PRESENTATION; Our Next Frontier

Impact and simplicity

(image from Canva)　The first important step to giving a presentation is to make your audience interested. This is often called a "hook." The title is the first thing everybody will see, so it should be something that summarizes the content and can be understood by a wide audience¹.

　The most important thing during your delivery is to express what you want to say clearly to the audience, and make them captivated¹. The simpler the content, the better². The listeners may leave not understanding anything if what you say is too complex. By cutting out unnecessary words, you will be able to keep their attention for a longer span of time³. Something to be careful about, however, is that simplifying too much may water down your presentation²Especially with Japanese, where formal language is common, the "meaningless" parts may become longer. However, presentations should be focused on getting the point across (unlike speeches), so simplification should be top priority.

Communicating effectively

(image from Canva)　Interacting with the audience is highly effective in a presentation as it will boost their memories. Ways of interaction include not just direct methods like Q&A or telling jokes, but using the info you just input into them will be good too. To make that possible, your delivery must be easy to understand and interesting enough so that the audience will want to participate.

　Check your posture so that your voice reaches the end of the room. Furthermore, mind both your volume and your tone. For the volume, speak with a loud, clear voice. Such a voice attracts attention and shows that you are confident with the content. The audience is especially tired near the end, so raise the volume as the presentation goes on and use impressionable words. As for the tone, it will depend on your target audience, but the safest option is to use polite and specialized vocabulary ⁴.

Why body language?

(image from Canva)　Body language is a type of communication using physical movements. It is important when giving a presentation, and it will bring the audience's attention to you. The human mind can usually only focus on one thing at a time⁴, and when multitasking, it needs 30-60 seconds to switch the attention to the other thing. Body language is crucial to keep that switch on only the presenter.

Body language examples

(image from Canva)　Body language also has the effect of being a type of visual aid. Hand gestures especially can convey the size or flow of a matter, to it helps the listeners imagine things better. It can keep the audience's attention on the presenter, while also supporting the explanation⁴. One example of body language is something that enhances the presenters credibility. In a professional situation, one must show the audience that they are someone to trust. To do so, straighten your posture, pull your hands out of your pockets, and walk around to show that you are relaxed and confident. This will lead to credibility.