Why? - identify the purpose/aim
• Define the Objective: What is the outcome we want?
• Needs to be met: to inform, to persuade, to understand, to learn, or act?
• Once you know the outcomes and needs to be met you can structure and tailor your presentation with a clear purpose, direction, and sequence to meet these needs, and help you gain and hold your audience's attention and interest
Who is the audience?
• How many people?
• Names of key people?
• What is the key benefit to participants?
• What is their relationship to the topic?
• How well informed are they about the subject matter?
• What do they need to know?
• What do they expect from the presentation?
• Are they attending by choice or by requirement?
• Are they likely to be receptive? Enthusiastic? Polite? Hostile? Apathetic?
• What presentation techniques might best capture their attention?
• Anticipated questions?
Understand your presentation's context
• Is the presentation formal or informal?
• When you present, will the audience have just finished eating, working, having a break? Will they be tired or alert?
• Who will speak before you? Who comes after you? What do they plan to say? How might this affect audience reaction?
• Are you the first or last speaker of the program? The day? The morning or afternoon?
• Are you expected to answer questions?
• How much time will you have for the presentation? Can your message be delivered in that time? If not, can it be adapted and still be effective?
• Will the physical setting of the presentation require you to adapt your presentation in any way?
• What control will you have over the physical environment?
What do I want to say? - consider the content and structure
• Structure of speech - opening, body and conclusion
• Define the Key issues of my speech - try and restrict to 3; ensure they support the objectives of the presentation
• Sequence of speech - organised, logical and linked together
• Necessary quality, sufficiency, and depth
• Keep it simple - when it comes to making an impact less is more; remember our short-term memory can only handle 7 to 9 bits of information at any one time
• Make it memorable - use of all 3 communication channels (factual, emotional, and symbolic)
• Allow time at the end for questions
• Think through the answers to anticipated questions
• What is the plan for the use of presentation aids?
• How long should the presentation be? Make the presentation long enough to be clear and complete within the allocated time - it is better to make fewer points and make them well
• Rehearse - carry out dry runs of the presentation; at least one!
What equipment do I need?
• Computer
• Projector
• Extension cord(s)
• Screen
• Who is responsible to organize it?
• Flip chart, tape, markers etc
• Video equipment
• Microphone
When is it?
• Weekday
• Time
• Confirmation?
• Time available for preparation?
Where is it?
• contact person
• phone
• fax
• How to get there?
• Location
• Place
• In which room?
• Room layout
