BrownGH
Have you ever sat at a presentation only to wish that you were somewhere else a minute into the presentation? Don’t feel guilty – creating a poor presentation happens to even the best of us!
Whether it is an MS PowerPoint (PPT) presentation or any other form, data will likely be featured. The means of presenting data is “data visualization.” You can illustrate data in the form of a line graph, bar graph, or pie charts, which could be two or three-dimensional.
Data visualization needs to be executed in such a way as to be interesting and easy to understand to viewers. If you use unsuitable data visualization techniques, you’re boring your viewers they will soon lose interest.
Here are eight super tips to keep your audience engaged while you share data with them:
1. Purpose And Audience
You need to be aware of your subject matter. What do you hope to achieve by presenting your data? Who is your audience?
Everyone in your audience may not be an expert. Your format should match audience awareness or their capacity to understand it.
Present your data visualization in a form that your viewers can understand. Keep it simple, but tell your story in such a way that everyone gets included. Some may not be aware of the historical facts, so ensure that you include the past and present.
2. Conceptualization
The first tip should give you a basis for the second stage in your presentation – conceptualization. To be able to decide the format of data visualization you need to use, you need to keep the “Why,” “Who,” and “How.”
Why are you sharing this data, with whom, and how are you going to do it? You have countless options in available formats. Proper conceptualization of your presentation will decide on the best suitable format to use.
Are you presenting pure data or trying to communicate a concept? Are you explaining a process or illustrating a structure? Do you want to go into specific details, or will you just be covering an overview of the subject?
You will find numerous options to present your data in an interesting way, from bar and column charts to pie charts, line charts, and flow charts. If you consider your purpose and audience, you will find it easier to select a particular form of presentation.
3. Titles And Labels
Once your viewers have a glimpse of the slide, their eyes will go to the specific data. You need to give a carefully-worded title to each slide. The title should describe in a few words, the data that populates the slide.
Label the data in the slide as well. Your labeling should accurately describe each bit of data. The combination of the title and labels in a slide should give a clear picture at a glance, what that slide is all about.
4. Time Factor
By the time you make your presentation, you will be familiar with the content. Your audience may not be, and that is the purpose of your presentation, right? You want to familiarize your viewers with the subject.
Be aware that everyone doesn’t read at the same speed. For this reason, it’s best to give your viewers enough time to read the content. Moreover, they will require time to assimilate the information before moving on to the next slide.
5. The Visual Aspect Of Visualization
Never lose sight of the access to visual aids that you have. Everything counts – font size, use of color, and different shades and textures. One word of caution, however, stick to two-dimensional imaging – three-dimensional graphs can be confusing.
While applying different fonts and colors, you can add callouts to highlight critical data. You can put various snippets of information in text boxes or labels beside the data to attract viewers to crucial points. It makes the data easier to read.
6. Use Multimedia
An aspect that’s explicitly ignored is the scope of using multimedia in a presentation. If you are using MS PowerPoint, you can avail of numerous animation features. However, there is an unlimited supply of online multimedia software as well.
If you want to take things one step further, you can download paid or free presentation software. You will find a lot of free online slideshow making software that will take your presentations to the next level.
None of these presentation software programs need any knowledge of coding. You also do not require any specialized technical training to use these programs. But if you use any of these programs for your presentations, they will be outstanding.
If you need to change the audio from YouTube videos into an MP3 format, click here to convert your files.
7. Check Your Facts
When it comes to places, people, and numbers, double-check your facts before revealing them in a presentation. If you get distracted while keying data into your slides, you might enter inaccurate data.
There is also the possibility of picking up incorrect information and providing it in your presentation. Do not underestimate the awareness of your audience. You don’t want a well-informed person to embarrass you by highlighting your incorrect information.
8. Look At What’s Coming Out
Check each slide carefully as you complete it. Once your presentation is complete, play all the slides in sequence, and time it. Ensure that the entire presentation falls within the required time.
As you play through the presentation, glace at each slide to see that it has everything you need. Put yourself in the audience’s shoes. If you like the presentation and are motivated to view it until the end, you have got a winner!
Conclusion
You need to have sound technical knowledge about creating presentations. However, if you do not implement this technology judiciously, you will fall short of captivating your audience with the key points you want to share.
When you plan your presentations on a free online slideshow maker, keep in mind these eight tips. Try to include at least most of these tips. You should be able to experience a favorable response from your audience and get positive feedback for your presentations.
