Guidelines for Giving Effective Formal Presentations

Rule 1: Plan & Practice

• Without planning presentations appear thrown together
• Without practice you appear unprepared

Rule 2: Use the Spellchecker

• There is no excuse for misspelling!
• Why should your customer trust your engineering quality if you have no quality control over your presentation?

Rule 3: Don't read or memorize

• How would you like it if professors read from the textbook?
• Guaranteed to produce boredom
• Use bullets to trigger thoughts
• Speak extemporaneously
• Practice out-loud in front of your teammates
• Requires planning ahead (see rule 1)

Rule 4: Avoid "um", "and uh", "ya know", etc.

• This habit stems from not practicing enough (see rule #1)
• Slow down your speech
• Deliberate as you speak
• Don't apologize for being nervous

Rule 5: Be Honest and Forthright

• Fallacy: "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit."
• People know when they are being bamboozled. Better to just take your lumps: If you don't know the answer to a question, admit it.
• Speak with sincerity and integrity

Rule 6: Display Confidence

• Expect to be challenged on your ideas
• Don't take questions as a personal attack
• Defensive Response = Added Attack
• Open Response = Greater Latitude and Understanding

Rule 7: Don't be Apathetic or Nonchalant

• If you don't care, why should your customer care?
• If you don't care, why should your manager support you?
• If you don't care, why should your audience listen?
• An apathetic presentation is a waste of everyone's time

Rule 8: Show Professional Courtesy to Colleagues

• Be on time for other presentations
• Give your full attention to the presentations of others
• Be prepared to ask questions about other presentations, but be certain to phrase them professionally: Avoid negative phasing or persistent attack. If you do not receive an adequate answer promptly, hold follow-ups for a later "off-line" discussion.

Rule 9: Anticipate Questions

• You know your design better than anyone
• Think about the parts which will raise questions or doubts.
• Think about the areas in your presentation which may be unclear.
• Plan ahead (see rule1) and prepare some holdback slides to address potentially confusing points.
• Demonstrate foresight and initiative.

Rule 10: Expect Equipment Failure

• Fancy equipment is impressive...unless it doesn't work!
• Know how to use your equipment
• Keep a set of hardcopy slides just in case
• Have an extra bulb for the overhead projector

Rule 11: Design Readable Slides; avoid clutter!

• 18 point font size or larger
• 7 bullets or less
• 7 words per bullet or less
• Separate complex ideas onto multiple slides
• Provide "navigation": Briefly walk through a talk outline up front, then refer to it occasionally throughout.
• Get your priorities straight: What ideas are the most key or central? Focus your talk around these.

Rule 12: Dress Professionally

• Appearance defines first impressions
• Professional appearance commands greater respect from the audience
• Professional appearance implies that the speaker takes the presentation seriously
• Professional Appearance = cleanliness + neatness + clothing + posture