The best presentations have an element of technical presentation and an equal amount of introduction from a presenter. For example, if the presentation is about the most crucial aspects of Internet-based server services, then it will be assisted greatly by a good mix of screen shots, details of server hardware and software, and the personal experiences of a seasoned professional in the field. Rhythm and good timing for a presentation help drive home the point of the message.
Begin with an attention getter. Tell a story to focus your audience and increase interest. Try to avoid cliched statistics. Establish relevance and gain credibility in the topic. Announce the reason why your audience should be there to help establish relevance, and then establish your credibility by showing subject knowledge and experience. Show this in the introduction and get the audience engaged in the subject matter.
Transitions should be appropriate and should help the flow of the presentation. Questions about the subject matter should arise toward the end of the talk.
Create a great ending by working into the conclusion a review of the subject matter that takes the audience back to the topics discussed at the beginning of the presentation. Think of this like drawing a single underline under important points. Leave the audience with a clincher sentence that they will take out to the parking lot and hopefully onto the freeway as they drive home.
Technical presentations can contain any form of media--for example, video, a PowerPoint slide show or a speech with passages of music or other audio. It is important to write the presentation and plan the media that accompanies it ahead of time. Use the media to add to the points made by the speech. If the timing is good and the illustrative sequence appears exactly at the appropriate point, it adds to the presentation's impact.
As a rule, if you are facing an audience, it is helpful to have a small screen (such as a laptop) relaying what is being shown on the large presentation screen behind you.
Gain awareness of all of the new forms of technology in today's arena. There are many new Internet-based technologies being used in educational technology, for example. These are central in a technical presentation. For example, Elluminate, Adobe Connect and TokBox are examples of Web-based multi-party video-conferencing tools that have been used in educational applications.
The same rules of public speaking apply to an Internet-based conference as to a conference held in a hall--with one difference. These new applications can join members in different countries and present to all participants a useful technical presentation and conference, circling the globe and breaking new ground in communications, despite limitations of distance and time-zone differences.