ESI 4554 ISE Systems Design

Tips on Presentations &Public Speaking forIndustrial Engineers

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Final PresentationFormal presentation – a special meeting used to present your deliverables, designs, recommendations and proposed solutions to the problem at hand.

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Final PresentationHere is where you really demonstrate your knowledge – it is your time to shine!

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Final Presentation

Main Question to be Answered:

Did you in effect achieve the goals / objectives of the project?

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Final PresentationHow you support your Answer?

Need to demonstrate that your deliverables:

• directly support the goal(s) and objectives defined

• have a direct relationship to your objectives

• were achieved (and to what extent?)

• the necessary quality expected of work performed by an Industrial Engineering

• How close did you actually get to reaching your goal?

Basic Evaluation Criteria1. Company Background: (brief, concise)

2. Problem Background: (sufficient, relevant)

3. Goal (s) and Objective (s): (clear, to the point)

4. Description of Deliverables to be accomplished (clearly described in relation to each objective).

5. General Approach to solve problem: (Clearly presented – logical approach)

6. Presentation / Discussion of Preliminary Results / Deliverables: (Clearly described, progress achieved.)

7. Economic Analysis of Deliverables and recommendations (clear, thorough, logical analysis)

8. Evaluation of Deliverables (detail discussion of rubric used for client to evaluate deliverables)

9. Conclusions & Recommendations (relevance, ease of implementation, merit)

Basic Evaluation Criteria

10. Visuals (quality)

11. Even Participation by each team member.

12. Ability by all members to answer questions.

13. Appropriate dress & grooming.

Basic Evaluation Criteria

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Length of Presentation• To Faculty:

– about 45-50min + 20 min for Q & A.– Include all elements included in report guidelines.

• To Client: ???– Filtered presentation – some non-relevant elements

removed (i.e. company history, detailed methodology)

– “The Meat of the Project”– You will be interrupted with questions. Key to

success: anticipate questions!

Fear…

You will, at some point in your life,

have to stand up in front of a large

crowd and talk.

Fear…

– This can be a frightening situation.

– Speaking, like writing or listening, is a skill.

– Once you have the basics, the rest is practice, polish

and style. 

– Few of us are great speakers, but all of us can become

more effective if we take the time to practice the

basics.

 

Fundamentals

• Analyze your Purpose and the Audience

• Get Organized

• Conduct your Research

• Support your Ideas / Findings

• Use English that is Alive

• Practice (in front of other(s))

• Ask for Feedback

Nonverbal Communication

• You will always encounter some level of stage fright.

• some get a little nervous, some become ill.

• increases with the number of people listening

• increases if you don’t know the material

– Practice your presentation

• (use a video camera & tripod if needed).

– Know the first couple of paragraphs “COLD”!

• This will get you through the introduction and the first transition to

the main point.

Nonverbal Communication• Be confident – not arrogant.

– Come on strong. Be natural.

– Establish good eye contact with audience.

– If you break down or loose it, don’t apologize; the audience

will probably not notice unless you tell them.

Look Good!• Proper appearance builds confidence and reduces stage fright.

• Items to consider to eliminate any negative barriers before you start talking.

• Gentlemen:

– Fresh Haircut

– Shoes shined

– Suit pressed

– All buttons buttoned

– Tie Straight

– Fresh shave

Look Good!• Ladies:

– conservative dress, make-up and accessories

– perfume may be a distraction to audience if excessive

•  Posture

– Stand straight and alert, don’t be artificial

– Don’t rock back and forth or side to side

Posture

• Look interested and alive while presenting.

• If you are not presenting at that moment, sit straight

quietly, do not talk while others are presenting.

• Don’t play with coins in pocket.

• Look alive and engaged!

Eye Contact• Establish eye contact with audience immediately. Do not look

constantly at the screen.

• This is the best vehicle for obtaining audience feedback and

holding their attention.

• Let audience know you are talking to them. Don’t stare, but look at

them occasionally.

Face and Gestures

– Use facial expressions, but don’t overdo them.

– Use as if talking naturally.

– It is OK to use your hands and

arms, if done naturally.

What to look out for…

• Visual Aids

– Relevant

– Interesting

– Artistic Effort (Originality)

– Quality

– Clarity, Neatness

– Spelling

Visual Aids– Objects, models, photos, maps, Powerpoint slides.

– Passing around objects may distract. Use if they add meaning and connection to your

briefing.

– Handouts:

• have great impact, but don’t overload with info.

• If using Powerpoint, slides are usually handed out before presentation.

• Number all slides!

• Have a handout for each instructor .

Visual Aid Tips

– Don’t stand between visual aid and audience.

– Don’t talk to the visual aid; talk to the audience. Use a

pointer; use the arm closer to the visual.

– Keep the visual aids clear, simple and readable.

– Know your visual aid.

Visual Aid Tips

– Spell / grammar check any text you are showing.

– Don’t READ all the words in the visual: this is

boring!

– Keep artwork simple: 2-3 colors max.

Text Slides

• Do not copy/paste paragraphs onto presentation.

• Present ideas in bullet form, not paragraphs.

• Do not put too much text on slide.

– Rule of 4 x 5: four – five bullet points max

– Rule of 33 says: 33 words per slide

– Do not read visual aids! Know your slides and the

material in them.

Text Slides (example)• The idea of a PowerPoint presentation is to supply a visual aid while you

talk. Bullet points or graphics help support and clarify your discussion. But if you leave one slide up too long, your audience will lose focus and their attention will wander. There just isn't that much on one slide to find interesting for more than two or three minutes.

• If you're really dynamic and interesting and possibly good looking, and if you tell stories well, you might squeeze four or five minutes out of a slide. The only exceptions to a five-minute warning might be a slide with an embedded video or a slide that serves as a place holder while the audience does an exercise or discusses the points on the slide with the presenter. Otherwise, keep it snappy and move along.

Flowcharts• IEs will very frequently use flowcharts in presentations.

• Flowcharts should be R-E-A-D-A-B-L-E from ANYWHERE in the room.

• Flowcharts are normally boring looking! Use pastel colors and contrasting fonts to highlight it.

 

• Discussion of flowcharts should be swift, but precise.

Start 1.0 Receive Order

Any more

orders?

2.0 Process Shipment End

No

Yes

Flowcharts• Show an overall view of a general flowchart first, with some preliminary

discussion.

• Then, “zoom In” to a section of the flowchart and discuss it. Use animation

and shapes to highlight what you will be discussing next.

•  If there is an important part of the process you are improving, slow down to

discuss it more.

Start 1.0 Receive Order

Any more

orders?

2.0 Process Shipment End

No

Yes

Speech Rate

– People can listen 4-5 faster than the normal rate of speech.

• If too fast, your speech is unintelligible.

• If too slow, your meaning suffers.

– Varying your speed keeps your audience’s attention.

– So… speak not too fast, not too slow.

Pitch & Volume

– Use the proper volume for the room you will be

speaking in.

– Speak in a voice range comfortable for you, then

change inflection for emphasis.

Pause…– Gives you time to catch your breadth and collect your thoughts.

– Never be in a hurry to finish.

– Pause for the audience to digest your comments.

• Short pauses divide points within an idea.

• Long pauses transition from one idea to another.

Articulate…

– Make your works distinct and understandable.

– Practice the correct pronunciation of any term you

are unfamiliar with, don’t get caught on the spot.

– If unsure, check the dictionary.

Length of Presentation

– Length of presentation is crucial.

– On many occasions time is restricted to maintain a schedule.

– It this is the case, time your presentation a few times.

– Simply know what you have to say and say it.

Practice, Practice, Practice• Practice out loud

– Practice in front of critical listener if possible, or use a video

camera.

– The more you practice, the smoother your presentation will go.

• Anticipate questions the audience might ask.

• This may reveal “holes” in the core of the presentation.

What to look out for…• Introduction

– Previews major points to be covered.

• Background

– Give enough background to understand problem.

– Not too much, not too little.

• Flow

– Presentation logical and easy to follow.

– Topics are logically tied together and transition well.

• Conclusion should summarize major points.

• Stay within time limit if specified.

What to look out for…

• Structure & Organization

– Problem Statement concise, clearly defined.

– Constraints and Assumptions of the problem are realistic and

clearly defined.

– General Approach: logical, relevant, original, clearly presented and

explained.

– Work Breakdown Structure were clearly presented and defined.

What to look out for…

• Structure & Organization

– Evaluation of Alternatives or Final Design / Solution Development

and Approach clearly presented/explained. Solution and

alternatives seem feasible and relevant.

– Implementation of Solution clearly presented/explained

– Validation of Solution clearly presented/explained.

– Areas of Future Study clearly presented/explained.

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Format for Presentationand Final Report

• Use guidelines provided in the course website!

– Report

– Presentation

• Good reference hints for presenting:

• http://www.virtualsalt.com/powerpoint.htm

Q & A