PRESENTATION SKILL - What is a Presentation?

The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation.  These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication.  This article is an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation which will also lay the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication which can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered.  A presentation concerns getting a message across to the listeners and may often contain a 'persuasive' element, for example a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Context

When and where will you deliver your presentation?  Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?  Will it be within a formal work setting, or a less formal, social setting?  Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?  And are you already familiar with the audience?

Presenter

The presenter communicates with the audience and controls the presentation.

Audience

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).  However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

Message

The message, or messages, are delivered by the presenter to the audience.  The message is delivered not just by the spoken word (verbal communication) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact (non-verbal communication), and visual aids.

Reaction

The audience’s reaction and success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether the presenter’s message was effectively communicated.

Method

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, today there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience, for example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.  As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.  

Source: SkillsYouNeed.com