ten steps to plan your presentation

Ten Steps to Plan Your Presentation Content

Every successful presentation begins with planning. Follow these ten steps every time and you will have an efficient process that leads to solid content.

Begin by deciding on the specific outcome you want to achieve. Focus on that primary goal throughout the planning process. All of your content should relate to this priority.

#1. Start with the end in mind.

#10. Call for action.

Do a data dump during the brainstorm step – not in your presentation! Now is not the time to think about PowerPoint slides with logic and sequence or color and style. Put all your ideas on the table and later you can sort them out. The ideas you generate now are the building blocks for your presentation content.

#2. Brainstorm to gather ideas.


Imagine that the data on this slide is the result of your brainstorm session. It’s a jumble and doesn’t make much sense.

Click ahead to sort, filter, and cluster the material into different aspects of the subject.



#3. Cluster related parts together.

9 4 3 6 A B C D

E F G H

8 2 3 4 1 9

6 7 2 2 5

7 0 4

3 8

One of the hardest things to do is to keep things simple. We have so much to say, we want to include it all. But human brains have limited capacity to take in a lot of new information at once. Too much content lacks focus, so remove everything that does not support your main objective.



#3. Cluster related parts together. 9 4 3 6

A B C D E F G H

8 2 3 4 1 9

6 7 2 2 5

7 0 4

3 8

Now you can see a social security number, a telephone number, and a zip code. This is an example of ‘clustering,’ which is a useful technique for organizing complex content into smaller, more focused parts.

A good practice is to cluster your information into three main points. Think of it as the ‘rule of threes’ since three is an easy amount to remember.




9 4 3 - 6 6 - 7 2 2 5

8 2 3 - 4 1 7 - 2 6 2 5

2 1 0 4 5

The next step is to put your notes in order. An efficient way to do this is to use an outline or a mind map to organize the flow of information. An outline is more linear, while a mind map is typically more visual.




#4. Put your notes in order.

Step #5 is to organize your material in a meaningful way. This presentation uses a numerical sequence to unify the content, and other patterns are below. The idea is to choose an overall organizing scheme to tie the parts together.





#5. Organize in a meaningful way.

Think of your presentation as a story with a logical start-to-finish progression. It should have an Introduction, a Body, and a Conclusion.

The Introduction should capture attention and set the stage for what’s to come. The Body contains your three main points, logically arranged and supported with data. The Conclusion should “bookend” the Introduction, with a review instead of a preview, and a memorable statement that mirrors the beginning.






#6. Prepare a storyline.

I. Introduction A. Capture attention B. Preview the content

II. Body A. Three main points B. Arranged logically C. Supported with data

III. Conclusion A. Review B. Memorable statement

This is what the story outline looks like inside PowerPoint. It fits exactly on ten slides. There are two for the Introduction, two for the Conclusion, and two for each main point.

There are no actual rules for how many slides to use in a PowerPoint presentation. It depends on how much time you have to present and how many details you decide to include. Next, we’ll consider how each factor impacts your presentation planning.







#7. Set up slides.

Introduction

Conclusion

Step #7 is to manage the timing. Allow 15% of your time for the introduction, 75% for the body of your talk, and 10% for the conclusion. For a 20 minute presentation, use three minutes for the introduction, 15 minutes to explain your three main points, and two minutes to wrap things up. When you have even less time, cut out the details in the middle and suffice with an ultra-brief summary of your three main points.







#8. Manage the timing.

#7. Set up slides.

How much detail to include depends on the complexity of your ideas and how much the audience already knows about your topic. A knowledgeable audience will want to see supporting data, while a less informed audience will not be able to absorb it all.

Remember, one of the hardest things to do is keep things simple, because most people can’t remember much more than one or two ideas from an entire presentation. It’s more important to make your main point memorable than for you to cover everything.








#9. Control the details.

#7. Set up slides.

The final step is to conclude your presentation by returning to the specific outcome you desire to achieve. Your closing should have a powerful, action-oriented message. This aspect of your presentation is what the audience will likely remember most. Reinforce your key message by emphasizing what you want your audience to do or remember as you end.

Remember to follow these ten steps to plan your presentation content!








#9. Control the details.

#10. Call for action.

#7. Set up slides.

By Lee Bandy

ten steps to plan your presentation

Technology

cluster related parts

presentation content

brainstorm step

mind map outline

introduction conclusion

powerpoint presentation

presentation planning

brainstorm session