Week 5: Clear - Presentation Challenges

Giving a presentation to any size crowd can be a daunting task.  To make it a success and a great experience for both the audience and the presenter, there are several challenges the presenter must overcome.    All or most of the challenges can be aided by more preparation and learning.

One challenge is getting your point across without writing everything you are saying on the presentation slides.  While we want the audience to remember our words and message, it is best to not write it all out on your presentation slides.  Some outcomes of this are lost attention of the audience and difficulty reading because of small font size and high signal-to-noise ratio. The audience will stop focusing on your presentation and start losing your support.  It is critical to retain the audience's attention, so avoid the clutter and treat your audience as if you are watching your own presentation.

Another challenge, for a large majority, is presenting without showing your nervousness or anxiety.  This can be aided by relaxation breathing and most importantly preparation. Make sure you study the subject, plan, and practice. Ask for feedback and prepare in front of family or friends to practice.

I will actually be doing a presentation in front of my co-workers and colleagues during the second week of March , in three weeks.  There will be about 60-75 people in the audience.  I will be doing my presentation on security awareness, both physical and information security.  Taking this course is helping me prepare for and do well on the presentation.  There are several presentation "don'ts" that I have done in the past.  After watching this week's lectures and reading the related content, I have learned how to overcome some presentation challenges.

Image from: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2073/2264195999_c4cc2c9ef7_d.jpg