Professional designers and developers like us are paid to create smart, visually and conceptually compelling work for our clients. All too often, however, our hard work fails to get approved simply because we didn’t present it effectively. In short, sometimes the better work loses out to the better sell. The same meticulous thinking that informs our strategies and our executions needs to affect how we present. If you’re a designer or developer who’s slightly introverted by nature and prone to stage fright, or if you simply want to brush up on your presentation skills, join us for this fun, informative session. You’ll learn more about the importance of giving your work the spotlight it deserves, and come away with an array of storytelling strategies and acting techniques that will help you improve your presentation performance.

1. WELCOME! NON-SUCKY GREETINGS TO ALL OF YOU! #not2suck
HOW
NOT 2 SUCK
NOT 2 YOUR WORK
AT PRESENTING SUCK
Because bad presentations can kill good ideas
Megan Mead & Michael Gibson

2. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
MEGAN MEAD ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER
CREATIVE SUITCASE, AUSTIN
Megan Mead · FA Visual Communica-
B
tions, double minor
in Theatre Marketing
· yrs theatrical training
15
experience
Michael Gibson · orked with brands such
W
as ATT, 7-11, FedEx, Gallo
Wines, The Long Center,
Westcave Preserve
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3. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
MICHAEL GIBSON DIRECTOR, GRAD PROGRAMS: DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
Megan Mead ·
28 years professional design
design research background
in visual communication
design, IxD, UxD
and industrial design
· member of UNT’s Design
Research Center faculty team
· design research collaboration
ILLUSTRATION: LANCE TRACHIER management experience
UNT COM DESIGN STUDENT in children’s health, education
urban revitalization
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4. WHAT WE WILL TALK
ABOUT TODAY
· why presenting well is a big deal
· what good presentations do/should achieve
· how to give a good presentation
· some story telling strategies acting techniques
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5. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
WHY IS MAKING A GOOD
PRESENTATION A BIG DEAL?
BAD PRESENTATIONS CAN KILL GOOD IDEAS
· audiences/clients have a hard time separating a good
idea from a poor presentation
· it’s your responsibility to help client’s/project partners
choose the ideas(s) that is/are best for them
· avoid singing a great song badly
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6. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
WHY IS MAKING A GOOD
What we’ll be presenting
PRESENTATIONyou today
to all of A BIG DEAL?
A GOOD PRESENTATION CREATES VALUES
The Presentation Tri-force:
sustains valuable relationships CLIENT
between these 3 kingdoms
IDEA
YOU YOUR
TEAM
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7. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
WHY IS MAKING A GOOD
PRESENTATION A BIG DEAL?
MEGG’S SALARY SAGA
· how I talked my way into my job
· presenting well can have a concrete effect
on your career path
· Age is relative — skills are not.
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8. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION SHOULD…
MAKE THE COMPLEX UNDERSTANDABLE
· in ways that make sense to your audience/clients
· they won’t advocate for what they can’t understand
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9. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION SHOULD…
CREATE EMPATHY
· understanding an idea(s) is different than caring
about it
· why they should care and how it will create value
for them now and in the future
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10. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION SHOULD…
MEET THE FOLLOWING PRIMARY GOALS
· it is well-organized
· it is engaging
· it is professional
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11. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 3 “P’S” OF PRESENTING
· plan
· prepare
· practice
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12. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 1ST “P:” PLAN WELL
· Don’t overload your slides!
· Be a diva—nothing, not even your slides— should upstage you
· Tell a well-structured story. “You’re not Quentin Tarrantino:”
don’t jump into the middle; provide an easy-to-follow storyline…
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13. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 1ST “P:” PLAN WELL | STORY STRUCTURE
1 2 3
INTRO/FRAMING OUTLINE KEY POINTS REITERATE KEY POINTS
WHY THEY SHOULD CARE ARTICULATE THEM SUMMARIZE
SUPPORT W/ RATIONALES END W/ MEMORY BITE
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14. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 2ND “P:” PREPARE
· tailor your presentation to your audience (a CEO requires
info delivery different from a CD, or a Board President)
· vocal warm-ups: prep it up to step it up
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15. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 2ND “P:” VOCAL WARM UPS | WHY?
· Preps: Your voice is your #1 tool
· Relaxes: Your voice can betray you
“A warm voice is a confident voice”
· Focuses: Take a minute for yourself
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16. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 2ND “P:” VOCAL WARM UPS | HOW?
· shake it out: get loose and get silly to get ready
· BDGD: warm up your vocal muscles
· tongue twisters: get your mouth ready for any sound,
any sentence—anything
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17. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 2ND “P:” TONGUE TWISTERS
· Unique New York. You need New York. You know you
need unique New York.
· toy boat, toy boat, toy boat…
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18. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS WELL-ORGANIZED:
THE 3RD “P”: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
· do not “wing it”
· practice in a way(s) that works for you
· if you practice well, you will present well
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19. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
DON’T READ STRAIGHT FROM THE SLIDES
· they can read, so you should talk
·
straight reading kills your vocal projection
· undermines the strength of your ideas
it
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20. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
IMPROV EXERCISE #1: SPEAK ON THE FLY
· things rarely go by script—practice extemporaneous speaking
· ow: grab a magazine, pick a page at random, and speak
h
about its contents for 60 seconds non-stop
· hy?: doing this helps you practice speaking on the fly,
w
as well as the ability to think on your feet
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21. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
SHOW SOME ENTHUSIASM
· if you aren’t excited, they won’t be either
· channel your nervousness
· fake it ’til you make it
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22. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
IMPROV EXERCISE #2: BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
· practice drawing positive attention to yourself whenever
you can
· ow: be an audience volunteer, read out loud to your spouse
h
or pet, make announcements at work
· why?: practice creates confidence confidence
is more engaging
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23. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS ENGAGING
BODY LANGUAGE STAGE PRESENCE
· stay open: don’t cross your arms or slump your shoulders
· stay respectful: stand or sit professionally confidently
· stay appropriate: utilize the “cone of movement”
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24. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS PROFESSIONAL
ATTIRE ATTITUDE
· act as if time and money are on the line every time
· dress, speak act appropriately
· when in doubt, dress up speak up
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25. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
A GOOD PRESENTATION
IS PROFESSIONAL
IMPROV EXERCISE #3: RULE OF AGREEMENT
· how: don’t deny your scene partner’s declarations
· why?: this helps you appear more professional unified
· use “and” rather than “no”
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26. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
TO SUMMARIZE
BE YOURSELF, BUT BETTER
· a good presentation is a genuine presentation
· find what works, forget what doesn’t
· be true to you (just be a less nervous you)
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27. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER...
PRESENTING WELL IS PARAMOUNT
· plan, prepare practice
· utilize some of these tips tricks to improve
your presentation performance
· above all, be organized, be engaging be professional
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28. HOW NOT 2 SUCK AT PRESENTING YOUR WORK #not2suck
Q A
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