Brown University



Beyond PowerPoint- Presentation Style for Medical EducatorsImproving presentation skills requires understanding the three interlocking parts of any presentation and improving each one in turn. Effective presentations combine the following:A Message that is short, focused, and relevantVisuals that are simply designed and unclutteredA Delivery that is natural, authentic, and conversationalMessageThe message is king. Your job is to master the content, organize it well, fill it with meaning, and make it accessible for your audience. “If you want to improve your presentation, start by improving the content”OrganizationStart organizing content by asking “What is my central point?” or. “If they remember just one thing about this presentation, what do I want it to be?” Establish relevance with the audience-emphasize the “why” to inspire connection with material; as opposed to “what” to know for an exam or “how” something worksDevelop your talk around ideas, without using a prescribed bullet point format. Use paper or a whiteboard to sketch out ideas: it helps you identify key points and visualize a logical flow; similar to the process of creating a storyboard. Using sticky notes allows you to easily rearrange ideas on the white boardThe more you use stories around your ideas, the more likely you will connect with your audience. For many in clinical practice, the best examples are the actual clinical cases you see. Restraint After brainstorming for ideas or stories that support your central point, you must organize them and maintain focus. Keeping your central purpose in mind, everything in the presentation should descend from and relate to it. Your goal should be to reduce, restrict, and refine until you have 3-4 ideas left that support the central purposeA word about presenting data: Your job is to sift through the data, summarize, interpret, present it clearly, draw conclusions, and help the audience find meaning in it. Avoid dumping large amounts of data on the audience.“If you want to improve your presentation, get less content”StructureMake the presentation flow with a basic structure- A good general structure for a presentation is: 1. Begin with a central purpose. Create a powerful introduction2. Describe the problem at hand. 3. Describe, with specific examples, how it relates to your audience4. Provide information about how to improve the problem. (your 3-4 key points)5. Describe the next steps-a call to action. Cycle back to central purpose.Remember that what you say last will be remembered most, so be sure to re-emphasize your central point at the end. VisualsThe operative word for your visuals is simplicity-the less clutter on your slides, the more powerful your visual message will become.Slides should be as visual as possible and support your main points quickly, efficiently, and powerfully. The visuals should be a necessary component of the talk, not overpowering the presenter, and not just decoration or reminder notes. Visual are meant to support your narration as a speaker, not make you superfluous. There is no “correct” formula or agreed upon set of rules for slide design, but…if you’d like to improve immediately do these simple things:Use sans serif fonts; they are generally best for large presentations, and make sure it can be read from the back of the room. Make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them. Never turn your back on the audience and read text from the slide word for word. It diminishes your credibility Avoid bullet points on slidesAvoid clipart images. As much as possible, use high quality stock photography images.Avoid flashy transitions-the dissolves, spins, words wooshing in or out, or small creatures doing jumping jacks in the corner of the screen. These often do little to support the message and can be distracting. Your time is better spent crafting the message and mastering your delivery. Nothing in your slide should be superfluous, ever.DeliveryTips to appear confident, relaxed, and professionalStand tall-don’t rock, sway, shuffle, or leanKeep your head and eyes upSmile-sincerelyNever retreat from the audienceMove with purpose, energy, and enthusiasmTips to avoid verbal fillersIdentify them. To improve, you must videotape yourself or solicit honest feedbackRecognize patterns (typically at the transition points of a presentation or thought)AnticipatePause and resist the urge to fillTips to reduce anxietyRehearse in 3-5 minute segments. Memorize the first 2 minutes-when you nail it, it will help you settle into a rhythm.Videotape yourself; audiotapeUse speaker notesVisualize successDeep breathingExerciseBe Yourself!If nothing else, take comfort in knowing that the audience wants you to succeed!Tips for engaging your audienceTell them up front that participation is expectedAsk a question and wait for a responseSay “write this down”Use props-maps, flipcharts, dry erase boards, drawings. Set them up throughout the room to create movement and energyUse an outline that requires them to fill in the blankUse them in your stories or examplesUse names. Helps refocus the audienceAsk their opinionConduct a survey: Show of handsGroup discussions and assignmentsShare something current and relevantUse short video clips that match your messageReward someone for a correct responseSuggested ResourcesBooksThe Exceptional PresenterBy Tim Koegel ZenSimple Ideas on Presentation Design and DeliveryBy Garr Reynolds Zen DesignSimple Design Principles and Techniques to Enhance Your PresentationsBy Garr Reynolds Naked PresenterDelivering Powerful Presentations With or Without SlidesBy Garr Reynolds The Art and Science of Creating Great PresentationsBy Nancy Duarte Visual Stories That Transform Audiences By Nancy Duarte Bullet PointsBy Cliff Atkinson by Edward Tufte (for the advanced learner)“Four Type Rules For Presentations”“What are the best fonts for making powerpoint presentation slides?”“Top 10 Presentations Ever”“Effective Presentation Techniques”“10 Rules to Instantly Improve Your Presentations” and Point (great creative examples of Powerpoint and Keynote presentations) Duarte Kawasaki Reynolds Godin Presentations (Video)The Last Lecture-Randy Pausch (incredibly inspirational) Hardt-Keynote Identity 2.0, Design, Entertainment (TED) Demetri Martin (low-tech presentation, hilarious) images ................
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