In the final workshop you are invited to do a presentation to your colleagues on a topic of your choice. You can choose any subject you like, not necessarily one related to your professional life. However, try to choose a topic that you know well and can improvise on. Previous presentations on the course have covered a wide range of topics, including:
*the Mountains of Pakistan
*Trees
*Rock Climbing
*Flea Markets in The Netherlands
*Women Suicide Bombers
*The Films of Pedro Almodovar
*Security Training
*The Lost Children of Lebanon.
We have even had a presentation called 'Doing (and Surviving) a Presentation'.
Here are some of my notes on previous final assignments given on this course, with a focus on some of the practical issues in presenting:
* Start strong and clear. Presenting skills are nearly always more effective if audiences feel involved and have a clear orientation to your topic. This is why the first 30 seconds of a presentation are crucial. Regardless of how nervous you are, it is important not to rush at the beginning. Make sure that your 'hook' and topic overview are clear and that your keywords are accessible to the audience. Don't overwhelm the audience with too much information at the start.
* If you use prepared visual resources such as PowerPoint, be ready to improvise if an audience has a question or something is not clear. In every presentation there will be unplanned moments. Don't be surprised when they come. Often it is a good idea to have a flipchart handy to write down words (especially words from another language or technical words) which audiences may not know.
* Previewing can work wonders in focusing an audience's attention: 'In this presentation I will first tell you about.....and then go on to give you some examples of....' This kind of language settles an audience and prepares them for your material.
* Audiences can also be reassured by limited focus. You may need to narrow down your field. For example: 'This is obviously a vast topic, and today I will limit myself to only two aspects of it....'; 'I know that there is too much information on this slide, but I just want to draw your attention to one detail here.....'
* If you use PowerPoint, remember the two channels of communication - seeing and listening - that the audience is engaged in. The presentation is not what is on the screen, but the interaction between what you say and what the screen shows. If you look at a slide or point to something, this has special significance for the audience. You are highlighting or pointing out some detail. But if you do this for every slide the PowerPoint tends to take over your voice.
However, reading and listening at the same time can overload an audience's attention. If you use text-intensive slides make sure that you give people a chance to absorb the textual information on the slide as well as hear your voice.
If you are presenting a series of bullet points, work through the points in the order shown on the slide, or introduce the points visually one by one. Make sure you pause between points. Edit out unnecessary bits of text.
* Remember that audiences can easily listen and watch at the same time - you do not need to repeat everything that is on a slide. The best PowerPoint presenting occurs when we are engaged with a speaker's voice and the screen provides illustration. The voice does not repeat the screen, but develops it and extends it.
* If you use PowerPoint, stand outside the light source to the left or right of the screen. Too many shadows can interfere with an audience's attention. If you point, don't touch the screen. Use an illuminated pointer if you can get hold of one.
* Be ready for technology to break down. It can happen, even with the best equipment. Check your PowerPoint slide sequence just before you present, and make sure that you have a print copy of your speaker's notes.
For major presentations, carry with you overhead transparencies (OHPs) of your slides, just in case. If possible, check equipment (including microphones) before you present and find out where you can get technical assistance if needed. This is especially important if you are presenting away from home or you wish to show a piece of video or online material.
Expect the unexpected. Always be ready to speak without technology. See Catina's story under 'Presentation Stories' for a classic example of how technology can let a presenter down at the last moment.
* Never underestimate the power of the human voice to get people interested in a topic. Presentations can succeed with few or no visual aids.
* Eye Contact: make sure that you give both sides of the audience - left and right - equal attention as well as those in the middle. It is easy to slip into a 'rightward' or 'leftward' gaze when presenting, or to look only at the people seated in front of you. Practise this by consciously changing your body stance and eye direction.
* Pause (1...2....3.....) at transition points and when introducing (new) keywords (1...2). These pauses refresh the audience's attention.
* Practise standing in open space rather than close to a table or wall. It is tempting to use furniture as a 'support' but presenting is usually more effective if you are able to move your hands freely and you are not leaning or resting on anything. If you need to sit for personal or medical reasons, make sure that you sit in a central position with good sight-lines to as much of the audience as possible. Avoid slouching forward and putting your hands too close to your face.
* If you use notes, put them on cards which are easy to hold. Avoid having lots of pieces of paper. You may have noticed in the past that many presenters have notes but rarely or never refer to them. Notes can be useful for quick reminders only.
* Rather than having pages of notes, try using a one-page overview plan (see Dubravka's diagram at 'Organising Material').
* If you feel more comfortable reading from prepared material, fine - but make sure that you look up after each sentence and check that the audience is with you. Use opportunities like giving examples or highlighting a detail to depart from your script. The combination of scripted/unscripted talk can be very engaging.
* Objects can have a powerful effect during presentations. The shift of attention from speaker to object - or from screen to object - can be memorable and get a point across much more effectively than a slide.
* Involving an audience does not have to mean asking direct questions. Look out for opportunities to ask indirect questions using 'you': 'Many of you may have seen the film.....'; 'I'm sure that all of you have heard about the problem of global warming....'; 'If you live in The Hague you may be familiar with..'
This kind of language recognises the audience's experience and invites them into your topic. However, watch out for exclusive phrases: 'I'm sure you will all agree with me...'; 'There can be no doubt that...' These can be misleading.
* Handouts can be a good way of supporting your presentation and giving the audience something to remember you by. Keep your handouts as brief as possible (one or two pages) and always include the title of your presentation and contact details. If you refer to books or articles or statutes in your presentation, make sure that these are listed on the handout. Bibliographies are often requested after good presentations.
In a medium or longer presentation, referring audiences to your handout ('Could I ask everyone to look at figure 1 in the handout?') can be effective in refreshing attention and changing the rhythm of your talk. For reading long sections of text or quotations, a handout is much more reader-friendly than a slide on a screen.
If you want an audience to respond to something like a text on a handout, remember that they need time to read it and prepare a response. During this reading time, try not to interrupt with additional comments and try to keep still, preferably using the time to read the same extract yourself.
* Pick yourself up and move on quickly after a mistake or 'glitch'. Everyone has moments in presentations when they momentarily 'break down' - forget a word, need to refer to notes, cough, lose track, or have problems with the voice. The key thing is repairing, getting back on track, and not drawing attention to what you think is a 'mistake'. These small 'breakdown' moments are entirely normal - everyone has them - and moving on is the best thing to do.
Good luck on the course, and in all future presentations!
