This presentation was submitted by an Internet professional
from San Diego, California. It is worthy of discussion for its strong organization and content.
The visual aids (slides) support this structural content.
Determining the Task at Hand
The presentation (and author) was tasked with creating a presentation
to deliver to CEMA, the Computer & Electronics Marketing Association. She knew she wanted to
provide a broad-based presentation dealing with "Beyond the 1-Page Web Site" for marketing
professionals. She also knew the audience would be diverse. Some audience members would come
from organizations that had hearty Internet budgets and educated management. Others may be
relative Internet neophytes. The real challenge for the presenter was to create an interesting,
substantive presentation for all attendees.
So, What is Covered?
The presentation is full of valuable content. In order to hold the
audience's attention and provide structure to their learning, the author organized the topics
to cover in a detailed outline.
General Order of Work
When the author began to work, she did not sit down and begin to design
a template for her presentation. Nor did she begin to randomly write slide content. Many
people begin with these tasks, because they are familiar and tangible. Quite frankly, they
are also often perceived as the most "fun". What is wrong with this? Simply, you take the
chance of spending too much time on less important items, and not enough on the ones that
truly demand the most effort. Fortunately, this presenter used a diligent logical method
for developing her presentation.
Sequence of events
- Define audience
- Set Objectives
- Write outline (PowerPoint)
- Flush out outline. (Provide examples. Details needed for graphics, screen shots, flowcharts)
- Write supplementary content to outline. (PowerPoint Notes)
- Create template. (Modify existing one.)
- Combine template and outline = working presentation
- Edit content
- Create graphics: screen shots, flowcharts, etc.
- Edit graphics: optimized and added "art for art's sake"
- Edit entire presentation
- Insert transitions
- PRACTICE
Focusing on Goals/Objectives
One of the strengths of this presentation is that the presenter defined
clear goals for her audience. She focused on four key areas of understanding, and stated these
in a slide. (This is Slide 2 of the presentation). Remember the old adage, "tell the audience
what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them" . . .
Well, it works. An audience needs to know what they are expected to glean from a presentation.
Presentation Highlights
So, what are some of the finest aspects of this presentation?
- Visual Mapping
The first slide shows the four key areas of web site development. Arrows show movement
from one phase to another. The second slide uses the same overall image but isolates one
phase. This enables the audience to focus on the particular key area without losing sight
of the overall development process.
- Audience-Oriented Graphics
The presenter kept the audience in mind when she created this slide. She recognized that
most audience members would not want the details of GIFs vs. JPGS: they don't care how they
work. Instead, they want to know the ideal uses for both types of graphics. This presentation
captures everything the audience needs to know in two images.
- Builds for Continuity
One of the biggest challenges facing this presenter was trying to detail the "interactive
design process", without losing the audience in details. So, she created a PowerPoint slide
that utilizes builds to show this process. The slide begins with one image. The presenter
explains this process before "building" the next element. The audience is able to take
baby steps along the way, until they reach the full picture (second slide).
- Screen Shots for Sites
Because the presenter wanted to demonstrate several cutting-edge web sites, she originally
wanted to have a live Internet feed and project real-time sites. However, on second thought,
she decided not to risk technological glitches and used screen shots instead. The advantages
to using screen shots are numerous. In this case, the presenter was able to layer multiple
bitmaps to show more than one page at a time.
- Classic Rebuttal
In classical rhetoric training, you craft a thesis, develop your argument using sound reasoning,
and conclude. The best argument acknowledges that conflicting points of view do exist. So
somewhere within the argument, you acknowledge the "other" opinion and alter it slightly to
actually strengthen your own argument. This presenter does this superbly well with the
"Know When to Break the Rules" segment.
After leading the audience to accept the many guidelines and conventions
involved in web site production, she acknowledges the exception to the rules. However, she
also cautions that only UNIQUE branding opportunities (such as the ones that CocaCola™ present)
call for such departures from convention.
In Conclusion
So, are there any areas of the presentation that need work?
Timing
Unfortunately, the last section of the live presentation was a bit rushed,
due to technical difficulties at the front end. These technical problems had nothing to do
with the presentation — instead, the previous speaker had rearranged equipment and it took some
time to put everything back in place. How do you avoid this situation? The presenter could
have planned for 10 extra minutes of Q&A at the end of the presentation. Then, if the time
has been eating up on the front end, she could have offered to respond to questions via email
or during lunch.
Other than this one issue, the presentation was a big success. Careful
planning, logical argument, development, and solid graphic elements lead to a fabulous presentation.
Specifics
- 88 slides
- 2 hours
- 1 speaker
- Small hotel ballroom (150)
- Projected with Epson projector
- No handouts, props, supplementary aids
Basics
Content
