slide rules (design, build, and archive presentations in the engineering and technical fields) ||...

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Slide Rules: Design, Build, and Archive Presentations in the Engineering and Technical Fields, First Edition.

Traci Nathans-Kelly and Christine G. Nicometo.

© 2014 The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Published 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Understand Audience Needs

Knowing how to anticipate audience needs is an essential skill every technical presenter should have. Whether the audience needs to know more about technical details, production times, ROI, or client appeal, the savvy presenter must address those concerns. In this chapter, we discuss scope of content and how to connect to the audience. We touch upon the use of elevator talks as a means of audience analysis and discuss the challenges of approach complex technical topics for diverse audiences. Finally, we address all of those pesky “getting ready” logistical questions that speakers need to resolve before giving a talk.

Scope content toward identified purpose

In Chapter 2, we worked through a preparation scenario for a talk that was targeted

toward a specific audience. Because of the range of audiences that engineers and

technical specialists address in their presentations, choosing a single scenario

inevitably leaves out major categories of audiences that we know are crucial to the

work that many of our readers do. Because we cannot overstate the importance of

understanding your audience and designing presentations with those needs in

30 3 UNDERSTAND AUDIENCE NEEDS

mind, we offer numerous strategies and reminders throughout the book on ways to

learn about and empathize with your audience during the planning stages.

When we look at poor presentations in any field, one common theme emerges: the

presentations’ content, design, or both reflect only the speakers’ point of view and con-

vey little consideration toward the audience. This problem often manifests itself when

presenters overload audiences with information and detail that is not needed or desired.

A common misfire in technical presentations is burying audiences in a play-by-

play of the work. When a speaker packs a talk with too much detail, it is in an effort

to say, “Look, I did the work.” We understand that impulse. However, that approach

is a fundamental misconception of what the audience usually wants to witness.

Colleagues and clients will usually assume that you did the work and did it well.

There is no need to burden them with every move behind the scenes.

Instead, a technical or scientific talk

should explain an aspect of a project that needs

input, support, or a decision from members of

the audience. In such circumstances, the

speaker needs to provide an appropriate level

of context. Thus, the ability to distill informa-

tion into crucial must-have nuggets is key to

getting stakeholders to understand the work,

pass it on appropriately, and use it to best

organizational advantage. All of this can be

done effectively without rehashing every

move, every data point, and every decision.

After all, meetings and talks are never limited

to what is stated on the agenda. They are rife with

unanswered questions, organizational politics,

unidentified needs, anxiety, budget issues, dead-

lines, technical disagreements, and so forth.

Knowing who will attend your talk and what they

need will ensure your presentation’s success,

marking you as a true subject matter expert.

Learn about your audience first

All too often, technical experts confound their

audiences with talks where the purpose does not

seem to match the content. A product review

soon transforms into a phy sics lesson. A train-

ing session devolves into a financial statement.

A progress report digresses into a discussion

of the viability of just-in-time manufacturing.

Usually, letting the talk’s initial purpose

dissipate is an opportunity lost.

Determining the purpose of your talk and

sticking to it will be appreciated by the audience.

And while good presenters always want to allow

for those valuable side conversations that arise

From the Trenches—From a Senior Technical Specialist at a Major U.S. Food Manufacturer

When we are analyzing the audience, what are we analyzing for?

Most of my presentations are data-driven. I’m stuck with graphs and charts and the like, which means a tremendous amount of work went into experiments, data collection, and analysis. To me, data doesn’t lie—[it] tells a story.

Obviously, I am not going to a commercialization meeting loaded with t-tests, ANOVA, and graphs—I am going to summarize [my data] in some digestible form the [audience] can grasp. However, if I am presenting to the tech group, they actually like all that stuff and want to see the graphs, charts, and tables within reason.

To me this is tactics—who am I talking to and in what form can they handle the information?

LEARN ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE FIRST 31

naturally, keep in mind that when you gather people into a room or on a conference call/

video, they want to see a clear return on their time invested.

We have found that the more you involve your audience members in setting the

agenda for the presentation, the more they will participate and contribute to a positive

outcome (see more on agendas in Chapter 6). Whenever possible, try to engage your

intended audience in pre-presentation conversations to determine their needs and perspec-

tives. Depending upon the presentation’s significance and target audience, you might con-

sider employing one or more of these audience analysis strategies and tools:

Individual conversations (via e-mail, phone, or face to face) with key stakeholders

or organizers

Preliminary elevator talks (seemingly casual chats of less than two minutes, or the

length of a typical elevator ride) with stakeholders to warm them up to the agenda

E-mail or paper survey of audience members to gauge levels of interest or knowledge

E-mail or face-to-face solicitation of agenda additions to gauge what the audience

really wants to talk about

Web research on the biographies of key stakeholders to gain additional insight

into their backgrounds and potential areas of concern or expertise

If, due to time constraints or other issues, you are unable to get a clear picture of the

audience ahead of time, consider asking your audience a series of carefully chosen ques-

tions right before you introduce your presentation, as they enter the room. While this

works best for presenters who are comfortable adapting on the fly, it can gain respect and

attention from the audience if a presenter learns to incorporate responses naturally into

the presentation. An example of this tactic might look something like this:

While the audience-input strategy may not work for every type of presentation, it

can help presenters obtain critical information in some circumstances and also create

The audience has gathered in the room and it is about a minute or so ahead of the

official meeting start time. The speaker makes eye contact with a few audience

members and smiles, engaging their attention:

Speaker: As you know, I’m going to be speaking primarily about the SLdR 4321

today; how many of you have worked with this device before? Please raise your

hand if you have.

(Speaker reads the room response, nods, and then continues.)

Speaker: I see we have a quite experienced room here, which is great. For those

of you who raised your hands, how many have had experience with the latest

platform release?

(Speaker scans the room again for feedback, then continues.)

Speaker: Given that we have people here who have little experience as well as some

who have quite a bit of knowledge about the SLdR 4321, I will organize our time

today to quickly provide an overview of the system, take some questions to ensure we

are all on the same page, and then continue on to some of the more complex aspects of

the system. Please stop me if you have questions at any time during my presentation.


goodwill between the presenter and the audience. Of course, that goodwill between

the speaker and the audience only comes from the speaker’s genuine incorporation

of the audience feedback that is provided. Do not deploy this strategy if you are

unable or unwilling to incorporate feedback on the fly. However, if you are unable to

learn about the audience in advance, this strategy can provide crucial background

and save your presentation from missing the mark completely.

Determine the presentation’s purpose

Careful audience analysis should provide the basis for planning the scope of any pres-

entation. Within that scope, there are a few broad types of talks that many technical

professionals create. Thinking carefully about which category your talk fits into as you

plan can help you avoid scope creep, allowing you to stay on target.

Training or instructional talks. These are probably the most clear in their

purpose. Attendees should leave the session with specific information and/or new

skills developed.

Informational talks. These talks and meetings are designed to deliver information,

facts, assessments, or other material for consideration and use by the audience.

Common types of talks in this category include research and development findings,

scientific findings, specification releases, progress reports, and postmortem reviews.

Persuasive talks. At times, informational talks are also persuasive talks when the

purpose is to change the mindset, practices, or functional/organizational behavior

of the attendees. Persuasive talks may be proposals, business plan ideas, budget

requests, Lean initiatives, product development ideas, change strategies, client

marketing, and so forth.

Implementation and planning talks. Building on the foundation that a persua-

sive message can bring, at times a technical talk also needs to motivate the audi-

ence to implement a process, a plan, or a strategy to address organizational needs.

This category might also include failure analysis or postmortem-type meetings in

which audience participation is critical to gathering information. Also consider

talks that spur new processes in this category, such as Lean initiatives, project

planning, Six Sigma work, new procedure rollouts, and team management.

While categorizing your talk into one of these areas is a useful first step in focusing the

content and purpose, you still need to do some brainstorming to custom-fit the talk to

your audience. Go back to the research gathered about the audience and put yourself

in their shoes. Thinking from the audience perspective, ask yourself these questions:

Why would I want to attend a presentation like this?

What would I hope to gain from it?

What would be the optimal scenario for keeping me engaged and focused?

What backstory would I need to understand the goals of the current presentation?

What outcomes am I seeking?

What would define “success” for this talk?

If the expectations of the audience are not abundantly clear, seek more information

from them about their needs. Taking the time to gain this necessary clarification will

ELEVATE THE MOMENT 33

pay off later when you present a targeted, concise, and relevant talk. In addition,

talking to potential participants about your upcoming presentation in advance will

often pique their interest in the topic as well as serve to increase your credibility

with them. Showing the audience that you care about what they want to gain from

the presentation will let them see you as a prepared and confident speaker before you

have uttered a single word.

Examine the goals for a talk

1. On a piece of paper, write down in one sentence the main goal for the talk. Review

necessary meeting notes, e-mails, or other documentation to confirm the goal.

2. Next, think about the audience. What is it they want to know from this talk? (The

answer here could easily be different from your answer to #1.) Are you sure that

your assessment of their expectations is correct? Have you asked around?

3. Given your answers earlier, how can you organize the information in order to

best meet audience needs and expectations?

4. What are the essential ideas that will support your main goal’s reception? Write

them down, post them with sticky notes to the wall, or sketch them in your cal-

endar. Make them visible and in a place that can be revisited conveniently. These

notes will morph into the outline for the talk. As you plan, always try to write

your outline from the perspective of the key audience members.

Elevate the moment

Sometimes the best way to prepare for a talk

is to give a talk. A strategically planned ele-

vator talk can often serve two purposes: gain-

ing insights into audience expectations and

previewing your enthusiasm, insights, and

agenda. Have you ever had a brief encounter

with a person of importance and only later

thought of several questions or comments

you would have liked to mention during that

brief chat? Obviously, given their inherent

impromptu nature, pitching elevator talks

(which, by the way, do not need to take place

in an elevator!) requires a bit of planning

ahead as well as thinking on one’s feet.

To prepare, jot down a few key points or

questions that you would like to communicate

to a couple of strategically valuable audience members if you get the opportunity to

speak with them before your presentation. Preparing these short talks and sample

questions will increase your readiness for the chance encounter, should it happen.

Likewise, once you have prepared your elevator talk material, consider orchestrat-

ing an encounter to obtain the information you want. We often know when and where we

are likely to see certain people: at a meeting, in the hall, outside the break room, etc.

Scanning your prep notes before those moments occur can help you feel ready to bring

up the subject in a confident and casual way.


Assess the audience

Perhaps you have heard this phrase so often that

you think it is just a cliché: know your audience.

Maybe you think you know your audience so

well—because it is the same team week after

week—that you do not need to perform an

audience analysis. Think again. Because of the

dynamic nature of strong technical work,

expectations from your peers are constantly

shifting. Stay ahead of these changes by doing a

good audience analysis each time.

Prepare for a familiar audience

At times, preparing for your audience is easy.

When you are the one who called the meeting

and invited attendees, you know exactly who

will be there. If you are a student, you probably

have a good idea of how the presentation

should happen and who will be in the room to

watch it. Thoughtful presenters will also have a

good idea of possible questions and needs that

must be addressed during the talk or meeting.

For many professionals, the same type

of meeting, review, or presentation occurs

countless times with the same audience, and

some might think it would be strange to try to

rock the boat with new techniques. At the same

time, we can all agree innovation is the back-

bone of successful technical work. Bring that

same spirit to your communication efforts—as

both a person and an organization. Trying new things is essential to lifelong learning

and professional development; unless you initiate change, no change will happen.

It is all too easy to become complacent when preparing for frequently occurring

talks with familiar audiences. But these are the venues where it may be best to test new

presentation techniques. Address problems that have surfaced in the past. Are there ways

to better capture audience attention or input during the meeting and harvest more ideas

and energy during that time instead of simply plodding through an agenda? Are there

better ways to organize the content or flow of the presentation to address audience needs

first, thereby building a case for more attentive consideration of later details? Again,

some careful reflection and audience analysis can help you think these questions through,

identifying opportunities for change and innovation.

Even if there appear to be no areas for improvement in the interactions with the

audience and the content or organization, you can still seize the opportunity to impress

the audience with your initiative to try something new. Each time you stand in front

of an audience, you have a chance to make an impression, no matter how casual or

comfortable you are with those in attendance.

From the Trenches—From a Mechanical Engineer with an Emissions Specialization

It does not matter if you are in an elevator, stairwell, or work cafeteria conversations about your projects with others in your organization are helpful in building your reputation as a technical expert.

In today’s busy workplaces, it is a good idea to initiate conversations with others to find out what they are working on. This can help build relationships and allow you to find out what is going on within your organization. In some cases, you may get a reply question from them where you can use your “pitch” to impress them. At a minimum, it makes for a better work environment for everyone. Sometimes, an initial conversation on a more personal level builds a good working relationship. Once a relationship is established, managers are easier to contact and more receptive to your proposals and influence.

Make sure when talking to others at your company you put a positive spin on “opportunities” you have encountered. If you mention something that is going wrong during your conversation with management, make sure to follow up with a conversation with your boss. This may give him/her time to prepare for follow-up questions from management, avoid having him/her being caught off guard, and provide an opportunity to build trust with you.

The emphasis of your talk should match the audience you are giving it to. Try to tailor the subject of the conversation to hold audience interest. For managers, give the simplest, quickest summary and expand only if requested. Managers tend to be more interested in how the project relates to the overall goals of the company. When talking to peers, conversations at a more technical level may be appropriate but, to hold their interest, focus on how your project will help them. These conversations can build relationships with the people within your organization and help you obtain buy-in from them on future projects.

PREPARE FOR AN UNFAMILIAR AUDIENCE 35

Think of it this way: if you do not impress

immediate coworkers, then you will find harder

to impress those beyond that small circle.

Remember, too, that practicing new approaches

inside this closer circle can aid overall presen-

tation performance. You may find, as many of

our former students have, that your initiative

and innovation cascades out to other presenta-

tions within the organization.

One concern often voiced with trying new

techniques with a comfortable audience is

that speakers fear being seen as “fake” or “too

prepared.” That concern certainly has credence;

as audience members, we tend to most appreci-

ate and engage with those presenters who are

the most natural and “real” during their talk.

However, as contrary as it sounds, developing

naturalness simply takes practice. When trying

out a new technique, be sure you are comfort-

able with the pace and style the first few times.

Use incremental changes each time, building

on your successes.

Then, once the presentation is over, ask

for feedback and critique from colleagues you

respect. If possible, gather written feedback

so that you can get a more detailed set of

observations. While audience members might

take notes that they will feel comfortable shar-

ing with you after the presentation, we have

found it helpful to provide a quick feedback

form (see Figure 3.1). Be considerate of their

time; most audience members will spend a

minute or two completing a form but will not

appreciate having to invest five minutes or

more on such a task.

Prepare for an unfamiliar audience

Preparing a talk for a group of colleagues that you do not know well can be challeng-

ing. You may not understand the dynamics of the key players in the audience. You may

have no way of accessing in advance what they know and do not know. Maybe there

was no time to research their needs via elevator talks, e-mail, or other means. Even

when you have thoroughly researched the audience, you may still walk in unaware of

the power dynamics at play in given group as an outsider. It may seem impossible to

create a targeted presentation when the unknown is all you have.

For the most part, the same set of questions that you would ask yourself about a

known audience will help you get a picture of the unknown audience. For example, if

From the Trenches“Too Technical to Explain”: A Story from Traci and Christine

Several years ago, we taught a presentations course to a graduate student group that consisted of practicing engineers in a highly technical commercial organization. Some of the students were coworkers and had worked together for more than 10 years for the same employer. One student in that group (we will call him “Sam”) was recognized by his peers as the foremost technical expert in the group. While Sam clearly knew a great deal, it quickly became apparent that he was not comfortable when presenting. He struggled to explain his work, often saying it was “just too technical to explain.” As a result, his presentations consisted of slides littered with dozens of bullets and formulas that he read verbatim to his audience. Although his peers and his company respected Sam’s other strengths, they increasingly ran into problems because of his inability to spread his knowledge and inform others of his work in an accessible manner.

Because the sole purpose of our class was to help students communicate more effectively through their presentations, we pushed Sam to work with our presentation techniques and strategies. Initially, he was highly resistant. He retreated to his standard excuse that his work was too technical. We pushed him harder.

Eventually, he relented and tried our techniques. He did a bit of research on his audience and found some new ways to describe what he did. He even tested his presentation on his teenage daughter to ensure that his message was clear and that he was comfortable presenting it.

The day of the presentation came, and Sam gave his talk at his place of employment. Clearly buoyed by the audience’s reception, he was very pleased with his performance and confidently fielded questions. Unlike his previous presentations, this time, his audience actually had questions because they understood what he was talking about. At the close of Q & A, one of his close peers raised his hand and affirmed the thoughts of many in the group: “Sam, in the 10 years I have worked with you, that was the first time I truly understood everything you said. Outstanding job today!”

The moral of the tale is this: never fall back on the excuse that your content is too difficult; complex content simply challenges us to think creatively about how to identify basic components and describe their relationships.

FIGURE 3.1: Feedback can be quick to provide for audience members. If you are

serious about improvement, you need to gather assessments. Asking others to provide feedback

can be easy if you provide a form that does not take too much of their time.

COPING WHEN YOUR TALK GETS HIJACKED 37

you are giving a presentation at a conference or to a new client, you will be able to

make some assumptions about the audience.

They are attending because they are interested in your topic.

They are reasonably well versed in the topic.

They want to learn something new from you.

They want to be impressed.

Do everything that you can in the time prior to the talk to understand what their needs are.

Ask questions of the audience as the group settles in to the room or gathers on the telephone

conference. Use that information to reassess the purpose and relevance of your information

for the group at hand. Talking aloud about changes you plan to make, right then and there,

based on conversations you are having will help them see you as dynamic and flexible.

For instance, you might have the following conversation with an attendee as people arrive:

In the preceding conversation, notice what the speaker was able to achieve in this brief,

casual exchange in the minutes that are often wasted before a presentation begins.

The speaker did a brief audience analysis by asking an attendee to serve as an advocate

for the group. Once the level of knowledge on the TAC components was assessed, the

speaker not only made plans to adjust content but broadcasted those plans publicly to

the group, thereby gaining additional credibility by acknowledging the audience’s

experience. Note also the speaker’s clear intention to do right by the group members

by focusing on their concerns. Again, broadcasting that intention to the group will help

them see that you are there for them, not the other way around.

Coping when your talk gets hijacked

We all have been in meetings where somebody interrupts and then takes over the

meeting in an unwelcome manner. The situation can arise for many reasons, but the way

you handle it as a professional can either control the situation or make it worse.

When an interruption happens, it can be hard to assess what is happening right

away. To gain a sense of the situation, remove yourself just a bit, as if you are observing

from afar. Ask yourself, “Is the interrupter afraid? Nervous? Feeling out of the loop? Is

this person a big-picture person, trying to get you to move along more quickly?” By

polling your own sense of the atmosphere, valuable angles for response can be gained.

Watch the person closely and pick up on the visible cues. If he or she speaks loudly, keep

your voice lower. If that person speaks softly, think about matching the tone. If you have been

Speaker: “So, in general, how much would you say this group has worked with

the TAC components?”

Attendee: “The majority of us worked with them a great deal last year on the

X project. We learned a lot during that process.”

Speaker: “I bet you did! Well, I’ll go into those very briefly then and open up the

room for discussion during that part of my presentation so that I can help answer

any questions based on your experiences. I want to make sure that we spend our

time on topics that are most relevant to your work.”


presenting in a formal fashion and the interrupter speaks in a more casual tone, match that

tone to subtly change the mood of the room. Reflecting these visible cues from that person

will send a message of “I hear you. We are thinking the same thing. Let’s work this out.”

Understand that hierarchies exist, even in the flattest of organizations. If your boss inter-

rupts, take heed. An obvious challenge to your boss will only sabotage the situation. When

you assert yourself too much, you undermine team efforts by making yourself the center of

attention. Casting yourself as an adversary will only harm the team effort in the end.

Here is another thing to think about. Those in management often get promoted for

good technical work inside the organization. However, promotion often leads to a person

becoming distanced from the actual engineering, research, or technical development so

loved at the start of a career. Perhaps your questioner simply wants to feel part of the

process, down in the nitty-gritty of the work again.

As well, if you work with a habitual interrupter, consider approaching that person

in advance, offering to give that person a place on the agenda. If the interrupter

declines, then you can say, “Well, then, I look forward to sharing my information with

you. I think I will need the whole time for the meeting, so let me know in advance if

you change your mind about needed time, ok?” This type of preemptive strike can only

help set the stage for a better meeting.

Ditch the “dumb it down” attitude

When your audience includes people from both inside and outside your specialized

area, you need to pitch the information to nonexperts and experts in the same breath.

It can be a delicate balance.

As a speaker, one of the most damaging mindsets that you can have at this moment

is one that says, “I have to dumb this down for them.” Sustaining such an arrogant

mindset will poison your credibility during the talk. Audience members will hear it in

your voice, and maybe even see it in your slides, and your presentation will miss the

mark. Many engineers and technical professionals struggle with the idea of “dumbing

down” information, thinking that they will lose the significance of their message by

explaining topics in anything but technical terms.

However, during the course of our years of teaching technical professionals and

consulting in engineering workplaces, we have never heard an audience member

complain that a speaker made the information too easy to understand. On the contrary,

we frequently hear complaints that presentations are worthless because the informa-

tion went beyond the knowledge base of the attendees, therefore missing the point of

gathering them together in the first place.

While you may need to translate the information into a format that is more familiar to

your intended audience, avoid labeling this process as “dumbing it down.” Rather, move the

opportunity into a “teaching moment.” You are there to teach the audience about your project.

Most likely, you will be presenting to other people with a vested interest in the topic. They

have their areas of specialization; you have yours. Take the time to reach them with respect

and appropriate means. You are not dumbing down the information; you are acting as an

expert translator. Unless the translation is accurate and thorough, the audience will not walk

away with a correct interpretation of your message. Translating technical knowledge for rela-

tive outsiders takes creativity, thoughtfulness, and empathy. Carefully gauge your audience’s

level of fluency both in preparation and in live interaction before you introduce your topic.

When it comes to making slides for such talks, there are several techniques that

can aid your technical translation work; we will touch on just a few of them here.

DITCH THE “DUMB IT DOWN” ATTITUDE 39

Provide definitions

Acronyms are so pervasive in technical work that they are almost invisible to many practi-

tioners and presenters. To fluent audience members, these acronyms have become an easy

second language. However, there may be newcomers to the organization in attendance who

could use some reassurance that they are unpacking the acronyms correctly. There may also

be some participants who are not “new” to the organization but who appreciate the clarity

that definitions provide. When created well, these basic elements do not need to be discussed

during the talk; they simply need to be provided.

For example, if the acronym “FAS” is used on a slide, the audience may interpret it

as referring to any of these common usages: Foreign Agricultural Service, Fueling at Sea,

or Functional Account Symbol. Or, similarly, if referring to the World Health Organization

as WHO, remember that some of your French-speaking colleagues refer to it as the OMS,

Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. What is obvious to you may be unclear to them.

So, use some of the slide’s acreage to provide an interpretation of these elements.

See Figure 3.2 and Figure 3.3 for examples. Alternatively, you can provide a handout

that supplies definitions and clarifications for complex technical terms used in your

presentation. Also, defining acronyms in the slide’s notes pane (see Chapter 10) is an

excellent practice for long-term archival needs.

Explain graphically

The saying that a “picture is worth a thousand words” was never more apt than when

a speaker needs to address veterans and novices in the same presentation. In those

instances, a graphic can capture popular and specialized knowledge in one fell swoop.

For example, look at the slide progression in Figure 3.4, Figure 3.5, and Figure 3.6,

FIGURE 3.2: Clarify specialized terms and acronyms as needed. When you take the

time to define terms and acronyms, everyone in the room benefits. In this example, the slide explains

the acronyms for those who need clarification, freeing the speaker from wasting time explaining

them to the entire audience.


FIGURE 3.3: Translate complex language graciously. If you think that someone in the

audience may not know key terms, quietly address those needs by including a glossary, as needed,

during the talk. A handout could also accomplish this task. To cut down on the textual noise that the

definition adds to the slide, you could also try placing the definition in the notes pane and verbally

define the term in the context of the talk (see Chapter 10).

FIGURE 3.4: Start with the basics (shown: layer 1). To ensure complete audience

understanding, the speaker began by explaining where stem cells can be harvested from and

how they differ from other cell types in the body. The basic visual he uses here was obtained

through another source that he cites [1, 2] and then adapts with his own animations, as shown in

Figure 3.5 and Figure 3.6.

DITCH THE “DUMB IT DOWN” ATTITUDE 41

FIGURE 3.5: Transition to harder ideas (layer two). Working toward the concept of

differentiation, he describes the theories behind this process that are specific to differentiating

stem cells into nerve cells.

FIGURE 3.6: Conclude with specifics (layer three). Finally, he uses yet another visual

transition to signal that his research used neurons and that he will be discussing nerve cell differentiation techniques for the remainder of the talk (thereby signaling that the background

discussion was complete).


taken from a talk given to a mixed group of biomedical specialists as well as interested

public participants. Given the abundance of discussion on stem cells in the public

sphere, this speaker knew that some audience members might have some misunder-

standings about what stem cells were, how they could be used, and how his research

uses them. Because providing this background context would be unnecessary for

the experts in his audience, he wanted to move through it quickly, yet thoroughly.

After drafting several different strategies, he discovered a base visual in one of

his source articles that he could use to help tell his story in a quick series of

animations.

Distill the data

While technically minded folks love their data sets, unfiltered data is often not a great

fit for most audiences. Strong technical communicators know when to present all of

their data in a talk (rarely) and when to distill the main points for those in attendance

(often).

Remember, managers and other team members will assume that you are doing

a thorough job. To that end, get to the point, even with your visuals. You do not need

to show every cell of your spreadsheet to communicate that you did some good,

hard work. On the contrary, your audience will see you as a more astute and sophis-

ticated professional if you can get succinct information to them via an efficient

channel. Speak clearly with take-away points, and design slides to support your

analysis.

For example, in Figure 3.7, the speaker created a slide that shows every single

point that researchers collected in an analysis. The result is a slide that is unreadable.

The best parts are the color-coded indicators on the right side, but the slide really fails

to communicate its meaning altogether.

Upon review and reflection, the speaker decided that what needed to be empha-

sized was that the South Line Machine was kicking out low boundary runs, which was

a problem that needed to be addressed. A revised visual (Figure 3.8) replaces the over-

done data sheet with a clear picture of the situation.

Now let us look at how to revise bullets so they better reach your audience.

While much of the rest of this book provides various ways to lessen the reliance on

bullets, this example set, in Figure 3.9 and Figure 3.10, shows a quick summary of

the overall idea.

Think of audience needs, not yours

Do not fall back into old planning habits. Planning a presentation should no longer

mean opening up PowerPoint and typing in your agenda. Begin better. Put audiences

first. Learn about them, plan your points to speak directly to them, and organize those

points to tell a coherent and connected story to them.

Quit using slides as a crutch; rather, use them as a means to engage and illustrate a

story for the audience. The more you tailor the message directly to the audience, the

more effective you will be as a presenter. Begin well by planning deliberately and editing

exhaustively. Avoid detail that does not matter to the audience. Instead, think of the big

ideas that must be communicated to the audience and work backward to carefully vet any

details that may need to be added verbally or in the notes pane.

THINK OF AUDIENCE NEEDS, NOT YOURS 43

FIGURE 3.7: Avoid the data dump. Technical experts love their data points, but showing

every cell or point often gets in the way of effective communication. Slides that look like this will

fail because they present too much unfiltered information for the audience to sift through. The

small font makes the task even more daunting.

FIGURE 3.8: Distill for clarity. This is a revision of the previous figure that makes it clear

where the problem lies (the South Line). There was no need for this speaker to give all of the col-

lected data points to the team. Rather, the results of that data needed to be pulled out and inter-

preted. In this version, the speaker accomplished that goal. Notice, too, the new sentence header;

for more on using full- sentence headers, see Chapter 5.


FIGURE 3.10: Provide the important big picture. Get to the point quickly instead of

using your presentation time to showcase data collection (as in Figure 3.9). This reconfigured slide

amplifies the magnitude of the problem and brings it to management’s attention. The sentence

header provides the main point and the visual in the middle showcases the important findings.

FIGURE 3.9: Skip the minutiae. Remember that it is more likely that your audience wants

the big picture, not the minutiae. Poor slides, such as this one, are attempts by speakers to self-

validate; the misfire here is providing an unvetted information dump in an attempt to prove that

the data was, indeed, collected. However, this type of slide does little for the audience it is sup-

posed to serve. Figure 3.10 shows a better approach.

THINK ABOUT LOGISTICS 45

Plan with purpose to avoid the typical traps of old preparation habits. In this way,

you can break the mold of what you have seen before and start a new practice that

others can model in the future.

Think about logistics

Once you have developed the content of the presentation or

meeting, give some consideration to the space in which you

will be delivering your message. Logistical issues vary

greatly from on-site meetings to Web-based or conference

call meetings, and you need to be prepared to make an

effective presentation, regardless of the meeting space.

If you cannot handle the logistics, it can damage your

credibility in the eyes of your audience.

Prepare for a face-to-face meeting

1. How formal will the meeting be? Should you be

more formally dressed than the audience? Or would

that seem odd?

2. Do you need to send out an agenda?

3. Have you gauged your time to your content? Are

you likely to run over on time? Is this allowable?

What repercussions happen if you do not get out all

of your message?

4. Should you prepare slides? Or would another

approach work better?

5. Will you have an audience in the room with you, or

will you be presenting via Web conference or some other distributed meeting

venue?

6. How will you take notes and run the meeting at the same time? Do you need to

ask for a volunteer to take notes, record action items, and help with the online

interactions?

Think about the room

1. When talking, will you be standing up or sitting down at a conference table?

Will you be standing behind a podium? (If you can avoid the podium, do so;

it is just a barrier.)

2. Will the room be small, large, or arena-like? What is usual for the venue? Does

it make sense to break the mold?

3. Test your voice in the room. Does it carry well? Will you need to have a

microphone of some sort?

4. Does the room echo? If so, is there anything you can do to alleviate the

problem?

5. Do microphones need backup batteries or adjusting for volume or feedback?


6. If you are using slides, where is the screen in the room? Will it be easy for

everyone to see? Where are the best places for you to stand so as not to cover

up the screen for any participants in the room?

7. If using a laptop or tablet, where do you need to position it to connect to a

projector? How does that placement help or hinder your presentation

needs?

8. Will everyone be able to see the whole slide, or is there a chance that part of

the slide (the bottom? top?) might be obscured? Adjust your slide design to

accommodate the peculiarities of the room’s projection capabilities, especially

if a flat screen TV is your projection mode.

9. If you will be using slides, how will you point to parts of the slide? A laser

pointer is often hard for audience members to see and can also show hand

tremors. Sometimes walking over to the projected slide is not feasible. Maybe

using shapes or a stick pointer would be good solutions. Consider the posi-

tives and negatives of each approach. (See Chapter 7’s FAQ.)

10. How is the room’s lighting scheme? Is it too bright for your slides to project

well? Is it too dark for attendees to see you when your slides are projected?

Do your slides need higher contrast?

11. Do you need a clicker to advance the slides? Will you use your keyboard? Or

will you ask a colleague to advance the slides for you?

While the room checklist from the preceding text might seem overly detailed, it

represents a mere sample of the typical ways that otherwise excellent presenters

have been derailed by a casual oversight in planning. By thinking about the

logistics of your presentation in advance, you can rest assured that you have done

your best to prepare and to avoid having to start the talk with any excuses or

apologies.

Beyond simply avoiding a negative start, preparing for the surroundings can also

help you feel more comfortable in the space and can provide a chance to better

visualize a successful performance. Once you know the venue well, picturing your-

self in it delivering a masterful presentation to an engaged audience becomes a much

easier exercise.

Think about the online venue

Preparation for an online presentation is a different exercise from preparing for a

face-to-face encounter. Most obviously, there may be no physical space in which you

will be interacting with the audience, but there are also other ways in which an online

venue differs. Preparing for some of the possible challenges will help ensure that your

online credibility remains strong.

1. In planning your meeting, have you considered time zones?

2. Have you sent out complete and succinct instructions for accessing the meeting

well in advance?

3. Have you installed and tested the delivery platform? Have you ensured that all

participants can access it without difficulty?

4. Do you understand how to use the functions such as slide sharing, desktop

sharing, mute, and markup?

THINK ABOUT LOGISTICS 47

5. Have you or your supporting IT department eliminated any firewalls or other

delivery speed bumps?

6. Have you checked the functionality of the mute buttons, speaker buttons, and

participant buttons?

7. Have you practiced with the delivery platform to understand any time delays?

8. Have you recorded yourself to test your vocal delivery and ensure lively,

engaging, and audible vocal range for the talk?

9. Have you selected a delivery platform that can communicate any specialized

elements, such as displaying CAD in motion?

10. If the delivery platform allows participants to type in questions into a chat

box, how will you handle those? Will you have a helper vet such items and

interject them at appropriate times? Or will you handle all of these elements

yourself as well?

11. If you are using slides for a webinar or online meeting, how will you accom-

modate them visually? (A laser pointer will obviously not work.)

12. Have you created slides that will help your audience understand your

material? Have you tested the deck to ensure easy upload for all

participants?

13. Will you be able to send slides in advance in case of technical failure?

14. If participants print out your slides, will they work in black and white?

15. Will your Web conferencing site handle any animations that are embedded

into a slide?

Engage audience members both in the room and online

1. How will you ensure that online participants are following the talk?

a. Will you take check-in pauses at intervals to field questions?

b. Will you ask questions of particular audience members to check for attention

and retention?

c. Can you build in interactive moments to ask participants to respond to

questions or polls?

2. As most participants on the phone line will be on mute, how will you ensure

that you are engaging the audience as a presenter when you cannot see them or

hear them? Think about the following tactics:

a. Test your vocal variety by replacing facial expressions and body

language with intonation changes and planned pauses. In live presenta-

tions, we often rely upon our entire body to tell a story to our audience.

Because we only have one communication medium (outside of our

slides) in most online presentations, our voices have to do more work on

our behalf.

b. Review your vocal strength by recording yourself. Most phones, laptops,

and tablets have apps or wizards that make this extremely easy to do. Certain

pitch ranges are difficult to pick up via speaker phone and require extra

preparation exercises or device setup. Testing your range ahead of time can

save the trouble of redoing your presentation later when you realize others

could not hear you.


c. Prepare to mitigate or eliminate any background environment noises.

Is there construction going on in your building that will make the audio

frustrating to hear for your audience? Is there the potential for the presenta-

tion to get interrupted by a colleague or group? (If so, put a sign on your

door if possible to alert others of the Web conference activity.) Is there a

quiet spot where you can ensure your ability to concentrate and also ensure

a clean audio pickup for your participants?

References

[1] NICHD Grant for Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproductive Research,

University of Kansas Medical Center, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Pluripotent Stem Cells, University of Kansas, 2013. Available at http://gme.kumc.edu/images-and-video.html

(accessed on April 25, 2013).

[2] J. Thomson, Stem Cell Research Basics: Introduction, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Available at http://www.biologyjunction.com/stemcell_article.htm (accessed on April

25, 2013).

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