How do you feel when you have to make a presentation? (“How Good Are Your Presentation Skills?: Understanding Your Impact”, 2019)

Making a presentation is a requirement either in school and times it is a strategy used for reporting in jobs. It is not an easy task for everyone. The thought of standing on the podium to explain something for everyone to understand frightens me. The heart pounds too fast because of the worry of not presenting as expected or not giving the desired effect to the audience. However, the feeling diminishes whenever I get to the podium. A deep breath before I start lets out all the fear and confidence get in. At this time, I compose myself and give the presentation confidently just as required.

The characteristics of a good presentation

First, a presentation should be brief. Briefness refers to a concise and precise content delivered in the presentation. The content given should be concise to ensure effectiveness. Briefness also ensures the audience remain focused and concentrate on the period of the presentation. It also provides an unforgettable experience and ideas for the audience to interpret and analyze.

Secondly, the presentation should be engaging in that the presentation should be motivating the audience to keep listening and take part in it. It is a way to keep them focused on the topic and contents of discussion in the presentation. Lack of engagement makes the individuals feel distant and lose track of the flow of information, which leads to failure in understanding the ideas. Participation requires the presenter to be happy and have a purpose that must be recognized by the audience to attract their attention and involve them in the presentation.

Thirdly, a visually rich presentation is more appealing and captures audience attention (Moulton, Turkay & Kosslyn, 2017). Visually rich means that the slides should be in point or bullet form for ease of reading. Too wordy slides make the audience read too much hence not concentrating on the texts and fail to listen to the explanations. The visual strength should also be quality, in that, the slides should be displaying its contents in large font, and the lighting be convenient for everyone; not too bright and not too dim.

Fourthly, effectivity is vital in presentations. Effective refers to the intention of the presenter to achieve a specific result. Effectivity is achieved through the structure of the presentation. The way a presenter introduces the presentation, either draws the audience away or attracts them to listen attentively. After the introduction, a display of points follows based on a sequence that depicts the flow of information. The conclusion reminds the audience of the presentation contents and instructs actions or discussions to take in the future.

References

How Good Are Your Presentation Skills?: Understanding Your Impact. (2019). Retrieved 21 November 2019, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_96.htmMoulton, S., Turkay, S., & Kosslyn, S. (2017). Correction: Does a presentation’s medium affect its message? PowerPoint, Prezi, and oral presentations. PLOS ONE, 12(10), e0186673. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186673