|
|
|
|
|
IV. Props & Equipment
|
Purpose of Visual Aids
Increasingly, our world is a visual one. Even business professionals, with less and less time to spare, are relying more on visual display so that data can be conveyed and absorbed quickly.
|
|
How to Use Graphics
In addition to words, you can use a variety of graphics to capture attention and illustrate complex data. Talking about percentages, rates, change over time or other numerical data is much less effective than showing these data in a table, pie chart or graph. Or use flow charts to help you illustrate the steps of a process.
|
|
Preparing the Room
Perhaps nothing is more unsettling to a speaker than problems with equipment, and once you have begun your speech there is little you can do about equipment failures. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
|
|
Use Support Staff
Make sure that there is someone available to stay throughout your presentation to help you with any problems. The room manager should know how to change the volume of the microphone or to get help if you have equipment problems. This allows you to focus more fully on your presentation. (Uusually, however, a presentation works better when you work the overhead transparencies or slide projector yourself because you have more control over the pace.)
|
|
Prepare for Problems
Good preparation includes anticipating potential emergencies, thinking through your speaking environment and considering what could go wrong. Be prepared for equipment malfunctions by planning around them. You shouldn’t be dependent on your visual aids to present your information. Prepare back-up poster boards if you need graphics, especially if your presentation relies on charts or graphs. Or distribute your visual aids as handouts. Be prepared to talk through items you might not be able to use. Prepare additional descriptive text about the material you could lose.
|
|
Pointers
A pointer, used correctly, can be an effective tool. Simple wooden or metal pointers can be used to direct the audience’s attention to your visual aids and allow you to stand away from the flip chart, chalkboard, screen or other visual aid so that you are less likely to block the view of audience members. Laser pointers, which project a light onto the screen, can be used to point from a greater distance. Some tips:
|
|
|
|
|
|
