‘Oh what to wear!!!!’….
….the unending cry (including from yours truly!) as we stare at our wardrobe in despair and hope that the perfect outfit will leap out from the inner-most depths of the cupboard. But of course it doesn’t and we spend hours deciding what will look right, what will fit into the surroundings – formal and smart? Cool and casual? In one sense its about image. How do you want others to see you? It’s also about wanting to feel comfortable, to be accepted and included by the group.
Choosing the structure to your presentation is very similar – it’s what will be the right fit, what would be the most appropriate? Having worked out what your purpose and message is going to be and who the audience is, you need to work out the best way of doing this.
There are various alternatives for presentation structures:
A formal lecture or business presentation
A practical lesson
A funny talk
The kind of presentation you will need to prepare will depend upon your audience and your message. So you cannot decide which structure to adopt until you have worked out these important aspects of your task. You will also need to work out how much you can include as your time will be limited. This will be another important factor when deciding the structure of your presentation. For instance, if you only have a ten minute slot - arranging a discussion will not work as there won’t be sufficient time. Equally, if you have more than two hours to fill you’ll need more than just a funny talk.
At this stage, do not write your presentation. Simply settle on the kind of talk you need to give and the elements you will need to include in order to convey your key message. As an example, here is the structure of a presentation on presentation skills;
Format: Fun, fast-paced talk with the presenter as close to the audience as possible i.e. not at a podium or behind a lecturn
Elements: Good strong opening. Talk about the need to plan and prepare. Questions/audience feedback on concerns about giving presentations. Slide presentation on writing a talk. Motivational ending about getting out there and doing it.
A good structure will enable your audience to relax, to engage with you and to listen. So what’s it going to be? Suited and booted or Speedos and flip flops? You decide!