Presentation Prep & Peer Review

Workshop: Building and Refining Your Presentation

Objective: The goal of this workshop is to help you draft and organize your presentation for your digital ethnography project. You will use this time to conceptualize your slide deck, think critically about what you want your audience to think and feel during each slide, and receive early feedback on your rough presentation structure. This workshop will also ensure that you avoid common pitfalls, such as simply transferring your outline onto slides.

Outcome: By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a rough but intentional draft of your presentation slide deck. You’ll know what you want your audience to think and feel during each part of your presentation and will have received constructive feedback to help you refine your work. This will ensure that your final presentation is engaging, coherent, and impactful.

Workshop Structure (1 Hour):

1. Introduction (10 Minutes)

• Overview: Your presentation should do more than just present information—it should engage your audience both emotionally and intellectually. A successful presentation guides your audience through your findings in a way that is clear, compelling, and memorable.
• Objective: By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a draft version of your slide deck, focused on what you want your audience to think and feel during each slide. This draft will serve as the foundation for your final presentation.

2. Storytelling and "Less is More" Approach (15 Minutes)

• Storytelling Approach: Think of your presentation as a story. Just like any good story, your presentation should have a beginning, middle, and end:
• Beginning: Set the stage with your research question or problem. Introduce the topic in a way that captures your audience’s interest and provides context for what’s to come.
• Middle: Present your evidence and findings in a logical sequence. This is where you build your case, guiding your audience through your analysis and key insights. Each slide should connect smoothly to the next, leading the audience through your thought process.
• End: Conclude with the implications of your research and a strong takeaway message. Summarize the key points you want your audience to remember and leave them with a final thought or question to consider.
• Less is More: When it comes to your slides, simplicity is key. Avoid cluttering your slides with too much text or too many images. Each slide should focus on a single idea or concept. Use visuals like images, charts, or diagrams to enhance understanding, not overwhelm it.
• Audience Engagement: Think about how you can actively engage your audience during the presentation. This might involve asking rhetorical questions, pausing for reflection, or incorporating interactive elements like a quick poll or a brief discussion point. Your goal is to keep the audience involved and thinking critically about your content.
• Visual Consistency: Maintain visual consistency throughout your slide deck. Use the same fonts, colors, and design elements to create a cohesive look. A professional and consistent design helps the audience focus on your content rather than being distracted by varying styles.

3. Drafting Slides with Intent (15 Minutes)

• Sticky Notes or Digital Whiteboard Activity:
• Use sticky notes or a digital whiteboard (e.g., FigJam, Miro) to draft your slides. On each sticky note, write down what you want your audience to think and feel during that specific slide. For example:
• Introduction Slide: Think - "This is an interesting and relevant topic." Feel - "Curiosity about the community being studied."
• Theoretical Framework Slide: Think - "These theories are foundational to understanding the project." Feel - "Confidence in the academic rigor of the analysis."
• Findings Slide: Think - "These findings are significant and well-supported." Feel - "Engagement with the data and insights being presented."
• Visual Planning: On the reverse side of the sticky note (or on another part of the digital whiteboard), jot down ideas for visuals that will support these thoughts and feelings. Remember, visuals should enhance understanding and emotional impact—think about how images, diagrams, and minimal text can make your slide more powerful.

4. Group Feedback and Refinement (20 Minutes)

• Small Group Work:
• In small groups of 3-4, share your draft slides using the sticky notes or digital whiteboard. Your group will provide feedback on:
• Clarity: Are the key points and messages clear?
• Engagement: Will the proposed visuals and structure keep the audience engaged?
• Emotional Impact: Do the slides effectively evoke the intended feelings in the audience?
• Be open to suggestions for alternative visuals, slide arrangements, or additional points to consider. Use this feedback to refine your slide draft.

5. Slide Arrangement and Final Touches (10 Minutes)

• Rearranging and Revising:
• Based on the feedback you received, rearrange your sticky notes or digital slides to refine the flow of your presentation. Focus on creating a logical and engaging narrative that smoothly transitions from one slide to the next.
• Building Out Slides:
• If time permits, start translating your sticky note drafts into a digital slide deck (using PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides). Focus on one or two key slides that need the most attention. Remember, less is more—each slide should focus on one key idea, supported by clear visuals.

6. Wrap-Up and Next Steps (10 Minutes)

• Discussion:
• Reconvene as a class to discuss common challenges and successful strategies identified during the workshop. Share any particularly useful feedback you received or gave.
• Final Feedback Reminder:
• Remember, this workshop is just the first step in refining your presentation. Use the feedback you received today to improve your draft, and be ready to present your refined version to the class for further feedback.
• Anticipating Questions:
• Start thinking ahead about the questions your audience might ask and prepare responses. This will help you feel more confident during the Q&A.