Winter Quarter 2012

ENGR110/210
 Perspectives in Assistive Technology 

David L. Jaffe, MS and Professor Drew Nelson
Tuesdays & Thursdays   4:15pm - 5:30pm
Building 530 - Classroom 127

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Slideshow Presentation Tips

Adapted from: Corina Yen - 12/03/2007


  • Consider using less text on a slide - just include enough to prompt you, the speaker, and to keep the audience on track

  • Use powerful visuals. they can be iconic. (Check out Corbis or Veer for stock photography or do a Google image or Flickr search).

  • Remember where you are presenting - size of the auditorium and lighting conditions (images may be difficult to see and if the text is too low on the slide it'll be hard to read)

  • More slides don't necessarily have to take more time - sometimes it's better to spend less time on each slide so you can add more (bigger) visuals to your presentation and make each slide easier to digest

  • Focus not on what you did but what you learned and insights you came to - start with a vision, then use your activities this quarter to explain why that is the path - don't just chronologically list every benchmarking activity and prototype you built

  • Number your slides so that audience members can refer to specific slides with their questions

  • Be sure to explain unfamiliar terms or abbreviations

  • Consider using other media and presentation options: a short, well editted video clip, a prop, or a demo


Presentation Tips

From: Gary Karp - 03/24/2008


  • PowerPoint - Is It For Them, Or For You?

  • The concept is "Speaker Support". PowerPoint - or whatever you use for presentation graphics - is supposed to reinforce the information you're sharing.

  • Is that what you do with it? Or do you use it as a prompt for yourself?

  • Worse yet, do you read your PowerPoint slides to the audience? (Just don't.)

  • If you need something to prompt you during your talk, use paper. Reading off the screen is boring (frankly) and also makes you turn away from the group. They get your message better when you face them and make eye contact.

  • Keep your slides simple with minimal text. Otherwise you're dividing people's attention between trying to read what's on the screen and listening to you. They can't do both at once.

  • And the more text on the screen, the less likely anyone in the back can read them at all. More type equates to smaller, harder to read font.

  • Bullets are simply to keep people oriented to the point you're on. Use as few words as possible, and no more than five per bullet.

  • Learn how to use the "build" feature to bring up one point at a time. Again, it limits distraction. You'll find it in Slideshow: Animations: Custom...: Options.

  • Better yet, consider simply using a large title. I often use a single word or an image on the screen as I speak. Just as often, I use nothing.

  • These rules are violated on a vast scale, as well-intentioned presenters fail to communicate their important information and insights.

  • With these few simple methods, the power of your presentations will explode!


Updated 09/22/2011

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