Table Of ContentTECH N ICA L
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PRESE N TATION
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WINNING STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SPEAKING Third Edition
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Thisfullyrevisedthirdeditionincludesanentirelynewchapterdevotedtoonlinepre-
a
sentations.ThisWorkbookalsoincludesupdatedmaterialoninteractivetrainingand l W I N N I N G
questioning,aswellasextensivecoverageofelectronicpresentations.
Packedwithtips,ideas,andexamples,thisbookconsistsofprovenstep-by-stepap- Pr S T R A T E G I E S F O R
proachestoplanninganddeliveringeffectivetechnicalpresentations. e
Includesinformationonhowto:gearpresentationstoengineeringmeetings,brief- se E F F E C T I V E
ipnogsse,;caonnafleyrzeentcheesa,uadnidentrcaei;nainrrgansegsestihoensr;ozoemrotoinboonosatpefrfeescetnivteantieosns';satnodpikcnaonwdypouurr- nt P U B L I C S P E A K I N G
supportmediaoptions. a
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The Workbook's easy-to-follow worksheets, exercises, and checklists present the i
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fundamentalskillsandadvancedtechniquesthatwillhelpmakeeverypresentation
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successful.
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Bestofall,theWorkbookformatallowsthereadertoworkthrougheachchapteror
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ThreeParkAvenue
NewYork,NY10016,USA
www.asme.org
Richard L. Sullivan Jerry L. Wircenski
•
TTEECCHH NN IICCAA LL
PPRREESSEENNTTAATTIIOONN
WWOORRKKBBOOOOKK
WINNING STRATEGIES FOR
EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SPEAKING
Third Edition
by
Richard L. Sullivan and Jerry L. Wircenski
©2010,ASME,3ParkAvenue,NewYork,NY10016,USA (www.asme.org)
Allrightsreserved.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.ExceptaspermittedundertheUnited
StatesCopyrightActof1976,nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedordistributedinany
formorbyanymeans,orstoredinadatabaseorretrievalsystem,withoutthepriorwrittenpermis-
sionofthepublisher.
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS WORK HAS BEEN OBTAINED BY THE AMERICAN
SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS FROM SOURCES BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE.
HOWEVER,NEITHERASMENORITSAUTHORSOREDITORSGUARANTEETHEACCURACY
OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN THIS WORK. NEITHER ASME
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ASME Press books are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums or for use in
corporatetrainingprograms.Formoreinformation,[email protected]
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sullivan,RichardL.
Technicalpresentationworkbook:winningstrategiesforeffectivepublicspeaking/byRichardL.
SullivanandJerryL.Wircenski.--3rded.
p.cm.
ISBN978-0-7918-5957-5
1. Publicspeaking.2. Communicationoftechnicalinformation. I.Wircenski,JerryL.II.Title.
PN4129.15.S852010
808.5'1--dc22
2010009580
Acknowledgments
Writing a book is a challenging, often frustrating, yet rewarding experience.
Completion of this book would not have been possible without a strong support team.
Wewouldliketothankourillustrator,ChristopherJennings,forallofhiscreativework.
Specialthankstoourwives,EmilyandMickeyfortheircontinuinglove,supportand
understanding when the authors were bickering. Our children, Bryan, Shawn, Erin, and
Sarah were always there to provide additional stress whenever possible. Finally, thank
goodness we could always turn to M*A*S*H, Seinfeld, and Johnny Carson reruns for
needed humor breaks.
iii
C ON T E N T S
Acknowledgments ........................................................iii
What This Workbook Will Do for You ........................................ix
How to Use the Technical Presentation Workbook ........................... xiii
Part I — Technical Presentation Skills
Chapter 1 Getting Started ............................................... 2
Whatisyourpresentationtopic?
Guidelinesforchoosingapresentationtitle
Presentationtopicandtitleworksheet
Whyareyoumakingthispresentation?
Purpose(s)ofyourpresentationworksheet
Who’sintheaudience?
Theaudienceworksheet
Whatarethepreferredtimesforschedulingapresentation?
Howlongshouldyourpresentationbe?
Presentationdateandtimespanworksheet
Whereisthepresentationsite?
Presentationlocationworksheet
Howwillyoudeliveryourpresentation?
Referencesandresourcesworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 2 Know Your Audience ..........................................20
Audienceprofile
Analyzingyouraudienceworksheet#1
Analyzingyouraudienceworksheet#2
Numberofparticipants
Whyareindividualsattendingyourpresentation?
Analyzingyouraudienceworksheet#3
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 3 Arranging the Facilities ...................................... 31
Needsoftheparticipants
Seatingarrangements
Facilitychecklist
Needsofthepresenter
Determiningyourfacilityandequipmentneedsworksheet
Yourpresentationfloorplan
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 4 Selecting Your Presentation Strategies ........................ 48
Thesevenmostcommonpresentationstrategies
Criteriaforselectingpresentationstrategies
Selectingyourpresentationstrategiesworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 5 Preparing Your Presentation Notes ............................63
Whyyoushouldusenotes
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Guidelinesforpreparingyournotes
Addpromptstoyouroutline
Developingyourpresentationoutlineworksheet
Formatoptionsforpresentationnotes
Preparingyourpresentationnotesworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 6 Developing and Using
Presentation Media ...........................................88
Benefitsofpresentationmedia
Selectingpresentationmedia
Identifyingyourpresentationmediaworksheet
Commonpresentationmedia
Selectingyourpresentationmediaworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 7 Kicking Off Your Presentation ............................... 112
Introducingyourself
Writingapersonalintroductionworksheet
Participantintroductions
Introducingyourparticipantsworksheet
Whattoincludeinyourpresentationintroduction
Presentationintroductiontechniques
Kickingoffyourpresentationworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 8 Delivering Your Presentation ................................ 129
Tipsforreducinganxietyor“stagefright”
Thosefirstcriticalmoments
Effectiveverbalcommunicationtechniques
Effectivenonverbalcommunicationtechniques
Whyaskquestionsduringyourpresentation?
Effectivequestioningtechniques
Howtosummarizeyourpresentation
Presentationskillschecklist
Keypointstoremember
Part II — Advanced Presentation Skills
Chapter 9 Presenting a Technical Demonstration ....................... 154
Whatisatechnicaldemonstration?
Planningatechnicaldemonstration
Presentingatechnicaldemonstration
Technicaldemonstrationchecklist
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 10 Using Brainstorming, Case Studies, and Role Plays .......... 168
Whyusebrainstorming?
Conductingabrainstormingsessionworksheet
Whyusecasestudies?
Facilitatingtheuseofacasestudyworksheet
Casestudydevelopmentform
Whyuseroleplays?
vi
Facilitatingtheuseofaroleplayworksheet
Roleplaydevelopmentform
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 11 Leading a Discussion .......................................190
Whatisadiscussion?
Whentousethediscussionstrategy
Planningforagooddiscussion
Leadingagooddiscussion
Discussionskillschecklist
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 12 Adding Humor to Your Presentations ........................205
Thebenefitsofhumor
Developingyoursenseofhumor
Guidelinesforappropriatehumor
Tipsforaddinghumor
Addinghumortoyourpresentationworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 13 Delivering Team Presentations .............................215
Planningateampresentation
Planningateampresentationworksheet
Workingwithsubject-matterspecialists
Workingwithasubject-matterspecialistworksheet
Planningforconference-typepresentations
Planningforaconference-typepresentationworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 14 Delivering International Presentations ......................234
Culturaldifferences
Understandingyouraudience
Preparingforyourpresentation
Planninganinternationalpresentationworksheet
Deliveringyourpresentation
Deliveringaninternationalpresentationworksheet
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 15 Delivering Online Presentation .............................248
OnlinePresentationTechnologies
PreparingandDeliveringYourVideoconferencePresentation
PreparingandDeliveringYourWebinar
Keypointstoremember
Chapter 16 Evaluating Your Presentation ...............................268
Whyevaluateyourpresentation?
Informalevaluationtechniques
Formalevaluationtechniques
Samplepresentationsatisfactionform
Keypointstoremember
Index .................................................................283
vii
What This Workbook
Will Do for You
Asanengineerortechnicalprofessional,youareoftencalleduponto
make technical presentations. These include group (often called “stand
up”) and online presentations made during meetings, briefings, reports,
discussions, demonstrations, the sharing of research findings, or during
education and training courses. You may find yourself making a presenta-
tion to engineers within your department, to members of a management
team,toengineersandtechniciansinthefield,toanaudienceataconfer-
ence,ortoagroupofparticipantsinacourse.Yourpresentationmightbe
deliveredwithinyourorganizationinaconferenceroom,inatrainingroom
orclassroom,oronline.Oryoumaypackyourbagsandtakeyourpresen-
tationontheroadtoanothercountry.Whereverthesiteandwhateverthe
topic,you’llwantyourpresentationtobetop-notch.Sowheredoyouturn
forhelpinmakingatechnicalpresentation?We’regladyouaskedthatques-
tion! Your best source is this book.
The Technical Presentation Workbook is just that — a workbook! It
is specially designed to help you plan and deliver effective technical
presentations. It contains a proven, practical, step-by-step approach for
making winning presentations. But why a workbook? Because the work-
bookformatpermittedustodesigntheinformation,worksheets,andexer-
cisessothatyoucanactuallyplanyourpresentationasyoumovethrough
the chapters. The Technical Presentation Workbook is loaded with tips,
ideas, examples, and checklists you can use as you prepare your presen-
tations. You will learn many effective techniques, including how to:
• Analyze your audience
• Set up the presentation room
• Prepare your notes
• Use supporting media
ix
