!PRESENTER

DOs & DON’Ts !Helpful Tips

DO - Think Before You Design !‣ Work with moderator (if applicable) to

understand the overall purpose of session. ‣ Brainstorm away from computer about the

story you want to tell. ‣ Use whiteboard, sticky notes, notecards,

pen/paper, or whatever else helps you think creatively.

‣ Outline your goals for the presentation – your core point, key themes, flow, and how it all fits together.

‣ Give yourself enough time for thoughts to marinate and coalesce. !

DON’T - Design Impulsively !‣ Let your thinking be boxed in by a

common presentation format, like Powerpoint (you may decide to use another format like Prezi, video, or even role playing, to visually present your content)

‣ Start typing bullets or adding content without rhyme or reason.

‣ Try to fully recreate your paper or abstract in bullet form in your visuals. !

DO - Plan for Engagement !‣ Simplicity – keep it simply focused on

driving home your core point. Everything you present should support that.

‣ Unexpectedness – Surprise your audience with something they didn’t already know, to stimulate interest.

‣ Concreteness – Use natural speech and real examples to be relatable.

‣ Credibility – Let the moderator sing your praises, to imbue credibility,

‣ Evoke emotion – Show your passion and excitement for what you are presenting.

‣ Tell a story – Take attendees on a journey through your content. !!!

DON’T - Forget Your Audience

!‣ Overcomplicate things and overwhelm

your audience by trying to stuff too many key messages into your presentation.

‣ Deliver expected, dated or known information and insights.

‣ Toot your own horn and go on and on about your own accomplishments in your introduction and throughout your presentation.

‣ Approach content and delivery with a flat and detached sensibility.

‣ Think all that matters are facts and statistics that are devoid of context and bigger meaning.

PLANNING

DO - Follow Design Best Practices

!‣ Remember that design is not for design

sake, but for directing attention to core messages.

‣ Match presentation software to your presentation goals (for example, Powerpoint is great for fact-telling; Prezi is great for non-linear presentations).

‣ Incorporate visual imagery. Pictures tell a thousand words and images help people retain information.

‣ Use color to create interest, highlight core points, and reinforce branding.

‣ Apply a less-is-more approach for content, colors, text, images, charts, etc.

‣ Make font readable – if you can read it in Powerpoint’s slide sorter, you can read it from the back of a conference room.

DON’T - Forget Clean Design

!‣ Put the focus on you, but instead on what

you are trying to convey. ‣ Put random things on slides with idea of

“decorating” them. ‣ Force people to read and listen at the

same time by including large amounts of text in visuals.

‣ Use and be constrained by pre-loaded or software-provided templates.

‣ Use tiny font sizes, busy charts, and chaotic imagery.

‣ Feel compelled to fill all available space in a visual.

‣ Use boring and expected clip art; and expensive stock imagery, unless you have to.

‣ Be afraid of white space. !

DO - Bring out your inner TED !‣ Practice, practice, practice; try multiple

sessions with different audiences, using increasingly refined visuals and speaking points.

‣ Start with a script to accompany your visuals, and refine down into concise points, with word/symbol prompts.

‣ Provide moderators with information about yourself related to the specific topic.

‣ Ensure moderators have your correct name, title, and spelling.

‣ Respect conference protocols for timing, structure of Q&A and other requirements.

‣ Repeat audience questions, if the moderator or MC does not.

‣ Show your enthusiasm, passion, and interest in what you are presenting! !

DON’T - Fail to Engage Audience

!‣ Assume you can wing it and succeed, or that

your charm, outfit, or results alone can replace planning, clean visual design, and practice.

‣ Present thinly veiled or blatant sales pitches about either you or your company.

‣ Write full sentences on your notes or note cards, because it will be tempting to read them.

‣ Read your talking points verbatim. ‣ Distribute handouts during your

presentation that will distract the audience. ‣ Wait too long to get the audience involved;

the longer you wait, the harder it will be to engage them.

‣ Forget to thank your fellow presenters and panelists, moderator, audience, and AESP.

DESIGN

PRESENTATION