The first step in planning a presentation is what?

This study guide offers you an insight into the process of planning an effective presentation. It focuses on the importance of the presenter's relationship with the audience and suggests key strategies for making an impact.

Other Useful Guides:

  • Delivering an effective presentation
  • Using visual aids

What is a effective presentation?

A effective presentation makes the best use of the relationship between the presenter and the audience. It takes full consideration of the audience’s needs in order to capture their interest, develop their understanding, inspire their confidence and achieve the presenter’s objectives.

Careful planning is essential.

Seven stages in planning a presentation

1. Preparation

Many factors affect the design of your presentation. A powerful presenter will acknowledge and address each of the following:

  • objectives;
  • audience;
  • venue;
  • remit.

Objectives

Why you are making your presentation? Bear in mind what you want to achieve and what you want your audience to take away with them. Once you have decided upon your objectives, you are in a much better position to make strategic decisions about the design and tone of your presentation. For example, a presentation to a seminar group might require a balanced argument, whereas a charity appeal might require a more creative approach. Ask yourself:

  • what do you want your audience to have understood?
  • what action do you want your audience to take following your presentation?
  • how can you best design your presentation to meet your objectives?

Audience

Your audience will have a variety of different experiences, interests and levels of knowledge. A powerful presenter will need to acknowledge these and prepare for and respond to them accordingly. Ask yourself:

  • how much will your audience already know about your topic?
  • how can you link new material to things they might already understand?
  • will you need to win them over to a particular point of view?

You may not be able to answer these questions for each member of your audience but you should have enough information to ensure that you have targeted your material at the right level for their needs. This might involve avoiding technical jargon or explaining abstract concepts with clear practical examples. If you fail to consider your audience’s needs, you will fail to appeal to their interest and imagination.

Venue

Where will you be making your presentation? What will the room be like? Whatatmosphere will the physical conditions create? A large lecture theatre might create a formal atmosphere. Similarly, a seminar room might create a less formal tone. Ask yourself:

  • what kind of atmosphere do you wish to create?
  • how might the room arrangement affect your relationship with the audience?
  • can you do anything to change the arrangement of the room to suit yourobjectives?
  • what audio-visual aids can you use?

Remit

You may well have been given a remit for your presentation; you will need to stick to this. For example, you may have been asked to present a paper at a conference in a certain style or meet certain assessment criteria on your course. Ask yourself:

  • how much time have you been allocated?
  • are you required to stick to a common format or style?
  • have any guidelines been set regarding the content of your presentation (i.e. a predetermined title, or a fixed number of overhead transparencies)?

2. Choosing your main points

Once you have thought about the design of your presentation, you can define your main points. Try presenting no more than three main points in a ten minute presentation. Always allow time for an adequate introduction and conclusion. It is difficult for an audience to follow a more complex argument without significant help from the presenter. A powerful presentation delivers information in a logical, structured manner, building on the previous point and avoiding large jumps in sequence. Ask yourself:

  • what are the main points you wish to make?
  • are these points structured in a logical, coherent way?
  • do these main points reflect your own objectives and take account of the needs of your audience?

3. Choosing your supporting information

The supporting information helps your audience understand, believe in and agree with your main points. This evidence might take the form of factual data, points of detail or an explanation of process. It might be presented in imaginative ways using diagrams, pictures or video segments. Think about:

  • what will add clarity to your argument (explaining complex terms, reminding your audience of any supporting theories)?
  • what will add authority to your argument (making connections with other people's work, quoting experts, offering evidence from your own research)?
  • what will add colour to your argument (showing a video clip or a slide, using a practical example or a vibrant analogy)?

4. Establishing linking statements

The next stage is to develop the linear flow of your presentation. This can be achieved by using linking statements to show clearly how your main points fit together. Common linking statements include:

  • “The next stage in our project was to …”;
  • “Another important issue of consideration was …”;
  • “By following this argument we can now see that …”.

Linking statements send signals to your audience, highlighting the next point in your argument, linking to earlier ideas or clarifying the stage you have reached in your argument overall. This may be of particular importance in a lengthy presentation where even the most effective presenter has to work hard to keep an audience involved.

5. Developing an opening

The introduction to your presentation is crucial. It is your first point of contact with your audience; you can either capture or lose your audience’s interest in a matter of seconds. Use your introduction to lay a clear foundation for the presentation to follow. Try using the following structure:

  • introduce yourself;
  • state what you will be talking about (a title or subject area);
  • state how you will be talking about it (e.g. by comparing test results or reviewing the supporting literature);
  • state what you intend to be the outcome of your presentation (an informed group, a lively discussion);
  • state what you expect your audience to do (listen, take notes, read a handout, ask questions before/during/after).

Always give your audience a moment to absorb this information before moving into your first main point.

6. Developing a conclusion

Your conclusion is another important stage in your presentation. You can use it to remind your audience of your main points, draw these points to a stimulating conclusion and leave your audience with a lasting impression of the quality of your presentation. The following structure provides a powerful conclusion:

  • a review of your title or subject area “In this presentation I wanted to explore the relationship between X and Y.”;
  • a summary of your main points “We have discussed the following points…”;
  • a summary of the process you have been through“By looking at X we have found that Y …”;
  • a conclusion clearly drawn from your main points (this must be supported by the detail of your presentation)“It is clear that there can be no substantive relationship between X and Y”;
  • a parting statement to stimulate your audience’s thoughts (this might be a question or a bold comment).

7. Reviewing your presentation

Once you have written your presentation make sure that you review its content. Ask yourself:

  • does the presentation meet your objectives?
  • is it logically structured?
  • have you targeted the material at the right level for your audience?
  • is the presentation too long or too short?

The first step in planning a presentation is what?

Original author: University of Leicester

The first step in planning a presentation is what?
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Presentation planning is a useful and necessary skill in the professional world as well as school. Whether you need to sell a product, or get a passing grade in your class, planning a presentation takes time and dedication. You will want to figure out the best way to construct your material, considering your audience and your presentation's message. From there, work on building your slides and materials. Assemble information in a logical order that best illustrates your point. Practice your presentation regularly before delivering it. This can help you figure out any information that should be cut or restructured.

  1. 1

    Think about the goal of your presentation. You should always begin with the end in mind when it comes to planning a presentation. Think about what you're trying to convey, and the best means to do so in the time you have.[1] X Research source Go to source

    • Write down your most important points. See if you notice a key point emerging. If your audience were to take away one thing from this presentation, what would it be?
    • Don't just bombard your audience with facts. Think about what these facts do for your audience. What's the point you're trying to make with the information?

  2. 2

    Know your audience's background to help you structure your presentation. If your topic isn't common knowledge, then you'll need to include that information in your presentation and ensure that you have enough time for it. You should also consider what your audience expects from the presentation. For example:[2] X Research source Go to source

    • Are you trying to sell them a product, introduce them to a new idea, alter their way of thinking?
    • Think about the kind of people in your audience. Do you have a tougher crowd, or do you have a group of enthusiastic people excited about what you're going to say?

  3. 3

    Select your main points based on the length of your presentation. Ask yourself what statements, facts, and points best illustrate the theme of your presentation. A 10-minute presentation, for example, should include no more than 3 points. You should also consider the way the points relate to one another, and be prepared to discuss them in a logical, cohesive fashion. Not all points will relate to one another.[3] X Research source Go to source

    • For example, if you're talking to a company about recycling program, you might discuss how corporate pollution contributes to global warming and how recycling can help the company save money. You wouldn't discuss the melting ice caps as a key point.
    • Melting ice caps are a valid concern, but they are a fact or a supporting point.

  4. 4

    Find your best-supporting information. Comb through the research you are presenting. Look for your most solid supporting information. This should be the information that will really get the audience thinking, and can inspire change. Supporting information should do three things:[4] X Research source Go to source

    • Add clarity to your argument by explaining anything the audience may not understand. For example: a brief overview of pollution's effect on climate change.
    • Add authority by making connections with existing research, studies, and information. For example, you could mention the consensus in the scientific community that global warming is manmade and cite a few studies.
    • Add color to your argument through visuals, like pictures and videos. For instance, you could show a chart of the amount of waste an average corporation produces in one month.

  1. 1

    Start your presentation with a solid introduction. Once you've assembled your information, you can get started on outlining your presentation. A presentation must start with a solid introduction that grabs the audience's attention.[5] X Research source Go to source

    • Include the basics of introducing yourself. You can say something like, "I'm Clara Thompson from Clean Water Action, and I would like to address your company today."
    • Get your audience's attention with a question or a fact. For example, you could ask: "Have you ever passed a body of water covered in green sludge and wondered how this happened? The answer may surprise you."
    • You don’t have to write your presentation in chronological order. If you want to work on your main points first and save the introduction for last, you can.

  2. 2

    Present your research and work in the body of the presentation. Your body should make up about 60 to 70% of your presentation, so put all your best points here. Think of your body as the path to your point. Therefore, you want to find a way to present the information in a logical fashion. Start with the problem, talk about the consequences, and offer a solution.[6] X Research source Go to source

    • For example, you're trying to get the corporation to alter their recycling program. Start by overviewing the vast amount of corporate pollution in the world.
    • Explain the consequences of this. Show how pollution contributes to climate change, then show what the corporation can do through changes in their policies.

  3. 3

    Use linking statements to make your points clear. Linking statements are transitional statements that help bridge the gap between ideas. This signals to your audience you're going to switch topics, so your presentation doesn't get confusing.[7] X Research source Go to source

    • Common linking statements include things like, "Another important issue...," "Based on this data, you can now see..." and, "This brings me to my main point..."
    • For example, "Now that I've shown you the effects of corporate pollution, this brings me to my main point. What can you do to stop it?"

  4. 4

    Make use of visuals and graphics on your slides. Your audience may get bored with data and lecturing. It's a good idea to add graphics to your slides to shake things up. A short video may also help.[8] X Research source Go to source [9] X Research source Go to source

    • If you have any graphs or diagrams that will help illustrate your point, use them. Physically seeing information can help make your point more clear.
    • You should also see if there are any videos you can include. A brief video of someone succinctly explaining an issue can shake things up a bit.
    • Pictures are also nice. Each slide should have a picture related to the topic at hand.
    • Make sure not to overuse graphics or visuals. Too many could be overwhelming or distracting for your audience.

  5. 5

    Conclude your presentation. A conclusion should relate back to your introduction and summarize your points, and leave your audience considering the topic you presented. The conclusion should only take up 5 to 10% of your presentation, so keep it brief.[10] X Research source Go to source

    • You only need one slide. Recap what your point was. Begin with something like, "As you can see..." and then briefly repeat your main point.
    • A visual can help as well. Try adding one last visual aid that sums up your point. A graph or diagram would work well here.

  1. 1

    Strive for 1 to 2 minutes of talking per slide. Time yourself as you practice. Going over 1 to 2 minutes per slide can bore your audience.[11] X Research source Go to source

    • If you're taking longer, cut some information out. You do not want to talk fast to include all information, as this can make you difficult to understand.
    • For accuracy, talk in your regular voice. Do not speak too fast or too slow. You want to make sure you can fit in all information talking at a normal rate.

  2. 2

    Keep your information relevant to the theme. As you read through your presentation, be on the lookout for irrelevant information. There may be some facts that are interesting, but do they really illustrate the point? When looking for areas to trim down, cut information that does not speak to your theme.[12] X Research source Go to source

    • Are any facts extraneous? It's great to illustrate the effects of global warming, but do you really need five examples of environmental decay? Try to cut it down to two or three.

  3. 3

    Listen to yourself presenting. It's a good idea to record yourself and then play the recording back. Listen to yourself talk to see what you need to work on.[13] X Research source Go to source

    • You should sound enthusiastic when presenting. Talk without hesitance, and don't use filler words, like "um" or "uh."
    • Don't jump between topics. Use your linking sentences, and say things like, "And this brings me to the following..."
    • Watch the time. Make sure your presentation isn't going on for too long.
    • Watch yourself give the presentation in a mirror so you can correct any distracting movements or gestures.

  4. 4

    Practice until you have little need for your notes. It can be distracting if someone is reading from a script during a presentation. While a small index card with key points jotted down can help, you want to minimize your need for notes. Keep practicing until you can deliver your presentation smoothly without fumbling with your notes.[14] X Research source Go to source

    • Don’t read the information off of your visuals since it could affect your engagement between yourself and the audience.

  • Question

    What is the 10/20/30 rule?

  • Question

    How do you plan a PowerPoint presentation?

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This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD. Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. This article has been viewed 201,565 times.

Co-authors: 12

Updated: May 14, 2022

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Article Rating: 60% - 2 votes

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