ISM20 – Project management and Research Methods

Research Methodology

Making presentations.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

OUTLINE

Introduction

• Making presentations, Put your audience first!

• Speaking style, Time keeping

• Using notes, Composure

• Practical issues, pitfalls to avoid Preparing the content

• Tell `em, Tell `em, and Tell `em

• Visual aids What makes a good presentation? - Some guidelines Conclusions References

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Making presentations

The aim is good, clear communication.

Most people are afraid of public speaking.

There is no substitute for preparation.

Collect and order relevant material.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Put your audience first!

Prepare the opening sentences carefully. Use a non-technical opening…… but only if it’s

relevant. Avoid openings like “Thank you Mr Chairman for those

kind words. It is a great pleasure to be here again in this great ……”

Throw your audience straight into the story “Is it possible to improve on the reliability of Airbus software?”

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Speaking style.

An informal, conversational style is best. Avoid long, complicated sentences. Vary tone of voice to give expression. Vary the speed of delivery to provide

emphasis. But don’t speak too quickly: fast deliveries

are difficult to understand.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Time keeping.

Don’t speak for too long. People remember up to 40% of a 15 minute

talk, but only 20% after 45 minutes. Assume a presentation rate of 100 words

per minute. Keep to time!

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Using notes.

NEVER read a script. Write out the text. List the key words to form your notes. Produce notes on cards rather than paper. Keep notes in order with a treasury tag. Practise… in front of a mirror!

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Composure.

Hold your notes in one hand; let the other hang by your side.

Look at the audience - but not at one person!

Start slowly, having learned the first sentence.

Be aware of mannerisms and repeated gestures.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: Practical issues

Explore the layout of the lecture room BEFOREHAND.

Understand how to control the projectors, microphones, lights, video…..

Do not speak while turning away from the microphone to look at a slide.

Overhead projectors should project upwards Do not obscure the slide projection.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: pitfalls to avoid

Never, NEVER apologies for being an inexperienced speaker.

Never say “You will have seen all this before”“You will know more about this than I do” Audiences will be embarrassed - they are on your

side. Nervousness leads to uncertainty about your

material.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Introduction: pitfalls to avoid.

Never try to be a stand up comic. Be humorous, but humour is often at

someone’s expense - make it your own. It is easy to offend people -

and lose their sympathy. Humour depends on timing. A joke that falls flat is embarrassing.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

OUTLINE

Introduction

• Making presentations, Put your audience first!

• Speaking style, Time keeping

• Using notes, Composure

• Practical issues, pitfalls to avoid Preparing the content

• Tell `em, Tell `em, and Tell `em

• Visual aids What makes a good presentation? - Some guidelines Conclusions References

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Preparing the content: Tell `em, Tell `em, and Tell `em

The old salesman’s adage contains a good deal of truth: Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; Tell ‘em; Tell ‘em what you’ve just told ‘em.

Don’t pack too much information into a talk.

Start with a brain map - and then order the material into a sequence.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Preparing the content: Visual aids

OHPs can build on one another and are easy to produce.

35mm slides are more professional, easier to manipulate but more difficult to produce.

Computer screen projection is becoming the preferred option.

Laser pointers need practice and can be dangerous.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Preparing the content: Visual aids

To point to an OHP place a pencil on the projector.

Slides should not be cluttered with information.

Use colour to emphasise a point and not for its own sake.

The minimum size font on an OHP should be 16 point.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

OUTLINE

Introduction

• Making presentations, Put your audience first!

• Speaking style, Time keeping

• Using notes, Composure

• Practical issues, pitfalls to avoid Preparing the content

• Tell `em, Tell `em, and Tell `em

• Visual aids What makes a good presentation? - Some guidelines Conclusions References

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

What makes a good presentation? - Some guidelines

Tell ’em 1 Guideline 1 - Consider whom the presentation is designed for. Think about the audience. Do they know much about the subject? Are you using jargon or symbols that they are unfamiliar with? If you are talking to a small number of people, then they should be able to see the

computer screen without any problems. If there are a large number of people, then you will need to use a projector of some sort.

Guideline 2 - Keep the charts simple and uncluttered. Don’t put in any more or any less than is required Guideline 3- Make sure that the charts are legible, even from the back of the room. If you are making a presentation using a projector, then the characters need to be a

minimum of 0.5 cm high for members of the audience who are 100 metres away. For more mature people, the minimum height needs to be 1 cm.

Guideline 4 - Highlight key information Make it easy for the audience to pick out the most important details. Guideline 5 - Focus attention on one concept at a time Make sure that you are not giving the audience too much to think about at any one time. Guideline 6 - Reinforce your conclusion Finish the presentation with a summary of the main points that you want to make sure

that the audience has understood.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good presentation guidelines: Tell ‘m 2

Guideline 1 - Consider whom the presentation is designed for

• The audience• Terminology, Jargon or symbols• Number of people

 

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good presentation guidelines

Guideline 2 - Keep the charts simple and uncluttered.

• Don’t put in any more or any less than is required

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good presentation guidelines

Guideline 3 - Make sure that the charts are legible, even from the back of the room • If you are making a presentation using a

projector, then the characters need to be a minimum of 0.5 cm high for members of the audience who are 100 metres away. For more mature people, the minimum height needs to be 1 cm.

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good presentation guidelines

Guideline 4 - Highlight key information

• Make it easy for the audience to pick out the most important details

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good presentation guidelines

Guideline 5 - Focus attention on one concept at a time

• Make sure that you are not giving the audience too much to think about at any one time

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good presentation guidelines

Guideline 6 - Reinforce your conclusion

• Finish the presentation with a summary of the main points that you want to make sure that the audience has understood

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Presentation Guidelines: Tell ‘m 3

In summary, we have Six Guidelines Who the presentation is designed for Keep charts simple Charts must be legible Highlight key information One concept at a time Reinforce your conclusion

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Project Costs

10. Smart Project Cost Cash Flow Forecast (April 1998 - June 1999)

Months Apr-98 May-98 Jun-98 Jul-98 Aug-98 Sep-98 Oct-98 Nov-98 Dec-98 Jan-99 Feb-99 Mar-99 Apr-99 May-99 Jun-99 TotalExpenditure (£'000)Pay of personnel 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 45000Overheads 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 6000Materials consumed 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 750Consultancy fees 0 0 2500 1000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2500 0 0 0 6000Sub-contract charges 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Fees for trials/mapping data 1000 1000 1500 0 500 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 100 50 50 4300Prepartion of technical manuals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 500Intellectual property costs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 500 1000 1000 3000Capital equipment/hardware 0 0 3000 5000 0 0 0 0 0 500 500 0 0 0 0 9000Market assessment 500 500 0 0 0 0 500 0 0 0 0 0 500 500 500 3000Training 1000 500 500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2000Software 0 0 2500 0 0 0 2500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5000Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total 5950 5450 13450 9450 3950 3450 6450 3450 3450 3950 3950 6550 4550 5000 5500 84550

IncomeDTI 15000 12000 2500 4000 4750 38250Balance 9050 3600 -4400 -1850 -5800 -9250 -13200 -16650 -20100 -20050 -24000 -30550 -30350 -35350 -40850

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Project Costs

Costs per month

020004000

60008000

1000012000

1400016000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Months

Po

un

ds

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Cost by Category

COSTS

52%

7%

1%

7%

5%

1%

4%

11%

4%2%

6%

Pay of personnel

Overheads

Materials consumed

Consultancy fees

Sub-contract charges

Fees for trials/mapping data

Prepartion of technical manuals

Intellectual property costs

Capital equipment/hardware

Market assessment

Training

Software

Other

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

OUTLINE

Introduction

• Making presentations, Put your audience first!

• Speaking style, Time keeping

• Using notes, Composure

• Practical issues, pitfalls to avoid Preparing the content

• Tell `em, Tell `em, and Tell `em

• Visual aids What makes a good presentation? - Some guidelines Conclusions References

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Conclusions

The aim is good, clear communication, there is no substitute for preparation.

In Preparing the content remember to• Tell `em, Tell `em, and Tell `em• Use good Visual aids

Follow good presentation guidelines• Who the presentation is designed for• Keep charts simple• Charts must be legible• Highlight key information• One concept at a time• Reinforce your conclusion

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

References

Campbell, J., (1990), Speak for yourself, BBC Books, London, ISBN 0563215119

Boothe, V., (1984), Communicating in science: writing and speaking, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 052127771 X

Tufte, E., (1983), The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Graphics Press

ISM20 – Project Management and Research Methods

Good luck: better still, prepare thoroughly! And Practice