Steps in Preparing for a Presentation
How I Did the Preparations
Reynaldo O. Joson, MD, MHA, MHPEd, MSc Surg
Note: I was asked to give a talk on Powerful Presentation Skills and Reporting. I decided to chronicle the steps that I did in preparing for this talk and transform them into tips on how to prepare for a presentation.
Chronicle:
May 4, 2012, 1 pm, Mr. John Austria invited me to give a lecture bearing the title: Powerful Presentation Skills and Reporting. Before I said yes, I inquired on the objectives of the lecture, the contents-topics, audience, time allotment, and of course, the place and time of the lecture.
These were the information that I got from Mr. Austria:
Title: Powerful Presentation Skills and Reporting
Objective/s: To teach (to give tips to) the middle managers of Manila Doctors Hospital on how to do powerful presentation and reporting.
Contents-topics: presentation; reporting; digital slide presentation
Audience: Middle Managers, Manila Doctors Hospital (about 30 persons)
Time Allotment: 2 hours (9-11am)
Date: May 9, 2012
Place: MBFI Hall
Time: 9-11am
The above information are important in guiding me when I prepare or plan for my lecture.
Tip 1. Make sure to get at least the following essential information and use them to guide you in the preparation of your lecture, reporting, and presentation.
Title: (given title; no definite title given yet and you are free to formulate your
own)
Objective/s: (to teach; to share; to report; etc.)
Contents-topics: (prescribed; suggested; you are free to decide)
Audience: (types and number)
Time allotment: (stick to it; plan out presentation activities)
Date of presentation and reporting: (prepare days or weeks in advance; be there on that date)
Place of presentation and reporting: (be at the right place; be there on time)
Time of presentation and reporting: (be there at least thirty minutes to one hour in advance to see and feel the venue, to prepare and test your audiovisual aids; etc.)
May 4, 2012, 2 pm, I started preparing for my assignment as it was just 5 days away (May 9, 2012).
Tip 2: Prepare your lecture and presentation way in advance. Never one day before the date of presentation. At least two days before. Preferably, longer, one week, two weeks, etc., even months in advance, depending on the degree of your familiarity with the topics or information you will lecture or report on.
I started with a very crude framework or outline for my presentation, placed on a piece of paper and in my computer. These will serve as my guideposts when I develop the contents.
Title: Powerful Presentation Skills and Reporting
Objective/s: To teach (to give tips to) the middle managers of Manila Doctors Hospital on how to do powerful presentation and reporting.
Contents-topics: presentation; reporting; (skills - how to; how to make it powerful)
Audience: Middle Managers, Manila Doctors Hospital (about 30 persons)
Time Allotment: 2 hours (9-11am = 30 to 45 minute lecture; 75 to 90 minutes workshop and practicum)
Greetings and Salutations:
Introduction:
Body:
Closing:
Tip 3. Formulate an initial framework or outline for your lecture or presentation. It will serve as your guidepost in developing the contents of your presentation. It may be very crude initially but you can and you must refine it as you go deeper into the preparation of your presentation.
Title:
Objective/s:
Contents-topics:
Audience:
Time Allotment:
Greetings and Salutations:
Introduction:
Body:
Closing:
I then added substances or contents under each of the four parts of my lecture, namely: Greetings and Salutations; Introduction; Body; and Closing. When I did these, I always had in mind and was guided by the title, objectives; contents-topics; audience, and time-allotment (my guideposts). See initial draft (#1).
Draft #1:
Greetings and Salutations:
· Good morning.
· Thank you for the kind introduction, Mr. So and So.
· Thank you, Mr. So and So, for inviting me to be a resource person in your Management / Supervisory Training Course. I consider this invitation as an honor and a privilege.
Introduction:
Leveling, alignment, and integration of teaching – learning objectives
· Brief definitions / concepts of terms in the title – presentation, skills, reporting, powerful
· Need for powerful presentation skills and reporting among middle managers in a hospital setting
· Learners’ desired learning objectives
· Consensual agreement on teaching -learning objectives in consideration of the title, time allotment and needs and expectations of learners
· Consensual agreement on teaching - learning activities for the session
Body:
Contents of lecture
· Concept of “presentation” in a hospital setting, for managers, for middle managers
· Concept of “reporting” in a hospital setting, for managers, for middle managers
· Presentation” vs “reporting”
· Contents of “presentation” and “reporting”
· Quality parameters and criteria of “presentation” and “reporting”
· Concept of “powerful” “presentation” and “reporting”
· Skills needed to produce a powerful presentation and reporting - how to
· Preparation processes – systematic and comprehensive
· Text or contents – adequate, clear, concise
· Delivery – clear, voice, intonation, grammar, eye contact, body language
· Aids to facilitate understanding and learning
o Digital slides creation and presentation – clear and clean
o Hand-outs – clear and clean
o Adult learning principles
o Active, participative, interactive learning activities
· Checklist for a powerful presentation and reporting – in preparing and in evaluating
Closing:
· Summary
· Take home advices
· What to do next - practice, practice, practice
· Thank you to participants
· ROJoson’s email and websites in case of queries and further study
Tip 4. Add substances in the Greetings and Salutations; Introduction; Body; and Closing to facilitate full writing of the text of your lecture or presentation. In doing these, always have in mind and be guided by the title, objectives; contents-topics; audience, and time-allotment (your guideposts).
What did I do next? I then wrote the full text of my lecture or presentation. I revised and changed the outlines that I initially made as many times as needed and as I deemed necessary to produce an adequate, accurate, clear and other qualities of a powerful presentation. I made at least 3 drafts and revisions until I felt confident I had fulfilled the objectives of my presentation and the requirements for a powerful presentation.
Tip 5. Write the full text of your lecture or presentation. Revise and refine as many times as you wish and as needed based on the objectives of your lecture or presentation and also aiming for a quality and powerful presentation
The next thing that I did was to prepare for a visual aid, specifically, digital slides using powerpoint, using the full text of my lecture as a guide. I took notes of the DO’s and DON’Ts in making clear and clean digital slides. (https://sites.google.com/site/digitalmedicalpresentation/art-of-creating-digital-slides-for-medical-presentation)
Tip 6. Prepare for audiovisual aids, particularly digital slides. Do them properly to contribute to a powerful presentation.
I then think of the things I will say in each slide as part of my presentation. Then I practice delivering my presentation in consideration of the objectives and target quality parameters and criteria of presentation, and of course, the time limit. I practice and practice until I am confident I can and will be delivering a powerful presentation.
Tip 7. Practice presenting using the digital slides (and other audiovisual aids) until you are confident you can and are delivering a powerful presentation with strict attention to the time limit.
Tip 8. Be at the venue of presentation 30 minutes to one hour in advance with all gadgets that you need such as a laser pointer, your laptop, your USB, etc. Get a feel of the venue. Make the necessary preparations and adjustments, such as where to stand, testing of the microphones, testing of the computers, test projection of your digital slides, etc.
Tip 9. Deliver your presentation as you have prepared with readiness to adjust and respond to any unavoidable hitches and glitches like delay in starting time, brown-outs, computer malfunctions, etc. Being prepared as outlined in Tips 1 to 8 and with attention to attaining the quality parameters and criteria for a powerful presentation will lessen your stage-fright.
Tip 10. After delivering your presentation, answer questions direct to the point; clear; and as best as you can. Always be ready to say you don’t know if you don’t know the answer. Respect the viewpoints and opinions of the participants. Thank the audience and participants for their presence and participation.
ROJ@12sept30