Making Technical PresentationsCIEG -125Introduction to Civil EngineeringFall 2005Outline• Why make a presentation?• Preparing your presentation• Delivering your presentationWhy do engineers make presentations?• To present information to:• our fellow employees• our supervisors• our professional peers• decision makers• the general public• Do these audiences all have the same abilities and needs?• Problem definition (also problem identification)• Results from analyses• Proposed designs• Project overview• Project status• Rationale for a decision• New methodsWhat do engineers present?Examples• Proposal presentation• Client meetings• Public meetings• Professional organization meeting• dinner or luncheon speaker• technical conference or meetingFormats• Lecture• Oral presentation• Poster• Booth• Exhibit• Q&A• Videoconference• Panel• Press conference• Public hearing• Expert witnessPreparing a Presentation• Determine your audience and their information needs• As with a report, start with an outline• identify a logical flow for your presentation• identify the major steps in your presentation• Provide clear introductions, transitions and conclusions• audience can’t go back and review what you said• you need to help the audience follow by using transitions5 effective organizational schemes• Chronologically (order in time)• Spatially (order in space)• Problem statement, solution description• Cause and effect• By topics and subtopics (like this talk)From “The New Professor’s Handbook” Davidson and AmbroseWhat’s wrong with this graphic?What’s wrong with this graphic?OBJECTIVESIntroduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering is a unique course that introduces the discipline in a new way. The course emphasizes engineering design as well as development of analytical skills, and provides opportunities for you to tackle real-world engineering problems right at the start of your college career.Until recently, almost all undergraduate-engineering curricula emphasized basic science and mathematics the first two years, with the discipline-specific courses in the later years. Engineering design was usually limited to one or two project courses in the senior year. However, there has been a growing recognition that students should be introduced to design in the earlier years.The course has multiple objectives, unlike traditional analysis courses in the engineering curriculum that have a more or less single objective, i.e. the transfer of knowledge in a particular area. There are four broad objective categories:1. The course is intended to help you get a feeling for what civil engineering is about. This can be valuable for choosing a major and for developing breadth of knowledge within the engineering discipline. As part of this first objective, we will also emphasize those basic principles that apply across all engineering disciplines, such as Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical and Metallurgical, as well as Civil Engineering.2. The course provides a context for using information in your other freshman courses, especially calculus and physics. Establishing links with other courses strengthens the learning process and should help you to see the relevance of the course material to your career objectives.3. The course provides a background for later courses in Civil Engineering. This enables you to be better prepared for the rigor of upper-level classes.4. Most important, the course is intended to illustrate the "fun" of being an engineer -- the opportunity for you to develop your creative potential and analytical skills, and the opportunity to learn how engineering can help large numbers of people improve their lifestyles in many ways.What’s wrong with this graphic?OBJECTIVES• Course intent• Provides context and links• Later courses• FunGraphic Aids• Use them (they help you and audience)• A good picture = 1000 words• Design your graphic aids• what message do you wish to convey?• Remember that:• audience cannot read a lot of detail in short time• you typically can’t present that much detail7 rules for graphic aids• Form follows function (what is function?)• simplicity (uncluttered?)• clarity (understandable w/o detailed explanation?)• visibility• unity and consistency• appropriateness (do visuals match talk?)• multidimensional (sound, taste smell and touch?)• From “The New Professor’s Handbook” Davidson and AmbroseIs this better?Is this better?OBJECTIVES• To give you a feeling for what civil engineering is about. • To provides a context for information from other freshman courses.• To provide a background for later courses in Civil Engineering. • To illustrate the "fun" of being an engineer.Delivering a Presentation• Relax, breathe, project your voice, speak clearly• at first you will be nervous• with experience, you will be less nervous• preparation makes you less nervous• Avoid a monotone voice (show enthusiasm)• Watch your speed (not too fast or too slow)• Say things as directly and simply as possibleDelivering a Presentation• Be natural:• Dress appropriately• Stand up straight and confidently• Don’t fidget or pace (put down the keychain, put the gum away)• Don’t stand there like a robot, either• Subtle, appropriate humor is OK• Convey interest in subject• occasionally refer to personal incidents• show enthusiasm for your materialYour presentation• Each group has 3-5 minutes• Content options:• Follow the text• Reformat/ reinterpret the text• Critique the text (it is assigned reading!)Your presentation - logistics• Delivery method • You should involve all group members • Introduce your group• Be professional• Powerpoint slides must be emailed to me by noon on the day of your presentation ([email protected])Improving your oral presentation skills• Look for opportunities to present you work and to get experience making presentation• Seek to become the officer of a student organization• Look for student conferences• Take courses• Participate in undergraduate researchImproving your oral presentation skills … continued• Pay attention to other peoples work• When you hear a good presentation, think about why it was good.• Attend events around campus with student presentations and postersSummary• As an engineer, you have to be able to make public presentations• You