How to design and deliver engaging virtual presentations
As the Jerry Seinfeld joke goes, “More people fear public speaking than death. That means at a funeral, more people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy.”
Delivering a presentation is an anxiety-producing experience for almost everyone. However, as public speakers, we all bring aspects of ourselves that will engage an audience. Therefore, improving your presentation design and delivery takes practice and self-awareness.
As a result of the pandemic, many professionals find themselves presenting to teams, clients and others using teleconferencing software such as Zoom, Go to Training, Microsoft Teams etc. However, presentation design and delivery for a live presentation is much different than for a virtual presentation. It is not enough to prepare a live presentation and do the same thing in a virtual setting. Current research shows that this will result in a lack of both clarity and participant engagement. Virtual presentations require more instructional design and preparation than live presentations.
A virtual presentation must be re-designed to promote thoughtful use of virtual engagement tools, such as audience feedback buttons, polling questions, breakout rooms and shared screens. In addition, the presenters themselves must prepare differently than for a live presentation, including setting up proper camera framing, audio levels and lighting.
Founder of Sheriff Consulting
I am the founder of Sheriff Consulting which specializes in the development and delivery of accounting, auditing and foundational skill courses and workshops. Teaching and working with professionals in diverse and dynamic learning environments has been my passion and experience for over 10 years. As a qualified Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA), I work with finance and accounting professionals in both the U.S. and Canada to meet their training and development needs. My goal has always been to create an engaging and interactive learning environment. To help my own path of continual improvement in achieving this goal, I have also received training and worked as a professional actor. I am a member of ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) and a graduate in improvisation from the Second City Training Centre. http://sheriffconsulting.com/
