“A presentation is not about the content or about you - it's about the audience.”
WHAT IS THE ABOUT?
Dirk Haun brings to us the wonderful and concise "Presenting for Geeks". Reassuringly well presented, he takes us on a journey on how to convey a memorable message.
Firstly the importance of preparation is laid out, understanding your audience cannot be emphasised enough! We are given great tips on how to plan the presentation and ensure at the end of it people "know, understand and act on your message".
Following this we are given excellent advice on how to best utilise your slides and tips for presenting. Things to keep in mind include speaking naturally and always asking "So What?" on every slide. On top of this there is fantastic practical advice on finding images and on how to present code to an audience.
In the conclusion we are reminded to keep it simple and keep your audience in mind. Dirk reminds us that all of the advice is just that, advice and not strict rules. Utilise what you find useful and build your own presentation style.
WHAT STOOD OUT?
The Curse of Knowledge (p. 4)
A common pitfall that I and many others fall foul of is assuming the audience knows more than they do when explaining things. This short section explains how to deal with that nicely.
Avoiding Bullet Points (p. 14)
Fantastic advice which I 100% agree with, bullet points can be complete presentation killers!
Presenting Data (p. 23)
We are introduced to the "Five Principles of Presenting Data" and given brilliant advice on how to make a point with data.
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE...
A brilliant set of principles to keep in mind when putting together a presentation. (Simple, Unexpected, Credible, Concrete, Emotional, Stories).
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