Optimizing Your Formal
Presentation Skills
Eric J. Stern, M.D.
Focusing on…
• Formal presentations
• Medium to large audience
• Computer generated presentation of
some sort
• Lessons transferable
Focusing on…
• Like it or not, most use Powerpoint
• Alternatives (eg. Keynote)
• Expectation:
– you will be talking
– something to project on screen
• Might as well make the best of it!
There is no “right way”
• More than one approach
• Many styles
• Making suggestions only
Objectives
• Understand what makes for a
bad lectur
• Understand what makes for a
good lectur
• Optimize word slides
• Optimize images
• Put it all together and present
efectively
Quality of presenations have
improved over the years!
(IMHO)
For every lecture
How do you prepare?
• You sit at your computer
Lowest Common Denominator
Presentation Preparation
• KISS
• Keep
• It
• Simple
• Senor/a
Presentation Preparation
• Rule of 6
• Font size
• To serif or not to serif
• Use all slide real estate
• Animations
Not Keeping it Simple!
• The background is terrible!
• There is too much text on this slide,
which makes it too busy, because the
text serves as a crutch for the speaker
who is not comfortable with the material
and is trying to cram too much material
onto the slides
• The font is too small, which makes it
hard to read; it is important that you
prepare your slides for the back of the
room
• The animation effects are annoying
• Don’t need all the words
• The lines extend too far inferiorly on the
slide, which make them hard to read
through the back of people’s heads from
the back of the room
• Too many lines!
Presentation Preparation
• Rule of 6
Presentation Preparation
Consider:
–font size
–serifs
–Simple fonts eg. Arial
–Special fonts eg.
Lucida Calligraphy
Font Size 66
• This is 20 font
• This is 28 font—Powerpoint default
• This is 32 font
• This is 36 font
• This is 40 font—Powerpoint Title
• This is 44 font
• This is 54 font
To Serif or not to Serif
• This is a
serif font
T
•This is a
non-serif
font
T
Which is preferred?
Real Life Examples
Avoid Distracting
Backgrounds
• Where was that picture taken
from??
• I wonder how he did that??
• Isn’t that stadium home of World
Champion Seakhawks??
Avoid bad color schemes
• Red and green-- 8-12%
European males
colorblind
Good color schemes
• Easy to read
Good color schemes
• Easy to read
Good color schemes
• Easy to read
• Can be too contrasty
OK color scheme
• Better for print
Venolobar Syndrome
We’re not paying for slides!
• No need to squeeze in
text and images
• Not saving money
• No need to mimic the
old double projection
techniques
• Tends to make text and
images too small
Venolobar Syndrome
Look at all this wasted empty
space!
Venolobar Syndrome
• Regain audience attention every 1015 minutes
!!!
Animations
Animations
Laser Pointer
Lecturalgia—Motion Sickness
• Not Singalong-withMitch
• Use laser
sparingly
Control the Flow
• Animate your text to control flow of
content
• Keeps people from reading ahead
What slide transition have I
been using?
Slide
Transitions
Slide Transitions
•Can be effective
Slide Transitions
• Can be very
distracting
Slide Transitions
•Even be
ANNOYING!
Giving the Presentation
Keep it Fresh
Rehearse!
• Be completely
familiar with
content and
organization of
slides
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Practice,
practice,
practice!
Humor
•
•
•
•
•
•
Builds rapport
Humanizes the speaker
Diffuses tension
Relieves boredom
Makes a point
Memorable
Giving the Presentation
• Nonverbal communication
skills very important
• Gestures and movement
• Positive facial expressions
• Smile
Giving the Presentation
• Speak in
conversational tones
and pace
(110-140 words/minute)
Giving the Presentation
• Enthusiasm/passion
Giving the Presentation
• Speak directly into the microphone
Speak loudly enough so that
everyone can hear you
Speaking Voice
• Lower, relaxed voice
• Has credibility
Record yourself…very enlightening
Avoid Fillers
• “um”
• “uh”
• “ya know”
Let’s mention…
Regular Pauses…
• Builds anticipation
• Stimulates attentiveness
• Allows reflection on words
Eye contact
• Dependent on
audience size
• 2 - 3 seconds is
ideal
• Never > 7 seconds
• Face the audience
– not the screen
• Not over their heads
Distracting Mannerisms
• Lectern death grip
• Rattling keys or change
Lose attention, breaks eye
contact
www.fearisgood.com
Lose attention, cuts volume
www.fearisgood.com
Too casual
www.fearisgood.com
Appears unmotivated
www.fearisgood.com
Avoid nervous habits
www.fearisgood.com
Confident posture and a smile
www.fearisgood.com
Dress for Success:
Professional Dress Code tips:
One level above your audience
Dress for Success
• Few universal guidelines: know your
culture
• Think about impressions you will
make, decide if matches your
objectives
• Make certain your attire and grooming
are appropriate for both audience and
circumstance
Giving the Presentation
• Follow time limits—it
is a CONTRACT
– If engaging, ask
permission to
continue
– give permission to
leave
If really out of time…
• But know you are nowhere
near the end…
• Rather than whiz through
slides…
• Use keyboard shortcut “End”
• Be sure last slide concludes
Conclusion
• Develop an appreciation for
features of a great lecture!
• Optimize the appearance of
your slides
• Prepare your delivery to be
effective and engaging