Are They Listening? Engaging Presentations with High Impact Visuals and Technology

This presentation was given to the ASU Association of Women in Science (AWIS).

In a world where everyone can create a PowerPoint slide, we have to be able to stand out and be noticed when presenting information. If we are passionate about our research, then we want to get our audience excited, too. One way to do that is through visuals.

The first tip was "Be Different". It isn't just about using different technologies, but using them differently. We demoed some technologies that look different and have different features than the typical PowerPoint, and we talked about using PowerPoint's animation to create promotion videos.

The second tip was "Stay Simple". Best practices are the "Power of 3", using visually stunning photos, and sticking with a single technology. You can also use visual sentences and infographics to share more information, and PechaKucha presentations to keep you focused.

The final tip was "Share Your Vision". This is done by realizing that the initial presentation is just to engage the audience, then you give details through other technologies like blogs, videos, websites and ePortfolios. Telling a story with an emotional component also helps engage an audience.

Below are some of the resources shared:

• PowerPoint Slides
• Handout of Links and Technologies
• Video Summary

Take a minute to share some of your favorite technologies and tips for presentations! (use the comment feature below)