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Technology should not keep audiences
in the dark
Speaker's Notes
By Tom Chronister
I recently traveled a
thousand miles to spend four days sitting in the dark.
That seems like a preposterous
statement, considering I actually attended a trade show with
more than 13,000 industry professionals. But after attending
11 of the event's training sessions, "sitting in the dark"
doesn't seem like an exaggeration.
Although there was lighting in the rooms, it was
dimmed for the use of projectors. The effect, between the
dimmed lighting and the recessed lights, was less than
flattering for presenters. The speakers' faces were cast in
harsh, almost garish shadows. Combined with the bluish haze of
the projector light on the screen, the ambience seemed more
like Halloween than a training seminar.
Although such presentation settings are status quo
at trade shows – I have created and delivered many this way
myself – my experience at this trade show revealed to me that
technology will not aid a presenter unless it's used
correctly.
Content vs.
technology
When you plan a
presentation that will use a projector and electronic slides,
you need to step back and ask the following:
Does projection add value to the
presentation? For many presenters, the creation of an
electronic slideshow to accompany a presentation is automatic.
However, this component is not always needed, and sometimes it
may even be detrimental to your effectiveness. Does your
content benefit from adding electronic slides? What would
change if you didn't use a projector? This consideration often
leads a presenter to realize that his slides are not as strong
as they should be, or that slides aren't needed to emphasize
every key point.
Do the lights
need dimming? When a room is dimly lit during a
presentation, it has the same effect on the audience as a
bedroom does – it encourages sleep. If you are using a
projector, make sure the unit has sufficient lumens to
overpower standard room lighting and reduce the need to dim
the lights. Or see if it's possible to turn off only the
lights that are proximate to the screen.
Do you read your slides to the audience?
Again, this question can help you judge whether your
slides actually add to your presentation content. The purpose
of projecting a visual is to show the audience your points. If
you merely repeat aloud what they can readily see and read,
audience members have little incentive to pay attention to
you. Either redesign the slide so it contributes to your
content or leave it out.
Can
your slides be read from the back row? Presenters often
are tempted to throw every bit of minutiae on a slide. As a
result, text gets smaller and may look like an eye chart to
audience members in the back. Avoid this by using large type
and keeping the information on each slide to a minimum. If the
details are that important, put them in a handout.
Are your handouts just
photocopied slides? I am always mystified when speakers
hand out exact copies of their slide presentations at the
beginning of their sessions. It's almost like handing out the
text of an important speech. With the speech in hand, why
should audience members listen to you when they can quickly
read what you are going to say?
Your handouts should be just as well thought out as
your presentation. Having handouts that do not mimic what is
onscreen will likely increase the attention of your audience.
I like to provide "fill in the blank" handouts to engage the
audience. With tidbits of important information intentionally
omitted from the handout, the audience is transformed from
passive to interactive as they must now listen to fill in key
points.
Questions bring
answers
Rethinking how you
use technology is difficult. But for presenters, the results
are worth it. After all, it costs money to add technology to
presentations, but what good is the investment if your
planning does not properly put that technology to use?
In the end, the audience's focal
point should not be the slideshow, the projector or the room,
it should be you. A little rethinking of how you present your
content ensures the lights stay on both you and the audience –
and nobody leaves feeling they were left in the dark.
Tom Chronister is
a security consultant for Creative Policing Solutions in
Oxnard, Calif. He trains and presents on the topic of
workplace violence prevention. He can be reached at
tom@creativepolicingsolutions.com.
Originally
published in the May 2002 issue of Presentations
magazine. Copyright 2002, VNU Business Media.
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