Today I have made a lot of progress along my Genre Project, choosing to go from an interview style to a presentation style. After watching the content and realizing I would be more comfortable presenting it than sitting in a room doing the same I decided to give a presentation, which would allow me to present ideas visually while engaging the audience verbally. The initial research has been done, source materials have been collected and the key points are outlined that go into the presentation. I also have started designing the slides with the visuals and plan my speaking notes accordingly to project requirements.
I need to complete the project by designing and polishing the slides, rehearse the presentation many times until it will be fluent and ask peer or someone in charge to provide some feedback for the improvement. I’m also thinking to end with a strong conclusion as well as fill in the gaps in the content that may come up when we get to rehearsals. These steps will need some extra focus on the way I’m presenting the material, time management, and how I refine my visuals to expectations.
The one problem I faced was that initially I was not able to change my mindset to move from an interview approach to a presentation format. At first, I felt nervous about making the switch, but once I was able to generate and plan my thoughts, I found it easier to put my ideas into slides instead of an interview script. The second challenge is to have my slides look good and be concise, yet still carry a lot of content. Regarding clarity vs. detail, you must seek a balance, and I am doing it.
My deadline is tomorrow to finish the slides, then to rehearse over the weekend. Giving me some time to get feedback and adjust as needed, before submittion. Up to this point I’m happy with my progress. The format switch wasn’t expected but it helped me zero in on developing a better end product.
How long will the presentation be? I assume you will know better when you rehearse. Aim for about 5 minutes?