However, during the actual presentation, it’s an entirely different thing. I get a surge of adrenaline and this stays with me for quite a long while even after the presentation – its effects are the same as that of drugs, which explains why I am blogging right now though my stomach is growling.
After talking to Shannon, Angad, Hong Pang and Wai Hong, they unanimously agreed that I could have done better by making the ending less abrupt. Reflecting upon my presentation, I feel so too. I should have included a final slide which summarizes the key point in my entire presentation so that the audience will have a take-home message. I will just need a slide with the word “Conclusion” and then some graphics to capture the following point: “You don’t need a complex game with beautiful graphics and animation to build a killer application.”
Lastly, I would like to point out several presentation pitfalls that I’ve observed (just in case you are wondering why I know them so well, that’s because I was once guilty of ALL of them, and I am still guilty of some of them :p)
1) Overuse of the word “Actually”
- Actually, a lot of people are guilty of this pitfall actually, even some Profs.
- As you can see, the word is usually not required. I have a feeling that the brain inserts this word to allow more time for the brain to process what to say next.
2) Looking at slides way too often
- The ultimate pitfall that haunts me, and I am struggling to overcome it.
- One lecturer suggested for me to make a presentation without slides (The thought of it sounds intimidating, but I am definitely going to try it some day)
3) Moving too much and moving too little
- I like to move during presentation, but I don’t know if I am moving too much. So if you happen to read this blog, please let me know if I am moving too much.
Kudos to Joshua for creating the video on Marketplace in plain English (and sorry for making fun of it with Mafia Wars in Singlish). I know a bit of video editing and I know that it is EXTREMELY painful to create such videos. Respect!
Of course we can all improve. But I thought you did just great. It was a very good presentation on your part as the speaker. I was entertained. =)
ReplyDelete@Jonathan: thank you. The way you described how Zynga are scammers is both interesting and controversial. I believe, for many people in the class, this could be the very first time that they learn that such big and famous companies resort to unscrupulous means to get to where they are.
ReplyDelete@JiWei I like your presentation. Just in case you're wondering, ya, you did moved around quite a bit. But I think it's quite ok as it's like you're engaging tha audiences at the both sides.
ReplyDelete@Ji Wei: I thought you are a pretty good presenter, who's clear and confident. Was just puzzled why you were competing with the video's music to be heard?
ReplyDeleteFor your presentation aids (in this case, slides), I thought it was used pretty well - it didn't distract us from you, and it helps to bring out what you're taking about. Kudos to taking the extra effort to show data selectively and the ones that matter, rather than dumping everything lock-stock barrel and making it unreadable.
I have to agree with you on your thoughts of delivering the main message. IMHO, it wasn't clear what your main message is, and thought the presentation could be structured better around the message. I think it is apparent during the Q&A, with the kind of questions asked, that your main message wasn't clear to the audience. To deliver that, a coup-de-grace take-home-message slide alone is not going to work - the presentation has to be structured around it for that last slide to be able to resonate.
But all in all, the presentation is pretty well executed. Blunders are normal, so don't take it too hard. Steve Jobs, the king of "reality distorts when he talks", has his share of blunders despite being famous for having loads of rehearsals.
oh as for moving about, I personally didn't realise that you were moving around much, lest to the extent of being too much. Thought Prof Ben is the kind of who moved too much! :P
ReplyDeleteomggg I wanted to be the first to comment but singnet went down just after I finished typing =.=
ReplyDeleteI think you spoke really confidently :p didnt know you were so good at speaking. I was like completely blown away can.
Actually, when I present I also look at the slides a lot. I think it's b/c when we rehearse we don't look at the audience but usually face the screen. So sometimes, I'll present to my barbie dolls or clown mannequins :D And look them in the eye. Creepy but works :P
@joshua:thanks for the feedback, really appreciate it.
ReplyDelete@yanjie: the issue with the music is that I didn't know it would be that loud and i didnt want to test the volume in front of the entire class. But I am confident that I can speak louder than the music (i hope i did) :D
@shannon: thanks for the compliments. lolx, i thought I am the only one who rehearse to an imaginary audience; you are more creepy than me!
@Ji Wei: Yah it did over-powered you most of the time. Sadly couldn't hear what you were saying. :(
ReplyDeleteHey Ji Wei. I thought you did great, really. You should have probably began after the music stopped though, I couldn't hear you at all. Nevertheless, I thought that yours was a presentation ONLY you could have done, being pretty much of a guru yourself with lots of things to share about your experience with the application. Good job!
ReplyDelete@eldwin: totally agreed, i don't think i would be able to present on any other application apart from Mafia Wars and Texas Hold'em. :)
ReplyDeleteYup Ji Wei, you did great! However, the contrast after the super hyped up introduction is quite great. It was so loud and exciting at first, but suddenly it became so quiet and there's nothing interesting on the screen.
ReplyDeleteBut it didn't continue all the way to the end. You picked up the pace very quickly and we were all too absorbed in your presentation. And asking a perfectionist gamer like you to present this game is awesome!
Overall, I think it's very good.. That's why after you and joshua's presentation. My group (FameLeague) thinks that it's very hard to maintain the same level of high like you all did..
Well done!
@Wirus: Presenting after Joshua is rather stressful cos his video is so interesting and funny.
ReplyDeleteImo, Cedric is an excellent presenter - I have a great deal of respect for people present pure content without hype and fluff. it's something that i cannot do...yet. :(
U are all high level compared to me. :)
ReplyDeleteFor the record: I LOVED IT. I was laughing so hard I couldn't even take down proper notes. I think you rock, you really do. (And I also thought I was screwed, being the group to present after you).
ReplyDelete=)
Talk about Charisma completely overpowering everything else. Gosh, you really are something!
@Cedric: Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI kinda rem you laughing damn hard at the start of the video and at "Hung's code". I am delighted that people liked my presentation, it makes all the time spent on the video and fluff worthwhile.
Heh there, a very nicely done job :) Your opening was a bang though it would have been nicer if you could have tested the sound so that in the end you don't need to compete with the back ground sound caues most of the time, i couldn't hear you. Otherwise, your presentation was rather cool
ReplyDelete