What are the best techniques for delivering project presentations to stakeholders?

Firstly you must have a very clear understanding of what “stake” each stakeholder has at the table , I.e. what outcomes or benefits they are seeking from the project. Secondly you must know which stakeholders are there for an fyi, which stakeholders can actually make a decision and which one can influence a decision. Your presentation must be tailored bearing in mind the above and also why you are giving an update and to whom. Is it a project update, Steerco monthly update, a quarterly business review update etc. And finally I try and keep it simple with key metrics, numbers and very clear indication as to whether a decision is required or assistance is required or not.

When you start presenting to someone you need to focus on how the opposite person is taking interest to listen to you. We need not require to stand at our level rather to explain nicely in a logical and structured way. What's written on the white screen doesn't matter, but how it is going to be represented that matters a lot. You need to be convinced first with all queries with regards to what is going to be presented. The ambience, eye-catching bullet points, new learning from presentation, solution to a problem, these all must be taken into consideration.

Out of experience, I do believe the below points are crucial: Authenticity and Transparency: Be genuine in your communication, sharing both successes and challenges, to build trust and credibility. Conciseness: Keep your presentation focused and straight to the point, avoiding unnecessary details, respecting stakeholders' time. Understand Stakeholder Needs: Prioritize understanding your stakeholders to anticipate their needs and expectations. Tailor your presentation accordingly. Prepare for Questions: Anticipate potential inquiries and concerns, preparing well-thought-out answers. This demonstrates expertise and ensures you address stakeholders' needs.

No more than 10 slides, if possible No more than 6 bullet points per slide in a large font Pictures paint a 1000 words Get others to check content Practice, practice and practice Ensure you can back up any information presented Introduce yourself then company then solution Smile :)

Tailor your presentation to the interests, knowledge level, and concerns of your stakeholders. Executives might prefer high-level summaries, while technical stakeholders may appreciate more detail. Use simple, jargon-free language. Make your points clearly and avoid unnecessary details that can distract from your main messages. Clearly articulate the benefits of the project, including its return on investment (ROI). Make it easy for stakeholders to understand what’s in it for them or the organization. Demonstrate control and planning by using project management methodologies, timelines, Gantt charts, or Kanban boards. This helps stakeholders visualize project progress and key milestones.

I have a few tips: While preparing the presentation: 1) Understand why it's needed? 2) Who is the audience? what's in it for them? (Most important) 3) Keep it precise, factual and crisp (avoid too many texts or slides), add images/visuals which are self-explanatory. 4) How will stakeholders' benefit? While presenting: 1) Always practice beforehand. Take a deep breath and start. Look presentable. Maintain eye contact but not in a creepy way. 2) Don't talk too fast/too slow. People either miss out or snooze off. 3) Use own sentences (avoid repeating only what's written on the slide). 4) Observe them and engage/interact. 5) take questions and tell you'll get back to them (if you don't know the answer) and do get back surely.

It’s not primarily what you present but how you present that gets your message across. So craft your words, information, facts and stories carefully coupled with an appropriate mix of emotions to communicate core value accordingly.

Plan your presentation, know your audience, have your bullet points that you'll tackle during your presentation, and present little data to maintain your audience's concentration. At the same time, you explore the data and always try to engage the audience in your presentations through prepared questions. Try to smile always without losing your seriousness and formality. Leave time for audience engagement and questions at the end of your presentation.

When delivering project presentations to stakeholders, focus on a few key techniques. First, ensure your presentation has a clear structure, making it easy to follow. Tailor your message to the audience's understanding and use visuals to enhance clarity. Think of it like telling a story. For instance, consider a waste management project where we successfully implemented a circular economy approach. Picture this: source separation at the forefront, recycling processes in action, and a closed-loop system reducing environmental impact. Address concerns openly, highlight achievements, and invite questions for a more engaging interaction.

Keep it simple. You will be addressing stakeholders with different interests during your presentation, so it is important to speak specifically to the points that matter to them. Additionally, it is crucial to connect the work being done to the overarching business goal when providing updates. This will help to emphasize the project's significance to the organization.

The simple 3-step approach we use - 1. Know your audience and tailor your message This is a biggie! - Assess the stakeholders' interests & decision-making authority - Adapt to meet their specific needs & concerns - Use simple & concise language that's appropriate 2. Craft a compelling presentation - Start with a strong hook that captures attention - Clearly outline the project's objectives, scope, & deliverables - End with with a call to action, seeking feedback! 3. Deliver confidently - Project your voice and make eye contact with your audience - Use visuals effectively to enhance understanding and retention - Encourage questions, show you are open to suggestions

One of the biggest challenge is deciding the depth of content to be presented to the audience. Presenting to your team, to your manager, to your VP requires a different level of abstraction of the depth of the content. I follow the 3 question approach that I'll ask myselfm 1. "What and how your presentation will impact your audience?" 2. "What can your audience help you in his/her area of influence?" 3. "What is the next avenue and opportunity to can extend from this presentation?" The last question allows you to strategically set up an opportunity for the future.

My main objective was to ensure that stakeholders were well-informed about the current status of a critical initiative. I wanted them to have a comprehensive understanding of the milestones achieved, challenges faced, and the overall trajectory of the project. Objective: Inform stakeholders about project progress Goals: Knowledge: Provide accurate updates on achievements, risks, and adjustments. Sentiment: Instill confidence by addressing challenges transparently. Action: Inspire support through approvals for resources or change requests. Organize presentation content to directly contribute to these goals.

Know your audience. The time you have (Proper engagement time). Highlight in the beginning What they will get out of this meeting at the end. Less text, more visual with some real-time examples which your audience can co-relate.

One thing I learned in my early career was to have a conversation with each major stakeholder before any meeting where there will be a major ask or big issue raised. I thought it was more effective to have everyone together to discuss but my mentor taught me by example how important it was to not let a leader hear something for the first time in a public forum especially related to a major decision, ask or issue.

1. Timeboxing for meeting Timeboxing is a technique where a specific amount of time is allocated to a meeting or task, and participants focus on achieving objectives within that fixed timeframe. It helps prevent discussions from dragging on endlessly, encourages efficiency, and ensures that key points are addressed promptly. Timeboxing promotes better time management and can enhance overall meeting productivity by setting clear boundaries for discussions and decision-making. 2. Know the audience Knowing your audience enhances communication effectiveness, promotes engagement, and contributes to a more successful and productive meeting. 3. Set the agenda 4. Deliver 5. Communicate key take away right after meeting to stakeholders

Craft a clear presentation purpose by answering: What do you want your audience to know, feel, and do? Whether it's updating on project status, gaining approval for change, or inspiring support for an initiative, clarity is key. Use this objective as a filter, guiding content selection and organization for a focused and impactful delivery.

Your presentation's focus should be crystal clear. Ask yourself, what should the audience understand, feel, or act upon after your presentation? Are you disseminating project updates, persuading them to greenlight a change, or rallying support for a fresh initiative? Define this central objective clearly. This will serve as your compass, guiding the selection and organization of your content. The secret of compelling presentations lies in a well-defined purpose.

In my opinion, there should be action items for every meeting. There is nothing worse than having a meeting just to have a meeting. Busy stakeholders want to feel something is accomplished in exchange for their time.

Structured Content: Organize your presentation with a clear structure: introduction, main points, and conclusion. Use a logical flow to guide stakeholders through the information. Visual Aids: Use visuals like charts, graphs, and images to convey complex information. Keep slides uncluttered and use bullet points for easy readability. Tell a Compelling Story: Frame your presentation as a narrative, highlighting the project journey, challenges, and achievements. Use real-world examples to make your points relatable.

Follow the 10-20-30 rule: 10 slides, 20 minutes and 30 font size. The presentation should flow, the information presented should be clear and concise. Own the story!

Creating a presentation that is structured, easy to understand and remember is a crucial point for delivering any presentations to stakeholders. Use a clear and consistent structure: grab the audience's attention in the beginning, clarify your objective, and provide an overview of the agenda. Secondly present your key points with supporting evidence and examples, utilize headings and markers. Use as many visual tools as possible, such as charts, graphs, pictures, to add variety to your presentation and keep audience's attention. Finish by recapping the essential points, purpose, and motivating the audience to take action, ask questions.

For stakeholder meetings 1. Know your subject, be 100% on top of the detail. 2. Be clear who your audience is; do not lecture, present at a level commensurate with the audience. 3. Restate the mtg purpose at the begining. (You should have stated this in you meeting invitation) 4. Be concise, do not deliver 'death by powerpoint', have detailed notes, or have it in your head. 5. Deliver key performance info & issues. For issues, detail them and the plan to resolve them. Do not hide bad news! 6. Blockers should be addressed, this may require a select audience. 7. Q&A time. Make sure you have answers to key issues, if not, explain what you plan to do and the timeline. 8. Need follow up? repeat the actions, actionee(s) and timing.

Follow the Pyramid principle 1. Start with the answer to the problem / Key Message 2. Presenting the supporting arguments 3. Presenting the facts and figures (data) for support your argument

Según mi experiencia, para elaborar una presentación estructurada es importante considerar lo siguiente: •Ir de lo general a lo particular, para llevar a la audiencia de la mano. •Establece el objetivo y agenda de la presentación para que le quede claro a la audiencia que se espera al finalizar. •No llenar los slides de texto. •Usar herramientas visuales como tablas, gráficos e imágenes. •Marcar los conceptos de manera clara y entendible a un lenguaje de acuerdo con tu tipo de audiencia. •Establezca ejemplos que ayuden al entendimiento de la presentación. Al considerar los puntos anteriores nos lleva a: •Captar la atención de la audiencia de inicio a fin •Comunicar los puntos clave para poder llegar al objetivo de la presentación.

3 important factors: 1. Structure through different techniques: Storytelling, comparisons and categorizing  2. Unambiguous messaging 3. Grammar (use of verb and subject early in the sentence, and the subject impacts the understanding of the subject matter) A good pitch shall always convey: Logos = Logic/Facts Pathos = Experience & Empathy (Would you enjoy a casual conversation and a beer with someone) Ethos = Trustworthiness by communicating in a way that demonstrate: - Phronesis = “Common sense”. - Arete = “Being a decent person” - Eunoia = “Being Altruistic” Ethos always beats Logos (So go easy on the facts) Kairos = Timing Any good elevator pitch is short concise and incl. all 3 and is delivered at the right time and right place…

One thing I find helpful in structuring my presentations is to let them tell a story. You should take your audience on a journey. Let the slides flow into each other. Keep it simple and at the end, give them 3-5 key takeaways. With that, your presentation remains in their thoughts for a while.

In structuring a presentation on Project Management with AI, start with an engaging introduction that outlines the intersection of AI and project management. In the body, detail how AI impacts project planning, execution, and monitoring, using examples or case studies for clarity. Conclude by summarizing the key benefits and potential future developments of AI in project management, ending with a thought-provoking statement or call to action.

Ensure a seamless presentation by adopting a clear structure. Begin with a captivating introduction, outlining your purpose and agenda. In the body, present arguments coherently, employing headings and transitions for clarity. Use evidence and examples to reinforce your points. In the conclusion, summarize key takeaways, restate your purpose, and issue a compelling call to action. A well-structured presentation enhances audience comprehension and retention, fostering a more impactful communication.

In a recent sales pitch for a tech product, I strategically incorporated visual aids to maximize impact and engagement: Use of Slides: Created a visually appealing slide deck with a consistent design theme. Each slide was dedicated to a specific key point, ensuring clarity and focus. Charts and Graphs: Integrated charts and graphs to illustrate market trends and product performance. Ensured simplicity in design to facilitate quick comprehension. Images and Videos: Incorporated impactful images showcasing the product in real-world scenarios. Included a brief video demonstration to enhance understanding and highlight key features.

“ A picture is worth a thousand words “ Visuals not only add clarity but also serve as powerful tool to illustrate trends, showcase progress or highlight key data points.

I believe by incorporating well-designed and relevant visual aids into our project presentations, we can enhance communication, facilitate understanding, and leave a lasting impression on our stakeholders. Moreover, we can select visuals that are relevant to the content of our presentation common visual aids include charts, graphs, diagrams, images, and infographics to be appropriate Visuals for our presentation.

Nothing better than showing a picture of as is vs to be business scenario. Having a clear understanding in visual form will have an outstanding impact on the brains of the stakeholders. Be it a physical transformation of the office or the factory or a revamp of the apps used in daily office life a visual imprint will always keep the stakeholders excited about the project. Once the project kick starts single line S curve will help the stakeholders understand that the project is on track or otherwise. In case of physical project real time pictures gives you the edge and reduce the explaining by a big margin.

Integrating slides, charts, images, and screenshots into your presentation enhances its effectiveness, adding an engaging layer to your verbal communication. Slides provide structure, charts simplify data, and images offer real-world context. Thoughtfully incorporating visual aids is crucial; avoid unnecessary complexity, keep them relevant, simple, and reinforcing your spoken words. Used judiciously, these aids capture attention, transforming your presentation into a lasting, impactful experience.

When using visual aids, especially in the case of data visualisations, always ask yourself what you are trying to convey through your visual. What is it that you want your audience to take away by just glancing at your visualisation, without you spelling it out? Once you have an answer to this, build your visualisation around this. Have peers review your visual and see if they pick out what you intended for your audience to see, and accordingly fine tune. 🟡 Highlight things in colours that stand out from the rest 🟡 Make your presentation / visualisation interactive 🟡 Ask pertinent questions to your audience to keep their focus on key insights you want to deliver

Here are my five main points for effective use of visual aids in project presentations: 1. Clarity and Simplicity: Ensure visual aids are clear, simple, and directly relevant to the presented information. 2. Relevance to Message: Choose visuals that directly support and enhance key messages, making complex information more understandable. 3. Consistency: Maintain a consistent visual theme throughout the presentation for a polished and professional look. 4. Balance and Readability: Strike a balance between text and visuals, using readable fonts and a complementary color scheme. 5. Storytelling Integration: Integrate visuals into the storytelling process, using them to convey the narrative and enhance audience engagement.

Leverage visual aids to elevate your presentation's impact. Incorporate slides, charts, images, and videos strategically to enhance data illustration. Maintain simplicity to prevent clutter and distraction. Ensure relevance and readability, using visuals to support—not replace—your message. By judiciously integrating visual elements, you engage your audience, clarify concepts, and amplify the effectiveness of your verbal communication.

Use visual aids such as slides, charts, graphs, and diagrams to enhance your presentation. Visuals can help illustrate complex concepts, engage your audience, and make your message more memorable.

it usually help an audience understand and remember information in a presentation. It can also be used to maintain an audience's attention, inspire listeners to action, clarify the organization of a presentation, or make a presentation more persuasive.

Diligently practiced presentation in front of a mirror and recorder for facial expressions and tone. Sought feedback from a colleague to refine delivery. Emphasized optimal timing, adjusted pace for key points, and fine-tuned volume and tone for clarity and engagement. Anticipated questions through a mock Q&A, preparing concise responses. Strived for a conversational, confident style with natural body language. Resulted in a well-received and confident actual presentation.

The ability to deliver the information in crisp language in a short period of time is a talent that needs a lot of practice to cultivate. Here you can take help from your colleagues , family or even the mirror! Many theories of persuasion state that the more confident the speaker in their presentation, more will be their impact on the audience.

Perfect your presentation by rigorous rehearsal. Practice in front of a mirror, recorder, or feedback provider to refine timing, pace, volume, tone, and body language. Aim for a natural, confident style. Anticipate audience questions and objections, preparing thoughtful responses. Consistent and thorough practice ensures not just familiarity with content but also a polished and impactful delivery, enhancing your ability to make a positive and lasting impression on your audience.

Effektives Üben einer Präsentation kann durch Üben vor einem Spiegel zur Verbesserung von Körpersprache und Mimik, Aufzeichnen und anschließendes Ansehen zur objektiven Selbstbewertung, Einholen von Feedback von anderen, sowie wiederholtes Üben zur Vertrautheit mit dem Inhalt erfolgen. Visualisierung des Erfolgs hilft, Selbstvertrauen zu stärken. Steve Jobs, bekannt für herausragende Präsentationsfähigkeiten, perfektionierte jedes Detail durch intensives Üben. Er konzentrierte sich auf Storytelling und klare, einfache visuelle Elemente, übte oft allein und vor kleinen Gruppen, um Feedback zu integrieren und eine starke Verbindung zum Publikum aufzubauen.

# Engage your audience emotionally - connect with them & tell them what matters to them - be it good or bad news # Be 'before time' on the D-day. Calms your nerves, you even get to know the audience a bit more & overall makes you feel confident # Your (start) & (end) of the presentation should be perfect. If you have a brilliant start, you get your audience thinking & alert - can be a real story, a rhetorical questions, a gripping photo, a wise quote. It is just as important to end the presentation optimistic, assured & excited about this partnership

Simply, practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the faster you will grasp the flow of presentation and be able to decide where to pause, where to raise the tone, change body language etc. It is not difficult to ignore interruptions like someone in the audience coughing, someone's phone going off etc, but it can take practice. My most helpful tip would be to avoid making eye contact, instead look at the area where the hairline starts. This way you do not look into any one person eye's but anyone in the audience will perceive it likewise and feel engaged.

Practicing your delivery is crucial for making a strong impression. Rehearse your presentation multiple times, using a mirror, a recording device, or a test audience for feedback. Focus on timing, pace, volume, tone, and body language, aiming for a natural and confident presentation style. Additionally, anticipate potential questions and objections from your audience, preparing thoughtful responses in advance. This preparation ensures your delivery complements your content, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your presentation.

Many people ignore practising their presentation, thinking that since they have prepared the slides, they are aware of everything. However, it can be very beneficial to make yourself comfortable with the delivery and the presentation style and iron out any shortcomings that you experience while practising.

Listen to your voice without watching your delivery (when you record your practice speech). In my experience, the voice I heard in the recording was not what I was expecting, and therefore my real delivery would had been flat and ineffective. Focus on your voice and it will change everything.

During my short duration with TEDx Mile High in Denver, I got to closely watch the speakers getting trained for the delivery of their presentations. The slide deck is as important as the speaking part. Pay attention to the cues from your "trial" audience. Are they following through or are they overwhelmed.

No one likes to be lectured to, especially in a business meeting. That's why it's important to structure your presentations to engage and bring in others throughout the presentation. One technique I like to use is assigning slides (or sections of slides) to others (SMEs). For instance, I may have a 10-slide deck. I'm talking to slides 1 and 2, Sue (SME 1) is talking to slide 3, Joe (SME 2) covers slide 4, etc. This change in presenters keeps people engaged, and allows others to ask questions directly to the subject matter experts.

There is a simple thing that I use (for more or less any presentation): don’t over-polish your presentation. If everything is perfect, then where should the eye look? I am not putting in mistakes, but I like to let the presentation be at some places ambiguous and work-in-progress like, as these then can be points where people notice and start to disagree/think about how they view it differently/start to see they can meaningfully contribute - and thus a door also for later discussion is opened.

It's a must to understand who your target audience is and what 'Value Added' you are proposing . A key component which is often missed and something which presenters can focus more on. Whenever I present or report I try to put myself in the place of my audience allowing for a targeted and thought out pitch. Images and visuals are great, but I've learned data and statistics can sometime mind-boggle- a direct, sound, tailored and genuine approach with strong soft skills allows for the message to be translated in a better way.

One way of making the presentation interactive that I have seen is having a mix of videos, polls and word clouds. It's not just a matter of having them on the presentation but they need to make sense why they are there and how they tie in with the message you will be communicating including the call to action(CTA). By guiding your audience towards a finite set of CTA using a survey you are able to tell the course action most of your audience will take. This makes all stakeholders feel involved in the decision-making process throughout the project.

1. Start big, then drill down to project specifics. 2. Weave a narrative that speaks to the audience. 3. Keep engagement high with interactive elements. 4. Explain your agenda with visuals, not jargon.

Fostering audience engagement is crucial for a successful presentation. Instead of a one-way monologue, aim for a two-way dialogue to make your audience feel involved and respected. Employ diverse techniques like posing questions, seeking feedback, sharing anecdotes, injecting humor, displaying empathy, and recognizing contributions. Sustaining eye contact, smiling, and conveying enthusiasm and passion for your topic further enhance engagement. By incorporating these interactive elements, your presentation becomes a dynamic exchange, strengthening the connection between you and your audience.

I always try to give the stage to the project team and let them share their perspective. The task of the project manager is to provide a frame, but the real insights come from the team. Real insights are interesting per default, so there is no (or less) need to make use of fancy ted talk like presentation moves.

In my experience, "Reflective Listening" has a strong impact in fostering a deeper connection and engagement with an audience. When you receive a question or comment, for instance, you could paraphrase it back to the audience member to ensure you've understood it correctly. This not only shows that you are listening but also makes the audience member feel valued and understood. It is also important to use practical examples that may relate to real world perceptions more easily. Stating that a project will lead to a 5MW saving is not as engaging as explaining that the same achieved saving could keep a sport stadium on during an event. You can be technical, but things often need to be made elementary, to help broadening an understanding.

Tell them an anecdote, it always works! keep it short and with a message, intersperse this type of softer information with hard information that requires more mental effort. It has been proven that the human brain is not capable of maintaining concentration for long periods of time. Interspersing different levels of demand in your audience helps to maintain focus and avoids mental exhaustion.

Humor ist für mich eines der besten Tools., um das Publikum einzubinden. Einzige und wichtigste Regel dabei: Only make fun of yourself. Never of someone else.

Para una buena presentación, trato siempre de tener en consideración: ✅ Usar recursos visuales que ayuden a ubicar a la audiencia en el flujo de la información transmitida y que la enganche para reforzar lo que se está explicando. ✅ No abusar con el texto. Una presentación muy cargada de texto, termina aburriendo. Recuerden que la audiencia no va a pasarse el tiempo de la presentación leyendo, sino escuchándonos. ✅ Resaltar datos de interés para las partes interesadas. ✅ Recomiendo la técnica de storytelling porque es una manera de enganchar a la audiencia y mantenerla a la expectativa. Por último, recuerden crear un ambiente relajado donde tanto ustedes como la audiencia se sientan cómodos, sean concisos e inviten a la participación.

As humans we love stories, colours, and pictures, and using the same techniques for presentation not only creates the impact, but also saves time, and we have the attention of the audience as well. For technical discussions, the use of screenshots, and beginning with the story of a user having a challenge that we are addressing with the presentation helps the audience to empathize and relate. This helps in more productive discussions and conclusions. This also helps in having a 360 degree view of the situation around the user in the story we present, thereby covering most aspects, that otherwise might be missed in a mere direct technical discussion. But again, this depends on the topic of presentation, and how creative we can be.

As a junior project manager, I used to think there was a 'best technique' for project presentations. Now, I've learned it's not about following a fixed method but adapting to stakeholders' needs. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. What works best is tailoring presentations to suit their preferences. It's about flexibility and tailor to the stakeholder communication needs...some people likes red/yellow/green status, while other want to see value delivered.

It is important to also know and fully understand the content you are delivering. Be confident in your facts and be honest with the limitations of your recommendations.

Remember you are presenting to a varied group of “people” and each have their own perspective and interest level. They have families, mortgages, and complications. Present your facts and your plans but understand that to keep your audience engaged you will need to meet them at their level. One of the best ways is to explain to them why they should stay engaged and support the project.

Effective project presentations hinge on storytelling. Transforming data and project details into a compelling narrative is key to engaging stakeholders. A well-crafted story can make the presentation both enjoyable and informative, ensuring the content resonates with the audience and leaves a lasting impact. Actually, I think storytelling is a key skill to learn in all aspects of our professional lives; not just in presentations.

Have a think about the three things that you want your audience to take out of the presentation - are you confident that you have delivered and reinforced them? If you feel you are losing the room at any point what can you do to bring it back? How can you get constructive feedback to improve your delivery next time?

Simple language, uncluttered slide contents and while delivery using simple vocabularies helps with audience easy acceptance Using Analogy in delivery of the presentation is like 🍒 on the ice

if you don't enjoy it, the audience won't enjoy it either. any brain works on fun! even if it's filled with affinity for numbers - LOL

2 advices! Real life examples: To make your project tangible, share instances of how similar ideas succeeded in real world, adding authenticity and allowing stakeholders to visualize the practical impact. By making it real, you build credibility and deepen the audience's connection. Master the Q&A Moment: Effectively handling questions is pivotal. Anticipate queries, prepare thoughtful responses, and emphasize active listening during Q&A. Guide discussions gracefully if questions go off-topic, showcasing adaptability. Skillful Q&A management demonstrates expertise and responsiveness to stakeholder concerns.