Preparing healthcare presentations can be complicated by the diverse audience you might have, as employees and stakeholders in healthcare have different roles, expertise, and experience. Creating presentations is already a time-consuming, complex task. Having to consider multiple audiences doesn’t make it easier. However, there are some surefire ways to create an engaging presentation.
Let’s start with what not to do. When a presentation is bogged down by too much text, it can put an audience to sleep. It also places an undue burden on the crowd to take in and read everything on your slides. Of course, they’ll start to read it, that’s what our brains do. While the brain is reading, it can’t listen to you speaking.
The brain can only do one or the other because the words heard, and the words read rely on the same part of the brain. Consider how hard it would be to be reading this article to yourself as well as someone else reading it to you at the same time. You’re likely to be unable to recall anything.
Visuals illustrate points in a more creative manor. They are also processed in a different part of the brain, so someone could look at the visuals and still hear and comprehend what the presenter is saying. These two types of information actually synchronize to help your audience retain more.
There are lots of visuals that can depict your data. From graphs and charts to detailed infographics, the options are plentiful. Depending on what kind of data—qualitative and quantitative—certain imagery will work better than others.
Your visuals don’t have to be static. You can add animation to your presentation to call attention to certain data points or important messages. It can also be used as a storytelling tool allowing you to precisely control the pace at which information is given to your audience.
While it’s great to add visuals and animation to slides to clarify your message, don’t go overboard. Too much on the screen will send brains into overdrive trying to digest it all. Choose your elements purposefully. On pages that have more visuals or animation, keep everything else simple. This is when a clean font is a good choice, too.
The design of a slide is not unlike how an interior designer would put together art on a wall, making sure each piece complements and integrates well. There is no special formula to find this balance. Much of it comes from an editing process. Look at the slide and determine if it’s too much. If it is, cut what isn’t necessary.
Healthcare presentations don’t have to be sterile or confusing. There are better ways to turn your presentation into something that your audience can follow and understand. The next time you are creating a presentation, remember these tips. You can also get help from KO/AD, the premier agency specializing in presentations. Learn more about our healthcare presentation solutions.
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