

Guidelines for Webinars and Distance Presentations When using webinars and making distance presentations, follow these guidelines: Ø Prepare your slides well in advance. Ø Test your slides on the Webinar site. Ø Decide which Webinar features to use. Ø Post your slides on the company’s server (Intranet) or on a slide sharing site. Ø If you decide to post your slides, consider adding audio (narration).

Guidelines for Webinars and Distance Presentations Ø Use slide sharing sites to allow those who can’t attend the Webinar to access your slides. Ø When appropriate, use collaboration tools to work on a team presentation.

Review Questions 1. What purposes do oral presentations achieve? 2. What are the steps involved in planning an oral presentation? 3. What are the five types of oral presentations? 4. What are the four types of delivery methods for oral presentations? 5. What are the four steps involved in preparing an oral presentation?

Review Questions (continued) 6. What are three steps involved in preparing visuals for an oral presentation? 7. How should you structure a presentation using presentation software? 8. What are five steps involved in delivering an oral presentation? 9. What are two methods of rehearsing an oral presentation? 10. What are Webinars and slide sharing tools?