Make a Presentation
They’ll Remember
Speaker Name
Title
Date
Presentation Outline
I. Basic Best Practices
II. Performance Excellence
III. The Importance of Practice
IV. Perform for Your Audience
V. Making a Good Presentation Great
VI.Scoring and Final Tips
I. Basic Best
Practices
Basic Best Practices
•One slide: 30 seconds. Thus, 10 slides as a general
guideline.
•Memorize key points you must make.
•Energy and enthusiasm can go a long way
•Look like you are in control AND enjoying yourself:
SMILE!
•Rehearse your answers beforehand to avoid rambling
and confusion.
•You can introduce new material, including slides, as
part of the Q & A as long as it is relevant.
•Prepare clear, logical thoughts and answers to
anticipated questions
•TAKE YOUR TIME!
vs
II. Performance
Excellence:
Look The Part
Look the Part
Not Appropriate:
 T-shirts
 Baggy Jeans
 Torn Jeans
 Sneakers, Boots
 Hats, Caps, etc
 Short Skirts
 Not Matching =
UNCOORDINATED
Look the Part
Appropriate
Men:
Collared
shirts
 Slacks
 Nice Jeans
 Sweater
 Jacket

Women:
Skirts
 Pants
 Dress
 Jacket
 Blouse
 Sweater

All clothing should be appropriate
size and fit: not too big, not too
small. Although not required, men
can benefit from wearing jackets.
III. The Importance
of Practice
Importance of Practice
Practice Tips:
•Review your notes multiple times before you
present.
“The best way to conquer
stage fright is to know what
you’re talking about.”
•Keep your chin up (literally!)
•Each team member should understand every
aspect of the apparatus, not just the part they are
presenting.
•Have clear elocution of what you are saying.
-Michael H. Mescon
•Videotape yourself and ask non-team members
for critiques
•Practice hand-offs and transitions
Know Your Audience
Judges will be a mix of engineers and marketers.
Therefore you must plan language and graphics accordingly:
•Engineers want to see:
» Process Outline – plan before you build
» The Iterative Process- how trials led to
changes in your design
» Creativity in engineering thought
•Marketers want to see:
»
»
»
»
vs
Marketers - intimidated by engineering
Interested in the group dynamics
Simple explanation of what a law is used to determine
Model Demonstrations- intuitive designs/graphics to illustrate key points
IV. Perform for
Your Audience
Presentation Suggestions
-Smile at the audience and look relaxed. Establish and maintain
eye contact while speaking.
-Team members should be engaged at all times. When not
speaking:
1. Look at the presenter, even nod in agreement
from time to time.
2. No hands in pockets
No Eye Contact
-Have a captain for the Q&A session who will handle the
distribution of questions. It is okay to actually call on someone for
each question.
vs
-Get everyone involved in answering questions. Answer without
slang (“yes” not “yeah”)
-Do not answer questions that were not asked. If your teammate
has adequately answered, don’t feel compelled to “add one more
thing” unless it improves the original answer.
Eye Contact
Delivery Keys
DELIVERY KEYS:
Pace, Gestures, Tone, Expression
“Beauty without
expression is boring”
Pace: Know when to stop, pause, and go. Do not fear
dead air - gains attention. Build to something.
Gestures: Be in sync with what you are saying.
A gesture can be planned and practiced.
Examples:
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Open and wide arms = accessible and authentic
Nod and wag at a question = “Good one, and I have an
answer. Listen up….”
Delivery Keys
Tone: Modulate your voice to gain
attention and to energize. Quiet =
listener leans in.
Loud =
listener feels the heat.
Facial Expression:
Smile = confidence.
Smile = “We’ve got that one figured
out.”
Squinting, lip biting, little nod =
thinking about it.
Bill Clinton Speaks at the 2012 Democratic
National Convention
V. Making a Good
Presentation Great
Presentation Tips
•“Show and Tell” of robot is okay as long as you stay within the
presentation time frame.
-This may require moving a desk to provide access to judges.
Do this in the set-up time.
-Choreograph any movement of the robot during
rehearsals.
•Pacing is CRITICAL for success: Ensure timing is properly planned
(do not rush final slides to finish on time)
•Use a wireless mouse to prevent crossing in front of each other or
the projector while talking. Use a laser pointer to point things out
on your slides.
•Do not be wedded to PowerPoint -- Prezi has been very
effectively used in the past to illustrate a team’s process and
engineering principles.
Presentation Tips
Good Execution Ideas:
-Introduction of Team Members & Coach (Names, Graduating Year, etc.)
-Agenda/Outline- the basic project elements you will cover (Project Overview,
Process of Development, Engineering Principles, Challenges,
Lessons Learned, etc).
-Explicit presentation of Engineering Principles including how each was
applied.
>For the marketing judges each principle should be explained
briefly.
-Anticipate some frequently asked questions and who will respond—e.g.,
What was your biggest challenge? How did you decide your roles?
Things To Avoid:
-Running out of time
-Reading slides word for word
-Rushing your speech
-Being coached
-Unequal distribution of speaking time (including Q & A)
VI. Scoring and
Final Tips
Scoring
(1) Project overview:
•
•
•
•
What was the PROCESS used to come up with your design?
How did the concept EVOLVE and WHY?
How did you go about your DECISION MAKING PROCESS?
How did you RUN your project (manage time, meeting location,
biggest challenges?)
Tell your audience:
• How you divided up your duties.
• How you made critical decisions and what the decision path looked
like (chart…).
• Time line your project followed.
• How you worked together and specific roadblocks that occurred in
project management.
Scoring
(2) Engineering Principles:
Present what engineering principles were used in your design(s). Not just the
principle, but some data or chart that shows how the principle was applied.
Explain both principle and application and learning. A layman must
understand what the principle helped solve.
(3) Presentation:
 5 polished minutes will score well. No more than 10 slides as a guideline. No
small writing on slides (must be easily visible from 15 feet)
 No white letters on white background or black letters on black backgrounds.
 Logical, professional, pleasant, confident.
 No hiding behind each other. No stepping on each other’s answers.
 Visually attractive as a team and as a presentation.
 Imbed pictures and videos in your presentation.
 Use of visual aids during presentation or Q & A.

This is a PERFORMANCE that needs to be PRACTICED.
Final Tips
• Remember your oral presentation is 5 minutes with a 10 minute Q&A.
•
Be mindful to pace yourself.
• An oral presentation is a performance – a group effort.
Preparation = Relaxation = Success
• Watch your time.
• Share the spotlight
• Be remembered for something.
Thank You!
Questions?