In order for people to learn from your presentation, they need to create their own mental models of the information you are presenting. To help the audience do this, you need to make it obvious how the ideas you are presenting fit together. How can you help your audience grasp the details without losing site of the big picture? Here are a few techniques that can help:
- Previews: Before you get into the meat of your presentation, give people an overview of what you're going to talk about. This will give them the big picture of your presentation so they can make sense of the details. Think of it like giving your audience buckets that they can fill up with what you're going to tell them.
- Transitions: When you move from one major topic to another, check back in with the audience and let them know where you came from and where you're going. This will help them see how your ideas relate to each other. Think of it like giving the audience a chance to come up for air before they dive back into your content.
- Recaps: At the end of the presentation, review the main ideas your presented. This will help your audience recall what you talked about and reconfirm how all your main points fit together. Think of it like putting hairspray on a new 'do to help it stay in place.
