#Presentation Skills : Presentation Design Process

Content Design Process: Once you have identified your content and mind mapped it, it is time to start putting more details into it and shape it into a presentation.

As an analogy consider the structure of a report.

Is a presentation like a report?

A presentation may have a similar structure, but it is not a report. Remember, a presentation is more like a documentary, so it is more like a movie.

Should you start from the beginning and go all the way to the end?

No.

What should you start with? Why?

Start with conclusion and your summary. This focuses you on your message and you will be more to the point as you put your content together. Once you know what you want to say, it is easier to find supporting arguments or data. It makes you concise.

Use the simple analogy with the movie industry and think of your presentation as a movie. No director would ever film a movie based on when a scene is shown in the movie. Instead, there is a whole cast of other parameters, like similarity of scenes, difficulty, criticality, availability of actors and so on that defines the process. Much like in the movies, you should start with the most critical parts and put your energy where it matters most. The slides which are there to support the main message can always be designed later when the core message is well-defined and you can see where you are going.

Presentation Skills E-Book

Improve your presentation skills through our presentation books. Read tips on for example presenting a message effectively, engaging with an audience and using your voice. It is never too late to become an excellent communicator.