Professional presentations

Anyone attending various conferences and seminars will be impressed with the variety of technology used to deliver presentations to audiences. Slides and transparencies with color and graphics are common, and one sees the increasing use of computer-generated visual displays from laptops and computer screen projectors. These high-tech presentations with color and graphics are very entertaining and are much more likely to hold one's attention than presentations that consist simply of black text on empty glaring white projection screens. The use of technology to aid professional presentations is not new. However, using technology with some finesse can make presentations much more enjoyable and potentially more informative.

PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

Delivering occasional presentations to customers, management, and peers has become an accepted part of any professional's expected job skills. Although there are probably few individuals that initially enjoy standing in front of audiences to speak, "public speaking" is one of the most important tools used for communicating ideas to others. When one desires to exchange thoughts, inform a number of people about topics of interest, or to seek feedback on new ideas, speaking with audiences can get the job done quickly and effectively.

By using technology to enhance a presentation, presenters can show that they are capable of adding personal value to the information being transmitted. Although a simple display of raw data in a table may be adequate for reviewing information, it often helps the viewer to be able to see relationships or consistencies within sets of data. For this reason, microcomputer spreadsheet software users saw the implementation of color graphics and chart overlays in the early 1980s as a major addition to their ability to communicate patterns and trends with graphical data analysis. Such tools have been developed to very advanced states in today's personal computer software which can be used to develop complete "slide show" presentations for automated display from a laptop computer. By using color, graphics, or other visual effects to emphasize key issues, speakers can show that they are "tuned in" to the priorities and concerns of their audience.

Using sophisticated technology to deliver information does not excuse one from the usual requirements for speaking engagements with audiences (or even when. speaking with individuals for that matter). Clear articulation of ideas, good audience contact, professional appearance, presentation relevancy, and effective time management will always be necessary. Good interpersonal listening skills are especially important for highly interactive sessions with audience contribution and participation. Most people would rather see g simple and effective presentation by a motivated and involved speaker rather than a glossy video prepared for viewing by a passive (sleepy) audience. The primary goal of professional communications is to inform and to educate.

TRADITIONAL MEDIA PRODUCTION

Overhead transparencies, 35mm photographic slides, and television-style videotapes have been the standard media formats for presenting information to large audiences for years. Even though such approaches are not new, there are a number of ways that today's technology can enhance these presentation formats. With sophisticated presentation software, better color printers, and contemporary recording devices, even neophytes can produce dazzling educational events.

Presentation software applications such as Lotus' Freelance, Microsoft's PowerPoint, and Harvard Graphics by SPC Publishing have developed into extremely capable tools for creating both overhead transparencies and 35mm slides. An outgrowth of early software users' demands for better spreadsheet charts and higher quality text slides from word processors, presentation software combines the best of both worlds. A large variety of graphs such as pie charts, bar charts, and line charts can be selected and used to depict data in tables and graphs. These can be combined with word charts using different fonts, character attributes, or text orientations. Throw in some very advanced personal drawing tools, clip art libraries, or slide management features, and the results are personal creativity tools that tax one's imagination in their ability to present facts and information. Many of these software programs also include the capability to use sound clips within presentations if one has a computer sound board installed. These are a good example of "how did I ever get along without this" software. With good user training, including tutorials and classes, expressing oneself visually becomes both interesting and rewarding. There are Microsoft DOS, Microsoft Windows, and Apple Macintosh versions of most programs available for a few hundred dollars, with significant mail order discounts prevalent in the marketplace.(1,2,3,4)

Each of these software programs demands a good quality printer for achieving their potential as producers of quality presentations. Dot matrix printers will not usually achieve high resolution output without printing visible bands of lines in large areas of color. Acceptable printers will need at least 300 dots per inch (dpi) resolution to be able to deliver printer output that is sufficiently clear for an audience to overlook imperfections in printing accuracy. Ink jet printers, laser printers, and thermal wax transfer printer technologies produce acceptable resolution and many are capable of 600 dpi or better. Ink jet printers that produce acceptable output range in price from $300 for black and white printing to around $600 for color slides and prints. Ink jet printer ink cartridges are relatively inexpensive. Some laser printers are available that can produce high quality black and white output for about $800,(5) although color laser printers are still fairly expensive at several thousand dollars for low end models. Thermal wax transfer color printers perform best when making transparencies with large areas of color as they print vibrant dense colors with no print head banding. They cost several thousand dollars, however, and their supplies are expensive.

A new and interesting feature of many presentation software packages is that they come with information and instructions on outsourcing 35mm slide production to slide service bureaus. These service centers will accept the data files created by the software or may accept data sent to them over phone modems with software that is included in the package. High quality 35mm slides are mailed back to the user. One disadvantage of this arrangement is that color and contrast requires experimentation with most visually oriented creations, and it may be difficult to predict the exact appearance in advance of the slides that are received back in the mail. Advanced preparation will help avoid some disappointments.

By using these advanced computing tools, one can now create excellent presentations that were far more difficult to generate only a few years ago. However, the traditional format of a speaker standing while talking before an audience with overhead transparencies or 35mm slides may not be best suited for some situations. Where software demonstrations must be delivered with the presentation, remote database data illustrated, or view graphs need to be randomly accessible, it may be best to use a laptop computer directly to display the slides that were created with the presentation software. This allows taking advantage of fades, zooms, or even animation and audio clips that were created directly in the slides themselves. Such demonstrations of computing power must be carefully used to focus on the subject at hand, however, or the demonstration may overshadow the message or information being communicated.

PRESENTATION PROJECTION REQUIREMENTS

Several projection systems are used today to send computer output to projection screens for audiences to view. Full scale video projection systems that project output to a projection screen are often used where speaking to large audiences requires high resolution and the ability to display information onto very large screens from the back of a room. These systems can often project video or computer output. The currently popular LCD (Liquid Crystal Diode) Panel Displays are quite functional and cost considerably less than the thousands of dollars associated with full scale projection systems. They are much more portable than video projection systems and can project computer output to a projection screen when placed on an overhead transparency projection unit. Very useful for small to medium size audiences, LCD projection panels are similar to laptop computer screens and can be purchased for around $2000.(6)

Laptop computers connected to LCD projection panels for overhead projection are fast becoming the most common form of projection equipment. Those laptops used for automated presentations should have a display capability that can simultaneously display to the LCD projector as well as display locally to the laptop's screen. Some laptops want to force the user to choose between local screen viewing and sending the video output only to the external monitor computer port attached to the LCD projection panel. Having constantly to glance between a small dimly lighted keyboard and a large bright overhead projection screen will drive any presenter over the edge of sanity. One should be able to type commands or use a mouse while just looking at the laptop's screen and assume the actions are reflected in the information transmitted to the audience. Keyboards, mice, trackballs, and other pointing devices must be usable while standing or reaching toward the laptop.

Some hardware enhancements are very desirable for laptop computers used for presentation delivery. Adequate on-board system memory, file storage space on the hard disk, and processor speed are crucial to enabling presentation software to do its work quickly. Although even a laptop with a 386 processor, two megabytes (MB) of memory, and a monochrome screen can display slides, a much better system would be a 486 processor with a 100-200 MB drive and a color LCD display. A fast, capable system will assure no delays in screen refresh for successive slides and give the presenter the ability to switch between software demos and slide shows running simultaneously. A color display will assure that there is no strange transformation of color to gray scale as may happen when presentations are produced in color but displayed in black and white. A color computer display will add about $500 to $700 to the approximate $2500 price of a capable 486 laptop computer.

Automated presentations have additional requirements and challenges that may not be evident to those new to technology-driven "slide shows." As professionals become increasingly dependent on technological aids, one must be careful to not allow the technology to become a risk or a burden A number of personal experiences with laptop/LCD panel displays will convince a presenter that there are inherent challenges to overcome in this new environment. One must be very careful to field-test all equipment in advance, preferably in the room where the presentation will occur. It is during this testing that a speaker will discover that their extension cords do not reach electrical outlets, additional electrical outlets are needed, the LCD display does not really show some colors of text well under partial lighting, no tables for the extra equipment are provided, or that overhead projector bulbs are already burned out (and no spare exists). It may become apparent that the screen for displaying the computer's LCD output has inadequate reflectivity, resolution is poor on an over-sized screen, or that the speaker's host provided a 35mm slide projector rather than an overhead transparency projector. After all, you did say you would show color "slides" made with computer software! One should always carry backup hardcopy transparencies or slides to prevent an audience's disappointment when equipment does not work as expected.

MULTIMEDIA TECHNIQUES AND CHALLENGES

For truly impressive "presentations" one may choose to try multimedia tools and techniques. The term "multimedia" generally refers to the incorporation of sound and video, as well as graphics, into an educational event. This level of technology requires special sound and video boards for transmitting such information to the viewer. Although adding sound boards to existing computers is relatively cheap (about $300), video-capable computers still cost several thousand dollars. This may change as Intel, a major computer chip manufacturer, intends to offer computers that are configured specifically for videoconferencing for about $2500.(7)

Most present multimedia computer systems are oriented toward the display of educational information to local audiences rather than videoconferencing between distant locations. Some standard presentation software can display sound clips such as a short voice message, but most do not yet incorporate full-motion video capabilities. Special authoring software must be used to create true multimedia presentations, although the complexity of such software is decreasing.(8,9) By using a multimedia system, development software, computer animation, hypertext documents, sound, voice, and video can all be incorporated into very sophisticated presentations. These can be both entertaining and informative interactive sessions in which a user or demonstrator may select graphics, browse text, listen to audio, and view video with accompanying sound.

A computer system capable of such presentations will need to have a high speed video card, a high resolution computer monitor, a large hard drive, and a quick access CD-ROM disk drive at a minimum.(10,11) This investment in hardware and special software may be beyond the interests of professionals who only want to deliver good standard media presentations. Learning to work with multimedia will be most rewarding when there is a need for a replicatable presentation that can be distributed through CD-ROM media for cost recovery. Developing a multimedia presentation for a single audience session can be relatively expensive compared to the ease of producing a simple set of color transparencies with off-the-shelf presentation software. A good way to see and evaluate the potential content of a multimedia presentation is to visit a computer store (or friend) with a multimedia computer and review a CD-ROM disk created for educational purposes. Being able to see a picture of Mozart, browse through scores of music, and both see and hear his music being played is very impressive.

TECHNOLOGY'S ADDED VALUE

The technology discussed here is becoming commonplace. This author first used an LCD screen at the ARMA International Conference in San Francisco in 1990 to illustrate software for managing electronic records on microcomputers. It should be kept in mind, however, that the medium is not the message. In fact, the medium may greatly obscure the message if it distracts rather than supports the presenter's effort to communicate thought or information. A wise presenter will do enough advance preparation to learn if a particular audience has any specific formats with which they are comfortable. Color, charts, graphics, sound and video must add to the communication between presenter and audience.(12,13)

For instance, senior managers and financial professionals are often very comfortable with detailed tabular data. They may be very wary of complex color graphics overlaid on other even more complex color charts that may show subtle data relationships but be unfamiliar or hard to scan visually. One should remember with pity the poor computer salesman that once gave a presentation to a US Army General. After the first ten glowing color graphics slides (with clip art of tanks and missiles adorning each slide), the General interrupted the presentation to say, "That's all very nice son, BUT WHERE IS THE INFORMATION ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?"

REFERENCES

1. Cynthia Morgan, "No clear winner for graphics," Government Computer News, 13(9), May 2, 1994, p. 25, 28, 30, 32.

2. "Presentation Graphics Programs for Windows," Software Digest, 10(6), June 1993.

3. William Harrel, "Presentations Without Pain," PC World, 12(4), April 1994, p. 187-201.

4. Larry Tuck and Daniel Frankel, "Presentation Software Offers Power and Flexibility," 8(2), February 1994, p. 42-45.

5. Elizabeth Eva, "Low-cost laser printers," INFOWORLD, 16(12), March 21, 1994, p. 68-78.

6. Larry Tuck, "Improving Your Image with LCD Panels," Presentations, 8(1), January 1994, p. 32, 34.

7. Mike Moeller, "Videoconferencing Hits the Desktop," Presentations, 8(5), May 1994, p. 16-20.

8. Jeff Burger, "New Directions in Authoring," New Media, 4(5), May 1994, p. 45-50.

9. Phillip Robinson and Lydia Lee, "Where Presentations Meet Authoring," New Media, 4(5), May 1994, p. 64-76.

10. J.B. Miles, "Microcomputer Graphics--Need to soup up that 486? Here's how," Government Computer News, 13(5), March 7, 1994, p. 6, 15.

11. Steven C. M. Chen, "Making the Multimedia Upgrade," Computer Shopper, 14(4), Issue 169, April 1994, p. 196-204.

12. "Better Presentations," Presentation Products, 6(11), November 1982, Special Section, p. 1-15.

13. Latresa Pearson, "Wake Up Your Overheads," Presentations, 8(3), March 1994, p. 29-36.

Copyright Association of Records Managers Administrators Inc. Oct 1994
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved