presentations_ft.pdf

Alice Bartlett Principal Engineer, Customer Products team @alicebartlett Doing Presentations

@alicebartlett I’m Alice Bartlett, I’ve given quite a lot of
presentations

CAVEAT

CAVEAT My experience is mostly tech conferences

3. Make it interesting 1. Start with your users 2.
Make it legible

THINK ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE

@alicebartlett Who are they?

@alicebartlett What do they want?

@alicebartlett Why are they here?

@alicebartlett What do you want to tell them?

@alicebartlett They’re probably not paying attention

@alicebartlett They probably want some lunch

@alicebartlett Be respectful of people’s time

@alicebartlett Prepare properly

@alicebartlett 1 hour to prepare for every minute you’re presenting

@alicebartlett YOU ARE LESS INTERESTING THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE

HELP YOUR AUDIENCE FOLLOW YOUR TALK

TITLE SLIDE

@alicebartlett I’m Alice Bartlett, I’ve given quite a few presentations
A SLIDE ABOUT YOU*

*UNLESS EVERYONE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE ALREADY

@alicebartlett I’m Alice Bartlett, I’ve given quite a lot of
presentations

2. Aesthetics 3. Where to ﬁnd out more 1. Content
NAVIGATION SLIDES

3. Something useful 1. Boasting 2. Meandering

1. Boasting • We did X in record time •
86% of users gave us ★★★★☆ • The work was on budget

1. Start with your users

• Think about your audience 1. Start with your users

• Think about your audience • Help your audience follow
your talk 1. Start with your users

Make it legible

AVOIDING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

@alicebartlett Design your slides to minimise technical diﬀiculties

@alicebartlett Design your slides to minimise technical diﬀiculties SLIDE

@alicebartlett Think about how colours show up when projected onto
screens

@alicebartlett #FFF1E8 #FDD6B9

@alicebartlett Think about the 8% of men who are colourblind

@alicebartlett Use a system font (controversial)

@alicebartlett Have wide content margins so things aren’t cut oﬀ
if the projector is not aligned with the screen properly

@alicebartlett MARGINS! M A R G I N S !
M A R G I N S ! Have wide content margins so things aren’t cut oﬀ if the projector is not aligned with the screen properly

@alicebartlett Test your deck on a projector to make sure
it’s legible. Things look diﬀerent on illuminated screens vs laptops

@alicebartlett If you’re using video and it has sound, subtitle
it!

@alicebartlett Do not expect the internet to work!

@alicebartlett If you like wearing dresses or statement necklaces -
these can interfere with clip mics. Either avoid or ask the organisers for a diﬀerent type of mic ahead of time.

WORK WITH THE ORGANISERS

@alicebartlett Things to tell organisers [delete as applicable]:

@alicebartlett Things to tell organisers [delete as applicable]: 1. I’ll
present from my own computer. It has the following display ports […] and I will be available for a tech check […]

present from my own computer. It has the following display ports […] and I will be available for a tech check […] 2. My presentation will include sound

present from my own computer. It has the following display ports […] and I will be available for a tech check […] 2. My presentation will include sound 3. I will need content warnings for the following things [ﬂashing images, death, harassment etc…]

present from my own computer. It has the following display ports […] and I will be available for a tech check […] 2. My presentation will include sound 3. I will need content warnings for the following things [ﬂashing images, death, harassment etc…] 4. Please tell me the aspect ratio of your screen

@alicebartlett

MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN READ YOUR SLIDES

@alicebartlett MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN READ YOUR SLIDES BY MAKING
YOUR TEXT NICE AND BIG

@alicebartlett Keep the number of words on each slide low,
and then talk around them

@alicebartlett “Oh dear, this looked diﬀerent when it was on
my screen” “Can everyone read this?” “Well… you can’t really see it but…”

PROJECTORS ARE NOT MAGIC

2. Make it legible

2. Make it legible by… • making it resilient to
tech diﬀiculties

tech diﬀiculties • working with organisers

tech diﬀiculties • working with organisers • designing your slides so everyone can read them

Make it legible

@alicebartlett If you only bother with the two parts of
this talk, you will be in the top 10% of presentations already.

USE COLOUR

USE A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND COLOUR FOR IMPORTANT POINTS

@alicebartlett Vary the rhythm, vary the pace, vary your tone,
vary your pitch, vary your style, vary the visuals, add some sounds, add some video, add some objects, change the energy

@alicebartlett pause

“Illustrate, don’t decorate” Russell Davies @undermanager

“Illustrate, don’t decorate” Russell Davies @undermanager A picture of Russell

“Illustrate, don’t decorate” Russell Davies @undermanager

“Illustrate, don’t decorate” Russell Davies @undermanager NOT THIS

@alicebartlett You don’t need a picture of money if you’re
talking about money

@alicebartlett You don’t need a picture of money if you’re
talking about money THIS IS NAFF

@alicebartlett Your pictures should help you make your point, not
make your presentation look ‘whizzy’

@alicebartlett The same goes for GIFs, videos, animations and slide
transitions

@alicebartlett DON’T USE ANIMATIONS

@alicebartlett “Whizzy” distracts from your point

@alicebartlett Be yourself

@alicebartlett Do a joke

@alicebartlett Don’t get hung up on ums.

@alicebartlett Practise!

@alicebartlett Get feedback from peers early - it doesn’t matter
if it’s not ﬁnished yet!

@alicebartlett Don’t just read out a blog post

@alicebartlett Giving presentations is standing up and talking

Everything doesn’t have to be a TED talk. Most things
should not be a TED talk.

3. Make it interesting

3. Make it interesting • Use colour

3. Make it interesting • Use colour • Change the
energy

energy • Illustrate, don’t decorate

energy • Illustrate, don’t decorate • Avoid “whizzy”

energy • Illustrate, don’t decorate • Avoid “whizzy” • Be yourself!

THAT’S IT

http://www.doingpresentations.com/

presentations_ft.pdf

presentations_ft.pdf

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