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What is a Presentation?

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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 describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

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

A Presentation Is...

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

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be 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 and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

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.

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.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

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

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

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.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

What is a Presentation? Objectives, Elements, Important skills, Four Ps

• Post last modified: 4 June 2023
• Reading time: 19 mins read
• Post category: Business Communication

What is a Presentation?

A presentation communicates a message, an idea or information to a group. It is similar to a report, but with a key difference–the human element. A presentation conveys the speaker’s personality and enables immediate interaction among all participants.

Table of Content

• 1 What is a Presentation?
• 2.1 To Inform
• 2.2 To Train
• 2.3 To Persuade
• 2.4 To Motivate
• 2.5 To Entertain
• 3 Main Elements of Presentation
• 4.1 Analytical ability
• 4.2 Effective communication ability
• 4.3 Creative ability
• 4.4 Good interpersonal skill
• 4.5 Sound time management
• 4.6 Problem-solving ability
• 4.7 A sense of humour
• 5 Evaluation Wheel
• 6.1 Prepare
• 6.2 Practice
• 6.3 Present
• 7.1 Know Yourself
• 7.2 Know Your Material
• 7.3 Know Your Purpose
• 7.4 Know Your Audience

Objectives of Presentation

The main objectives of a presentation are:

To Persuade

To motivate, to entertain.

A presentation is created to convey some information to a group of people. For example, a presentation may display an organisation’s quarterly performance.

Most training programmes in organisations are done through the presentation mode. Such instructional presentations convey a lot of information and are created with instructional design principles to keep the audience engaged for a long period.

Some presentations are used to convince a group of people to accept a particular idea and/or make a certain choice.

The growing popularity of TED Talks indicates how a presentation can be a powerful motivation tool. These presentations trigger emotions and inspire people to act.

Presentations can also be used to celebrate an event. For example, a farewell presentation of a colleague can be used to narrate the story of his/her overall tenure, experiences and achievement in the organisation.

Main Elements of Presentation

A presentation is said to be effective if it has three main elements, which are as follows:

• Specific content : This refers to the information that a presentation will comprise. The information must be conveyed effectively so that it is absorbed by the audience in one sitting. It should be relevant and meaningful to them.
• Audience : A presentation should be targeted for a specific group of audience who share the same purpose and have a similar level of pre-knowledge.
• Presenter: The presenter should act as the advocate of the information. If his/her conviction and passion in the message are clearly articulated, the audience will also pay attention to the subject.

Important Presentation Skills

In today’s business environment, presentation skills are requisite in almost every professional arena. Employees are often required to give presentations on the targets achieved by them. A presentation can be effective if it is carefully planned and prepared.

However, delivering presentations is not always easy for every individual. Some people take presenting as a probable opportunity to showcase skills, while others find it a challenging task. To provide an effective presentation, a presenter must possess some abilities.

Some of them are explained as follows:

Analytical ability

Effective communication ability, creative ability, good interpersonal skill, sound time management, problem-solving ability, a sense of humour.

It refers to a calibre which empowers an individual to collect, organise, visualise and comprehend data. Such skills enable a person to look at related patterns, draw conclusions and find solutions to problems. In addition, sound analytical skills also enable an individual to forecast future trends using various techniques such as brainstorming, forecasting, data mining and metrics interpretation.

Communication entails much more than mere talking to the audience. To communicate effectively during a presentation, one ought to showcase information lucidly. During a presentation, a person should not just have a good set of slides together; rather he needs to engage and strike a chord with the audience to transmit the intended message.

It refers to the ability to present things in a creative way that have not been explored earlier. Creative skills in presentation enable an individual to invent or develop something path-breaking, such as a new concept, unique way out from a problem, a method, a work of art or new machinery, etc.

It encompasses how an individual portrays or presents himself to the audience and builds a rapport with the audience. During a presentation, sound interpersonal skills empower a speaker to interact, communicate and collaborate with the audience effectively.

Interpersonal skills are prevalent across all personal and professional interactions between people. Interpersonal skills entail empathy, active listening and emotional intelligence.

While delivering a presentation, a person should manage time effectively, set a presentation schedule and end a presentation within a stipulated time. If a presentation is long, there are chances the audience may lose interest and the message may not be delivered.

A speaker cannot expect audience to actively listen to the presentation for hours. At the start of presentation, a speaker should aim to grab audience’s attention and allocate time for questions and answers at the end.

Problem-solving is a requisite skill for a presentation. During a presentation, the audience may ask the speaker any kind of questions. On the other hand, it is important for the speaker to provide an appropriate answer to the audience to make the presentation successful.

A sense of humour is crucial to deliver a quality presentation to make the environment light and engaging. Appropriate usage of light jokes relieves stress and holds the attention of an audience, which makes the presentation a memorable experience for both the speaker and the audience.

Evaluation Wheel

Evaluation wheel is a creative and effective tool that accumulates information on outcomes in a simple and accessible manner. A presenter can opt for the evaluation wheel tool to show the outcomes of the research or reports. This tool is used to provide various types of information and journeys of change within the organisation.

It offers a visual representation of progression and results in the form of a spider diagram. The evaluation wheel measures the exact outcomes for a programme at the start and end. It also helps educators, designers to comprehend information systematically. Figure shows an example of evaluation wheel:

Figure states the scale questionnaire in a circle form wherein respondents will analyse the instances from their discretion and experience and give rating on a scale of 1 to 5.

For instance, service users are appropriately involved. In this case, if the respondent strongly agrees, he/she will give 5 rating and if he/she does not agree, he/she will give 1 rating. The centre of the circle is for 1 and as the respondent agrees, they reach out to edge for 5 rating.

Ps of Presentation

Even the most powerful presentation may fail if the presenter comes unprepared. A presentation is both a mental and a physical effort. There are Ps of presentation that provide a checklist to the presenter for ensuring that the presentation is well-constructed and clear so that the audience gets the message. These four Ps are explained as follows:

A thoroughly prepared presentation captivates the interests of the audience. The topic or content of the presentation must be thoroughly researched. No one would develop interest in a vague or equivocal presentation. A speaker can make use of stories or relatable examples and quote references to give more depth to the presentation and make it intriguing.

Apart from that, it should be ensured that only important points are highlighted in bullets or using other graphical elements. Providing too much of theory or full sentences can create boredom for the audience.

While preparing for a presentation, the presenter should include the following sections:

• Introduction : This section includes the name of the topic and the purpose of the presentation.
• Body : This section contains the main content of the presentation; thus, it must be prepared in a well-organised manner.
• Summary : It provides a recap of the content of the presentation. It outlines the most important points of the presentation to ensure the key message is retained by the audience.

Practice will make a man perfect is an adage that is appropriate across all spheres of life. It helps a speaker become familiar with his/her own voice, words and phrases and adjust accordingly. By practising thoroughly, a speaker can explore how to fit different pieces of information together and practise transition.

Also, a speaker should make notes wherever required as a part of presentation support. Using an index card is a common form of note-taking that provides a quick glimpse of important points.

While delivering a presentation, the speaker needs to demonstrate confidence in front of the audience. The speaker must be polite, but not apologetic in situations, such as if the session is running overtime or the microphone has stopped working.

Instead he/she should expect and ask for discipline and attention. It is important for a speaker to engage with the audience during the presentation in order to assure them that he/she is genuinely interested in talking to them. 4. Pace, pitch and pause: A presenter should deliver the presentation in an easy-to-follow pace and try changing the pace to enliven the presentation.

For example, pauses can be taken intentionally between main points to reinforce them. Along with pace, pitch is equally important. Just as pace varies in normal conversations, it should be used effectively during presentations too. For example, when asking a question, the presenter can raise the pitch and can lower it down when explaining a point.

Four Cornerstones of Making Memorable Presentations

The most crucial aspect of delivering an effective presentation is that the speaker should appear confident and the speech should look effortless. Presentations are a source of anxiety for many individuals. However, getting well-prepared before delivering a presentation can reduce this feeling considerably and ease apprehension.

There are a number of ways to overcome feelings of anxiety, stress and stage fright before the presentation in order to appear confident in front of the audience. The four cornerstones of making a memorable presentation are provided in the upcoming sections.

Know Yourself

Know your material, know your purpose, know your audience.

A presenter should acknowledge his/her strengths and weaknesses. Accordingly, he/she should decide the style of delivering a presentation. For instance, if a presenter has a great sense of humour and can use it comfortably in the speech, he/she can make the presentation more engaging and interesting.

On the other hand, if the speaker who is an introvert and prefers to talk or engage less, he/she can add visuals in the presentation. Therefore, the trick is whosoever is delivering the presentation should feel comfortable.

Knowing the topic thoroughly is the most important step in preparing and delivering a presentation. A presenter with well-versed knowledge of the topic is bound to feel more confident. One should perform extensive research of the topic using credible websites and surveys.

A presenter with minimal information about the topic will not be able to deliver a memorable presentation; rather, it would create a negative image in front of the audience. A good presentation is one that is centred around the main theme, presents relevant information and stimulates thought.

It is crucial to know the purpose of the presentation. A presenter should be aware of whether the purpose is to create awareness or to build new skills or to change attitudes. For instance, professional firms or businesses use presentations for various purposes such as to create awareness, educate, motivate and persuade internal and external audiences.

Therefore, to prepare a presentation, identify its objective/purpose, determine the method of delivery, formulate a structure, include visual aids and rehearse.

One should know the type of audience and what is their purpose of attending the presentation. For instance, whether they are there for gaining knowledge or learning new skills, etc. The age, culture and knowledge base of the audience help a presenter in designing and delivering his/her presentation effectively and in a manner in which audience can easily understand and relate to.

A well-designed presentation uses visual aids effectively to reinforce the main points and enhance the audience’s level of understanding.

Business Communication Notes

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• What is Communication?

Types of Communication

7 c of communication, barriers to business communication.

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Types Of Non Verbal Communication

• What is Written Communication?
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• Interpersonal vs Intrapersonal communication
• Barriers to Communication
• Importance of Communication Skills

Listening in Communication

• Causes of Miscommunication
• What is Johari Window?
• What is Presentation?
• Communication Styles
• Channels of Communication
• Hofstede’s Dimensions of Cultural Differences and Benett’s Stages of Intercultural Sensitivity
• Organisational Communication
• Horizontal C ommunication
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• Downward Communication
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• Upward Communication
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• What is Database Marketing?
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• What is Market Intelligence?
• What is Industrial Marketing?
• What is Customer Value
• What is Consumer Behaviour?
• What Is Personality?
• What Is Perception?
• What Is Learning?
• What Is Attitude?
• What Is Motivation?
• Consumer Imagery
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• What Is Culture?
• Consumer Decision Making Process
• Applications of Consumer Behaviour in Marketing
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• Theoretical Approaches to Study of Consumer Behaviour
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• Reference Groups
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• What is Business Law?
• Indian Contract Act 1872
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• What is Brand Management?
• 4 Steps of Strategic Brand Management Process
• Customer Based Brand Equity
• What is Brand Equity?

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Business Jargons

A Business Encyclopedia

Presentation

Definition : A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group, addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.

It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:

• Use of non-verbal cues.
• Facilitates instant feedback.

Business Presentations are a tool to influence people toward an intended thought or action.

Parts of Presentation

• Introduction : It is meant to make the listeners ready to receive the message and draw their interest. For that, the speaker can narrate some story or a humorous piece of joke, an interesting fact, a question, stating a problem, and so forth. They can also use some surprising statistics.
• Body : It is the essence of the presentation. It requires the sequencing of facts in a logical order. This is the part where the speaker explains the topic and relevant information. It has to be critically arranged, as the audience must be able to grasp what the speaker presents.
• Conclusion : It needs to be short and precise. It should sum up or outline the key points that you have presented. It could also contain what the audience should have gained out of the presentation.

Purpose of Presentation

• To inform : Organizations can use presentations to inform the audience about new schemes, products or proposals. The aim is to inform the new entrant about the policies and procedures of the organization.
• To persuade : Presentations are also given to persuade the audience to take the intended action.
• To build goodwill : They can also help in building a good reputation

Factors Affecting Presentation

Audience Analysis

Communication environment, personal appearance, use of visuals, opening and closing presentation, organization of presentation, language and words, voice quality, body language, answering questions, a word from business jargons.

Presentation is a mode of conveying information to a selected group of people live. An ideal presentation is one that identifies and matches the needs, interests and understanding level of the audience. It also represents the facts, and figures in the form of tables, charts, and graphs and uses multiple colours.

Related terms:

• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Communication
• 7 C’s of Communication

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

Partner Center

Oral Presentations

Presentation basics, key elements of good presentations.

There are three key elements of good presentations: Content, Organization, Delivery.  Your audience needs interesting and appropriate content in order to pay attention, especially at the start of a presentation.  Logical organization helps retain your audience’s attention – they need to be able to follow your train of thought and predict where you are going with your ideas.  Delivery also is important, as your own engagement with the information helps your audience engage.

Content deals with the substance of your presentation. Your ideas and information should be original and significant.  Use accepted and relevant sources in your research, and reference those sources as needed.  Offer a clear analysis that’s comprehensive and concise at the same time – strive for the right amount of information for your audience’s needs and the allotted presentation time. Make sure that your content is relevant to your audience, so that they understand immediately why they should pay attention to your presentation.

Garr Reynolds, in his book Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery , identifies characteristics of presentation content that create what he calls SUCCES(s): [1]

• Simplicity – reduce information to key points and essential meanings
• Unexpectedness – pose questions, offer interesting statistics, “make the audience aware that they have a gap in their knowledge and then fill that gap”
• Concreteness – use specific language, provide real-life examples
• Credibility – use sources, facts, statistics to back up your content; deliver information confidently; know your information well
• Emotions – engage your audience to feel something about your content
• Stories – use examples and illustrations to create a “story element” to the presentation

Finally, to make your content effective, repeat key information throughout your presentation. A memory research pioneer, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, found that we forget approximately 50 percent of new information within 18 minutes, with retention falling to 35 percent after a week. However, Ebbinghaus also discovered that repetition of the new information at key intervals can change this trajectory, a discovery known as the spacing effect. The lesson for presenters: work repetition into your presentation content.

Organization

Good organization requires a clear beginning, middle, and end. Link your ideas logically throughout the presentation to lead to an ending that resolves the problem or summarizes the situation you presented at the start. If you’re presenting based on a formal report or proposal, you may want to follow the order of the longer written document, but you don’t have to; as long as you include main ideas, it’s up to you to determine your presentation’s organization based on your audience and purpose. Strive for clear transitions between individual points, slides, and topics.

Delivery involves a range of factors from body language and word choice to vocal variety. A good presenter has a passion for the subject and an ability to convey and perhaps elicit that emotion in the audience. Audience engagement through eye contact, facial expression, gestures, and/or vocal tone contributes to an effective presentation. Delivery also deals with the confidence and professionalism with which you deliver the presentation.  Hesitations, “ums,” and other types of vocal fumbling will distract your audience, while a clear, confident presentation helps to engage them.

Content, organization, and delivery work together and are equally important aspects of presentations.

The following two videos provide basic tips for creating effective presentations in terms of content, organization, and delivery.  As you view them, consider their similarity of information and dissimilarity in presentation style. What can you infer about the presenter and intended audience of each presentation?  Which video resonates more fully with you personally, and why?  In terms of conveying information to a general audience, which video do you think is most effective, and why?

Planning Presentations

As you can see based on the video examples, presentations always require a situational analysis in the planning stage.  Identify your audience, purpose, context, and all of the communication variables that you need to consider in order to make choices that will result in an effective presentation for your purpose and audience. For example, your purpose – the one, main idea that you want to convey through your presentation – can influence your content, organization, delivery, and overall approach.  Identifying your audience can help you with what may be the most critical aspect of your presentation, making your information relevant to your audience.  Analyzing communication variables for your presentation also will help you determine if you need supplemental materials or handouts, how to arrange a room for an in-person presentation, how best to structure a virtual presentation, and more.

Even if you are creating a presentation based on a formal report or proposal for which you have already done a situational analysis, do another situational analysis for your presentation, as your audience, organization, language, and overall approach may differ based on the different communication mode.

Planning Online Presentations

In addition to doing a situational analysis, online presentations may require some additional planning time in terms of how you present information.  A real-time, in-person audience may pay attention to your presentation simply because you are present, and you may be able to adapt your presentation to audience reaction.  However, it’s more difficult to capture the attention of a virtual audience, either real-time or asynchronous, so online presentations need to be thought through very deliberately in terms of their content, organization, look, and approach.

The following video, while written for online instructors, nonetheless offers important points to consider for any type of virtual, online presentation.

Understanding Presentation Audiences

Audiences are egocentric, meaning that they operate under the principle of WIIFM: what’s in it for them. Don’t expect your audience to meet you where you are; meet them where they are and then take them where you want to go together. According to Lucas, audiences “pay closest attention to messages that affect their own values, beliefs, and well being. Listeners approach speeches with one question uppermost in mind: ‘Why is this important to me?’ … What do these psychological principles mean to you as a speaker?  First, they mean that your listeners will hear and judge what you say on the basis of what they already know and believe.  Second, they mean you must relate your message to your listeners–show how it pertains to them, explain why they should care about it as much as you do.” [2]

Also, audiences have relatively short attention spans, and often decide whether or not to give you their attention within the first minute or so of a presentation. Various research studies indicate a five – twenty minute attention span for any type of presentation (note that results of studies vary). An article titled “ Neuroscience Proves You Should Follow TED’s 18-Minute Rule to Win Your Pitch ” discusses the concept of “cognitve backlog,” or the idea that the more information you provide, the more information your audience will tune out and not remember. [3]

These audience characteristics lay the groundwork for presentation strategies identified in the videos, strategies such as starting with and continuing a story, engaging attention with an interesting statistic, and more.  The point to remember is that you need to make conscious, reasoned decisions about ways to engage your audience.  Keeping audience attention span and egocentrism in mind, strive for the following presentation basics:

• Conciseness
• Connection with audience

Expectations for Presentations

The 10/20/30 rule, generally attributed to venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki, is a good guideline to help you achieve a “just right” balance in your presentations. Geared for entrepreneurs pitching their business, his advice is a discipline that would improve the quality—and, effectiveness—of most presentations. In brief, 10/20/30 translates to a maximum of 10 slides, a maximum of 20 minutes and a minimum of 30 point font. [4]

While this rule is a good starting point, it does not overrule your audience analysis or understanding of your purpose. Sometimes, you may need more slides or have a more involved purpose—like training people in new software or presenting the results of a research study—that takes more than 30 minutes to address. In that case, go with what your audience needs and what will make your presentation most effective. The concept behind the 10/20/30 rule—to make new learning easy for your audience to take in, process and remember—should still be your guide even if you don’t follow the rule exactly.

One last way to gauge presentations is to consider most audiences’ expectations for good presentations:

• main ideas are compelling and relevant
• information is organized with a clear beginning, middle, and end; audience can follow where the ideas are leading
• delivery shows the presenter’s enthusiasm and engagement
• visuals apply good design practices
• presentation length is appropriate for audience, purpose, and context

The following video summarizes characteristics that create effective presentations.

[1] Reynolds, Garr. (2012) Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. 2nd ed. New Riders, Pearson Education. Information from pages 78- 81. http://ptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/images/9780321811981/samplepages/0321811984.pdf

[2] Lucas, Stephen E. (2020) The Art of Public Speaking (13th edition).

[3]  Gallo, Carmine. “Neuroscience  Proves You Should Follow TED’s 18-Minute Rule to Win Your Pitch.”   Inc. ,  https://www.inc.com/theupsstore/small-biz-ings.html

[4] Kawasaki, Guy.  The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint . December 2005.  ↵

• Presentation Basics, original material and material adapted from Business Communication Skills for Managers, see attributions below. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Project : Communications for Professionals. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
• Making a Presentation for a Meeting. Authored by : Nina Burokas. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/making-a-presentation-for-a-meeting/ . Project : Business Communication Skills for Managers. License : CC BY: Attribution
• image of professional making a presentation. Authored by : rawpixel. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/agreement-brainstorming-business-3408113/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• video Create an Effective Business Presentation. Authored by : Nick Morgan. Provided by : Harvard Business Review. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTRt0zkD73M . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• video How to Give a Great Presentation - 7 Presentation Skills and Tips to Leave an Impression. Provided by : Practical Psychology. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnIPpUiTcRc . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• video Teaching Tip: Designing Online Lectures and Recorded Presentations. Authored by : Greg Steinke and Jill Zimmerman. Provided by : CCAPS Teaching Tips, University of Minnesota. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCAaRZJFJAU . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• image of businesswoman presenting to an audience. Authored by : rawpixel. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/analyzing-audience-board-3565815/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• Visual Aids. Authored by : Nina Burokas. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/visual-aids/ . Project : Business Communication Skills for Managers. License : CC BY: Attribution
• video Five Simple Rules for Creating World Changing Presentations. Authored by : Nancy Duarte. Provided by : Duarte Inc.. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT9GGmundag . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video

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.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best Practices 5 essential preparation steps for a successful presentation

by Tom Rielly • June 15, 2020

Keeping your presentation visuals minimalistic, simple, and clear is just one important step to remember when designing a hit presentation. Leaving nothing to chance, great presenters prove quite methodical as they prepare. Here’s a checklist for everything you need to keep in mind before your next presentation:

1. Choose the right software for your needs

The easiest way to select the right presentation software for you is to simply find the one that is native to your device. For example, if you have a Mac, use Apple Keynote, if you work on Windows, use PowerPoint. Google Slides is recommended if you’re working with someone, as it makes collaboration very easy. Another software option is Prezi: a specialty tool called Prezi that creates a presentation using motion, zoom, and panning across one giant visual space.

2. Organize your files

As you develop your script and visuals, you will need to start assembling all the assets for your slides. Create a unique folder on your computer to hold these items. Keep the folder organized by media type (presentation drafts, photos, videos, scripts) and back them up frequently to the Cloud or external disk. Label each file with a specific descriptive name, e.g. “Susan Johnson singing magpie 2020”, as opposed to “IMG_4043.jpg”, which can make it confusing to find your assets. The more organized you are up front, the easier preparing for your presentation will be.

3. Prepare your presentation materials

Make sure your presentation materials (script, graphics, actual slides) are saved in at least two safe spots (for example, your computer and an external USB drive) and are backed-up frequently. If you are using an online presentation software, such as Google Slides, be sure to also download a copy of your presentation in case the internet connection is unreliable. Having all the individual assets on hand in addition to your presentation slides can be helpful if you experience tech issues before presenting, or if you need to make any last minute changes. Make sure to label your final presentation with the title and your name so it’s easy to find.

4. Practice, practice, practice!

Remember, practice makes perfect. People often run out of time making their presentations and have no time to practice. Most TED speakers practice at least ten times. Neuroscientist Jill-Bolte Taylor gave one of the most successful Talks in TED history with nearly 27 million views. How did she do it? She practiced her Talk over 40 times! By rehearsing multiple times you will naturally memorize your Talk, which means you won’t need note cards when you give your final presentation.

5. Do a final test run

Before presenting, make sure the equipment you need is working properly. It’s generally good practice to rehearse standing on the exact stage with the exact lighting using the exact computer that you will be using in your final presentation.

Here’s a quick checklist of what to look for when testing your equipment:

• If you're not using your own computer, the one provided might be slower and have trouble playing media. If you have videos or other media, make sure they play correctly
• Test the projector to make sure it’s HD
• Make sure images are clear
• Test the sound of any clips you use, as this is what goes wrong most frequently
• If you’re using a mic, test the volume

Don’t let technical issues or other blunders overshadow your presentation. By following these guidelines, and with a little preparation, you can engineer out the problems BEFORE they happen.

Ready to learn more about how to make your presentation even better? Get TED Masterclass and develop your ideas into TED-style talks

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

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How to prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation

• Related content
• Peer review
• Lucia Hartigan , registrar 1 ,
• Fionnuala Mone , fellow in maternal fetal medicine 1 ,
• Mary Higgins , consultant obstetrician 2
• 1 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
• 2 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin
• luciahartigan{at}hotmail.com

The success of an oral presentation lies in the speaker’s ability to transmit information to the audience. Lucia Hartigan and colleagues describe what they have learnt about delivering an effective scientific oral presentation from their own experiences, and their mistakes

The objective of an oral presentation is to portray large amounts of often complex information in a clear, bite sized fashion. Although some of the success lies in the content, the rest lies in the speaker’s skills in transmitting the information to the audience. 1

Preparation

It is important to be as well prepared as possible. Look at the venue in person, and find out the time allowed for your presentation and for questions, and the size of the audience and their backgrounds, which will allow the presentation to be pitched at the appropriate level.

See what the ambience and temperature are like and check that the format of your presentation is compatible with the available computer. This is particularly important when embedding videos. Before you begin, look at the video on stand-by and make sure the lights are dimmed and the speakers are functioning.

For visual aids, Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Mac Keynote programmes are usual, although Prezi is increasing in popularity. Save the presentation on a USB stick, with email or cloud storage backup to avoid last minute disasters.

When preparing the presentation, start with an opening slide containing the title of the study, your name, and the date. Begin by addressing and thanking the audience and the organisation that has invited you to speak. Typically, the format includes background, study aims, methodology, results, strengths and weaknesses of the study, and conclusions.

If the study takes a lecturing format, consider including “any questions?” on a slide before you conclude, which will allow the audience to remember the take home messages. Ideally, the audience should remember three of the main points from the presentation. 2

Have a maximum of four short points per slide. If you can display something as a diagram, video, or a graph, use this instead of text and talk around it.

Animation is available in both Microsoft PowerPoint and the Apple Mac Keynote programme, and its use in presentations has been demonstrated to assist in the retention and recall of facts. 3 Do not overuse it, though, as it could make you appear unprofessional. If you show a video or diagram don’t just sit back—use a laser pointer to explain what is happening.

Rehearse your presentation in front of at least one person. Request feedback and amend accordingly. If possible, practise in the venue itself so things will not be unfamiliar on the day. If you appear comfortable, the audience will feel comfortable. Ask colleagues and seniors what questions they would ask and prepare responses to these questions.

It is important to dress appropriately, stand up straight, and project your voice towards the back of the room. Practise using a microphone, or any other presentation aids, in advance. If you don’t have your own presenting style, think of the style of inspirational scientific speakers you have seen and imitate it.

Try to present slides at the rate of around one slide a minute. If you talk too much, you will lose your audience’s attention. The slides or videos should be an adjunct to your presentation, so do not hide behind them, and be proud of the work you are presenting. You should avoid reading the wording on the slides, but instead talk around the content on them.

Maintain eye contact with the audience and remember to smile and pause after each comment, giving your nerves time to settle. Speak slowly and concisely, highlighting key points.

Do not assume that the audience is completely familiar with the topic you are passionate about, but don’t patronise them either. Use every presentation as an opportunity to teach, even your seniors. The information you are presenting may be new to them, but it is always important to know your audience’s background. You can then ensure you do not patronise world experts.

To maintain the audience’s attention, vary the tone and inflection of your voice. If appropriate, use humour, though you should run any comments or jokes past others beforehand and make sure they are culturally appropriate. Check every now and again that the audience is following and offer them the opportunity to ask questions.

Finishing up is the most important part, as this is when you send your take home message with the audience. Slow down, even though time is important at this stage. Conclude with the three key points from the study and leave the slide up for a further few seconds. Do not ramble on. Give the audience a chance to digest the presentation. Conclude by acknowledging those who assisted you in the study, and thank the audience and organisation. If you are presenting in North America, it is usual practice to conclude with an image of the team. If you wish to show references, insert a text box on the appropriate slide with the primary author, year, and paper, although this is not always required.

Answering questions can often feel like the most daunting part, but don’t look upon this as negative. Assume that the audience has listened and is interested in your research. Listen carefully, and if you are unsure about what someone is saying, ask for the question to be rephrased. Thank the audience member for asking the question and keep responses brief and concise. If you are unsure of the answer you can say that the questioner has raised an interesting point that you will have to investigate further. Have someone in the audience who will write down the questions for you, and remember that this is effectively free peer review.

Be proud of your achievements and try to do justice to the work that you and the rest of your group have done. You deserve to be up on that stage, so show off what you have achieved.

Competing interests: We have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: None.

• ↵ Rovira A, Auger C, Naidich TP. How to prepare an oral presentation and a conference. Radiologica 2013 ; 55 (suppl 1): 2 -7S. OpenUrl
• ↵ Bourne PE. Ten simple rules for making good oral presentations. PLos Comput Biol 2007 ; 3 : e77 . OpenUrl PubMed
• ↵ Naqvi SH, Mobasher F, Afzal MA, Umair M, Kohli AN, Bukhari MH. Effectiveness of teaching methods in a medical institute: perceptions of medical students to teaching aids. J Pak Med Assoc 2013 ; 63 : 859 -64. OpenUrl

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7 Different Types of Presentations You Might Need To Create

Written by: George Shuter

There’s no way around it: Presentations are an inevitable part of life. In fact, for many people they’re a daily occurrence . 

Because presentations come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with some being so common that you might not even realize you’re being presented to. For example; that friendly chat you had with the store assistant yesterday might’ve been an agonizingly-planned sales pitch . 

The bottom line is that presentations are everywhere . In this article, we’re going to break down the most-common types of presentations you’re likely to come across in your day-to-day life, along with some helpful tips & resources for creating each one.

Types of Presentations for Business

The most common types of presentations you may need to create are typically going to be for business, whether for your day-to-day job, while running a business, or when trying to start a business and pitch investors .

We've covered five types of presentations for business to help you understand the use case for each one.

Presentation Type #1: Sales Pitch

If you’re in a client-facing role, you’ll definitely need to give a sales pitch at some point in your career. 

But what exactly is a sales pitch? 

In short, a sales pitch is a brief two-way conversation between you and a sales prospect, with the intention of converting them into a paying customer. 

A typical sales pitch will follow this formula:

This is where you find out the specific needs of your sales target (so that you can tailor your pitch accordingly).

If you’re dealing with a smaller client, you can typically do this by asking them a few open-ended questions right before your pitch. If it’s a more-lucrative client, you’ll want to undertake significant research beforehand. 

Using the knowledge gained from the previous step, you’ll then actually pitch your product or service to the sales lead. This will generally be a short speech that aims to convey how the product or service can help the client, as well as why they should choose you over your competition.

If you’re dealing with a smaller client, this will usually be done as a brief speech. If you’re playing in the big leagues, you’ll likely need to prepare a short slideshow to accompany your pitch. 

Following your pitch, most leads will have further questions or concerns about your pitch. In this stage, you’ll talk through their questions and rectify any concerns with the aim of closing the sale. 

While the term sales pitch can conjure up images of fast-talking, unethical businessmen, they’re actually super common in the business world and are almost-always conducted in a fair and ethical manner. 

For example, if you’re considering working as a freelancer , sales pitching will serve as the backbone of your client strategy, making it an essential skill for you to develop. 

Sales Pitch Example – "That Is The Best Pitch I’ve Ever Seen" from Entrepreneur

Tips for Creating a Sales Pitch

Be honest: The aim is to maximize the chances of a well-targeted lead converting, not to deceive someone into making a purchase. While you’ll want to be persuasive, make sure you’re honest and maintain a good company persona. 

Be confident: Confidence is king when it comes to pitching a product or service. If you don’t have confidence in what you’re selling, how can you expect your sales lead to? 

Tell a story: Us humans love storytelling. By constructing your pitch around a story, it makes it much easier for the prospect to follow and connect with.

Resources for Creating a Sales Pitch

• Pitch Deck Templates by Visme
• How to Write A Winning Sales Pitch by Super Office

Presentation Type #2: Elevator Pitch

The concept of a presentation can all-too-often conjure up thoughts of endless slideshows and droning lectures. 

But did you know that some of the most exciting (and also the most difficult ) presentations are actually super short?

Enter the elevator pitch:

An elevator pitch is a short verbal account of a concept, entity or idea that allows the listener to understand it in a very short amount of time (with an average pitch lasting just 40 seconds)

It gets its name from the fact that you should be able to present the entire pitch to someone during an elevator ride. 

A typical elevator pitch will usually follow this format:

Who You Are

Here, you’ll give the name of either yourself or the organization you represent.

What You Do (And Why)

Next up is a one-sentence summary of exactly what your business does, followed by a second one-sentence summary of how it solves the problem you’re aiming to solve.

What Your USP Is

USP stands for Unique Selling Point . What’s the one thing that makes you stand out amongst your competitors?

What the Prospect Should Do Next

Always include a call-to-action at the end of your pitch, such as a prompt for questions or a request to visit the website for more information.

Elevator Pitch Example: CupAd

Tips for Creating an Elevator Pitch

Time it beforehand: Remember, the average runtime for an elevator pitch is 40 seconds . It’s really easy to waffle if you haven’t timed yourself, so make sure you time your final pitch before taking it to market. 

Speak clearly: While your pitch needs to be concise , it’s super important not to mumble or rush through it. Make sure you follow the seven C’s of effective communication to get your message across in a clear, concise and engaging manner. 

Be personable: An elevator pitch is a friendly, yet well-structured approach to educating someone about your business in a short amount of time. You’ll want it to sound personable and perky rather than rehearsed and rigid. 

Resources for Creating an Elevator Pitch

• Crafting an Elevator Pitch by Mindtools
• 10 Elevator Pitch Examples by Hubspot

Presentation Type #3: Keynote

Ah, the infamous keynote .

If you’ve ever checked out a TedTALK (which, if you haven’t, you totally should) you’ll know exactly what a keynote entails:

A keynote is an informative or motivational presentation given to set the theme of an event (such as a graduation, industry conference or awards ceremony). Keynotes are often given by well-known figures, such as corporate executives or celebrities. 

A typical keynote will be based around a story with three distinct points, each of which link back to one main theme. A typical keynote structure will look something like this.

Introduction

Here, you’ll introduce the main theme of the keynote and foreshadow the other three points that you’ll be looking at over the course of the keynote

First Point

Next, you’ll dig into your first point. This will encompass the first third of your story, giving contextual background to the point and linking it back to the main theme of the keynote.

Second Point

You’ll then do the same for point two.

Third Point

You’ll then repeat the process one last time for point three.

Finally, you’ll bring all three points full circle and link them back to your main theme, outlining the main lessons to take away from the presentation. 

Keynote Example: Steve Jobs Introduces The iPhone (Apple)

Tips for Creating a Keynote

Base it around a story: With keynotes often being either informative or inspiring in nature, basing your presentation around a story will make it much easier to follow. 

Ditch the script: While you’ll want your presentation to be structured, it’s important to keep it friendly and conversational. Leave some room for ad-lib and feel free to tailor your delivery depending on the feel of the room. 

Be vulnerable: A good keynote is all about connecting with your audience on a personal level. By showing vulnerability, it gives your audience a chance to empathize and connect with you, engaging them fully in the keynote itself.

Resources for Creating a Keynote

• Free Online Keynote Maker by Visme
• 17 Presentation Techniques For A Great Keynote by VisualHackers

Presentation Type #4: Investor Pitch

There’s no doubt that presentations are a nerve-wracking experience. 

But there’s one presentation in particular that even the most fiercely-experienced presenters fear… enter the investor pitch :

An investor pitch is a short presentation given by an entrepreneur to prospective investors, with the aim of securing investment for an entrepreneurial venture. 

In other words, it’s basically Shark Tank . 

Investor pitches are commonly used to secure investment for startup companies that have started to build traction, but need a cash injection to get the ball rolling. They’re often presented to either angel investors or venture capital firms .  

A typical investor pitch will follow this type of structure: 

Introduction/Problem Outline

Here, you’ll introduce yourself and outline the problem your entrepreneurial project or startup is looking to solve.

Next, you’ll go into a little more depth on the nature of the problem, including the affected market and growing demand for an effective solution. 

Here’s where the pitch really kicks into gear. You’ll now outline the nuts and bolts of your product or service, company persona and business model.

Finally, you’ll outline what’s in it for the investor. This will usually include how much of a stake they get, what your projected revenue is and how your project stands out amongst your competitors. 

Investor Pitch Example: Brightwheel (Shark Tank)

Tips for Creating an Investor Pitch

Back it up: If you’re asking a panel of investors for upfront capital, it’s absolutely crucial that you’re not only moonshot confident in your idea, but are able to back it up with data.

It’s well-worth sending across a well-structured business proposal to the investor panel beforehand, which can then be supported by growth projection statistics within the pitch itself.

Keep it honest: If you’re expecting someone to put their hard-earned money into your project, make sure you keep it honest and transparent. If you over-exaggerate your numbers during your pitch, prospective investors are bound you catch you out. This’ll instantly kill any chance of a deal. 

Make it urgent: Startups and other entrepreneurial projects come with massive potential to blitz-scale , meaning they grow at an eye-watering pace and generate huge amounts of revenue in the process. ‘FOMO’ can be a great motivator to win over potential investors, provided it’s backed by a solid business plan . 

Resources for Creating an Investor Pitch

• Free Business Plan Templates by Visme
• Pitching To Investors: Top Tips To Raise Investment by Twine

Presentation Type #5: Webinar

Ah, the trusty webinar . 

The term webinar is notorious for serving as a not-so-accurate blanket term for various types of online media. Here’s the lowdown on what it actu a lly means:

A webinar is an online presentation, workshop, seminar or lecture hosted via video conferencing software. The word "webinar" is a combination of the words "web" and "seminar."

Webinars are almost always business-orientated . However, they can be used for a number of different business facets, including:

• Launching a new product/service
• Lead generation
• Brand building 
• Inbound marketing
• Positioning yourself (or your organization) as an expert in your field
• Email marketing

A typical webinar will usually be structured something like this:

Here, the host will introduce the theme of the webinar and give an overview of the running order for the session.

Next, the host will dig into the body of the webinar content. This can be anything from educational content to information about a new product or service, depending on the purpose of the webinar. 

Call-to-Action

To round off the main body of the webinar, the host will go in for the kill and offer the primary call-to-action (such as purchasing a product or signing up to a mailing list). 

Finally, the host will almost-always take questions from the audience. This allows the audience to not only gain greater clarity on the webinar’s content, but it also offers an opportunity for the host to build a personal connection to them (which will subsequently increase conversion rates). 

Webinar Example: Growing An Audience In 2020 (Income School)

Tips for Creating a Webinar

Keep it visually engaging: As webinars exclusively take place online, it can be much harder for the host to leverage things such as body language and eye contact to engage the audience.

Therefore, it’s key to make sure your presentation as visually engaging as possible. Taking the time to clue yourself up about graphic design will pay serious dividends when it comes to your conversion rate.  

Do a dummy run beforehand: Webinars are magnets for technical issues . With large numbers of people in attendance and a huge reliance on technology, you’re very likely to run into technical difficulties during the webinar.

Make sure you do a dummy run beforehand to ensure everything is working and prevent people from abandoning the stream due to technical issues. It's also worth trialing a few different webinar platforms to see which one works best for you.

Optimize for mobile: As you’ll likely be presenting from a desktop, it can be easy to overlook this step. However, the vast majority of attendees will likely be watching your webinar from a mobile device, so it’s crucial to make sure your presentation is well-optimized for mobile. 

Resources for Creating a Webinar

• What is a Webinar and How Does It Work? - Visme
• How to Conduct an Engaging Webinar by Speaking About Presenting

Types of Presentations for Education

Other types of presentations you might deliver are for furthering education, whether you're giving a lecture or presenting at a seminar. Let's learn more about these two types of presentations.

Presentation Type #6: Lecture

No, not the kind your mom used to give you  (or probably still gives you, despite your best intentions).

We mean this one:

A lecture is a verbal presentation of educational subject matter, often accompanied by visual aids. Lectures are often given to medium to large-sized groups, with an average of 62.5 attendees.

Lectures are most-commonly given in educational institutions, such as schools and universities. However, many lectures are available to members of the general public for the purposes of self-enrichment. 

Lectures almost always focus on one particular subset of a wider topic, such as a time period in history or a branch of economics . 

Lecture Example: Introductory Calculus (Oxford University)

Tips for creating a lecture.

Adapt accordingly: This is especially-relevant if you’re lecturing on complex subject material. While you’ll need to take into account the needs of the attendees themselves , you’ll also have to factor in things such as the time of day and mood of the room .

If you’re lecturing first thing on a Monday, you might need a perkier approach. If you’re lecturing last thing on a Friday, you can likely be a little more laid back. 

Don’t over-rely on the slides: Your slideshow should be an accompaniment to your lecture, not the main feature. Use the slides to visually illustrate your points and summarize key learnings, rather than using them as the backbone of the lecture. 

Don’t go overboard with information: Lectures generally require a high-level of concentration for those in attendance. Wherever possible, make sure to explain core concepts in as simple a manner as possible and cut out any unnecessary information. 

Resources for Creating a Lecture

• 8 Types of Learning Styles To Know as a Presenter by Visme
• How to Lecture Effectively by University of Waterloo

Presentation Type #7: Seminar

The seminar is the younger , slightly chattier sibling of the lecture : 

A seminar is a small group session in which academic subject matter is discussed. Most seminars are focused on one particular niche of academia and include discussion amongst the entire group. 

Like lectures, seminars usually take place in schools, colleges and universities. They’re commonly used as a follow-up to a lecture, allowing students to discuss material from the lecture in greater detail.

A seminar will usually have a teacher that structures and oversees group discussion. While they’ll usually teach relevant material and run the group discussion, seminars allow everyone to present material from their academic work or group discussion activities. 

A seminar that’s available to the general public (i.e. not in an academic setting) is usually referred to as a masterclass. 

Seminar Example: Learning to Code (Stanford University)

Tips for Creating a Seminar

Focus on the group: See yourself as a manager rather than an instructor . Seminars should be anchored firmly around discussion from the group, rather than lengthy taught material from yourself. 

Don’t ignore your planning: Due to the interactive and group-focused nature of a seminar, it’s tempting to think you won’t have to plan a great deal of material in advance.

However, for group discussion to be productive and relevant, it needs to be well-planned and structured in advance. Make sure you’ve designed a logical, well-timed structure for the seminar and prepared a few question prompts in case you have a quiet group. 

Adapt to the room: While this goes for any form of presentation, it’s especially relevant in a situation that requires the entire group to present information.

Groups can range from extremely lively to extremely shy; tailor your approach accordingly to make sure that everyone has a say and that the discussion stays as relevant as possible. 

Resources for Creating a Seminar

• Ways to Give an Effective Seminar by Nature
• 16 Tips For Planning A Successful Seminar by Eventbrite

Step It Up With Visually Engaging Presentations

Here’s the deal. It’s well-known that visual aids make a presentation 43% more-persuasive than one without. 

Ready to take your presentations to the next level? Illustrate your presentations with stunning visual content using Visme.  Sign up for a free account and try it out!

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

Trusted by leading brands

Recommended content for you:

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Design visual brand experiences for your business whether you are a seasoned designer or a total novice.

About the Author

George is the digital marketing executive at Twine, a freelancing platform that provides businesses with high-quality freelancers in the creative and digital sectors.

Management Notes

Objective of Presentation – 12 Common Objectives Explained in Detail | Business Communication

Objective of presentation.

Table of Contents

A presentation is a fundamental part of human communication, and it is widely used across a variety of fields including education, business, research, and entertainment. A presentation’s primary objective is to provide information, ideas, or concepts to an audience in an engaging, clear, and organized manner.

In this comprehensive article, we examine the multifaceted objectives of presentations and explore how they can be used to inform, educate, persuade, inspire, and solve problems.

We will demonstrate how presentations effectively share knowledge, influence opinions, and facilitate collaboration by providing a detailed analysis.

Some of the common objectives of the presentation are as follows:

Presenters are primarily responsible for providing information about a specific topic, event, project, product, or service to their audience. In order to improve the audience’s understanding of the subject matter, the presenter will provide essential information and relevant details.

Effective information dissemination is essential to the success of any presentation, whether it is a scientific conference, a business proposal, or an educational lecture.

It is important that presenters carefully structure their presentations, ensuring clarity and coherence. Visual aids, such as slides, charts, and graphs, can complement verbal explanations, simplifying complex information.

Moreover, audience interaction, such as Q&A sessions, can reinforce key points and address specific questions, further facilitating effective communication by addressing specific questions.

2. Educate:

Presentations play a vital role in educational settings, as they are often used to teach new concepts, theories, or skills. A well-designed educational presentation can encourage active engagement and improve knowledge retention in classrooms, workshops, or training sessions. It facilitates learning and enhances the audience’s knowledge of a particular subject.

Presenters must adapt their delivery style to accommodate different learning preferences so that their content reflects the audience’s level of understanding and achieves the educational objective. It is easier to solidify concepts and make the learning experience more enjoyable when real-life examples, case studies, and interactive activities are used.

3. Persuade:

A presentation’s objective is to persuade the audience, particularly in business, marketing, or public speaking situations. In order to persuade an audience, the presenter needs to convince them to accept a particular viewpoint, idea, or proposal using logical arguments, emotional appeal, and credibility.

It is important for presenters to understand their audience’s needs, concerns, and motivations when crafting compelling messages. By using storytelling techniques, testimonials, and persuasive language, the audience can be emotionally connected to the ideas presented, making them more receptive.

The presenter’s position can also be reinforced by strong evidence and data-driven arguments.

4. Inspire and Motivate:

A presentation’s objective is usually to motivate or inspire the audience, particularly when leading, giving a public speaking, or building a team. In order to foster a sense of enthusiasm and commitment towards a shared vision or goal, the presenter is expected to inspire and energize the audience.

In order to achieve this goal, presenters must display passion, authenticity, and leadership skills. By sharing personal anecdotes, success stories, and uplifting quotes, presenters can evoke emotions and build a sense of camaraderie among the audience. In addition, presenting a clear vision and a path to achieving it can motivate the audience to act.

5. Report Findings:

Presentations are commonly used to present research findings, project results, financial results, or other critical data in academic and professional settings. Providing structured and visually appealing results facilitates comprehension and discussion by facilitating the presentation of results.

The methodology, findings, and implications of a research or project should be clearly presented in an effective reporting presentation. Charts, graphs, and infographics are excellent visual aids for enhancing data visualization and simplifying complex information. Further exploration and collaboration can also be enhanced by presenting limitations and future directions.

6. Training and Development:

Organizations use presentations to promote learning, skill development, and knowledge transfer, which make them an essential tool for training and development. This presentation aims to provide the audience with the tools and information they need to excel in their job.

An interactive and engaging training session that encourages active participation is crucial to achieving the training objective. Learning and skill application can be reinforced through hands-on exercises, role-playing, and group discussions. Feedback and follow-up resources can ensure continued growth.

7. Entertain:

Entertainment is a primary objective of some presentations, particularly in conferences, seminars, or social gatherings. A presentation’s primary purpose is to entertain the audience and keep them engaged, alleviate boredom, and create an enjoyable experience.

Presenters can use humor, storytelling, and multimedia elements to achieve the entertainment objective. Also, engaging the audience through quizzes, challenges, and audience participation can make the presentation more lively and enjoyable.

8. Problem-Solving:

A presentation can be used to solve problems and identify solutions, especially in business and decision-making contexts. The objective is to engage an audience in finding viable solutions to specific problems.

Before presenting potential solutions, presenters need to clarify the problem and its implications in order to achieve the problem-solving objective. Audiences can be guided through the decision-making process by using a structured approach such as the problem-solving model or SWOT analysis.

By involving the audience in brainstorming or group exercises, valuable insights and innovative solutions can also be gained.

9. Present Updates:

Presentations serve as an opportunity to share information about ongoing projects, company developments, or industry trends in business environments. Their objective is to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.

In order to achieve this objective, presenters must provide accurate and up-to-date information. By proactively addressing potential concerns or challenges, stakeholders can be instilled with confidence and foster transparency. Visual aids like timelines, charts, or trend graphs can help convey progress and future projections.

10. Facilitate Discussion:

A presentation can serve as a basis for group discussion, where the audience actively contributes ideas and perspectives. This promotes dialogue. A presenter must create an inclusive and open environment that encourages audience participation in order to achieve this objective.

It is beneficial to allow for a variety of viewpoints and experiences to be exchanged. Active listening and thoughtful responses from the presenter can enrich the discussion further.

11. Promote Collaboration:

Collaboration: Presentations encourage collaboration between members of a team by sharing ideas, progress, and goals. They encourage people to align efforts for a common goal.

Teamwork and a shared sense of purpose are essential to achieving the collaboration objective. By inviting input and feedback from all team members, the presenter can create a sense of inclusion and ownership. In order for the team’s efforts to be coordinated and productive, clear action plans and follow-up procedures must be established.

12. Showcase Creativity:

A presentation may be used to present innovative ideas, campaigns, or projects in creative fields such as design, art, or marketing. The objective is to impress and engage the audience through creative thinking.

Presenters must think outside the box and use unconventional presentation techniques in order to achieve the creativity objective. The presentation can be memorable and impactful if it incorporates multimedia elements, interactive experiences, or live demonstrations.

In addition, audience members can gain a deeper understanding of the project’s conception by providing context and explaining the creative process.

A well-organized and delivered presentation can accomplish its objectives effectively, leaving a lasting impression on the audience and fulfilling the presenter’s objectives.

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Blog Graphic Design Visual Presentation: Tips, Types and Examples

Visual Presentation: Tips, Types and Examples

Written by: Krystle Wong Sep 28, 2023

So, you’re gearing up for that big presentation and you want it to be more than just another snooze-fest with slides. You want it to be engaging, memorable and downright impressive. 

Well, you’ve come to the right place — I’ve got some slick tips on how to create a visual presentation that’ll take your presentation game up a notch. 

Packed with presentation templates that are easily customizable, keep reading this blog post to learn the secret sauce behind crafting presentations that captivate, inform and remain etched in the memory of your audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What is a visual presentation

15 effective tips to make your visual presentations more engaging, 6 major types of visual presentation you should know , what are some common mistakes to avoid in visual presentations, visual presentation faqs, 5 steps to create a visual presentation with venngage.

A visual presentation is a communication method that utilizes visual elements such as images, graphics, charts, slides and other visual aids to convey information, ideas or messages to an audience. 

Visual presentations aim to enhance comprehension engagement and the overall impact of the message through the strategic use of visuals. People remember what they see, making your point last longer in their heads. 

Without further ado, let’s jump right into some great visual presentation examples that would do a great job in keeping your audience interested and getting your point across.

In today’s fast-paced world, where information is constantly bombarding our senses, creating engaging visual presentations has never been more crucial. To help you design a presentation that’ll leave a lasting impression, I’ve compiled these examples of visual presentations that will elevate your game.

1. Use the rule of thirds for layout

Ever heard of the rule of thirds? It’s a presentation layout trick that can instantly up your slide game. Imagine dividing your slide into a 3×3 grid and then placing your text and visuals at the intersection points or along the lines. This simple tweak creates a balanced and seriously pleasing layout that’ll draw everyone’s eyes.

2. Get creative with visual metaphors

Got a complex idea to explain? Skip the jargon and use visual metaphors. Throw in images that symbolize your point – for example, using a road map to show your journey towards a goal or using metaphors to represent answer choices or progress indicators in an interactive quiz or poll.

3. Engage with storytelling through data

Use storytelling magic to bring your data to life. Don’t just throw numbers at your audience—explain what they mean, why they matter and add a bit of human touch. Turn those stats into relatable tales and watch your audience’s eyes light up with understanding.

4. Visualize your data with charts and graphs

The right data visualization tools not only make content more appealing but also aid comprehension and retention. Choosing the right visual presentation for your data is all about finding a good match. 

For ordinal data, where things have a clear order, consider using ordered bar charts or dot plots. When it comes to nominal data, where categories are on an equal footing, stick with the classics like bar charts, pie charts or simple frequency tables. And for interval-ratio data, where there’s a meaningful order, go for histograms, line graphs, scatterplots or box plots to help your data shine.

In an increasingly visual world, effective visual communication is a valuable skill for conveying messages. Here’s a guide on how to use visual communication to engage your audience while avoiding information overload.

5. Employ the power of contrast

Want your important stuff to pop? That’s where contrast comes in. Mix things up with contrasting colors, fonts or shapes. It’s like highlighting your key points with a neon marker – an instant attention grabber.

6. End with a powerful visual punch

Your presentation closing should be a showstopper. Think a stunning clip art that wraps up your message with a visual bow, a killer quote that lingers in minds or a call to action that gets hearts racing.

7. Tell a visual story

Structure your slides like a storybook and create a visual narrative by arranging your slides in a way that tells a story. Each slide should flow into the next, creating a visual narrative that keeps your audience hooked till the very end.

Icons and images are essential for adding visual appeal and clarity to your presentation. Venngage provides a vast library of icons and images, allowing you to choose visuals that resonate with your audience and complement your message. 

8. Show the “before and after” magic

Want to drive home the impact of your message or solution? Whip out the “before and after” technique. Show the current state (before) and the desired state (after) in a visual way. It’s like showing a makeover transformation, but for your ideas.

9. Add fun with visual quizzes and polls

To break the monotony and see if your audience is still with you, throw in some quick image quizzes or polls. It’s like a mini-game break in your presentation — your audience gets involved and it makes your presentation way more dynamic and memorable.

10. Use visuals wisely

Your visuals are the secret sauce of a great presentation. Cherry-pick high-quality images, graphics, charts and videos that not only look good but also align with your message’s vibe. Each visual should have a purpose – they’re not just there for decoration. 

11. Utilize visual hierarchy

Employ design principles like contrast, alignment and proximity to make your key info stand out. Play around with fonts, colors and placement to make sure your audience can’t miss the important stuff.

12. Engage with multimedia

Static slides are so last year. Give your presentation some sizzle by tossing in multimedia elements. Think short video clips, animations, or a touch of sound when it makes sense, including an animated logo . But remember, these are sidekicks, not the main act, so use them smartly.

13. Interact with your audience

Turn your presentation into a two-way street. Start your presentation by encouraging your audience to join in with thought-provoking questions, quick polls or using interactive tools. Get them chatting and watch your presentation come alive.

When it comes to delivering a group presentation, it’s important to have everyone on the team on the same page. Venngage’s real-time collaboration tools enable you and your team to work together seamlessly, regardless of geographical locations. Collaborators can provide input, make edits and offer suggestions in real time. 

14. Incorporate stories and examples

Weave in relatable stories, personal anecdotes or real-life examples to illustrate your points. It’s like adding a dash of spice to your content – it becomes more memorable and relatable.

15. Nail that delivery

Don’t just stand there and recite facts like a robot — be a confident and engaging presenter. Lock eyes with your audience, mix up your tone and pace and use some gestures to drive your points home. Practice and brush up your presentation skills until you’ve got it down pat for a persuasive presentation that flows like a pro.

Venngage offers a wide selection of professionally designed presentation templates, each tailored for different purposes and styles. By choosing a template that aligns with your content and goals, you can create a visually cohesive and polished presentation that captivates your audience.

Looking for more presentation ideas ? Why not try using a presentation software that will take your presentations to the next level with a combination of user-friendly interfaces, stunning visuals, collaboration features and innovative functionalities that will take your presentations to the next level. 

Visual presentations come in various formats, each uniquely suited to convey information and engage audiences effectively. Here are six major types of visual presentations that you should be familiar with:

1. Slideshows or PowerPoint presentations

Slideshows are one of the most common forms of visual presentations. They typically consist of a series of slides containing text, images, charts, graphs and other visual elements. Slideshows are used for various purposes, including business presentations, educational lectures and conference talks.

2. Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information, data or knowledge. They combine text, images and graphics to convey complex concepts or data in a concise and visually appealing manner. Infographics are often used in marketing, reporting and educational materials.

Don’t worry, they are also super easy to create thanks to Venngage’s fully customizable infographics templates that are professionally designed to bring your information to life. Be sure to try it out for your next visual presentation!

3. Video presentation

Videos are your dynamic storytellers. Whether it’s pre-recorded or happening in real-time, videos are the showstoppers. You can have interviews, demos, animations or even your own mini-documentary. Video presentations are highly engaging and can be shared in both in-person and virtual presentations .

4. Charts and graphs

Charts and graphs are visual representations of data that make it easier to understand and analyze numerical information. Common types include bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and scatterplots. They are commonly used in scientific research, business reports and academic presentations.

Effective data visualizations are crucial for simplifying complex information and Venngage has got you covered. Venngage’s chart templates enable you to create engaging charts, graphs,and infographics that enhance audience understanding and retention, leaving a lasting impression in your presentation.

5. Interactive presentations

Interactive presentations involve audience participation and engagement. These can include interactive polls, quizzes, games and multimedia elements that allow the audience to actively participate in the presentation. Interactive presentations are often used in workshops, training sessions and webinars.

Venngage’s interactive presentation tools enable you to create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact and enhance audience retention. By incorporating features like clickable elements, quizzes and embedded multimedia, you can captivate your audience’s attention and encourage active participation.

6. Poster presentations

Poster presentations are the stars of the academic and research scene. They consist of a large poster that includes text, images and graphics to communicate research findings or project details and are usually used at conferences and exhibitions. For more poster ideas, browse through Venngage’s gallery of poster templates to inspire your next presentation.

Different visual presentations aside, different presentation methods also serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences. Find out which type of presentation works best for the message you are sending across to better capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

To make a good presentation , it’s crucial to be aware of common mistakes and how to avoid them. Without further ado, let’s explore some of these pitfalls along with valuable insights on how to sidestep them.

Overloading slides with text

Text heavy slides can be like trying to swallow a whole sandwich in one bite – overwhelming and unappetizing. Instead, opt for concise sentences and bullet points to keep your slides simple. Visuals can help convey your message in a more engaging way.

Using low-quality visuals

Grainy images and pixelated charts are the equivalent of a scratchy vinyl record at a DJ party. High-resolution visuals are your ticket to professionalism. Ensure that the images, charts and graphics you use are clear, relevant and sharp.

Choosing the right visuals for presentations is important. To find great visuals for your visual presentation, Browse Venngage’s extensive library of high-quality stock photos. These images can help you convey your message effectively, evoke emotions and create a visually pleasing narrative. 

Ignoring design consistency

Imagine a book with every chapter in a different font and color – it’s a visual mess. Consistency in fonts, colors and formatting throughout your presentation is key to a polished and professional look.

Reading directly from slides

Reading your slides word-for-word is like inviting your audience to a one-person audiobook session. Slides should complement your speech, not replace it. Use them as visual aids, offering key points and visuals to support your narrative.

Lack of visual hierarchy

Neglecting visual hierarchy is like trying to find Waldo in a crowd of clones. Coupling this with video transcription can make your presentation more comprehensive and engaging. Use size, color and positioning to emphasize what’s most important. Guide your audience’s attention to key points so they don’t miss the forest for the trees.

Ignoring accessibility

Accessibility isn’t an option these days; it’s a must. Forgetting alt text for images, color contrast and closed captions for videos can exclude individuals with disabilities from understanding your presentation. 

Relying too heavily on animation

While animations can add pizzazz and draw attention, overdoing it can overshadow your message. Use animations sparingly and with purpose to enhance, not detract from your content.

Using jargon and complex language

Keep it simple. Use plain language and explain terms when needed. You want your message to resonate, not leave people scratching their heads.

Not testing interactive elements

Interactive elements can be the life of your whole presentation, but not testing them beforehand is like jumping into a pool without checking if there’s water. Ensure that all interactive features, from live polls to multimedia content, work seamlessly. A smooth experience keeps your audience engaged and avoids those awkward technical hiccups.

Presenting complex data and information in a clear and visually appealing way has never been easier with Venngage. Build professional-looking designs with our free visual chart slide templates for your next presentation.

What is a visual presentation?

A visual presentation is a method of presenting information through visual aids such as slides, images, charts and videos. It enhances understanding and retention by illustrating key points and data visually. Visual presentations are commonly used in meetings, lectures, and conferences to engage and inform the audience effectively.

What is the role of storytelling in visual presentations?

Storytelling plays a crucial role in visual presentations by providing a narrative structure that engages the audience, helps them relate to the content and makes the information more memorable.

What software or tools can I use to create visual presentations?

You can use various software and tools to create visual presentations, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Prezi and Venngage, among others.

What is the difference between a visual presentation and a written report?

The main difference between a visual presentation and a written report is the medium of communication. Visual presentations rely on visuals, such as slides, charts and images to convey information quickly, while written reports use text to provide detailed information in a linear format.

How do I effectively communicate data through visual presentations?

To effectively communicate data through visual presentations, simplify complex data into easily digestible charts and graphs, use clear labels and titles and ensure that your visuals support the key messages you want to convey.

Are there any accessibility considerations for visual presentations?

Accessibility considerations for visual presentations include providing alt text for images, ensuring good color contrast, using readable fonts and providing transcripts or captions for multimedia content to make the presentation inclusive.

Most design tools today make accessibility hard but Venngage’s Accessibility Design Tool comes with accessibility features baked in, including accessible-friendly and inclusive icons.

How do I choose the right visuals for my presentation?

Choose visuals that align with your content and message. Use charts for data, images for illustrating concepts, icons for emphasis and color to evoke emotions or convey themes.

How can I adapt my visual presentations for online or virtual audiences?

To adapt visual presentations for online or virtual audiences, focus on concise content, use engaging visuals, ensure clear audio, encourage audience interaction through chat or polls and rehearse for a smooth online delivery.

What is the role of data visualization in visual presentations?

Data visualization in visual presentations simplifies complex data by using charts, graphs and diagrams, making it easier for the audience to understand and interpret information.

How do I choose the right color scheme and fonts for my visual presentation?

Choose a color scheme that aligns with your content and brand and select fonts that are readable and appropriate for the message you want to convey.

How can I measure the effectiveness of my visual presentation?

Measure the effectiveness of your visual presentation by collecting feedback from the audience, tracking engagement metrics (e.g., click-through rates for online presentations) and evaluating whether the presentation achieved its intended objectives.

Follow the 5 simple steps below to make your entire presentation visually appealing and impactful:

1. Sign up and log In: Log in to your Venngage account or sign up for free and gain access to Venngage’s templates and design tools.

2. Choose a template: Browse through Venngage’s presentation template library and select one that best suits your presentation’s purpose and style. Venngage offers a variety of pre-designed templates for different types of visual presentations, including infographics, reports, posters and more.

3. Edit and customize your template: Replace the placeholder text, image and graphics with your own content and customize the colors, fonts and visual elements to align with your presentation’s theme or your organization’s branding.

4. Add visual elements: Venngage offers a wide range of visual elements, such as icons, illustrations, charts, graphs and images, that you can easily add to your presentation with the user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.

5. Save and export your presentation: Export your presentation in a format that suits your needs and then share it with your audience via email, social media or by embedding it on your website or blog .

So, as you gear up for your next presentation, whether it’s for business, education or pure creative expression, don’t forget to keep these visual presentation ideas in your back pocket.

Feel free to experiment and fine-tune your approach and let your passion and expertise shine through in your presentation. With practice, you’ll not only build presentations but also leave a lasting impact on your audience – one slide at a time.

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How to Start a Presentation: 5 Templates and 90 Example Phrases

By Status.net Editorial Team on February 27, 2024 — 11 minutes to read

Starting a presentation effectively means capturing your audience’s attention from the very beginning. It’s important because it sets the tone for the entire presentation and establishes your credibility as a speaker.

Effective Openers: 5 Templates

Your presentation’s beginning sets the stage for everything that follows. So, it’s important to capture your audience’s attention right from the start. Here are some tried-and-true techniques to do just that.

1. Storytelling Approach

When you start with a story, you tap into the natural human love for narratives. It can be a personal experience, a historical event, or a fictional tale that ties back to your main point.

Example Introduction Template 1:

“Let me tell you a story about…”

Example : “Let me tell you a story about how a small idea in a garage blossomed into the global brand we know today.”

2. Quotation Strategy

Using a relevant quote can lend authority and thematic flavor to your presentation. Choose a quote that is provocative, enlightening, or humorous to resonate with your audience.

Example Introduction Template 2:

“As [Famous Person] once said…”

Example : “As Steve Jobs once said, ‘Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.'”

3. Questioning Technique

Engage your audience directly by opening with a thoughtful question. This encourages them to think and become active participants.

Example Introduction Template 3:

“Have you ever wondered…”

Example : “Have you ever wondered what it would take to reduce your carbon footprint to zero?”

4. Statistical Hook

Kick off with a startling statistic that presents a fresh perspective or underscores the importance of your topic.

Example Introduction Template 4:

“Did you know that…”

Example : “Did you know that 90% of the world’s data was generated in the last two years alone?”

5. Anecdotal Method

Share a brief, relatable incident that highlights the human aspect of your topic. It paves the way for empathy and connection.

Example Introduction Template 5:

“I want to share a quick anecdote…”

Example : “I want to share a quick anecdote about a time I experienced the customer service that went above and beyond what anyone would expect.”

How to Start a Powerpoint Presentation: 45 Example Phrases

Starting a PowerPoint presentation effectively can captivate your audience and set the tone for your message. The opening phrases you choose are important in establishing rapport and commanding attention. Whether you’re presenting to colleagues, at a conference, or in an academic setting, these phrases will help you begin with confidence and poise:

• 1. “Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone. Thank you for joining me today.”
• 2. “Welcome, and thank you for being here. Let’s dive into our topic.”
• 3. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to present to you all about…”
• 4. “Thank you all for coming. Today, we’re going to explore…”
• 5. “Let’s begin by looking at the most important question: Why are we here today?”
• 6. “I appreciate your time today, and I promise it will be well spent as we discuss…”
• 7. “Before we get started, I want to express my gratitude for your presence here today.”
• 8. “It’s a pleasure to see so many familiar faces as we gather to talk about…”
• 9. “I’m thrilled to kick off today’s presentation on a topic that I am passionate about—…”
• 10. “Welcome to our session. I’m confident you’ll find the next few minutes informative as we cover…”
• 11. “Let’s embark on a journey through our discussion on…”
• 12. “I’m delighted to have the chance to share my insights on…”
• 13. “Thank you for the opportunity to present to such an esteemed audience on…”
• 14. “Let’s set the stage for an engaging discussion about…”
• 15. “As we begin, I’d like you to consider this:…”
• 16. “Today marks an important discussion on a subject that affects us all:…”
• 17. “Good day, and welcome to what promises to be an enlightening presentation on…”
• 18. “Hello and welcome! We’re here to delve into something truly exciting today…”
• 19. “I’m honored to present to you this comprehensive look into…”
• 20. “Without further ado, let’s get started on a journey through…”
• 21. “Thank you for carving time out of your day to join me for this presentation on…”
• 22. “It’s wonderful to see such an engaged audience ready to tackle the topic of…”
• 23. “I invite you to join me as we unpack the complexities of…”
• 24. “Today’s presentation will take us through some groundbreaking ideas about…”
• 25. “Welcome aboard! Prepare to set sail into the vast sea of knowledge on…”
• 26. “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to everyone as we focus our attention on…”
• 27. “Let’s ignite our curiosity as we begin to explore…”
• 28. “Thank you for your interest and attention as we dive into the heart of…”
• 29. “As we look ahead to the next hour, we’ll uncover the secrets of…”
• 30. “I’m eager to share with you some fascinating insights on…”
• 31. “Welcome to what I believe will be a transformative discussion on…”
• 32. “This morning/afternoon, we’ll be venturing into the world of…”
• 33. “Thank you for joining me on this exploration of…”
• 34. “I’m delighted by the turnout today as we embark on this exploration of…”
• 35. “Together, let’s navigate the intricacies of…”
• 36. “I’m looking forward to engaging with you all on the subject of…”
• 37. “Let’s kick things off with a critical look at…”
• 38. “Thank you for your presence today as we shine a light on…”
• 39. “Welcome to a comprehensive overview of…”
• 40. “It’s a privilege to discuss with you the impact of…”
• 41. “I’m glad you could join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking presentation on…”
• 42. “Today, we’re going to break down the concept of…”
• 43. “As we get started, let’s consider the significance of our topic:…”
• 44. “I’m thrilled to lead you through today’s discussion, which centers around…”
• 45. “Let’s launch into our session with an eye-opening look at…”

Starting a Presentation: 45 Examples

Connecting with the audience.

When starting a presentation, making a genuine connection with your audience sets the stage for a successful exchange of ideas. Examples:

• “I promise, by the end of this presentation, you’ll be as enthusiastic about this as I am because…”
• “The moment I learned about this, I knew it would be a game-changer and I’m thrilled to present it to you…”
• “There’s something special about this topic that I find incredibly invigorating, and I hope you will too…”
• “I get a rush every time I work on this, and I hope to transmit that energy to you today…”
• “I’m thrilled to discuss this breakthrough that could revolutionize…”
• “This project has been a labor of love, and I’m eager to walk you through…”
• “When I first encountered this challenge, I was captivated by the possibilities it presented…”
• “I can’t wait to dive into the details of this innovative approach with you today…”
• “It’s genuinely exhilarating to be at the edge of what’s possible in…”
• “My fascination with [topic] drove me to explore it further, and I’m excited to share…”
• “Nothing excites me more than talking about the future of…”
• “Seeing your faces, I know we’re going to have a lively discussion about…”
• “The potential here is incredible, and I’m looking forward to discussing it with you…”
• “Let’s embark on this journey together and explore why this is such a pivotal moment for…”
• “Your engagement in this discussion is going to make this even more exciting because…”

Building Credibility

You present with credibility when you establish your expertise and experience on the subject matter. Here’s what you can say to accomplish that:

• “With a decade of experience in this field, I’ve come to understand the intricacies of…”
• “Having led multiple successful projects, I’m excited to share my insights on…”
• “Over the years, working closely with industry experts, I’ve gleaned…”
• “I hold a degree in [your field], which has equipped me with a foundation for…”
• “I’m a certified professional in [your certification], which means I bring a certain level of expertise…”
• “Having published research on this topic, my perspective is grounded in…”
• “I’ve been a keynote speaker at several conferences, discussing…”
• “Throughout my career, I’ve contributed to groundbreaking work in…”
• “My experience as a [your previous role] has given me a unique outlook on…”
• “Endorsed by [an authority in your field], I’m here to share what we’ve achieved…”
• “The program I developed was recognized by [award], highlighting its impact in…”
• “I’ve trained professionals nationwide on this subject and witnessed…”
• “Collaborating with renowned teams, we’ve tackled challenges like…”
• “I’ve been at the forefront of this industry, navigating through…”
• “As a panelist, I’ve debated this topic with some of the brightest minds in…”

Projecting Confidence

• “I stand before you today with a deep understanding of…”
• “You can rely on the information I’m about to share, backed by thorough research and analysis…”
• “Rest assured, the strategies we’ll discuss have been tested and proven effective in…”
• “I’m certain you’ll find the data I’ll present both compelling and relevant because…”
• “I’m fully confident in the recommendations I’m providing today due to…”
• “The results speak for themselves, and I’m here to outline them clearly for you…”
• “I invite you to consider the evidence I’ll present; it’s both robust and persuasive…”
• “You’re in good hands today; I’ve navigated these waters many times and have the insights to prove it…”
• “I assure you, the journey we’ll take during this presentation will be enlightening because…”
• “Your success is important to me, which is why I’ve prepared diligently for our time together…”
• “Let’s look at the facts; they’ll show you why this approach is solid and dependable…”
• “Today, I present to you a clear path forward, grounded in solid experience and knowledge…”
• “I’m confident that what we’ll uncover today will not only inform but also inspire you because…”
• “You’ll leave here equipped with practical, proven solutions that you can trust because…”
• “The solution I’m proposing has been embraced industry-wide, and for good reason…”

Organizational Preview

Starting your presentation with a clear organizational preview can effectively guide your audience through the content. This section helps you prepare to communicate the roadmap of your presentation.

Outlining the Main Points

You should begin by briefly listing the main points you’ll cover. This lets your audience know what to expect and helps them follow along. For example, if you’re presenting on healthy eating, you might say, “Today, I’ll cover the benefits of healthy eating, essential nutrients in your diet, and simple strategies for making healthier choices.”

Setting the Tone

Your introduction sets the tone for the entire presentation. A way to do this is through a relevant story or anecdote that engages the audience. Suppose you’re talking about innovation; you might start with, “When I was a child, I was fascinated by how simple Legos could build complex structures, which is much like the innovation process.”

Explaining the Structure

Explain the structure of your presentation so that your audience can anticipate how you’ll transition from one section to the next. For instance, if your presentation includes an interactive portion, you might say, “I’ll begin with a 15-minute overview, followed by a hands-on demonstration, and we’ll wrap up with a Q&A session, where you can ask any questions.”

Practice and Preparation

Before you step onto the stage, it’s important that your preparation includes not just content research, but also rigorous practice and strategy for dealing with nerves. This approach ensures you present with confidence and clarity.

Rehearsing the Opening

Practicing your introduction aloud gives you the opportunity to refine your opening remarks. You might start by greeting the audience and sharing an interesting quote or a surprising statistic related to your topic. For example, if your presentation is about the importance of renewable energy, you could begin with a recent statistic about the growth in solar energy adoption. Record yourself and listen to the playback, focusing on your tone, pace, and clarity.

Memorizing Key Points

While you don’t need to memorize your entire presentation word for word, you should know the key points by heart. This includes main arguments, data, and any conclusions you’ll be drawing. You can use techniques such as mnemonics or the method of loci, which means associating each key point with a specific location in your mind, to help remember these details. Having them at your fingertips will make you feel more prepared and confident.

Managing Presentation Jitters

Feeling nervous before a presentation is natural, but you can manage these jitters with a few techniques. Practice deep breathing exercises or mindful meditation to calm your mind before going on stage. You can also perform a mock presentation to a group of friends or colleagues to simulate the experience and receive feedback. This will not only help you get used to speaking in front of others but also in adjusting your material based on their reactions.

Engagement Strategies

Starting a presentation on the right foot often depends on how engaged your audience is. Using certain strategies, you can grab their attention early and maintain their interest throughout your talk:

1. Encouraging Audience Participation

Opening your presentation with a question to your audience is a great way to encourage participation. This invites them to think actively about the subject matter. For instance, you might ask, “By a show of hands, how many of you have experienced…?” Additionally, integrating interactive elements like quick polls or requesting volunteers for a demonstration can make the experience more dynamic and memorable.

Using direct questions throughout your presentation ensures the audience stays alert, as they might be called upon to share their views. For example, after covering a key point, you might engage your audience with, “Does anyone have an experience to share related to this?”

2. Utilizing Pacing and Pauses

Mastering the pace of your speech helps keep your presentation lively. Quickening the pace when discussing exciting developments or slowing down when explaining complex ideas can help maintain interest. For example, when introducing a new concept, slow your pace to allow the audience to absorb the information.

Pauses are equally powerful. A well-timed pause after a key point gives the audience a moment to ponder the significance of what you’ve just said. It might feel like this: “The results of this study were groundbreaking. (pause) They completely shifted our understanding of…”. Pauses also give you a moment to collect your thoughts, adding to your overall composure and control of the room.

How should one introduce their group during a presentation?

You might say something like, “Let me introduce my amazing team: Alex, our researcher, Jamie, our designer, and Sam, the developer. Together, we’ve spent the last few months creating something truly special for you.”

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The Importance of Presentation Skills: That You Must Know About

Presentation Skills are essential for effectively conveying ideas and engaging an audience. This blog explores the Importance of Presentation Skills, highlighting how they boost confidence, enhance communication, and improve professional success. Master these skills to leave a lasting impression and achieve your goals.

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Table of Contents  

1) A Brief Introduction to Presentation Skills 

2) Importance of Presentation Skills in Personal Life 

3) Importance of Presentation Skills in Professional Life 

4) Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills 

5) Conclusion 

A Brief Introduction to Presentation Skills  

Presentation Skills can be defined as the ability to deliver information confidently and persuasively to engage and influence the audience. Be it in personal or professional settings; mastering Presentation Skills empowers individuals to convey their ideas with clarity, build confidence, and leave a lasting impression. From public speaking to business pitches, honing these skills can lead to greater success in diverse spheres of life.  You can also refer to various presentation skills interview questions and Answers  to build you confidence! 

Importance of Presentation Skills in Personal Life  

Effective Presentation Skills are not limited to professional settings alone; they play a significant role in personal life as well. Let us now explore  the Importance of Presentation Skills in one’s personal life:    

Expressing Ideas Clearly   

In day-to-day conversations with family, friends, or acquaintances, having good Presentation Skills enables you to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly. Whether you're discussing plans for the weekend or sharing your opinions on a particular topic, being an effective communicator encourages better understanding and engagement. 

Enhancing Social Confidence  

Many individuals struggle with social anxiety or nervousness in social gatherings. Mastering Presentation Skills helps boost self-confidence, making it easier to navigate social situations with ease. The ability to present yourself confidently and engage others in conversation enhances your social life and opens doors to new relationships. 

Creating Memories on Special Occasions  

There are moments in life that call for public speaking, such as proposing a toast at a wedding, delivering a speech at a family gathering, or giving a presentation during special events. Having polished Presentation Skills enables you to leave a positive impression on the audience, making these occasions even more memorable. 

Handling Challenging Conversations  

Life often presents challenging situations that require delicate communication, such as expressing condolences or resolving conflicts. Strong Presentation Skills help you convey your feelings and thoughts sensitively, encouraging effective and empathetic communication during difficult times. 

Building Stronger Relationships  

Being a skilled presenter means being a good listener as well. Active listening is a fundamental aspect of effective Presentations, and when applied in personal relationships, it strengthens bonds and builds trust. Empathising with others and showing genuine interest in their stories and opinions enhances the quality of your relationships. 

Advocating for Personal Goals  

Whether you're pursuing personal projects or seeking support for a cause you're passionate about, the ability to present your ideas persuasively helps garner support and enthusiasm from others. This can be beneficial in achieving personal goals and making a positive impact on your community. 

Inspiring and Motivating Others  

In one’s personal life, Presentation Skills are not just about delivering formal speeches; they also involve inspiring and motivating others through your actions and words. Whether you're sharing your experiences, mentoring someone, or encouraging loved ones during tough times, your Presentation skills can be a source of inspiration for others. 

Exuding leadership traits  

Effective Presentation Skills go hand in hand with leadership qualities. Being able to communicate clearly and influence others' perspectives positions you as a leader within your family, social circles, or community. Leadership in personal life involves guiding and supporting others towards positive outcomes. 

Unlock your full potential as a presenter with our Presentation Skills Training Course. Join now!  

Importance of Presentation Skills in Professional Life  

Effective Presentation skills are a vital asset for career growth and success in professional life. Let us now explore the Importance of Presentation skills for students and workers:  

Impressing Employers and Clients  

During job interviews or business meetings, a well-delivered Presentation showcases your knowledge, confidence, and ability to communicate ideas effectively. It impresses employers, clients, and potential investors, leaving a positive and memorable impression that can tilt the scales in your favour. 

Advancing in Your Career  

In the corporate world, promotions and career advancements often involve presenting your achievements, ideas, and future plans to decision-makers. Strong Presentation Skills demonstrate your leadership potential and readiness for higher responsibilities, opening doors to new opportunities. 

Effective Team Collaboration  

As a professional, you often need to present projects, strategies, or updates to your team or colleagues. A compelling Presentation facilitates better understanding and association among team members, leading to more productive and successful projects. 

Persuasive Selling Techniques  

For sales and marketing professionals, Presentation skills are instrumental in persuading potential customers to choose your products or services. An engaging sales pitch can sway buying decisions, leading to increased revenue and business growth. 

Creating Impactful Proposals  

In the corporate world, proposals are crucial for securing new partnerships or business deals. A well-structured and compelling Presentation can make your proposal stand out and increase the chances of successful negotiations. 

Gaining and Retaining Clients  

Whether you are a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, Presentation Skills play a key role in winning and retaining clients. A captivating Presentation not only convinces clients of your capabilities but also builds trust and promotes long-term relationships. 

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Professional life often involves speaking at conferences, seminars, or industry events. Being a confident and engaging speaker allows you to deliver your message effectively, position yourself as an expert, and expand your professional network. 

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When seeking new opportunities or transitioning to a different industry, Presentation Skills are essential for communicating your transferable skills and showcasing your adaptability to potential employers. 

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Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills 

Now that you know about the Importance of Presentation Skills in your personal and professional life, we will provide you with tips on how to  Improve Your Presentation Skills .

1) Know Your Audience: Understand the demographics and interests of your audience to tailor your Presentation accordingly. 

2) Practice Regularly: Rehearse your speech multiple times to refine content and delivery. 

3) Seek Feedback: Gather feedback from peers or mentors to identify areas for improvement. 

4) Manage Nervousness: Use relaxation techniques to overcome nervousness before presenting. 

5) Engage with Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact with the audience to establish a connection. 

6) Use Clear Visuals: Utilise impactful visuals to complement your spoken words. 

7) Emphasise Key Points: Highlight important information to enhance audience retention. 

8) Employ body language: Use confident and purposeful gestures to convey your message. 

9) Handle Q&A Confidently: Prepare for potential questions and answer them with clarity. 

10) Add Personal Stories: Include relevant anecdotes to make your Presentation more relatable. 

Learn different methods of delivering presentations with our Presenting with Impact Training – Join today!

Presentation Skills are a valuable asset, impacting both personal and professional realms of life. By mastering these skills, you can become a more effective communicator, a confident professional, and a persuasive influencer. Continuous improvement and adaptation to technological advancements will ensure you stay ahead in this competitive world. 

Learn about presentation styles with our Presentation Skills Training   – Join today! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Visual aids can make your presentation engaging and easier to understand. They help illustrate key points and keep the audience’s attention. Using visuals like charts, images, and videos can make your message clearer and more memorable.

Common mistakes include reading directly from slides, overloading slides with text, and not practising enough. To avoid them, practice thoroughly, use bullet points, and keep your slides simple.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How to Present Complex Concepts: A Guide for Effective Communication

How to Present Complex Concepts: A Guide for Effective Communication

Have you ever been in front of an audience presenting a complex concept only to see in their faces that they’re not grasping what you’re saying? Not everyone has the same knowledge levels, much less about the same topics.

When you find yourself in this situation, it can be tough to bounce back and find another way to explain the complex concept to your audience. If not prepared, the panic might ruin your presentation.

So, how do you explain a complex topic to someone unfamiliar with it? 

How can you communicate complex information so that anyone will understand?

Those are the questions we’ll be answering in this guide. We’ve collected our favorite techniques and tools from different corners of the web to give you a varied look at how anybody can explain anything to anyone. 

Table of Contents

What is a Complex Concept?

Why are complex concepts difficult to communicate.

• Mind Mapping
• Storytelling and Analogies
• Four-Step Formula from How Communication Works
• Visual Aids and Interactivity
• Matt Abrahams’s 6 Tools

4 Examples of Effective Communication of Complex Concepts

Case study: explaining the cloud, mistakes to avoid when presenting complex ideas.

First up, let’s get the big words out of the way. 

Do you know the difference between complex and complicated? Knowing the distinction will help you learn to present, explain, and articulate concepts to audiences of varying backgrounds.

The main difference between complex and complicated is that complicated refers to the level of detail, while complex refers to the difficulty level. Both consist of many interconnected parts, but the difference lies in how the parts affect the outcome.

Complicated concepts have a cause and effect, an expected result. A complicated concept can be explained and shared using formulas and systems. Regardless if a person is familiar with a topic, they’ll have an easier time understanding a set of rules or steps to get through a complicated concept. Complex topics are less predictable and difficult to understand.

For example, the construction of a car is complicated. But the traffic flow of a city is complex. Cooking and serving a fancy dish in a restaurant might be complicated, but the effects on the diners in the room are complex.

Most complex concepts exist in mathematics and science, topics only a few people are fluent in. It might be easy and straightforward for a Ph.D. candidate with a thesis idea about a complex science concept to explain to peers. Still, it will be incomprehensible to people in other fields or academic backgrounds. 

Unlike complicated concepts that can be explained with processes, many complex ideas are abstract or theoretical, making them difficult to convey with concrete examples or practical applications.  For example, the concept of time is more challenging to explain than how to operate complicated machinery. 

Complex concepts need to be studied and analyzed to get a full grasp of their scope. Experts on complex topics dedicate their lives to understanding and researching the material. Not everyone has that kind of time!

Likewise, the skill for communicating complex concepts doesn’t come quickly to everyone. It’s an ability that needs nurturing with practice and dedication. Even people who study complex concepts like quantum mechanics need to learn how to explain aspects of their work to unfamiliar people. 

5 Proven Formulas For Communicating Complex Concepts so Anyone Can Understand

Now we’re getting to the good stuff.

Effectively explaining and presenting complex concepts is complicated yet not complex. Therefore you can use processes, structures, and systems to help you communicate any complex concept so anyone can understand. It’s a skill you can learn, practice, and master.

Not only scientists and researchers need to practice this skill, but also startup founders, executives, politicians, and community leaders. It’s such a critical skill that professionals worldwide have created systems and formulas for communicating complex concepts. 

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite strategies that have helped us and can also help you improve your communication skills or complex concepts. As you go through the list,  you’ll find similarities between strategies. Mainly, to communicate an unfamiliar concept, you need to:

• Meet the audience at their knowledge level 
• Simplify 
• Use analogies

Let’s dive in.

1. Mind Mapping

The concept of mind mapping is to visualize information that’s difficult to grasp and needs development with visual tools. First, you select the essential data about the concept; it can be the name or title. This preliminary information is the mind map’s center—or top—. From there, branch out secondary information that supports the first. Continue in this manner until you’ve developed the concept enough.

Mind mapping has many names; brain mapping, thinking maps, and thought organizing. But it comes down to simplifying a concept’s entirety by separating the pieces and examining connections and relations between them.

A mind map can help communicate your complex concept in two ways. First, it can help you strategize the text, presentation, and speech. A mind map or thought organizer can be the foundation for developing the communication of a complex topic. 

Secondly, include a summarized mind map as a presentation slide. Not only is it a tool to develop explanations, but it’s also a visual tool to explain the concept to an audience. This final mindmap shouldn’t be precisely like the foundational mind map. It must be simplified and designed in a way that helps explain with engaging visual design .

2. Storytelling and Analogies

Storytelling techniques are another proven method for sharing complex information. Using a story to explain a complex concept can be done in several ways. Stories can be used as an example or a way to share some background about the concept you’re discussing. The stories can be real-life examples or case studies that relate to your topic closely. 

For stories to be compelling, they need to follow a literary structure. These are the four structures that best fit a presentation or a speech.

• The Hero’s Journey: Use the 12-step literary structure and apply it to science communication with a bit of creativity.
• Fact and Story: Share one fact and one story to support it. Then share another fact and a story to support it. Do this up to three times.
• What-How-Why: Explain the What, the How and Why in that order. Use a story as an example of each.

Nested Loops: Teel three different stories and then loop them in with similarities that refer to your topic.

Another storytelling technique that’s particularly helpful for complex concepts is analogies. Analogies are so versatile that any concept—no matter how complex—can be explained using a story that’s completely different but similar in some way. 

One of the most famous analogies of our time is the original iPod motto, “1,000 songs in your pocket.” Songs aren’t material things that can fit in a pocket like coins. But the digital data they take up, known by the developers and engineers as 5 GB, was too complex to explain to the general public in 2001.

3. Four-Step Formula from How Communication Works

In a video by How Communication Works , Bruce Lambert shares his four-step formula for effectively communicating a complex concept. They are:

• Focus on Problems
• Identify benefits or solutions

The main idea of this formula is to concentrate on the benefits and solutions the complex concept offers about a specific problem. Consider the concept of time and how we measure it. Even though we know that the measurement of time is a human construct, it helps us live our lives in order and with stability. There’s no need to talk about how an hour has 60 minutes or a minute has 60 seconds.

Simplify and practice are extremely important to this formula. You need to simplify the concept according to your audience, and you also need to practice your presentation at different levels. This way, you will always be prepared to share your complex concept.

4. Visual Aids and Interactivity

Visual aids can be a big help in explaining complex concepts. Although if your storytelling skills are well-developed, you don’t need visual aids at all. Or maybe just a couple.

Infographics and videos are the most common visual for explaining complex concepts. These visual types take a cue from storytelling and perform best when created with visual metaphors . Dry data and information on a canvas are no better than a boring speech.

Interactivity makes your complex topic more accessible to anyone interested in learning about it. Interactive techniques include quizzes, hands-on activities, roleplaying, and conversation. Interactive science museums are one of the most engaging educational formulas .

After simplifying and visually representing complex data, the next step is to compile your insights into presentation-ready reports. These reports serve as the bridge between your deep understanding of a complex subject and the clear, accessible format needed for diverse audiences.

5. Matt Abrahams’s 6 Tools

In the Stanford Business blog , Matt Abrahams shares six tools to help explain complex concepts. Using the example of “Shooting a Bow and Arrow,” his team created this infographic to demonstrate each technique. 

Take a look at Matt Abrahams’ tools:

• Diagram: Display the concept visually. We talk about this in the mind-mapping technique above.
• Deconstruct: Simplify. Dissect and take apart the concept into smaller parts.
• Compare: Use analogies to explain the complex concept using simple words and stories.
• Picture: Create and use visual aids to help develop and explain the concept.
• Backward Map: Start from the end and work your way back to the beginning.
• Chunk: Separate and categorize the concept into parts of similar subparts.

Pro Tip: Enhance your explanation strategy by using a comparison slide template . These slide templates can be effective for juxtaposing different concepts, illustrating contrasts or similarities with clarity. Whether you’re comparing two parts of a concept, different approaches, or contrasting theories, one of our slide comparison template can visually organize the information, making it more digestible for your audience.

Like learning any skill, communicating complex concepts must be learned. One of the best ways to acquire and increase your knowledge is to look at real-life examples. Inspiration is a conduit to action; it makes you feel like what you seek is an attainable skill.

For Dummies – Book and Content Series

When DOS for Dummies launched in 1991, the publishing market was full of beginners’ computer books that no one wanted to read. The author of DOS for Dummies, Dan Gookin, had the idea to create a beginner’s book that was fun and entertaining for people that wanted to learn to use computers but were overwhelmed. After all, in the early ’90s, computers were a novel complex concept!

The “For Dummies” book and digital series uses humor to make learning lighthearted and easy. 

There’s a formula.

The central concept is separated into snackable sections of related topics. Each section has several chapters that relate to that topic. All the content is searchable with an index, meaning that people can choose to read from beginning to end or look up what they want to know on the spot.

Interactive Science Museums for Children

Another excellent example of how to communicate complex concepts to an audience with little or no knowledge of the subject is interactive science museums. The primary audience of these museums is school-age children, but their parents can also learn something new if they come along.

Are you looking for inspiration to explain complex information to anyone? Visit an interactive science museum and pay attention to their techniques. Try the activities and analyze your grasp of what the experience is teaching. How can you incorporate these ideas into your communication of complex concepts?

5 Levels Video Series

In Wired’s YouTube Channel, look for the 5 Levels Video Series . In these videos, experts from various fields explain a topic in five increasing levels of complexity. The five levels are; child, teen, college student, grad student, and expert. 

Some of the complex concepts they have tackled in this series are astrophysics, music theory, quantum computing, and blockchain. Watch these videos to learn how to tailor how you explain the concept according to your audience’s communication level. 

Infinity Ted Talk

Few things are more difficult to explain than the complex concept of infinity in mathematics. This whiteboard-style TED Talk explains the infinity of infinities with vibrant visual illustrations. Even if you’re not much into mathematics, you’ll be able to understand at least 80% of it.

Matt Abraham’s analysis and infographic on explaining complex concepts using 6 tools inspired this article. We appreciate how he shares actionable formulas to explain concepts, all wrapped up in one main formula you might not have noticed. 

Create an overarching categorization of terms that make up your concept. Everything else grows from that. We recommend using this top-level formula as a foundation when preparing and presenting information about a complex concept.

Let’s consider the challenge of presenting what The Cloud is. To explain The Cloud efficiently and without confusing anyone, we can separate it into four main categories. 

• What is The Cloud?
• Cloud Types 
• Cloud Services
• Cloud Benefits & Risks

This categorization formula is the same formula writers, and content managers use for outlining articles and guides. It’s the same for web designers and e-commerce sites; categories are essential for creating a thread of understanding in any concept; simple, complex, or complicated. You’ll be surprised at how much easier everything becomes when using a formula as a guide.

As an example and in the spirit of Matt Abraham’s infographic, we’ll explain how to apply a formula to each category in The Cloud.  

Mind-mapping

Using the “Diagraming” concept, and the mind-mapping technique explained earlier, we can try to explain what The Cloud is.

We start with the initial question: “What is The Cloud?”. Then, the second iteration of associated concepts answers the question by presenting a network of servers, introducing the internet, raising a question on its utility, and linking cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and network security.

By deepening into what remote servers are, we can ask ourselves, “Where is the Cloud?”, which the answer goes one indentation deeper by answering Data Centers. The same order logic is applied to reply: “Why do we need The Cloud?”. Then, we reply by highlighting Storage, Privacy, and Versatility as the main perks of working with The Cloud.

The mind mapping technique quickly helps us to identify concepts linked to the main idea we want to explain, boosting a creative thinking process.

Using the “Picture” and “Compare” Techniques, you can present analogies to known concepts, that can explain the difference between Public, Private, and Hybrid Clouds.

The image above explains the access options in Private vs. Public Cloud, referred to at an organizational level. To explain it in simpler words, a Public Cloud can be accessed from the Internet. The immediate model we can think of is a subscription service available for all customers with the same interests. On the other hand, the Private Cloud is restricted by an organization’s Intranet, and not shared publically.

In the image above, it is clearly understood how the center of the definition is based on the “organization” and the owner of the resources. In the Public Cloud, the organization “hires” the services from a third-party provider (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS). In the Private Cloud, the organization hosts its own services, and in the hybrid scenario, the organization combines on-premise and off-premise resources to use services.

Four Step Formula

To use the “Chunk” method, we can apply the Four Step Formula for the next category, Cloud Services. Imagine you need to prepare and present a slide presentation and speech about services in The Cloud. The Four Step formula for explaining complex concepts is your ideal partner. 

Let’s follow the formula.

• Simplify: Define Cloud services in as few words and sentences as possible.
• Focus on Problems (Pain points): Prepare talking points about topics like security concerns, compliance, data migration. 
• Identify benefits or solutions: Explain how cloud services fix those problems and how.
• Practice: Prepare the slides and presentation speech. Practice the talk many times, using different audience types as inspiration. Try a variety of talking styles until you feel confident. 

Explaining Benefits vs. Risks is a process easily understood when using a visual model such as a Comparison Chart . In this case, we shall present the list of Cloud Benefits & Risks by constructing that comparison in a visual format, helping users quickly spot whether a feature can be considered a benefit or a risk.

Learning many ways to communicate complex concepts efficiently is excellent. But better than that is knowing what NOT to do. Here are the biggest mistakes to avoid when communicating topics you want the audience to understand.

Not Paying Attention to The Audience

When presenting a complex concept, the first mistake is not paying attention to your audience. Being disconnected from the audience doesn’t help your cause; you need to make a connection from the start. 

For that, you need to know the audience’s knowledge level of your topic. This information will help you decide the difficulty level you’ll use while presenting and how much industry jargon they’ll understand. 

Find out as much as you can about the audience before presenting. Preferably before making the presentation . Ask these questions:

• What is the average age of the audience?
• What’s their average level of study?
• If adults, what average level of academic studies do they have, and in what fields?

The second instance where you can’t afford not to pay attention to the audience is when you’re presenting to them. Connecting with the audience will help them understand your complex topic and make you feel better as you talk, consequently improving the learning experience for everyone.

Mastering the art of connection with the audience using body language, compelling conversation rhythms, and making an impact aren’t innate skills for everyone. Most of you will have to learn, practice, get feedback, and practice some more. 

Not Being Ready for a Q&A Session

Questions are a tricky topic concerning presentations like keynote speeches and TED Talks. Some keynote speeches will have a Q&A Session, while no TED Talk will ever have one. Allowing questions in the middle of a presentation is detrimental to the session. They can take you off on tangents that will be difficult to come back from. 

On the other hand, Q&A sessions at the end of a presentation can dilute the message or the impact the speaker has on the audience. TED Talks don’t have Q&A Sessions for this reason, to not take away from the presenter’s idea worth spreading.

Nevertheless, many presentations of complex concepts are educational and need a Q&A session to be comprehensive and of value to the audience. As a presenter, you need to be ready to answer some questions. You obviously won’t always know what the audience will ask, but you can deduce some questions by practicing with colleagues and peers and asking for feedback.

Unclear Slide Decks

This mistake refers to your visual presentation slides . Regardless if you’ll distribute the slide deck on its own or only use it as support when presenting, your slides can’t be communication disasters. Use PowerPoint templates to help with a graphic design foundation and adjust them with your information.

Be mindful of data visualization, mind maps, and visual metaphors. Ensure that your visualizations correctly represent your information and that nothing gets lost in translation. Remember to be clear and concise with infographics and widgets.

Get rid of clutter, use consistent colors, don’t mix too many fonts, and keep elements aligned. Browse the SlideModel Blog and improve your presentation skills with our design guides.

Not Practicing 

Finally, a huge mistake to avoid is not practicing. Complex concepts are naturally difficult to understand; it’s up to you, the experts, to make them accessible. It’s not only about practicing a speech about a complex concept; it’s also about developing a strategy for sharing complex information. 

If you want to be a master at communicating complex concepts to anyone, write your speech or main presentation points in different tones and for different audience levels. Practice them all and feel confident at every level. You’ll be so prepared that the audience will be smiling and nodding as you look at them and connect.

Do some research on other speakers and take some notes. For example, in the 5 Levels Video Series from Wired, you can watch and listen for similarities and differences at each level. Does the speaker change their body language? Are there props involved? Notice how the vocabulary and technical jargon increase as the levels go up. 

And, of course, practice your articulation and speech cadence to be compelling and exciting to listen to. 

Are you feeling the pressure? Communicating complex concepts isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would do it, and guides like this wouldn’t exist. 

Thankfully, since the concept of explaining complex concepts is complicated and not complex, you can follow formulas, systems, and processes. Practice using mindmaps and visualizations as you develop the concept before preparing a presentation. Before you start to consider how to start a presentation , give yourself the space and time to try different techniques and practice explaining your concept at different levels.

Use SlideModel templates to build your presentation slides on PowerPoint and practice presenting with them. Become one with your slides, let the speech flow naturally, and let the words articulate well from your mouth. You’ll be surprised at how well audiences understand your complex concept next time you’re up on a stage or as the speaker in a virtual meeting or summit.

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Shiny in production 2024: full speaker lineup.

Posted on August 8, 2024 by The Jumping Rivers Blog in R bloggers | 0 Comments

We are pleased to announce the full line-up for this year’s Shiny in Production conference! This year, we’re introducing a new lightning talk session. These short 5 minute talks will allow us to showcase many more uses of Shiny in Production. The conference will still feature 6 full length talks, as well as a session of lightning speakers.

Register now

Cara Thompson – Freelance Data Consultant

Data-To-Wow: Leveraging Shiny as a no-code solution for high-end parameterised visualisations

You’ve created a prototype visualisation, fine-tuned it so it looks amazing and perfectly on-brand, and turned the plot code into a function so that you can run it again on different data and highlight different aspects of the story. Others on the team have seen how good the outputs look and they want in on the magic! But they don’t want to learn R.

This talk will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating a Shiny App that functions as a black box to get straight from the data to high-end parameterised visualisations. We’ll start by looking at creating parameterised plot functions using ggplot, before exploring how to bring the data and parameterisation into Shiny to create a seamless no-code data-to-viz workflow for the users.

Gareth Burns – Exploristics

Shiny in Secondary Education: Supplementing traditional learning resources to allow students to explore statistical concepts

The Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PSI) Schools Outreach initiative aims at promoting data literacy and statistical concepts to the next generation of Statisticians and Data Scientists. Volunteers attend secondary schools to present from specialised workshops which are designed to be interactive, engaging and aligned to the national curriculum for different age groups.

The PSI Visualisation Special Interest Group (VIS SIG) created a Shiny application to supplement an existing workshop for Asthma. This workshop aims to introduce the students to analysis of continuous data and make them think about concealing treatment assignment and consider false positive and false negative results. The application allowed electronic data capture the ability to dynamically explore their own data, re-enforcing the statistical concepts and making learning more engaging and accessible.

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In this presentation we discuss the range of issues required to get a Shiny application being implemented by a team of volunteers into a classroom setting. This includes flexible project management for a team of volunteers, use of persistent storage to enable multiple simultaneous users and use of Shiny modules to make code flexible and scalable for future Workshops.

Cassio Felix Jardim – Data4Shiny

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Keith Newman – Jumping Rivers

Title coming soon

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Faster than a Speeding Arrow – R Shiny Optimisation In Practice

The task of optimising your R Shiny apps for great performance can be challenging. Ensuring your code is efficient, using promises where you can, caching resources, and reducing the number of widgets or reactive variables can all help. But datasets can’t be squeezed any more – or can they? By storing larger chunks of data in Arrow format and using the Arrow package for manipulation, we were able to speed up some slower computations by at least one order of magnitude – often more.

This presentation will cover a case study of migrating a financial data auditing system to Arrow data storage. Because of Arrow, we were able to drop from two Connect servers to one, making management very happy with the cost savings – and delighting our users with the new, snappier application.

Lightning talks

Yigit aydede – saint mary’s university.

Transforming Community Understanding: A Shiny Application for Real-Time Crime and Real Estate Market Insights in Nova Scotia

This presentation showcases the Nova Scotia Property Insights (NSPI) application, a Shiny-based tool designed to provide comprehensive neighborhood insights through the integration of crime statistics and real estate market data. NSPI leverages the power of interactive maps to offer users a dynamic and engaging experience, facilitating informed decision-making for residents, potential homebuyers, policymakers, and researchers.

The core functionality of NSPI includes real-time visualization of crime data and property market trends across Nova Scotia neighborhoods. Users can select specific areas on the map to view detailed statistics within customizable radii, offering a granular perspective on local conditions. The application features a user-friendly interface with multiple tabs, including crime type comparisons, real estate market analysis, and historical data trends.

One of the key innovations of NSPI is its ability to allow users to perform side-by-side neighborhood comparisons. By simply clicking on different map areas, users can generate comparative reports that highlight variations in crime rates and property values. This feature is particularly valuable for those considering relocation or investment in Nova Scotia.

The presentation will delve into the technical aspects of developing NSPI, including data integration, user authentication, and the creation of a responsive UI. Additionally, we will discuss the challenges encountered and the solutions implemented to ensure data accuracy and user engagement.

Abbie Brookes & Jeremy Horne – Datacove

Shiny Policies: Dashboards to Aid British Government Decisions

In collaboration with Natural England, Datacove developed a bespoke Shiny dashboard for informed government decision-making, covering Health and Wellbeing, Nature, and Sustainability (HWNS). This presentation will outline three major topics: project and data management, our approach to customization, and the route taken to enhance usability.

The first phase involved project and data management to establish clear expectations. By engaging with Natural England stakeholders, we ensured that the envisioned product met their specific needs and provided a tangible preview of the dashboard’s functionality and design. We connected to government APIs and used R to extract, process, and transform multiple sources of HWNS data, bringing this information into one place for localised decision-making.

In the second phase, we focused on customisation to ensure seamless integration with Natural England’s existing webpage. Using the brand guidelines and custom CSS/JavaScript, we ensured that the dashboard had the same look and feel as other products built outside of Shiny. This step was crucial in maintaining a cohesive user experience by complementing their established digital ecosystem. Thus, making it easy to access and increasing the likelihood of use.

In the third phase, we emphasized making the dashboard accessible to all, regardless of data literacy. We implemented user-friendly design principles, pre-calculated dynamic stats, and intuitive navigation. For example, we built interactive charts using libraries such as Leaflet and Highcharts, this ensured that comparisons were clear and easy to dynamically explore. We will demonstrate our tips for easy interactive visualisations.

Throughout the project, we adopted best practices in data interpretation and are looking forward to sharing our insights at Shiny in Production.

David Carayon – INRAE

The SK8 project: A scalable institutional architecture for managing and hosting Shiny applications

Introducing the SK8 Project (Shiny Kubernetes Service), where data scientists, statisticians and engineers from INRAE, the French national research institute for agriculture, food and environment, have teamed up to create a new solution for managing and hosting Shiny applications.

Shiny has become very popular in our institute, widely used for sharing, showcasing, and democratizing scientific work. However, the enduring challenge of establishing scalable, secure, and sustainable hosting for these apps had yet to be addressed.

So, after realizing that different research labs had each implemented their own local and makeshift solutions, we put on our thinking caps and decided to craft an open-source institutional solution. Our mission? Break down silos, unite the R community at INRAE, and make hosting applications easy for Shiny developers with no IT backgrounds.

The SK8 infrastructure allows to host Shiny code on a GitLab instance opened to all INRAE staff. We’ve got pipelines (GitLab CI/CD), stability ({renv}), containerization with Docker, scalability and seamless deployment in a Kubernetes cluster. All of this is developed, managed, and maintained by the SK8 team using open-source solutions.

Using SK8 is a piece of cake – just toss your application code into a dedicated GitLab project and hit the “play” button.

In this talk, we will be speaking about the project itself, the ecosystem that’s making it all happen and how you could replicate this in your own company.

Juan Ramon Vallarta Robledo – FIND

Chagas diagnostic algorithms: an online application to estimate cost and effectiveness of diagnostic algorithms for Chagas disease

Chagas disease, caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, is a significant public health concern in Latin America, with an estimated 6-7 million people affected and increasing incidence rates worldwide. Examining the available diagnostic tests and their cost-effectiveness is essential for improving early diagnosis, which is crucial in managing the disease and preventing severe chronic conditions. To address this, FIND, a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating equitable access to reliable diagnosis, developed Chagaspathways to provide guidance for Chagas disease testing.

The application is entirely built using Shiny and it incorporates a separate R library ( patientpathways ), developed by FIND that contains all the analysis algorithms. It is designed to let users select different scenarios and specify parameters about the target population they are analyzing, like prevalence, testing costs, and the type of test used. The results show the recommended testing approach, the expected number of diagnosed cases, the cost per diagnosed case, along with the positive and negative predictive values. A comprehensive outcomes table is included in the results section and users have the option to download the results as an html report, to help them with further dissemination.

The Chagaspathways application is designed to be a user-friendly tool for public health professionals, recommending the most economical testing approaches to maximize resources and achieve the best results for patients and healthcare infrastructures. The application is intended to expand its scope to cover additional diseases, aiming to become an essential asset in global health initiatives for disease diagnostic modeling.

For updates and revisions to this article, see the original post

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