Creating and delivering a presentation is no easy task, but there’s a roadmap you can take to make it highly interesting and compelling to the audience.
A technical presentation may require a different approach since its main goal is to convey a technical topic and make it so that it’s understood by everyone. However, it’s not as simple as cramming in all the jargon and text and reading it in a timed manner.
That said, here are 8 useful tips on how you can create a compelling technical presentation.
Table of Contents
1. Consider the Tone and Setting
Before mapping out the presentation, it’s important to understand the reason why you’re making it and the setting on how you’ll deliver it.
Will the presentation be done in virtual or in a large room? Will it be a formal session or a keynote address? Answering these things will give you an idea of the tone you’ll be aiming for and other elements that will come down the line.
2. Organize and Outline
Before booting up Keynote or PowerPoint you should organize your thoughts and think about what you’ll be saying in the presentation. Content should come first, as presentations should serve as a supplement.
Start by making an outline that has all the main points. From there, establish a flow and the charts and slides should come into play on their own.
3. The 3-Act Structure
Most technical and traditional presentations follow the 3-act rule. It’s easy, allows for room and is highly flexible for just about any given topic.
Act 1 is the introduction, or the setup. Like most introductions you should begin by making interesting remarks and capture the audiences’ attention. Also, this is the part where you can set expectations
Act 2 is the meat of the presentation, and one where you hold the audiences’ interest long enough to get the content across. Here is the part where you provide the main idea and supporting points, such as statistics, data, examples and others.
Act 3 is the final part where recapping and resolving the problem is done. A good idea for the final act is to have a call to action and remind the audience of the content’s high points.
4. Less is More
You may be led to think that more text on a technical presentation is better, but this isn’t the case. In fact, you should include less as it should act as a support and not the main thing.
Avoid bullets as much as possible since it will draw the audiences’ attention away from you, the speaker. You will want them to listen to what you’re saying instead of just absorbing takeaway points in the slides.
5. Pay Attention to Visuals
It’s common sense that having images on a slide show generates more interest than one that’s made up of text entirely. People will want to look at something other than words, and inserting pictures to illustrate an idea will prove to be worth it.
Make the most of ‘picture superiority effect’ with excellent presentation data visualization. Don’t use generic stock art or clip art, or watermarked images and similar content.
It’s recommended that you use a large photo compared to several small ones on each point. Furthermore, you should make the images as compelling as possible to draw their attention.
6. Don’t Read the Slideshow
You can take the easy route and create the slide as a sort of storybook, but that defeats the purpose of making a technical presentation.
The trick is to use notes you can refer to now and then. Knowing your presentation also eliminates the crutch and gives you a feeling of confidence.
7. Engage the Audience
Establishing a connection is more than just putting up high quality images and large text. You will need to do your part as well.
As a speaker it helps to stay relaxed and be conscious about your interaction with the audience. It’s best to maintain eye contact throughout. Vocal power and speed should be loud enough that everyone can understand what you’re saying and at the right pace.
Treat the technical presentation as a conversation between friends or industry professionals. Add a few lines of your own, be it stories, an anecdote or even an experience you’ve had in the past.
8. Understand the Technology
Last but not least, you will need to understand how presentations work and the technology that goes with them. A computer is mostly used for these, as is a remote or laser pointer. Make sure they work before going in.
Conclusion
In the end, a technical presentation is driving home the point and concepts to the audience. The slide show and visuals will only serve as the audiences’ companion but it shouldn’t be your main subject. Have some notes handy and sprinkle a few stories every now and then to keep them engaged.
