Making an Audio Visual Presentation

Making your Messages Visual

In today's visual society of TV, computers and films, visuals are essential if you wish to make an impact. Mohamed Ali once said: 'One in the eye is worth two in the ear.' While he was referring to boxing, this also applies to making presentations: 'A picture is worth a thousand words.'

Designing Visuals

Good design aids your credibility and helps with understanding. If you do not have the time or the skills to create your own audio-visual aids, get somebody to do it for you. Use the communications department, a colleague or a design agency. Keep all visual aids simple and uncluttered. Always take along a series of low complexity aids (such as handouts) as a backup. Equipment can fail, so you might want to be prepared to go without audio-visual aids at all.

Whiteboards and Flipcharts

Flipcharts are excellent to use when you need to record lists of ideas or need to record comments from the audience. Pages can be torn from the flipchart and stuck around the room to create an expanding display.

The main drawback of using a whiteboard is the lack of any permanent record of what has been written, unless you are using the electronic whiteboard.

Overhead Projectors (OHPs)

The OHP was once widely used in business presentations but has gradually been replaced by computer-based displays. The main advantage of using an OHP is its ease of use. It requires no warm-up time, there is little or no noise and the only 'searching' is when the presenter looks for the slide he or she wants.

Using Computer-based Displays

Laptop presentations with data projectors are the norm these days. Although the equipment is more complex than an OHP and hence there is more to go wrong, they look professional and modern. They allow a smooth and imaginative transition between slides. The visuals can be sophisticated and incorporate the use of sound and video footage. The presenter can also check the visuals by looking at the laptop and not over his or her shoulder to the screen.