Presentation Techniques to Make Data Engaging & Memorable - Essay Sample

Introduction

When presenting different sets of data through either posters or PowerPoint presentations, it is vital for one to adopt presentation techniques that enable them to connect with their audience effectively. This allows the audience to interact with the data appropriately as they easily view, memorize, and interpret the data (Azzalini, Walton, and Scarpa, 2012). An excellent poster or presentation must incorporate different approaches of highlighting data (Evergreen, 2017). The data must also be broken down and presented in the simplest way possible to make it easier for the audience to digest and make sense of it (Evergreen, 2017). Therefore, whatever medium that one used to present the data, they must first ensure that the approach is simplified, visually appealing, and easier to follow through and interrogate (Azzalini, Walton, and Scarpa, 2012). This critique provides an objective analysis of both a poster and a PowerPoint presentation that contain different sets of data on subject of the need to improve email communication.

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Evaluation of the Methods Used in Terms of How Well They Communicate the Data Within the Given Context

Both the presentation and the poster employ different approaches to communicate the data. To begin with, they are both precise and straight to the point. They have been structured effectively, thereby enabling the student to present the information to the audience. The data in has been presented systematically in a comprehensive manner that makes it easier for the audience to comprehend. The presentation and the poster adopt four main methods of highlighting the data. These are the textual method, the tabulation method, the graphical method, and the semi-tabular method (Evergreen, 2017). All these methods combine effectively in the presentation to make it easier for the audience to follow through and., understand the facts and data being presented. Furthermore, these methods also make it easier for the audience to memorize the data and establish different relationships or patterns that exist among the multiple sets of data (Evergreen, 2017).

The first dominant method that has been used to present data in both in the poster and the PowerPoint slides is the textual method. This method involves using words and phrases to highlight significant aspects of the data being presented to the audience. This approach has been widely used in the presentation to highlight different types of data, including the literature reviewed in the research as well as when showing the demographics feature of the sample used in the survey. For instance, the presentation begins by first highlighting the sources used in the research, as part of the literature review (Azzalini, Walton, & Scarpa, 2012). This helps the audience to understand that the information being presented to them has been gained through comprehensive research. The audience can also note down the various sources presented to conduct their research later or to corroborate the information and data submitted to them (Evergreen, 2017). Therefore, the fact that the presentation makes this information available to the audience adds to the credibility of the data and the information that is presented to the audience (Swires-Hennessy, 2014).

The other important aspect of the textual approach used in presenting the data is the focus on the demographics used in the study. The presentation contains a breakdown of the analysis of the research subjects and participants in the study (Wachter, 2014). This is vital because it helps the audience to determine the suitability of the research population to verify the credibility of the data presented to them (Swires-Hennessy, 2014). Thus, the presentation shows vividly the various demographic features of the population and the sample used in the survey (Wachter, 2014). This helps to ascertain the credibility of the information presented in the subsequent slides.

The second data presentation strategy used in the poster and the slides is tabulation. The slides and the poster make use of tables to provide a more precise and systematic order of the data in rows and columns that are spelt out (Swires-Hennessy, 2014). This is vividly seen in the fourteenth and the fifteenth slides where the data has been broken down systematically into simple tables that form the basis of the presentation (Schwabish, 2017). Tabulation allows the audience to have a bigger picture or a bird's eye view of the data. Also, it is easier for the audience to understand the relationships between different aspects of the data being resented as it helps to avoid unnecessary confusion (Knaflic, 2015). Therefore, tabulating helps to simplify complex sets of data for easier comprehension by the audience (Schwabish, 2017). The slides and the poster also use the tables to save on both time and space that would have been used to present the entire sets of data (In, & Lee, 2017). The tables also help to facilitate comparison, interpretation, and analysis of the data by the audience.

The other strategy or approach used to communicate data in the slides and the poster is the graphical method. This refers to the use of visual aids, such as graphs and charts, to present complex sets of data in a more consumable manner (Torres, Preskill, & Piontek, 2005). The presentation contains a detailed analysis of the data using visual aids that enable the audience to easily follow through and comprehend the statistics (Knaflic, 2015). For instance, the presentation incorporates the use of pie charts and graphs to break down the data into simplified units that can be easily understood by the audience (Torres, Preskill, & Piontek, 2005). Using visual aids is important when presenting data because they supplement the words and data with pictographic images (Knaflic, 2015). The audience can easily determine the relationships that exist between different sets of data. Visual aids also help to generate and maintain the interest of the audience in the presentation (Healy, 2019). Furthermore, the use of visual aids in presenting data is also significant because it helps the audience to capture and memorize the different sets of data easily as opposed to merely using words to present the data (Schwabish, 2017).

Finally, the slides and the poster also incorporate the use of the semi-tabular method in presenting the data. This is where the speaker uses both texts and graphs or tables to present vital information or data to the audience (Healy, 2019). This method has been used in the eighteenth slide as well as in the twentieth slide, where the speaker used both graphs and text to highlight important aspects of the data (Healy, 2019). The semi tabular method has also been used in the poster to present certain aspects of the data.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Data Visualization Choices

Based on the methods and approached used in presenting the data in the PowerPoint slides as well as in the poster, it is vivid that the data visualization choices adopted were highly effective. Both the PowerPoint and the poster contained data that could be complex for the audience to digest had the data been presented using only one approach (Schwabish, 2017). Instead, the different methods and techniques used to break down the data to make it simple for the audience to follow through and understand (Becker, 2014). The use of strategies such as graphs and tables, or a combination of both makes it easier for the audience to visualize the data, identify the emerging patterns, and interpret the data easily. The graphs and charts used are very colourful, thereby making it easier for the audience to view them (Knaflic, 2015). This also helps to generate and maintain the interest of the audience in following through the presentation (Schwabish, 2017).

The effectiveness of the data visualization choices in the presentation as well as in the poster can be attributed to various factors. For instance, the different methods adopted for presenting the data ensured that visualization methods had a lasting impact on the audience (Schwabish, 2017). The audience can easily follow through the presentation and interact with the data. Furthermore, the data has been arranged logically. This enables the audience or any individual viewing the poster to easily grasp the trends and patterns the evolve from the data (Schwabish, 2017).

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has presented a critique of a poster and a PowerPoint presentation covering the subject of email communication. The critique has mainly focused on the strategies or approaches used to present the data as well as the effectiveness of how the data has been presented. It is worth noting that both the poster and the presentation have embraced multiple approaches and strategies for organized presenting the data. The four basic methods used in presenting the data are the graphical method, tabulation, textual method, and a combination of both the text and visual aids or the semi-tabulation method. Therefore, when presenting different sets of data, it is vital for one to adopt data presentation techniques that enable them to connect with their audience. A good presentation must incorporate different methods of data presentation. The data must also be broken down and presented in the simplest way possible to make it easier for the audience to memorize, analyse, and interpret the statistics during the presentation. The use of different strategies for presenting the data has made the presentation and the poster quite effective in communicating and presenting the data. This is because the data can easily be viewed through visually appealing graphs and charts, which make it easier for the audience to interact with the numbers. Furthermore, the use of tables makes it easier for the audience to understand the relationships between different sets of data. Therefore, how the data has been presented on both the poster and the presentation is highly effective.

References

Azzalini, A., Walton, G., & Scarpa, B. 2012. Data Analysis and Data Mining: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Becker, L. M. 2014. Presenting your research: Conferences, symposiums, poster presentations and beyond. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Evergreen, S. D. H. 2017. Presenting data effectively: Communicating your findings for maximum impact. Los Angeles: SAGE

Healy, K. J. 2019. Data visualization: A practical introduction. Princeton, New Jersey.

In, J., & Lee, S. 2017. Statistical data presentation. Korean journal of anesthesiology, 70(3), 267-276. doi:10.4097/kjae.2017.70.3.267

Knaflic, C. N. 2015. Storytelling with Data: A data visualization guide for business professionals. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.

Schwabish, J. A. 2017. Better presentations: A guide for scholars, researchers, and wonks. New York: Columbia University Press.

Swires-Hennessy, E. 2014. Presenting data: How to communicate your message effectively. Chichester, West Sussex, UK; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Torres, R. T., Preskill, H. S., & Piontek, M. E. 2005. Evaluation strategies for communicating and reporting: Enhancing learning in organizations. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.

Wachter, K. W. 2014. Essential Demographic Methods. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.