structure of a project presentation

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information 40% more accurately than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
How knowledgeable the audience already is on the given subject
How much interaction you want from the audience
Any time constraints there are for your talk
What setting you are in
Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

What is your presentation’s aim?
Who are the audience?
What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

Good presentation structure is important for a presentation

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

Introduce your general topic
Explain your topic area
State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

The length of the talk.
Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a sales pitch may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Questions being asked after a presentation

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

Explain why the product is valuable.
Describe why the product is necessary.
Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
Demonstrate the product to support what you’ve been saying.
Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

Briefly frame the issue.
Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
Rebut your opponents’ solutions – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done using speech transitions which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
First, let’s begin with…
I will first cover…
My first point covers…
To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

In the same way…
Likewise…
Equally…
This is similar to…
Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
You discuss your second point from the centre again.
You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

An intro slide outlining your ideas
A summary slide with core points to remember
High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

Don’t over fill them – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
A picture says a thousand words – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
Make them readable – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
Don’t rush through slides – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a 10-20-30 rule :

There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
11 design tips for beautiful presentations
10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices. Clean transitioning between speakers is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and practising your talk beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

Home Blog Business How To Create a Project Presentation: A Guide for Impactful Content

How To Create a Project Presentation: A Guide for Impactful Content

Cover for how to create a project presentation

Corporate, academic, and business meetings share one common factor: successfully delivering project presentations. This is one skill professionals should harness in terms of articulating ideas, presenting plans, and sharing outcomes through an effective project presentation.

In this fast-paced reality where new tools and frameworks make us question the human factor value, we believe there’s much to be said about how working towards building presentation skills can make a difference, especially for making a project stand out from the crowd and have a lasting impact on stakeholders. We can no longer talk about simply disclosing information, the manner in which the narrative is built, how data is introduced, and several other factors that speak of your expertise in the subject.

This article will explore the art of project presentation, giving insights to presenters to deliver a memorable project plan presentation. Whether you are new to this experience or a seasoned presenter, this article promises to give you valuable information on how to build and present a project presentation that resonates with your target audience and will convert into your expected results for the project. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Who is the audience of a project presentation?

Executive Summary

Project overview, the project process model, the project scope, the project resources, the project roadmap, the project activities plan, the project risks, quality control, project execution and monitoring.

The Project Team

What Is a Project Presentation?

A project presentation is a business activity that brings together stakeholders and team members to oversee a project from execution to completion. During a project presentation, one or two people present a document or slide deck with an overview of all the project’s details.

During a project presentation, the project manager highlights key data about the project initiation and planning activities, like the project scope, requirements gathering, a deliverable list, timelines, and milestones.

The first instance of a project presentation is right before the execution of the project itself. Then, during the project process life cycle, you present it again with timely updates and news about the progress.

Who is the audience of a project presentation?

A project-related audience is made up of stakeholders – all individuals and entities that affect or are affected by the project’s existence.

Discuss the project presentation with team members that’ll work on the project so they know what’s at stake and what’s expected of them. They’ll need information like requirements, the roadmap, the work breakdown structure, and deliverables.

Stakeholders

Present your project to the stakeholders that can authorize resources and expenditures. Show them how the project will offer the solutions they want under the conditions they impose in a set amount of time.

Stakeholders want to know details like project scope, budget breakdowns, timing calculations, risk assessments, and how you plan to confront these risks and be ready for changes.

The Structure of a Project Presentation

Project presentations follow a standard structure covering all critical elements. Follow this guideline to ensure that you cover everything with the slides, the speech, and the discussion.

In the next section, we describe a project presentation structure you can build with SlideModel templates or working with our AI PowerPoint generator . As you will see, most sections in the structure are summaries or overviews of project management practices completed during initiation and planning.

At the start of your presentation, add an executive summary slide . This section is meant to welcome the viewer to the presentation and give an idea of what’s to come. To differentiate your executive summary from the project overview that comes right after it, use the opportunity to place the project into context.

In an executive summary , show how this particular project fits into the overall strategy for the company or the section it belongs to. If, for example, your project is about TikTok Marketing, offer information as to how it fits in the overall marketing strategy.

Continue the presentation with a project overview to show the audience what to expect. This section covers one slide or a combination of slides depending on the layout. The project overview slide serves as the introduction to a project presentation and what’s inside.

Include these items:

An Introduction with a brief background about the project.
A short explanation of the project’s objectives and completion goals.
A quick overview of the timeline with start and end dates.

Project Overview representation in a Project Presentation

The project life cycle is the series of phases that a project goes through from its inception to its completion. The project process model is the group of knowledge areas, processes, and their relationships that will guide the activities along the project lifecycle. The next slide should display the chosen project process model and explain how it’ll be carried out along the different lifecycle phases. Project process models examples include Waterfall, Scrum, and V Model for software development, and Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) and Swimlane for general business-related projects.

Process models are important for the team to understand execution processes. Stakeholders need to see the process model to understand the systematic process of activities and how long they will take.

Use one slide for the model, show only high-level components, and offer details during the presentation if the audience asks for them.

The scope is a crucial element of any project and needs its own section in the presentation. The scoping process begins with requirements gathering and includes the creation of a work breakdown structure , an analysis of what’s in and out of scope, plus validation and scope management plans.

One or two slides are enough to highlight key scope details in a dashboard-style layout mirroring the information on your project scope statement. Preferably, place the scope slides towards the start of the project presentation close to the process model and project resources.

Every project needs resources, and that assessment must be included in the project presentation as well. In a general sense, all resources are what make up the overall budget for the project. In turn, you’ll need to show a budget breakdown that shows high-level resources.

Like many aspects of a project presentation, what you include depends on the industry you’re working for. Construction projects use constructors, materials, machinery, etc. Software projects use programmers, designers, software licenses, computers, etc.

Budget breakdown slide in a project presentation

Time is the main resource of any project. During project planning, the project management team estimates the required effort needed to complete the defined scope. Using the Project Process Model, Scope, and Resources, a plan is built. Present a roadmap to highlight the expected time for project completion and where each milestone falls along that line.

Roadmaps can be constructed with an infinite variety of visual layouts, from highly creative and illustrative to structured formats resembling spreadsheets and tables with color-coded roadmaps across the cells. Use one slide to show the roadmap highlighting time estimates, constraints, and projections. For updated project presentations, mark where the project is on the roadmap at that particular moment in time.

Every phase of the roadmap is broken down into action plans . Action plans list activities, their duration, allocated resources (human, material, and financial), and the relationship between activities.

Present your project activities plan with a Gantt Chart and a Costs Report. The Gantt Chart will show the activities to execute, how long they will take, and who (person or team) will be responsible for them. The costs reports will show how much the execution of activities will cost.

During the presentation, you’ll spend the most time on this section, as this is when and where your entire plan is outlined. To show more detail than the roadmap overview, use a few slides to show specific sections of the main Gantt chart and show key activities per phase or milestone.

All projects present risks, and to control them, they must be identified, assessed, evaluated, and mitigated . Visualize your risk assessment with a risk matrix and include it in the project presentation.

Use this slide to explain to stakeholders how you plan to mitigate the identified risks. Share with team members what’s expected of them in order to keep the risks under control. Risk management is a critical component of project management and something stakeholders will always be looking at.

Controlling the quality of project deliverables is critical for positive project outcomes and continued success with the deliverable. This process is called quality control or quality assurance.

The project process model includes which quality control techniques the team will use and when. Some quality assurance (QA) techniques include statistical process control (SPC), Six Sigma, ISO 9000, and Total Quality Management (TQM). Use one slide to visualize the process and your plan to execute it.

Once the project starts, the project plan is a living entity and evolves over time. This section will need to be regularly updated with progress reports, performance KPIs, and status updates.

Across these slides, explain how activities will be monitored and deliverable outcomes measured. Show exactly how you will determine if the project is on course or has deviations. Visualize all execution activities with a Gantt chart to show the current progress. Use big numbers and data points to highlight performance metrics. Use a comparison slide to visualize the completeness percentage vs. planned progress and budget consumption vs. planned budget.

Explain all monitoring activities for the execution phase using a calendar or schedule that shows on what days activities will take place and who is involved.

The Project Team

When presenting a project, include a stakeholder map to describe the management team, the sponsors, the main stakeholders, and the implementation team or teams. Depending on the size of the project, this will be an org chart or multiple org charts across a few slides.

Why is it important to present the project team to the stakeholders and vice versa? So that everyone involved knows the other parties and their responsibilities.

Another use for the team slide or slides is to present the next person who will speak during the project presentation. This gives the audience some background on that person’s role in the project.

Case Study – Project Presentation Example

Using the structure we present above, we outlined a case study of a realistic project and how the project manager puts together the project presentation using SlideModel templates. The project presentation example is based on a complex project of building a bridge (Cline Avenue Bridge). For the educational purpose of this article, we are not delivering all the elements of the project presentation, as it is out of scope. Still, we illustrate the more representative slides of each section, show how to prepare a PowerPoint Presentation for a project and how simple it is to adapt the templates to the content that needs to be presented. As a disclaimer, all information we present is an adaptation and reinterpretation of the real project, modified by SlideModel to fit the use case learning goals. This information and presentation should not be considered a source of information related to the Cline Avenue Bridge Project.

In this slide, the presenter summarises the project highlights in a project charter style. The Project Manager can extend this introduction all over the project lifecycle, and the speech can jump from different knowledge areas without the need to change slides or get deeper into details. Specifically, in the Cline Bridge Project, the objective is narrated, the location is just mentioned and linked to a map for further details, and a set of important facts are presented (Building Information Modelling Process, Budget, Duration, Sponsor, and Constructor). Key Highlights of the final deliverable are listed (Segmental Bridge, Material Concrete, 1.7 miles of length and 46 feet of width)

Project Presentation Project Overview Slide

Process Model

The Process Model slide illustrates the framework for the project lifecycle, processes, planning, and execution. In this slide, the Project Manager will describe the model and how it is tailored to the specifics of the project. In this case, for the development and construction of the Cline Bridge, the builder has defined the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) as the process model. During this slide, the presenter can describe the lifecycle phases (Design, Production, Construction, Operation, and Planning) and drill down one level over the knowledge practices involved. For example, the initial stage consists of “Design”, which has two main knowledge areas, Conceptual Design, and Detailed Design. The project manager is able to explain this definition without the need to outline detailed processes and activities within them.

The Scope section of the presentation generally involves several slides, as the content layout is a list of “requirements.” Based on this fact, a table layout is suggested to make good use of space. It is important to avoid abusing the “list” and present the group of requirements rather than specific requirements. Otherwise, the project manager ends up transcribing the requirements document.

In this project presentation example, we present 10 groups of requirements traversing different stages of the project lifecycle.

Design Standards: Bridge design must comply with local, national, and international design standards, including relevant engineering and safety codes
Load Capacity: The bridge must be designed to safely carry a specific maximum load, which would include the weight of the bridge itself, traffic, pedestrians, wind, and other factors.
Seismic Design: The design must account for seismic loads.
Aesthetic Design: The bridge must be designed to meet certain aesthetic criteria aligned with the artists and architects.
Accessibility and Use Requirements: Requirements for pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, vehicle lanes, load restrictions for vehicles, clearance heights for boats if over a waterway, etc.
Regulatory Approvals: The project must secure all necessary permits and approvals from relevant local and national regulatory bodies.
Environmental Impact: The project must take steps to minimize its environmental impact during construction and the operation of the bridge, including implementing erosion and sediment controls.
Materials Simulation: Materials should comply with regulations and usage expectations for current and future expected requirements.
Site Preparation: The project must include preparation of the construction site, including any necessary land clearing or grading.
Foundations Construction: Foundations will need to support materials weight and traffic expected for the next 30 years.
Site Acquisition: Acquire site and terrain for building and logistics.

build bridge project presentation scope slide

Building a bridge involves a high level of resource usage. In an executive meeting of a project presentation, the recommendation is to structure this section as a Financial table with only one level of detail. Further details are delegated to specific resources and cost analysis presentations.

The resources list presented is:

Professional Services
Construction Labour
Quality Assurance
Contingency
Waste Disposal and Cleanup
Subcontractors

In order to break the style of table after table during the project presentation, we suggest using visual elements as icons and colors metaphorically related to each of the elements listed.

project presentation resources slide template

Project Roadmap

As explained earlier in the article, the project roadmap serves to offer a comprehensive overview of the significant milestones that will happen over the course of time. Given the magnitude of a bridge construction project and its prolonged duration, it is advisable, particularly for such extensive endeavours, to present a roadmap that aligns milestones with corresponding lifecycle phases in a discernible manner. This approach enables the audience to mentally envision the sequential progression of the construction process.

Aligned with previous slides, in the example we created a roadmap with the following high level milestones, and sub componentes:

Project Budgeting and Financing
Land Purchase & Renting
Conceptual Design
Detailed Design
Access Routes
Waste Disposal
Simulations
Materials Tests
Seismic Tests
Fabrication
Preparation of Modular Pieces
Build and Assembly
Test under Acceptance Criteria
Stress Test
Operation and Maintenance

As you can see, the Project Manager decided over a sequential roadmap, presented with little detail in timings, with start and end dates to picture dimension over the diagram.

project roadmap template case study build a bridge

Action Plan

In the bridge construction project of the example, there will be plenty of activity plans. All along the project several of these slides will be created and updated. The most suitable option for presentation tasks, durations, precedence relationship and resource allocation is the Gantt Chart Template. We present the first Quarter of the project, over the Conceptual Design Activities.

As displayed in the PowerPoint Slide , the subtitle clarifies the number of slides that will be used for this purpose.

The activities presented are:

Site Analysis
Feasibility Analysis
Design Concepts
BIM Model Creation
Model Revision
Environmental Impact
Present Design

action plan conceptual design project presentation

Project Risks

Risk management is an iterative process all over the project life cycle. When presenting your projects, the risks will vary depending on the progress over the roadmap. For this specific example we decided to present the risks being discussed during the Ideation stage, where the developer is exchanging risks with contractors and the company that will build the bridge.

Our suggested layout for this kind of information is a simple table, where the risks are clearly readable and visible, while the description is a hint for discussion rather than an in depth explanation.

It is very important to classify the presented risks, at least with two dimensions; “Impact” and “Probability”. This will generate quality conversations around them.

Outlined Risks during the Initiation Phase:

Design Errors
Construction Delays
Budget Overruns
Regulatory Changes
Site Conditions
Equipment Failures
Health and Safety Incidents

As the reader can spot, the risks outlined, are very high level, and each of them will trigger specific Risk Analysis Reports.

project presentations risks outline slide powerpoint template

The quality control section of the project presentation may vary depending on the quality process adopted. For large scale companies with a uniform portfolio of projects , it is common to see a continuous improvement quality model, which iteratively builds quality over the different projects (for example software companies) For construction companies like the example, the situation is not different, and the quality control model is aligned with the specific building process model. In this specific case, the project manager is presenting the quality control process to be applied over the BIM model and the Quality Control process to be followed for the physical construction of the bridge:

project presentation case study quality control BIM process model

Execution and Monitoring

During the project, several status meetings will be carried out. During the project presentation the manager can establish the pattern to be used along the project.

For this example, we set a basic progress dashboard where the project manager can present :

The current timeline
Top 5 issues
Current Burndown
Top 5 risks.

project presentation case study PowerPoint dashboard

The art of project presentation goes beyond listing data in random slides. A project presentation is a powerful tool to align stakeholders and foster an environment of trust and collaboration over factual information.

With a structured approach, all members involved in the project design and execution can understand the direction that’s being taken and the importance behind certain decisions. We hope these insights can turn your project into a powerful presentation that inspires and deliver results.

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A project charter is a document (and planning tool), designed to help managers secure support for a new project, plus shape its overall trajectory.

Blog > How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

08.09.21 • #powerpoint #tips.

When creating presentations, it is particularly important that they are well organized and have a consistent structure.

A logical structure helps the audience to follow you and to remember the core information as best as possible. It is also important for the presenter, as a good presentation structure helps to keep calm, to stay on the topic and to avoid awkward pauses.

But what does such a structure actually look like? Here we show you how to best organize your presentation and what a good structure looks like.

Plan your presentation

Before you start creating your presentation, you should always brainstorm. Think about the topic and write all your ideas down. Then think about the message you want to communicate, what your goal is and what you want your audience to remember at the end.

Think about who your audience is so that you can address them in the best possible way. One possibility is to start your presentation with a few polls to get to know your audience better. Based on the results, you can then adapt your presentation a little. Use the poll function of SlideLizard and have all the answers at a glance. SlideLizard makes it possible to integrate the polls directly into your PowerPoint presentation which helps you to avoid annoying switching between presentation and interaction tool. You can keep an eye on the results while the votes come in and then decide whether you want to share them or not.

Ask your audience questions with SlideLizard

an informative
an entertaining
an inspiring
or a persuasive presentation?

Typical Presentation Structure

The basic structure of a presentation is actually always the same and should consist of:

Introduction

Make sure that the structure of your presentation is not too complicated. The simpler it is, the better the audience can follow.

Personal Introduction

It is best to start your presentation by briefly introducing yourself which helps to build a connection with your audience right away.

Introduce the topic

Then introduce the topic, state the purpose of the presentation and provide a brief outline of the main points you will be addressing.

Mention the length

In the introduction, mention the approximate length of the talk and then also make sure you stick to it.

The introduction should be no longer than two slides and provide a good overview of the topic.

Icebreaker Polls

According to studies, people in the audience only have an average attention span of 10 minutes, which is why it is important to increase their attention right at the beginning and to arouse the audience's interest. You could make a good start with a few icebreaker polls for example. They lighten the mood right at the beginning and you can secure your audience's attention from the start.

For example, you could use SlideLizard to have all the answers at a glance and share them with your audience. In addition, the audience can try out how the polls work and already know how it works if you include more polls in the main part.

Get to know your audience

As mentioned earlier, it is always useful to think about who your audience actually is. Ask them questions at the beginning about how well they already know the topic of your presentation. Use SlideLizard for this so that you have a clear overview about the answers. You can use both single- and multiple-choice questions or also open questions and display their results as a WordCloud in your presentation, for example.

Include a quote

To make the beginning (or the end) of your presentation more exciting, it is always a good idea to include a quote. We have selected some powerful quotes for PowerPoint presentations for you.

Present your topic

The main part of a presentation should explain the topic well, state facts, justify them and give examples. Keep all the promises you made earlier in the introduction.

Length and Structure

The main part should make up about 70% of the presentation and also include a clear structure. Explain your ideas in detail and build them up logically. It should be organized chronologically, by priority or by topic. There should be a smooth transition between the individual issues. However, it is also important to use phrases that make it clear that a new topic is starting. We have listed some useful phrases for presentations here.

Visualize data and statistics and show pictures to underline facts. If you are still looking for good images, we have selected 5 sources of free images for you here.

Focus on the essentials

Focus on what is most important and summarize a bit. You don't have to say everything about a topic because your audience won’t remember everything either. Avoid complicated sentence structure, because if the audience does not understand something, they will not be able to read it again.

Make your presentation interactive

Make your presentation interactive to keep the attention of your audience. Use SlideLizard to include polls in your presentation, where your audience can vote directly from their smartphone and discuss the answers as soon as you received all votes. Here you can also find more tips for increasing audience engagement.

Repeat the main points

The conclusion should contain a summary of the most important key points. Repeat the main points you have made, summarize what the audience should have learned and explain how the new information can help in the future.

Include a Q&A part

Include a Q&A part at the end to make sure you don't leave any questions open. It's a good idea to use tools like SlideLizard for it. Your audience can ask anonymous questions and if there is not enough time, you can give them the answers afterwards. You can read more about the right way to do a question slide in PowerPoint here.

Get Feedback

It is also important to get feedback on your presentation at the end to keep improving. With SlideLizard you can ask your audience for anonymous feedback through star ratings, number ratings or open texts directly after your presentation. You can then export the responses and analyse them later in Excel.

Presentation style

Depending on the type of presentation you give, the structure will always be slightly different. We have selected a few different presentation styles and their structure for you.

Short Presentation

If you are one of many presenters on the day, you will only have a very limited time to present your idea and to convince your audience. It is very important to stand out with your presentation.

So you need to summarize your ideas as briefly as possible and probably should not need more than 3-5 slides.

Problem Solving Presentation

Start your presentation by explaining a problem and giving a short overview of it.

Then go into the problem a little more, providing both intellectual and emotional arguments for the seriousness of the problem. You should spend about the first 25% of your presentation on the problem.

After that, you should spend about 50% of your presentation proposing a solution and explaining it in detail.

In the last 25%, describe what benefits this solution will bring to your audience and ask them to take a simple but relevant action that relates to the problem being discussed.

Tell a Story

A great way to build an emotional connection with the audience is to structure a presentation like a story.

In the introduction, introduce a character who has to deal with a conflict. In the main part, tell how he tries to solve his problem but fails again and again. In the end, he manages to find a solution and wins.

Stories have the power to win customers, align colleagues and motivate employees. They’re the most compelling platform we have for managing imaginations. - Nancy Duarte / HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations

Make a demonstration

Use the demonstration structure to show how a product works. First talk about a need or a problem that has to be solved.

Then explain how the product will help solve the problem and try to convince your audience of the need for your product.

Spend the end clarifying where and when the product can be purchased.

Chronological structure

When you have something historical to tell, it is always good to use a chronological structure. You always have to ask yourself what happens next.

To make it more interesting and exciting, it is a good idea to start by telling the end of something and after that you explain how you got there. This way you make the audience curious and you can gain their attention faster.

Nancy Duarte TED Talk

Nancy Duarte is a speaker and presentation design expert. She gives speeches all over the world, trying to improve the power of public presentations.

In her famous TED Talk "The Secret Structure of Great Talks" she dissects famous speeches such as Steve Jobs' iPhone launch speech and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. In doing so, she found out that each presentation is made up of 4 parts:

What could be
A moment to remember
Promise of “New Bliss”

About the author.

Helena Reitinger

Helena supports the SlideLizard team in marketing and design. She loves to express her creativity in texts and graphics.

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Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

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The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

Slide transitions.

Slide transitions are visual effects which appear in PowerPoint when one slide moves to the next. There are many different transitions, like for example fade and dissolve.

Solution Presentation

A solution has already been found during a solution presentation. The only thing that remains is to find a solution on how to realize the decision.

Learning on Demand

Learning on Demand means that the content is available extactly when it's needed by the learner

Virtual Reality

With Virtual Reality people can practice situations and important processes in a virtual room by putting on special digital glasses. They can influence what happens themselves.

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How to Create a Successful Project Presentation?

In any business, project managers need to be able to communicate a project strategy to clients effectively. It can bring in new, long-term clients to your agency if done correctly. However, doing so incorrectly could seriously undermine your efforts to acquire or retain clients. One thing that unites business, academic, and corporate meetings is making a project presentation look good.

Professionals need this skill when effectively communicating ideas, outlining goals, and sharing project results. Creating and delivering a project presentation that connects with your target audience will lead to the project’s anticipated outcomes, regardless of your level of presentation experience. This blog will walk you through the art of presenting a project and offer business professionals advice on making their project plan presentation stand out.

What is a Project Presentation?

A project presentation is a business activity where team members and stakeholders come together to supervise a project from start to finish. It is a formal submission of a project to stakeholders for discussion of a topic and acceptance. One or more business professionals provide a document or slide deck summarizing every project detail during a presentation.

The project manager presents essential information regarding the start of the project and its preparation, including the project scope, requirements collection, deliverables list, schedule, and milestones. A project management presentation is typically made for the first time before the project’s implementation. Then, as the project progresses, you reintroduce it to the stakeholders with timely updates and news.

How to Create a Successful Project Presentation?

Who is the Audience for Your Project Presentation?

Team members and organizations involved in the project’s success or failure comprise stakeholders and other team members:

Show the project presentation to the team members who will be working on the project so they are aware of the expectations and the risks involved. Information such as the requirements, the work breakdown structure, the plan, and the deliverables will be required.

Stakeholders

Show your project to the people who can approve funds and resources, i.e., the stakeholders. Demonstrate to them how the project will provide the desired solutions for the problems they raise within the specified time frame.

The stakeholders are interested in the project’s scope , budget breakdowns , scheduling computations, risk assessments, and your plans for mitigating those risks and adapting to changes. Hence, they are the ideal audience for your project management presentation.

How to Successfully Create a Project Presentation?

Before jumping onto how to present a project, let us see what steps you should follow to create a successful project presentation:

Establish Objectives for Your Project

Layout your Plan
Outline the Problem and Solution
Keep the Slides in your Presentation Brief
Use More Images and Less Text

Utilize Good Quality Diagrams, Presentation Aids, and Visuals

Pay Attention to Design
Begin with a Template for your Presentation

Before delving into the essentials of your project presentation, you should respond to the following queries:

What goals does your project aim to accomplish?
Why is it crucial that you and your group meet your objectives?
How are you going to let your audience know what your objectives are?

Your project is already doomed to failure if it lacks specific goals. It’s common for project managers to skip the goal-setting stage. However, this is not advised. That’s because you can make things easier for yourself to fail. Stakeholder buy-in can be achieved once project goals are well-defined.

The question now is: How do you set and accomplish project goals? Using the SMART goal-setting process is one way to do that.

SMART project goal-setting:

“SMART” is an abbreviation for the words “specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound”.
Setting and carrying out effective project plans need the use of SMART targets . It requires a closer examination of the more minor elements that matter most to your audience.

Layout Your Plan

Outlining your strategy for achieving your goals is a crucial next step after setting them. Putting your idea into an executable plan with steps for execution is a great place to start.

You may be wondering why this is a necessary stage in making a project presentation that works. Well, p lanning a project , no matter how big or small, is easier when you have a thorough strategy, structure, and layout. It eliminates ambiguity and makes it easier for your audience to understand the project roadmap without missing anything.

Both technical and non-technical project aspects should be included in your plan layout. As a result, you should use a project presentation template that outlines all the procedures and activities in detail to offer yourself an advantage. Additionally, the structure of your PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation should be straightforward and understandable.

Depending on the kind of project, your plan might contain important information like:

The earlier-described aims and objectives
Your project’s framework, technique, and scope
Project deliverables, acceptance criteria, and milestones
Timeline and schedule for the project
Estimates of resources and budget, etc.

You can use a pre-made customizable project management presentation template available online, like SlideUpLift . You can make this presentation template uniquely yours by modifying it.

When creating a project plan, there are no hard and fast rules. However, you should divide it into three sections if you want to develop an engaging approach that will stick with your audience:

Introduction
Conclusion and key takeaways

Outline the Problem and its Solution

You have just finished drafting your project action plan . It’s time to let your audience know about your project’s objectives and plan. It’s your responsibility to hold your audience’s attention from the beginning to the end, whether you’re pitching a project plan to clients or an investor deck.

Emphasizing your audience’s problems is one of the best strategies to get their attention. Having stunning slides highlighting your outstanding product features and project activities is insufficient. Ensure that your project presentation is set up to:

List the problems that your audience is facing.
Stress how your initiative, offering, or service helps them with their problems.
Describe the advantages of using your product or contributing to your project for them.
Simply put, your audience should understand how your project improves their lives. As soon as they know this, they will pay attention to your suggestions and act accordingly.
Avoid assuming anything about your audience in general.

If you want the audience on board, discuss their issues and potential solutions in a separate presentation. Make sure they know how your initiative will help them.

Keep the Slides in Your Presentation Brief

Prioritize quality over quantity while designing project presentations. Make sure your slides are brief and easy to understand. Your audience will appreciate that you respect their time when you do this.

The following justify why you should keep your presentation short:

Not only may concise presentation slides be effective, but they may also be memorable.
There is a noticeable decline in attention span after 30 minutes during project or business presentations. You run the risk of losing the interest of your audience midway through if you make long speeches.
No one wants to spend hours watching you flip a ton of slides. Focus your audience’s attention and get them to pay attention to the material by using shorter slides.

Use More Images and Less Text

Using more images and less text in your presentations is another excellent method to keep them engaging but succinct. Recall that your slide show should support, not take the place of, your spoken presentation. Therefore, you want to avoid cramming too much data onto a single presentation.

Adding too much text to your presentation could:

Bore and overwhelm your audiences.
Draw the audience’s focus to the text, which will lessen the impact of your presentation.

When information is presented visually and in bite-sized portions, people remember it better. This holds for corporate leaders, project managers, both B2B and B2C audiences.

Presenting projects successfully requires the use of visuals. Visual aids help viewers retain 95% of a message, drawing them in and holding their interest. However, they maintain just approximately 10% when exchanged by text.

You can employ a wide range of visual aids in your presentations, such as:

Pictures Videos
Charts and graphs
Maps of heat and choropleth
Dispersion charts

Your chances of gaining audience engagement and encouraging answers to your call-to-action (CTA) will increase if you include images and videos. Mind maps, Gantt charts , and whiteboard drawings are excellent tools for visualizing project plans in their early stages. Using maps, graphs, charts , and trees, you can display the architecture for projects, including technology.

Pay Attention to Design

Your project presentation may succeed or fail based on its design. Whether you are a rookie or an expert designer, design tools offer you an advantage. In minutes, you can produce visually striking presentation designs for your company.

The good news is that creating eye-catching project presentations doesn’t have to break the cash. Millions of breathtaking royalty-free photos and lovely pre-made layouts are available for your slides.

These are some pointers to keep in mind when creating your slides.

Make Use of a Proper Color Scheme

Use color sparingly in your presentations if you want them to look appealing. Everyone loves color, so we get it. However, using too many colors may make your presentations disorganized and unpleasant.

Make Use of Clearly Identifiable Typography

Changing your font can influence readers’ understanding of your words. Therefore, ensure that your slides convey the intended content and look professional and well-organized.

Begin With a Template for Your Presentation

Making powerful project presentations can take much time, regardless of experience level. Suppose you are facing an impending deadline. Writing your project plan, making your slide notes, creating your slides, finding and including images, and other tasks would be on your plate. Creating these things from scratch could take longer and result in messy presentations.

Using presentation templates might relieve all of your worries. They make it quick and simple for you to create project presentations that appear professional. Because the slides are pre-designed, there will be space for you to add any type of content you would require. The design is present in every form—progress bar, chart, graph, table , video , or image. All you have to do is enter text, add data, or add an image. And just like that, your presentation is set to go.

Case Study For a Project Presentation

The Cline Avenue Bridge is an example of a difficult project that serves as the basis for the project presentation example. Since it is outside the purview of this article, we are not providing all of the presentation’s components for instructional purposes. Nevertheless, we demonstrate how to create a PowerPoint presentation for a project, how to customize the templates to the content to be presented, and how to show the more typical slides of each component.

This is a case study of a real project and how the project manager uses templates to put together the project presentation using the structure we presented above. Here’s how to create a PowerPoint presentation for a project, along with some project presentation ideas.

Project Overview:

The presenter provides a project charter-style summary of the project’s highlights on this slide. The project manager can expand upon the introduction throughout the project lifespan, and the speech can seamlessly transition across several knowledge domains without requiring a slide change or in-depth discussion.

In particular, the Cline Bridge Project narrates its goal, briefly mentions its location, provides a link to a map for additional information, and presents several key statistics (Building Information Modelling Process, Budget, Duration, Sponsor, and Constructor). The final deliverable’s salient features—a concrete segmental bridge measuring 1.7 miles in length and 46 feet in width—are enumerated.

Process Model:

The framework for the project lifecycle, processes, planning, and execution is shown in the Process Model presentation. In this slide, the project manager will discuss how the model is customized to the project’s particulars. In this instance, the builder has specified the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) as the process model for the design and construction of the Cline Bridge.

During this slide, the presenter might further detail the knowledge practices involved in each lifecycle phase—Design, Production, Construction, Operation, and Planning. Conceptual and detailed design are the two primary knowledge areas that make up the first stage, for instance, “Design.”

Since the content arrangement for the scope section of the presentation consists of a list of “requirements,” it typically consists of multiple slides. This information leads to a recommended table arrangement that maximizes available space. It’s crucial to portray the set of needs rather than the individual requirements and to refrain from misusing the “list.” If not, the requirements document is transcribed by the project manager.

This example project presentation shows ten categories of requirements covering various project lifecycle stages.

Conceptual Design
Construction
Construction Logistics

Utilizing a lot of resources is necessary when building a bridge. Organizing this component of a project presentation as a single-level financial table at an executive meeting is advised. Specific resources and cost analysis presentations are tasked with providing more information.

The list of available resources is as follows:

Expert Services
Construction labor, land machinery, materials, and quality assurance
Backup Subcontractors for Waste Disposal and Cleaning

We recommend incorporating visual elements, such as icons and colors that are symbolically tied to each of the items stated, to break up the monotony of table after table throughout the project presentation.

Project Schedule:

The purpose of the project roadmap , as previously mentioned in the article, is to provide a thorough overview of the critical turning points that will occur over time. Owing to the size of a bridge-building project and its extended duration, it is recommended to provide a roadmap that clearly matches milestones with relevant lifespan stages, especially for such large-scale undertakings. This method helps the viewers visualize the step-by-step development of the building process.

In keeping with earlier slides, we developed a roadmap in the example that included the following high-level benchmarks and subcomponents:

Project Start-Up
Contracts, Clearances, Budgeting, and Financing for Projects
Buying and Renting of Land
Initial Design Detailed Design Conceptual Design
Site Setup: Clearing, Grading, and Access Routes
Waste Management Examination
Tests of Materials
Site Evaluations
Tests for seismic activity
Manufacturing Fabrication
Assembly of Modular Components
Building, Assembling, and Construction
Test of Quality under Acceptance Standards
Stress Exam
Management and Upkeep

As you can see, the project manager chose a step-by-step plan that was given with minimal scheduling specifics and start and end dates to provide context for the diagram.

Project Hazards:

Throughout a project, risk management is an iterative process. The risks you face while presenting your initiatives will change based on how well they proceed along the roadmap. In this particular instance, we have chosen to showcase the risks deliberated about at the ideation phase, wherein the developer trades risks with contractors and the bridge construction business.

Our recommended structure for this type of material is a straightforward table with easily readable and visible risks and a description that serves more as a starting point for conversation than a thorough explanation.

It is crucial to categorize the risks given, if just in terms of their “impact” and “probability.” This will lead to some really interesting discussions about them.

Risks outlined in the first phase:

Mistakes in Design
Building Hold-Ups
Overspending on the Budget
Modifications to Regulations
Conditions of the Site Equipment Failures
Incidents about health and safety

The hazards listed are highly serious, as the reader can see, and each will result in a different Risk Analysis Report.

The project presentation’s quality control component may change depending on the quality process used. A continuous improvement quality approach, which iteratively improves quality over many projects, is typical for large organizations with a consistent portfolio of projects (for example, software businesses). The scenario is the same for construction organizations , such as the example, and the quality control model aligns with the building process model. In this instance, the project manager is outlining the quality control procedure to be used on the BIM model as well as the procedure to be adhered to during the bridge’s actual construction:

Using a simple dashboard, we created in this example, allowing the project manager to show:

The Existing Chronology
Top 5 Problems
Present-Day Burnout
Top 5 Risks

How to Present a Project Management Presentation?

A project plan is an official document that follows a set format and flow. Your presentation should follow this flow for maximum impact.

To present a project plan , you should go over the following eight steps:

Give an overview. Provide a brief overview of the project, outlining its goals and rationale.
Examine the key results and objectives, or OKRs. Talk about the main deliverables and anticipated deadlines. Before starting a project, what crucial information should you obtain from a client? Think about this before engaging in conversation.
Describe the exclusions and expectations. Make assumptions clear and restate anything that is outside the project’s scope. You might be wondering when to show a client the project cost. This is the right moment to ensure both of you have clear expectations.
Give a high-level timetable. Use a Gantt chart to show the important milestones and dependencies in the project schedule.
Give a brief introduction of your group. Present the customer to coworkers with whom they will be working closely, as well as anyone whose experience will strengthen your reputation (such as a seasoned subject matter expert.)
Explain communications. Make sure your client is aware of the collaborative process. Mention how they can contact you with any queries or issues and how they will be updated.
Talk about the unexpected. Examine the procedure you’ll use to address requests for changes and problems when they come up.
Q&A. To make sure nothing was missed, conclude with a Q&A session.

Questions To Ask The Client Before Starting The Project Management Presentation

The client project focus ensures that your client’s business goals are sufficiently handled and that transparency is maintained throughout the project. Objectives, milestones, acceptance criteria, etc., are frequently discussed beforehand.

You might still need to ask a few questions, though, and these are the top five:

Who are the project stakeholders in your organization? What authority and interest levels do the people who intend to be associated with the project have?
Have you already worked on projects similar to this one? How did you overcome the obstacles, if any?
What characteristics, outputs, or specifications should we constantly focus on?
Are you having trouble sleeping at night because of anything related to this project? If yes, what would it be?
Do you have any questions about risks, difficulties, or other project parts we haven’t yet covered?

Questions the Client Might Ask During a Project Presentation and How To Answer Them

For new speakers, the Q&A section can often be their biggest worry. The most difficult part of being ready for this is that you never know what queries a client may have.

Client inquiries frequently revolve around their worries about potential problems. You’ll be able to anticipate their questions more accurately when you know about their priorities. Assume that your client has a tight deadline for finishing the project. Among the queries they might have are:

How are you going to guarantee that the project is completed on time?
How would you respond if deadlines begin to elude you?
Which risks could cause the project to be delayed?

You can prepare well-reasoned responses to their questions by considering their priorities and potential issues beforehand. But what about those unexpected queries that come out of nowhere?

Three pointers to help you handle unforeseen queries from clients during a project presentation are as follows:

Firstly, thank them for raising the question. Encourage your client to speak with you and express their worries upfront.
Find out what motivates the question. Ask why a question is being asked if it appears pointless or strange. Perhaps the client possesses knowledge that you are unaware of. You will also have extra time to consider your response as a result.
Put it on the table for later. Inform the customer that you will investigate and get back to them if you are unsure of the response. Give your client a timeframe during which they can anticipate receiving your response.

Establishing objectives and having a well-thought-out plan to reach them are the first steps in producing an effective project presentation. It also calls for effective delivery, careful attention to design, and the creation of captivating content.

A strong pitch deck that explains the specifics of your idea and its potential for success is essential if you want to seal those transactions. Using a user-friendly project presentation program such as SlideUpLift can be a game changer.

The ideal design tool for producing eye-catching and captivating project presentations is something SlideUpLift specializes in. You can use various features and tools with SlideUpLift to assist you in achieving your ideas for your projects.

To help your presentation succeed, SlideUpLift offers hundreds of presentation templates , graphic components, font styles, data visualization tools, and pre-installed stock photos and videos.

You now have all the advice and resources you need to ace the project presentations for the future. With the presentation templates from SlideUpLift, get tips and tricks on standing out when presenting, go ahead and amaze your audience!

How do I effectively present my project?

To present your project effectively, focus on clear communication, use visuals, and tailor your message to your audience’s level of understanding.

How can I present my project as a project manager?

As a project manager, presenting a project involves clear communication of goals, methodologies, and outcomes while addressing potential risks and solutions.

What are the best ways to present a project?

The best ways to present a project include engaging visuals, storytelling, and addressing key points such as objectives, timelines, and potential challenges.

Are there templates for project management presentations?

Several platforms, including SlideUpLift, offer templates specifically designed for project manager presentations .

What are effective ways to present my project to clients?

Effective ways to present your project to clients include emphasizing value, addressing their specific concerns, and showcasing project outcomes.

Table Of Content

Project Management Presentations Collection PowerPoint Template

Project Kick Off Presentation PowerPoint Template

Project Status Review Deck PowerPoint Template

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Project management is complex. It necessitates keeping track of multiple – sometimes geographically dispersed – teams, coordinating tasks, and holding everyone accountable to a common goal. Fortunately, there are a

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Avoid Making These 7 Project Management Mistakes

Making mistakes is not a bad thing; tons of lessons can be learned from them. And in the field of Project Management, lessons abound. Projects, unfortunately, seldom go smoothly. There

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Project Presentations: How to Prepare and Deliver a Project Presentation

Can anything make a project manager’s heart sink faster than being told that they need to give a project presentation to the board of directors? The pressure. The responsibility. Sure, you’re happy that the directors of the company trust you enough that they want your input in the project, but having to present in front of these powerful players is making your stress levels spike.

If you haven’t come across these presentation requests from senior managers yet, you will! These scenarios are common on projects, especially projects that introduce a new product or involve organizational change. But don’t feel overwhelmed. Giving project presentations may feel scary, but you can plan and prepare for them just like any other meeting.

What Is a Project Presentation?

A project presentation is an opportunity for you to explain your project processes and deliverables to key stakeholders. These can be informal, like a quick update via reports with a few individuals, or formal. Formal project presentations often require proper meeting times, thought-out slide decks, goal review and more. We’ll spend most of our time discussing how to prepare and deliver a formal project presentation.

A formal project presentation requires good data. Project management software can provide you with the dashboards and reports you need to supplement your points and progress updates. ProjectManager has real-time dashboards that you can share with stakeholders, and eight different in-depth project reports that you can make with just a few clicks. Get started for free today!

Why Is a Project Presentation So Important?

A project presentation is your opportunity to convey the importance of the work you and your team have been doing. If you’re unable to articulate your progress and achievements, key stakeholders won’t understand why money, time and resources are being spent on your project.

When you think of it like that, it’s no wonder why people spend so much time preparing for their project presentations. Read on to see how you can knock your next presentation out of the park.

How to Prepare for a Project Presentation

Preparing for a project presentation can be more important than you actual delivery. That’s because good preparation can set you up for success on the big day. Let’s go through some preparation techniques you can do for your project presentation.

1. Create a Calendar Invite for Your Project Presentation

You can’t just expect people to turn up – they need to know that there is an important event that requires their attendance, so get it in their diaries. People plan their meetings and calendar appointments sometimes quite far in advance, giving ample warning. Schedule the presentation as soon as you can, and check with the individuals (or their assistants) if you don’t get a reply about their availability.

If you have been invited to someone else’s meeting to talk about your project, make sure it is in your planner and book some time to plan for it in advance. If you don’t, you risk running out of time to prepare your material.

2. Select a Format for Your Presentation

How are you going to get your message across? If you’ve scheduled a project meeting it’s likely that you are expecting to do a formal presentation. That’s fine, but how? Will you use slides or flip charts or mirror your iPad on a monitor? Do you expect the audience to participate in any part of the presentation? Can you speak without notes or would it be better to have some pointers with you on the day?

You should also consider where you will be giving the presentation. For example, a format that is suitable for a small room and a limited audience, such as a loosely-structured project update with a couple of slides, is not going to be appropriate for a room full of stakeholders, laid out like a lecture theatre with you at a lectern at the front.

3. Practice Your Project Management Presentation

Giving presentations is a skill. Practice, practice, practice. Before your big project presentation, volunteer to do some smaller ones, like staff briefings or shorter updates at team meetings. You want to feel comfortable both standing up in front of the room and with the material. Run through your presentation at home or in an empty meeting room so that you remember where the slide transitions are. Practice using the projector and a clicker to move the slides forward. Write out your flip charts several times so that it becomes second nature.

Practice and training will make your delivery much more polished and professional and give your audience a far better experience.

4. Write Big So Your Presentation Is Legible

Whether you are using slides or flip charts, write big or use big fonts. It is often difficult to see what is on the screen, even in a small room – and that means your message is not getting across. And it’s an excuse for audience members to check their phones instead of listening to you.

A good tip is to print out your slides and put them on the floor. If you can still read them clearly from a standing position, then the text is big enough. If you can’t read the words or you have to bend down to read them, make the font size larger!

5. Have a Backup Plan for Your Presentation

Projectors break, meeting rooms don’t have conference phones in, pens run out just at the critical moment. Plan for everything to go wrong. Your presentation audience is made up of busy people and they don’t want to sit there watching you fiddle with the technology. Get it all working before they arrive, and if it doesn’t work when you get going, make sure that you have a contingency plan (like a printout of your slides) so that you can carry on anyway.

How to Give a Project Presentation

When the fateful day arrives, there are some important things to keep in mind when giving your project presentation. Follow these best practices and you’ll portray your project and your team in the best possible light.

1. Speak Clearly and Don’t Rely on Jargon

Presentations depend on clarity and good communication . If you bog down your presentation with jargon and convulated reasoning, you’re going to lose your audience. Make sure that you use language that your audience will understand, so they can follow along with all of the key points you need to make.

Remember, not everyone in that meeting is going to understand all the intricasies of your project, in fact, none of them likely will. So speak slowly, clearly and ensure that you communicate.

2. Stick to What Matters and Use Data

When giving your project presentation, don’t lose sight of the original goals and requirements of the project. Your stakeholders agreed on certain goals at the beginning, how are you trending towards reaching those goals? Sometimes it’s easy to focus on setbacks or difficulties, or things that you may find fascinating. However, it’s best to recenter on critical business objectives.

It’s important to use data to supplement your project presentation as you address key goals and initiatives. But don’t use too much data! People will get lost in the numbers and stop listening to what you have to say. It’s a delicate balance.

3. Tell a Story

You have probably sat through a fair few presentations in your time, and I expect you’ve tried to stop yourself from nodding off in some of them. Project status updates can be boring. If the subject matter isn’t dull, often the speaker is. Don’t let that be you.

One way to keep the attention of the audience is to structure your presentation in the most interesting fashion. Consider what they will find interesting (and it won’t be the same as what you find interesting). Telling the story of your project is a good idea. Think about a start, a middle and an end to your presentation. Perhaps follow the lifecycle from the perspective of a customer.

Focus on the benefits and not the project management process. If you don’t know if your presentation material makes sense, run it past a friend or family member who doesn’t know anything about your project. If they don’t fall asleep, it’s OK!

4. Ask for Feedback on Your Presentation

When your presentation is over, ask for feedback. You could do this directly at the end of the session before people leave the room, or a couple of days later. It’s good to get some feedback as it helps you work on what to improve for next time.

Ask people to give you their impressions both of your presentation skills and also of the presentation content. You could find that the content was really good but you lacked confidence delivering it, or conversely that you were an engaging presenter but the material was not relevant to them. All this is useful stuff to know and it will help you improve your presentation skills for next time.

Project Management Presentations Take Time to Master

Giving presentations isn’t an everyday occurrence on projects but it is likely that you will have to give one or two during the project lifecycle – more if your project involves a lot of workshops or user sessions.

Don’t panic – presentation skills are something that you can learn and you will get better with practice! Once you have cracked it, you’ll feel confident delivering presentations and you’ll find that it gets easier to prepare for them in the future.

The scheduling features of our software can be used to book your presentations on the team calendar, which can be easily seen on the project dashboard. With it you have the ability to share agendas and slides after the presentation with the online document library. Then you can carry on the discussion after the meeting by using the great chat tool. Try the software from ProjectManager free for 30 days and see how helpful it really is.

Click here to browse ProjectManager's free templates

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7 Ways to Structure Your Presentation to Keep Your Audience Wanting More

Written by: Orana Velarde

The most successful and memorable presentations have one thing in common.

They all tell a story.

No matter how many facts or charts need to be presented, incorporating stories into a presentation will keep your audience focused and intrigued.

Using stories to support data is a well-known technique in all aspects of public speaking, from motivational talks to in-company sales pitches.

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit modern presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

In this guide, we will look at 7 ways to structure your presentations using storytelling techniques to keep your audience engaged until the very end.

Look closely at each one to see which fits your presentation’s purpose best!

Planning Your Presentation Structure: Like Building a Lego Model

presentation structure 7 Ways to Structure Your Presentation to Keep Your Audience Wanting More

Is it easier to separate the correct pieces before you start building? Or is it better to search in a big bucket with mixed parts for every new piece you need?

We’re pretty sure you will pick the first option. In the beginning, it might seem like this option would take longer, but the opposite is true.

The first step to a successful presentation structure is to brainstorm your ideas and combine them into a rough draft. But first, consider the message you want to relay to your audience.

RELATED: A Non-Designer's Guide to Creating Memorable Visual Presentations

The Message

What is the message you want to convey with your presentation?

A good starting point is to decide if it will be informative, entertaining, inspiring or persuasive.

In a business setting, you might want your presentation to do two of these things: inform and persuade. If you are a mindset coach for companies, then you might want to entertain and inspire.

The main message should be easy to grasp from the title on your first slide. Think of an appropriate way to word what you want to give your audience in one or two sentences. This can of course be changed later, but having a preliminary title will help get your ideas in order for what comes next.

RELATED: 150+ Presentation Topic Ideas for Students [Plus Templates]

Once you know which direction your presentation will take, it’s time to jot all your ideas down on paper to create a presentation outline and rough draft of all the points you will cover.

presentation structure presentation message entertain inform persuade inspire

7 Ways to Structure Your Presentation

Now that the brainstorming and rough draft are out of the way, it’s time to start structuring your presentation. This is when we introduce the storytelling aspect into the equation.

All the information you have gathered and organized in your rough draft now needs some attitude to really get your message across.

We are going to look at 7 different styles of storytelling structures that work great for presentations. They all have a different style of delivery and cadence. Choosing one for your presentation will depend on your message and who your audience is.

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Fact and Story

The first structure we will look at is Fact and Story . The premise is that the presentation moves back and forth between facts and stories.

Presentation guru Nancy Duarte wrote about this presentation structure in her book " Resonate ." She suggests that mixing storytelling with the relay of facts can help your audience stay interested until the end of your presentation.

presentation structure facts and stories

According to Duarte, this type of structure should start off with an initial setting of the present reality: the “what is.” From there, an invitation to adventure is presented and the first instance of “what could be” is told as a story to illustrate how the initials facts can be improved.

This comparison of presenting the facts as what they are at the present moment with stories that show how things could be improved is what keeps your audience interested and waiting for more.

The conclusion should end at a high point, considerably higher than where it began. The audience should feel like they learned something and, at the same time, inspired to change.

This structure maintains a level of suspense and excitement, perfect for presentations that need to inspire AND inform.

This TED talk by David McCandless about the The Beauty of Data Visualization is a perfect example of the Fact and Story structure. He presents a collection of data visualizations which he created himself, along with a story of why he chose each particular set of data.

The topics he chose were extremely relevant to our present day and the audience related to all of them. The personal stories added to the intrigue and the audience left feeling like data visualizations are not only beautiful but also quite important.

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The Explanation

According to Gavin McMahon, co-founder of fassforward Consulting Group , the presentation structured labeled as The Explanation is meant to teach new insights and abilities.

Its main purpose is to inform about a process or plan to either fix a problem or learn something new. A good way to incorporate storytelling into the structure is to show the progression of the facts along with the progression of a story.

The presentation progresses in an upward motion following these steps:

The Lay of the Land shows how things stand right now, what the destination is and how you plan to get there. The point is to get the audience excited and on board as quickly as possible by showing them the entire process straight up. Tell a story that relates directly to the introduction. Better yet, start with a story.
The Roadmap is a visual map of how you will get to the final destination and reach the resolution. Set the audience on the right track.
The First Step begins the adventure to get where you want to go.
T he Next Steps is the middle section of the presentation, where all the steps are laid out one by one.
Almost there is the catharsis where you look back at how much has changed and progressed since the first step.
The Arrival is the celebration of the end of the journey. The audience should feel like they have learned something new and gained new knowledge.

The Explanation structure can be used for presentations by consultants that want to teach new ways of doing things inside a company or department. It could also perfectly fit in a sales meeting where a presenter can explain their process of a masterful sales plan.

This TED talk by Amy Cuddy about how your body language shapes who you are is a great example of an Explanation structure. She tells us about her experiment on power poses and how they can affect the outcome of a difficult situation.

The presentation starts off with a discussion on the natural animal and human condition of power and ends with a personal invitation to change your life with a 2-minute practice of power posing.

If you are a lover of the show "Grey’s Anatomy," this is the idea behind the power pose that the neurosurgeons do before a big procedure.

As you know, a pitch in the business sense is when a presenter uses the power of a presentation or speech to convince the audience of something he/she believes will improve a system or solve a problem, according to Gavin McMahon, co-founder of fassforward Consulting Group .

The Pitch presentation structure is like a climb uphill that takes you over a hurdle and on to a positive resolution.

It shows how the presenter’s idea can really improve a situation. By using a real and relatable story, the pitch makes more sense and feels more important.

The Wind Up is a quick summary of what’s going on right now to presents the facts in a way that is easy to grasp and relatable to the audience.
The Hurdle presents the problem that needs to be solved . Relay the problem with a story so that the emphasis is doubled.
The Vision presents a glimpse into the main idea on how the problem can be solved.
The Options is the moment when two different options are laid out as possibilities to solve the initial problem. The idea is to give an average option first, followed by a great option second. If there have already been tests and experiments to prove these facts, then these are the story.
The Close is the point where the ideal option is presented as the best and only option.
The Fine Print tells the audience exactly how the problem will be solved, the steps that need to be taken and the tasks to be resolved.
The Hook is the uplifting conclusion to the presentation which relays an added bonus to the solution of the problem.

Use The Pitch presentation structure when you want to convince someone that your idea is the best for their problem. This structure also works when a new startup is looking for new funding or sponsorship opportunities.

This TED talk by Enric Sala about how to turn the high seas into the world’s largest natural reserve is a great example of a Pitch structure. He starts off with a story of how a group of fishermen revived an area of the ocean by stopping all the fishing there and turning it into a natural reserve.

Ten years later, that piece of ocean makes more money from scuba diving tourism than it ever did from fishing. He continues to talk about the same problem at a larger scale, the diminishing supply of fish and the destruction of the oceans.

His pitch to solve the impending problem is to turn the high seas into a natural reserve. He finishes by telling the audience that the plan is being pitched to the UN and that every individual can help their country abide by the new agreement if it goes through.

There is a well-known structure in literature called “The Hero’s Journey” which follows the plight of a main character from the beginning of a story to the end and leaves the reader feeling like they've learned a lesson they will never forget.

This type of presentation structure, The Drama , has a strong storytelling aspect. This is often used to tell the story of an influential company from founding days, through trials and tribulations, and then finishes with an inspiring show of success.

Another perfect presentation for The Drama structure is an inspiring personal story.

These are the steps of a Drama style presentation structure:

One Fine Day . The introduction sets the stage with a situation where things are not perfect but just average. Imagine as if it were the first page of a book, where the setting is laid out and the audience gets an idea of a time and place.
The Challenge. Suddenly a problem appears that can’t be ignored. The things that need to be solved are presented as a challenge.
Descending Crisis . At this point, the problem is attacked head on but things gets worse until it hits rock bottom.
Rock Bottom. When all seems lost and everything is at its worst, the story arrives at a standstill. As an added bonus, the presenter can pause for effect.
The Discovery . This is the moment when a glimmer of light shows up and there is a discovery, a new way of resolving the problem.
The Rise . By discovering new abilities, the problem can be tackled in a positive way.
The Return . Not only are the problem and challenge resolved, the character and the audience break through and reach an unexpected happiness threshold, opening the world to a whole new range of possibilities.
The Lesson . The conclusion is reached with an unforgettable lesson and resolution. The audience will feel inspired, informed and entertained.

This TED talk by Adam Driver about his journey from Marine to actor is the perfect example of The Drama structure.

He begins the story by telling the audience about what his life was like before he joined the Marines and what drove him to do it.

He tells how the Marines became his family, and closest friends. Then, right before deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan, he had an accident that separated him from the Marines for good.

He continues to explain how he went on to become an actor, followed by the creation of his project to unify theater with military service.

His talk ends with an example of the theater pieces he coordinates to be presented at military camps. Listeners are left with their hearts full of a newfound hope for humanity.

RELATED: This Classic Storytelling Model Will Help You Give a Mesmerizing Presentation

Situation - Complication - Resolution

According to Gavin McMahon , co-founder of fassforward Consulting Group, most presentations in the realm of B2B sales and business consultancy follow the Situation - Complication - Resolution structure. It is a three-element storyline linked by the words but and therefore .

The starting point is The Situation , where current conditions are shown in an unbiased and transparent way. The situation connects to the next step through the word but .

A simple example: Our home decor company is selling pretty well this month, but…

This is when The Complication is presented.

In the above example, it could look something like this:

Our home decor company is selling pretty well this month, but … we have been spending too much on international shipping.

When presenting The Complication , use facts to prove it. Present it as the challenge that needs to be overcome. The Complication is a low point, but from a low point we can only go up.

The final destination is The Resolution , which is connected to The Complication with the word, therefore .

Our home decor company is selling pretty well this month, but we have been spending too much on international shipping. Therefore, we need to start using a new company that has a better price range and great service.

Back up all of your information with real facts and proof.

Situation - Opportunity - Resolution

A similar structure to the one above, the Situation - Opportunity - Resolution replaces Complication with Opportunity . This three-part structure is also joined by the words but and therefore .

The difference is that instead of the movement going down and then up, it goes slightly up and then levels out.

situation opportunity resolution presentation structure

This structure is perfect when you need to show that something is not that hard to fix; that the problem might not be so big after all and that the solution is easy to grasp.

A presentation that follows this structure could turn out to be quite short, if only the facts are presented, but that would leave the audience feeling like “is that it?” Adding an interesting story to help the audience relate makes the overall presentation more effective.

This TED talk by Adam Galinsky about how to speak up for yourself is a perfect example of the Situation - Opportunity - Resolution presentation structure. He starts off by saying: “Speaking up is hard,” and instantly everyone in the audience can relate.

He gives a few personal stories about times when he should have spoken up and others when he shouldn’t. He gives contextual proof and explanations about how sometimes we feel powerless, other times powerful, and how this affects if we speak up or not.

His solution to the problem is not a huge effort but rather a personal mindset change. The presentation ends with an inspiring quote by the speaker’s father which leaves the audience feeling like they will know exactly when it’s the perfect time to speak up, or not.

Hook, Meat and Payoff

This presentation structure, like The Drama, is deeply founded in the art of storytelling. While the Hero’s Journey is more of a literary technique, Hook, Meat and Payoff is more like a spoken-word progression.

The idea is that with the Hook , the presenter gives the audience a sense of place and time, plus a situation that will put them at the edge of their seats, wanting more.

The Meat is the middle section and usually the longest part of the presentation where the story progresses and all the information is relayed in an interesting and inviting way.

The Payoff is the inspiring conclusion that circles back to the beginning and leaves the audience feeling inspired.

It's like when you come out of the movie theater: You feel better about yourself and the world around you, as if you've learned something important that will make your life a little better.

This TED talk by Jill Bolte Taylor about her stroke of insight is a perfect example of a Hook, Meat and Payoff presentation structure.

One of the most famous TED talks of all time, this presentation starts with her personal story of the time she suffered a brain hemorrhage and stroke.

She is a neuroanatomist; she studies brains for a living. Her experience of having a stroke is one of the deepest stories you'll ever hear about the union between science and spirituality.

Her presentation hook, a real human brain which she shows to the audience, very much grabs your attention. The meat of the talk is also entertaining and interesting; she has the audience laughing and crying right along with her.

In the end, she recounts the moment when she felt her body die and then woke up feeling like she was a different person. She had lost all capacities with the stroke, and it took her eight years to learn to talk and walk again.

The Payoff is her invitation to everyone to feel like they have Nirvana at their fingertips, that being conscious of the world around us is not an impossible task.

RELATED: 7 Storytelling Techniques Used by the Most Inspiring TED Presenters

Make a Storyboard

Now that we've looked at the seven different ways that you can structure your presentation with storytelling techniques, it’s time to make a storyboard.

A storyboard is what film makers use to set up the structure of their movie before filming it. It is created with the help of the screenplay, following the flow of the story. Each rectangle in the storyboard is a scene in the film.

Presenters use this process of storyboarding to set up their presentations because it really helps with productivity. A storyboard is essentially a visual draft of your presentation.

(A note for the “un-artistic”: Don’t worry about things looking amazing right now! Uneven squiggles and weird shapes work the same way as perfect squares. The designed and finished look will come later when you set it all up in the Visme editor.)

As you add the story aspect to your presentation, make sure you don’t get too wordy and try using visuals instead of too much text. Use one or two sentences at most for each slide.

The best way to make a storyboard is with index cards, using each card as a slide. You can add things or easily take them away before you even start to design the final draft.

If it makes things easier, you can take a look at some presentation templates in Visme to see how we've created different slides. This might visually inspire the cards in your storyboard.

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Build it with Visme

You are now ready to move on to the final step: building your presentation with Visme. Okay, you can create it with whichever presentation software you like, but we think you'll conclude Visme is one of the best choices out there.

Promotions aside, it’s time to bring it all to life.

First, open a new presentation canvas, then choose a template or start from scratch. When you start from a blank canvas in Visme, you can add pre-built slides one by one from the slide library.

Create your slides by following the storyboard. For an added bonus, you can use animations, videos and audio to make your presentation unique.

Record your own audio and voiceovers within Visme

If your presentation is meant to be seen on its own, online or sent as a scrollable PDF, there might need to be more text than on a visual presentation which accompanies a speech. You can try animating the text so it's not just a big block of words.

Using audio also helps, but if the viewer has their computer on mute, they might miss it. Make sure your first slide gives the instruction to turn up the volume.

If your visual presentation is going to be used as a backdrop for a speech, you can forgo some of the text and make it more visual.

Remember to rehearse your speech along with the slides so it all flows seamlessly. TED speakers suggest you rehearse a spoken presentation at least 10 times until it flows naturally.

If you need more help with your presentation design, don't forget to grab our free e-book below.

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About the Author

Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com

Documentation

The Go-To Guide on How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

Clarity for Your Audience
Better Retention
Confidence as a Presenter
Introduction
Create Slide Sections
Use the Outline View
Create a Table of Contents
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Craft An Impactful PowerPoint Presentation

Think about a fancy building that looks incredible from the outside but lacks a strong foundation. It won’t last long or work well. Similarly, having beautiful slides is not enough in PowerPoint presentations if you don’t organize them properly.

In this article, we’ll talk about how to set up a PowerPoint presentation correctly. We’ll explain what important parts it should have and give you practical tips on arranging your slides to make them effective. These practical ideas will help you organize your slides better and make it easier to create them.

Let’s dive in and understand why a good PowerPoint structure is so important.

Why Structuring PowerPoint Presentations is Important?

1. Clarity for Your Audience

Imagine telling a story with all the words mixed up. It would not be very clear. That’s how it feels for your audience when your slides are not structured. When your presentation has a clear beginning, middle, and end, people can follow along much better. They know where you’re starting, what’s coming next, and what you’ve concluded.

2. Better Retention

Research tells us that structured information is 40% more likely to be remembered than information everywhere. So, if you want your audience to remember your key points, structuring your slides is essential. It’s like putting important items in labeled boxes – easier to find and remember.

3. Confidence as a Presenter

A structure also benefits you as the presenter. It’s like having a map that guides you through the presentation. You know what’s coming next, which helps reduce nervousness and keeps you from getting lost in your talk.

4. Engagement

A well-structured presentation is more engaging. People are more likely to pay attention and stay interested when they can follow a clear flow of information. It’s like a good movie – it keeps you hooked because it makes sense.

Therefore, structuring your PowerPoint presentation is like giving your audience a clear roadmap. It helps them understand your message, remember it, and keep you on track as the presenter. So, if you want your presentation to succeed, take the important step of structuring it properly.

Typical PowerPoint Presentation Structure

The introduction is like the opening act of a performance, and it’s super important because it tells your audience what they’ll learn from your presentation. Here are the different slides you need to include in the beginning:

The Title: Start your presentation with a clear and captivating title. It sets the stage for what your audience can expect. You can add a brief description under the title.
A Table of Contents / Main Menu: A table of contents or main menu slide is like the map of your presentation. It provides your audience with an overview of what topics you’ll cover. It is especially helpful for longer presentations. You can easily make your presentation more engaging by using hyperlinks. This means your viewers can pick which part they want to see next by clicking on it, just like choosing a chapter in a book.
Objectives: Clearly state what you aim to achieve with your presentation. It’s like telling your audience what to expect and why it matters. For example, if you’re giving a presentation about a new project, your objective could be to gain approval and support from your team.
Definitions (Optional): Consider including a definitions slide if your presentation involves specific terms or concepts your audience may not know.

Main Content : The body of your presentation is where the real meat of your topic resides. Here’s how you can structure it effectively:

Introduction to Topics : Start by introducing the main topics or sections you’ll cover. Think of this as the roadmap within your presentation. For instance, if you’re discussing the benefits of a new product, you might have sections like “Product Features,” “Market Opportunities,” and “Customer Feedback.”
Content Slides : Each main topic or section should have its series of content slides. These slides delve into the details, providing information, examples, and visuals.
Numbering: You should number your points according to priority. (1,2,3..)
Narration: Narrate each slide like a story from beginning to end.
Time Frame: You should place the slides in the time frame (Past, Present, Future)
Problem-Solving : Explain a problem, talk about how it affects things, and then offer solutions to fix it.
Transitions : Use transitional slides to guide your audience smoothly between sections or topics.
Visuals : Incorporate visuals like images, diagrams, and charts to enhance understanding and engagement.

A strong conclusion wraps up your presentation nicely. It recaps the important things you discussed and reminds your audience what they should take away. Here are some slides you might consider including:

Summary and Takeaways: The conclusion is where you tie everything together. Summarize the key points you’ve discussed in the body of your presentation. Reinforce your main message and objectives.
Call to Action (Optional) : Depending on the nature of your presentation, you should include a call to action slide. It could be an invitation for questions, a request for feedback, or a specific action you want your audience to take after the presentation.
Closing Remarks: End your presentation with some closing remarks. Thank your audience for their attention and participation. It helps create a sense of closure and leaves a positive impression.

Remember, while this structure is typical, it can be adapted to suit your specific presentation and audience. Flexibility is key. Ensure your slides are visually appealing, easy to read, and not overcrowded with text. Keep your audience’s attention by using a clear structure, engaging visuals, and a well-planned delivery.

By following this structure and considering your audience’s needs, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful PowerPoint presentation.

Technical Tips for Structuring in PowerPoint

1. Create Slide Sections

When dealing with a big PowerPoint presentation, organizing it into sections that you can easily collapse or expand is helpful. This makes it neater and easier to work on. Here’s how you can do it in simple steps:

Create a Section :

Find the slide in your list where you want to start a new section.
Right-click on that slide.
From the menu that appears, choose “Add Section.” It will create a new section.
You’ll see it’s named “Untitled Section.” To give it a proper name, right-click on it and select “Rename Section.” Then, type in the name you want.
If you need more sections, you can repeat this process to create and name them.

Move Sections :

Sometimes, you might want to change the order of your sections.
To do this, right-click on the section name you want to move.
You’ll see options to “Move Section Up” or “Move Section Down.” Choose the one that suits your needs to shift the section.

Collapse or Expand Section

If you have a lot of sections and want to focus on one, you can collapse the others.
To collapse a section, click on the little collapse icon (usually a small triangle or arrow) to the left of the section name.
You can collapse or expand all the sections by right-clicking on any section name and selecting “Collapse All” or “Expand All.”
You can access these settings by going to the “VIEW” tab and choosing “Slide Sorter.” It’s like putting different presentation parts into folders to keep things tidy and organized.

2. Use the Outline View

Another way to organize your PowerPoint presentation while editing it is by using “Outline View.” Here’s how you can use it in simple terms:

You can find Outline View in the “VIEW” tab of PowerPoint.
When you switch to Outline View, you won’t see the sections, but you will see each slide’s titles and main text. It gives you a quick look at what’s on each slide. You have the text on the left, and on the right, you see how your slides look.
You can edit your presentation directly in this view. If you want to change the text, you can do it here without going to each slide.
The text must be in a “text placeholder” to appear in the outline. A text placeholder is a box with text like “Click to add text” or “Click to add title.” These show up when you use a standard layout for your slides.
You can also change the order of your text. For example, if you have a bullet point that you want to turn into a slide title or vice versa, you can do it. Just right-click on the title or text to see options like “Promote” and “Demote.” Promote moves text up, and Demote moves it down.
One thing to be careful about is demoting a title. If you do this, it will delete the original slide and move the title and text to the slide next to it. So, make sure you want to do that.
Unfortunately, you can’t change the order of your slides in Outline View. You can only promote or demote text within slides, not entire slides.

Think of Outline View as a way to quickly see and edit the text in your presentation without getting lost in all the slides. It’s like having a summary of your content that you can work with easily.

3. Create a Table of Contents

Creating a table of contents in a PowerPoint presentation can make it easy for your viewers to navigate through it. While PowerPoint doesn’t offer an automatic table of contents feature, you can create one manually with these steps:

Insert a Table of Contents Slide : Start by inserting a table of contents slide on the title or a blank slide. Add a new slide by pressing “New Slide” on the ribbon. Once you’ve added the slide, select all its objects and delete them.
Right-click anywhere in the outline pane.
Choose “Collapse” and then “Collapse All.” It will show only the slide titles.
Click Ctrl+A to select all the slide titles, then press Ctrl+C to copy them.
Paste the Titles : Go to your table of contents slide and press Ctrl+V to paste the copied slide titles. If you have too many titles that don’t fit on one page, you can divide the table of contents into two columns or spread it across two slides.
· Select the title of the first chapter on your table of contents slide.
· Right-click and choose ” the link.”
· Press “Place in This Document” on the left-hand menu in the open window.
· Then, choose the slide corresponding to the first chapter and click “OK.”
· You must repeat this procedure to link all the chapters to their respective slides.

Creating a manual table of contents ensures viewers can jump to different parts of your presentation by clicking on the linked titles. It’s a helpful way to enhance navigation in your PowerPoint presentation.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Overloading Slides with Text : One big mistake is cramming too much text onto slides. Use concise bullet points, visuals, and speaker notes for additional details to avoid this.
Ignoring Visual Design : Neglecting visual appeal can make your presentation dull. Use consistent fonts, colors, and graphics to make your slides visually engaging but not overwhelming.
Complex Charts and Graphs : Overly complex charts must be clarified for the audience. Simplify visuals and use clear labels. Consider breaking complex data into multiple slides if needed.
Too Many Animations : Excessive animations can distract from your message. Use animations sparingly and purposefully to emphasize key points.
Lack of Rehearsal : Not rehearsing leads to stumbling during the actual presentation. Practice your delivery multiple times to ensure a smooth flow.
Ignoring Your Audience : Failing to consider your audience’s needs and knowledge level can result in a presentation that doesn’t resonate. Tailor your content to your audience’s background and interests.
Skipping a Clear Structure : Your presentation can feel disjointed without a logical structure. Follow the introduction, body, and conclusion structure, and use transitions to connect ideas.
Technical Glitches : Technical issues like malfunctioning equipment or unreadable fonts can disrupt your presentation. Always have a backup plan and test your setup beforehand.
Reading Slides Aloud : Reading slides word-for-word is boring. Use slides as visual aids, and speak naturally to engage your audience.
Neglecting Q&A Preparation : Not preparing for questions can leave you confused. Anticipate possible questions and rehearse answers.

In conclusion, structuring a PowerPoint presentation is as vital as its content. A well-organized presentation helps your audience understand and retain information while keeping you, the presenter, on track.

Remember to create sections, utilize Outline View for efficient editing, and add a table of contents for easy navigation.

Avoid common pitfalls like information overload, design neglect, and technical glitches. Instead, focus on engaging visuals, practice, and audience-centered content.

By implementing these strategies and maintaining a clear structure, you can create compelling presentations that captivate your audience and effectively convey your message. Your next PowerPoint presentation can be a powerful tool that informs, persuades, and leaves a lasting impact.

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How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

content creator

Helen Colman See full bio →

How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

Think of a movie that has breathtaking special effects but no storyline. Does it have any chances of becoming a blockbuster? Of course not. The same is true with a PowerPoint presentation. No matter how beautiful the visuals of your slide deck are, it will never be a success if it doesn’t follow a logically sound structure.

In this post, we’ll cover the typical presentation structure in PowerPoint – what sections it should include – and provide some practical tips on how to arrange the slides and implement these ideas technically. Use these practical guidelines to organize your slides in a clear and simple way and save time on their development. But first, let’s see why your PPT deck needs to be guided by a structure.

Why Is Structuring a PowerPoint Presentation Important?

A sound deck structure is crucial for audience understanding. When the information is presented logically, it’s much easier for a viewer to get the message. The research supports this idea – it shows that people are 40% more likely to retain structured information than unstructured information.

If you’re going to accompany your slideshow with an oral presentation, a good structure is also important for you as a speaker. It will help you feel confident, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences, so you’re more likely to win your audience over.

What Is the Typical PowerPoint Presentation Structure?

A good PowerPoint presentation always has a story to tell and, like any narration, it consists of three basic parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. Let’s look at each part in greater detail with some examples.

Introduction

The introduction sets the tone for the entire presentation and explains what the audience will come away with after viewing it. Here are the multiple slides you may need to add in the intro:

This is the main part of your presentation, which should keep the promises you made in the introduction. This is where you explain your topic and present all your information.

Depending on the nature of your presentation, divide it into segments/points. Arrange your points in a logical order and then provide information to support each of them. There are many different ways to organize your key points, for example:

Number your points according to their priority (1, 2, 3, …)
Place the points in a time frame (past, present, future)
Use narration (tell a story from beginning to end)
Present the points with a problem-solution dynamic (state a problem, describe its impact, offer ways to solve the issue)

A good conclusion summarizes the key points you made or highlights what the audience should have learned. It clarifies the general purpose of your presentation and reinforces the reason for viewing it. Here are the slides you may want to include:

Summary. List what goals your audience have achieved, what knowledge they got, and how this information can help them in the future.
Conclusion. Here you can thank your audience for viewing the presentation.

Tips for Structuring a Presentation in PowerPoint

Now that you know which parts a typical presentation should consist of, let’s see how to structure it in PowerPoint.

1. Combine slides into sections

When working with a large PowerPoint presentation (PPT), you can create sections that can be collapsed and expanded. This will help you keep presentation slides organized and facilitate navigation in editing mode. To do that, follow these steps:

To shift a section, right-click on its name and use the Move Section Up and Move Section Down options.
To collapse or expand a certain section, click on the collapse icon to the left of the section name. You can also minimize and maximize all sections at once by right-clicking on the section name and choosing Collapse All or Expand All .

As well, you can access these settings by choosing Slide Sorter under the VIEW tab.

This kind of segmentation is a great way to overview the logical flow of your slides all at once and see if there are any changes required. For example, you may decide to break one slide into two or three, or the other way around.

2. Use the Outline View

One other way to structure a PowerPoint presentation in the editing mode is to use Outline View . You can choose it from the VIEW tab.

This view doesn’t display sections, but it shows the title and main text of each slide, which can give you a quick overview of the presentation contents. Here you can go through the entire text and edit it instantly. You can also work with text (on the left) and slides (on the right) simultaneously, as the latter is shown on the right side of your screen.

Note that, to be displayed in an outline, text needs to be typed in a text placeholder, not a text box . A text placeholder is a box with the words “Click to add text” or “Click to add title”, and it appears when you choose a standard layout.

You can also use Outline View to promote bullet text to titles and the other way around. To do that, right-click on a relevant title or text and select the Promote or Demote options.

Promote and Demote options in PowerPoint

Be attentive about demoting a title, as this will delete the original slide and move its title and text to the adjacent slide.

PowerPoint only allows users to promote and demote text, not entire slides. Therefore, there’s no possibility to change the hierarchical order of slides.

3. Create a table of contents

All the aforementioned tips help you organize a presentation when formatting it. However, it’s crucial that your viewers can easily navigate through entire presentation too. One sure way to provide them with this opportunity is to create an interactive and structured table of contents.

Though there’s no native automatic outline in PowerPoint, it can be created manually:

Creating a table of contents in PowerPoint

Press Ctrl+A to select all the names, and Ctrl+C to copy them.
Then Press Ctrl+V to paste the copied titles on the desired slide. In case there are too many titles and they don’t fit onto a single page, you can divide the table of contents into two columns or place it on two slides.

You’ll need to repeat this procedure to link all the chapters to corresponding slides. For more information, read this step-by-step guide on how to add a hyperlink in PowerPoint .

Now all the chapters can be accessed from a single table of contents, which is very convenient. However, you will also need to link them back to that unifying page. You can do this by inserting an Action Button on every slide of your presentation in Slide Master mode:

Now there is a single page from which all the other pages can be easily accessed. As well, it’s possible to go back to the table of contents at any time with the intuitive Home button.

Depending on the size of your presentation, the time it takes to create an interactive outline may vary, as you will need to add hyperlinks to every chapter manually. Be aware that if you rename a slide or simply delete it, these changes will not be automatically registered in the table of contents. For example, if you delete a slide, its title will still be displayed in the table of contents, but clicking on it won’t lead the viewer to another point in the presentation.

This is what our sample presentation looks like:

A Better Way to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

Creating a table of contents manually might be fine for a small presentation, but if you have 122 slides, it would require too much time and energy to do so. That’s why, instead of manually creating a table of contents, we took advantage of iSpring Suite and simply enabled the automatic outline.

iSpring Suite

Fully-stocked eLearning authoring toolkit for PowerPoint. No training required to start!

Note: iSpring Suite turns slides into HTML5 format, so your audience can view them online, right in their browsers.

As you can see, the new presentation has a pop-up outline and a navigation panel, which make it possible to move to any slide at any time without leaving the slide show mode.

How to set up navigation

To create navigation in your presentation, follow these simple steps:

Get a free trial of iSpring Suite.

When you’ve configured the Slide Properties settings, click on Save & Close in the upper-left corner.

How to configure an outline

Whereas PowerPoint requires the outline to be designed manually, iSpring Suite has already prepared it for you. At the same time, you don’t have to stick with the standard outline template, as you can easily customize the player’s final look and feel:

Publishing a presentation in iSpring Suite

We recommend leaving Enable Search marked, as this will allow viewers to search for any content at any time, including the texts on the slides. This is especially useful for large presentations with a lot of text.

If you have previously arranged slides into multiple levels in the Slide Properties, then leave Multilevel outline marked. That way, the outline will display the nesting structure of the presentation, facilitating navigation. You can learn more about the other outline options here .

Adjusting the outline appearance in iSpring Suite

When you have finished configuring the player, click on Apply & Close in the upper-left corner.
Now you can publish your enhanced presentation either to HTML5, to make it easily accessible via browser on any device, or MP4 video format. If you’re going to upload your presentation to an LMS, you can publish it to any eLearning format: SCORM, AICC, Tin Can, or cmi5.

While a standard PowerPoint slideshow is straightforward and limited, iSpring Suite saves viewers from having to follow a strict slide order. An interactive and searchable outline allows non-linear navigation, where any information can be accessed at any time at a glance.

Also read : → How to Convert PowerPoint to MP4 Video

Also read : → How To Record Presentations With Audio

Another perk

iSpring Suite comes with Content Library , which provides a great collection of presentation templates and allows you to create professional-looking presentations in a matter of minutes. Each template includes basic course elements: a title slide, a table of contents, chapters, a timeline, and info slides. Organize them in the order you prefer, populate them with your texts and images, and your presentation is ready to go.

We hope this article will help you develop an ideal structure for your PowerPoint presentation and do this quickly and easily. Captivate your audience with a powerful and persuasive presentation!

Do you have any other insights on how to simplify PowerPoint slides design? Please share them in the comment section. We’d like to hear from you.

Table of Contents

Create online courses and assessments in record time.

Content creator

Helen Colman

She enjoys combining in-depth research with expert knowledge of the industry. If you have eLearning insights that you’d like to share, please get in touch .

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters.

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion:

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message.

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations .

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software .

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong.

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively .

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence.

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload.

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started.

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs.

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account.

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations.

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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How to Create and Present a Project Presentation

Knowing how to deliver a successful project presentation is a must have skill for professionals, whether in corporate, academic or business settings. It is more than just sharing a slideshow and information. To get success, you must know how to craft a compelling narrative that effectively conveys your ideas and plans. In this article, I will provide insights on how you can create and deliver memorable project presentations. Keep reading to learn more!

What is a Project Presentation?

A project presentation is a formal activity where stakeholders and team members gather to review and oversee the project from initiation to completion. It involves presenting a slide deck, that outlines the project’s key details.

So how do you ensure you create a successful project presentation? Follow these steps:

1. Understand Your Audience

Even before you start crafting your presentation, first take a moment to think about your audience. Who are they? What do they know about your topic? What are their interests and concerns? No matter the type of presentation you are about to create, tailoring your presentation to your audience’s needs will make it more relevant and engaging.

The audience can include team members who will work on the project who need detailed information about the requirements, roadmap, work breakdown structure and deliverables. And of course, it will also include the project stakeholders who authorize resources and expenses. Stakeholders need details on the project scope, budget, timing, risk assessments, and how you plan to address those risks. Think of all this before you head out to start creating your presentation.

2. Now Define Your Objective

Think about the main goal of your presentation. Are you trying to inform, persuade, or motivate your audience? A clear objective will guide the content and structure of your presentation. While creating your presentation, make sure every part of your presentation aligns with this objective.

3. Structure Your Presentation

Your presentation must be well structured, as a well structured presentation is much easier to follow. Generally your presentation must contain the following elements:

Introduction : Start with a hook to grab your audience’s attention. This catches the audience’s interest and makes them curious to know what’s coming next. Introduce yourself and outline the topics you will cover in the presentation.
Main Content : Next, in the main content, divide the content into clear, logical sections. Each section should cover a key point or idea.
Conclusion : Summarize the main points of your presentation, restate your objective, and end with a strong closing statement to make your presentation memorable.

Talking about structure, here’s what your slideshow must contain the following:

Executive Summary

First of all start with an executive summary to introduce the presentation and provide context. Learn more about executive summaries in this article here .

Project Overview

Next up, provide a brief background about your project, its objectives, and goals. Include a quick overview of the timeline with start and end dates. Find timeline templates for your presentation here .

The Project Process Model

Talk about the chosen project process model, such as Waterfall, Scrum, or Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). Explain how it will guide all the activities through the project lifecycle.

The Project Scope

Discuss the project scope, including requirements gathering, work breakdown structure, and scope management plans.

The Project Resources

Present a budget breakdown next. Tailor this section to your specific industry.

The Project Roadmap

You can use visual layouts to present the project roadmap, highlighting milestones and time estimates for your project. For ongoing projects, mark the current progress on the roadmap. To get started with this, check out some of these roadmap presentation templates .

The Project Activities Plan

After that, you can detail the project activities plan using a Gantt Chart and Costs Report. Break down each phase into specific tasks, their duration, and allocated resources.

The Project Risks

In the next section you can dedicate a few slides to identify, assess, evaluate, and mitigate project risks. Visualize your risk assessment with a risk matrix and explain your mitigation strategies.

Quality Control

Outline the quality control techniques you will use, such as Six Sigma , ISO 9000, or Total Quality Management (TQM) and include a slide to visualize the quality control process. You can do so very easily with templates found on our website.

Project Execution and Monitoring

Explain how you are going to monitor activities and measure deliverable outcomes. Use dashboards to present progress reports, performance KPIs, and status updates.

The Project Team

Include a stakeholder map or org chart to introduce the management team, sponsors, main stakeholders, and implementation teams. Provide background on each person’s role in the project. To get started, check out some of these org chart presentation templates .

Tips For a Successful Project Presentation

Create engaging content.

First and foremost, your content should be clear, concise, and engaging. You do not want your audience to lose interest during your presentations, especially during something as important as a project presentation. Here are some tips to help you create content that captivates your audience:

Tell a Story : Use storytelling techniques to make your points more relatable and memorable.
Use Visuals : Use less text and more visual aids like slides, charts, and images can help illustrate your points and keep your audience engaged. Make sure your visuals are high-quality and relevant to your content.
Include Data : Data and statistics can add credibility to your presentation. So make sure to use them to back up your points. But do not overuse them and overwhelm your audience with too much information.

Pay Attention to Slide Design

Your slides should complement your presentation, not distract from it. Here are some design tips:

Keep it Simple : Use a clean, consistent layout. Avoid clutter and unnecessary elements.
Limit Text : Use only a few words on your slides. You are not supposed to read aloud your slides. Your slides are only supposed to support your presentation.
Limit Fonts : Stick to 2 fonts, and use them throughout your presentation for a consistent look.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice is key to a successful presentation. Make sure you create your slides well ahead of time to make more time for rehearsals. You can make slides a lot faster simply by using presentation templates instead of creating slides from scratch.

Rehearse your presentation multiple times to become familiar with the content and flow. Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, or present to a friend for feedback.

Prepare for Questions

Always be ready for questions from your audience. Think about potential questions and prepare your answers. This will help you with confidence, and you’ll be able to answer any question easily.

Creating and presenting a successful project presentation is an art that combines clear communication, engaging content, and confident delivery. By following these steps and continually refining your skills, you can deliver presentations that inform, persuade, and inspire your audience. Happy presenting!

At SlideBazaar, we help you create engaging and memorable presentations. Choose from our collection of professional templates or opt for our custom design services for a personalized touch. Your presentations deserve to be elevated to new heights, and we’re here to help you achieve just that!

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Presentation structure: Tips & examples for the perfect presentation structure

A well-structured presentation is crucial to engaging your audience and getting your message across effectively. A clear presentation structure allows the audience to follow your thoughts and arguments easily and remember the information presented better. In this article, we give you a comprehensive guide to the perfect presentation structure and offer you helpful tips and examples to make your presentation a success.

The start of the presentation: raising interest and providing orientation

The beginning of your presentation is of great importance as it sets the tone for the entire talk and should arouse the interest of your audience. Start with a powerful introduction that introduces the topic and grabs the audience's attention. For example, you can use a relevant quote, an anecdote or a provocative question to arouse the audience's curiosity. Further tips and examples for presentation introductions. After you have aroused interest, you should give your audience a clear orientation by introducing the main points of your presentation. List the main points you will cover and make sure they are well structured. A guiding question can help you maintain the thread of your presentation and get your message across at the end.

The main part: An in-depth look at the topic

The main part of your presentation should take up most of your speaking time and cover the topic in depth. Here you have the opportunity to present your specialist knowledge and shed light on the topic from different perspectives. Structure the main part logically and use clear transitions to allow the audience to move smoothly between topics. Use verifiable arguments, valid facts and supporting examples to back up your statements. Graphics, images and diagrams can also be used to visually represent complex information and make it easier to understand. Make sure that your presentation slides are not overloaded and focus on the most important points.

The end: Summary and call to action

The end of your presentation is just as important as the beginning. Use this section to summarize the key points again and ensure that the key messages stick in your audience's mind. A clear conclusion gives your audience a final understanding of the topic. You can also use the conclusion to ask your listeners to take action. For example, if your topic is intended to draw attention to a problem, you can encourage your listeners to take action and do something. Offer them a simple invitation to take action and make it effective. Here are 7 examples of the perfect way to end your presentation.

An example of a good presentation structure

To give you a better idea of a successful presentation structure, here is an example of how you could organize your presentation:

1. Introduction

Arouse interest
Provide orientation
Ask the key question

2.Main section

Summary of the key points
Request for action

Find more tips for the optimal structure of a presentation here.

Creating a presentation - choosing the right tool

Choosing the right tool to create and deliver your presentation can make a big difference. Nowadays, there are a variety of technologies and platforms specifically designed to make presentations easier and more effective. One such tool that comes highly recommended is Collaboard. Collaboard is an online whiteboard that not only offers the ability to create engaging and interactive presentations, but also offers a variety of collaboration and interactivity features.

Here you will find detailed instructions on how to create a presentation with Collaboard. With Collaboard, you can visually organize your thoughts and ideas, highlight parts of your presentation and even collaborate with others in real time. Plus, technical issues can be avoided as the software is cross-platform and runs in the cloud, meaning you can access it from anywhere and on any device. So, when you're planning your next presentation, remember: choosing the right tool can help you get your message across more effectively and make your presentation a success.

The role of visualizations in building the presentation

Visualizations are a powerful tool in any presentation. Not only do they serve to make your presentation more visually appealing, but they can also help simplify complex information and make it easier for the audience to understand. Infographics, diagrams, images or even videos can be used to illustrate data, trends and correlations that would otherwise be difficult to convey. In addition, a well-designed visualization can help to keep the interest and attention of your audience. But be careful: make sure that your visualizations are not overloaded and present the content clearly and simply. They should support your message and not distract from it. Remember that a good visualization is worth a thousand words, and use it wisely to take your presentation to the next level.

Presentation structure: Your guide to success through clear structure and effective message delivery

A well-structured presentation is the key to success. By having a clear and logical presentation structure, you can ensure that your message is conveyed effectively and that your audience can understand your presentation more easily. Use the tips and examples in this article to make your next presentation a success.

Presentation structure - Frequently asked questions & answers

What is the best way to start my presentation.

An effective way to start a presentation is to include an interesting hook such as an amazing statistic, a personal story or a provocative question to grab the audience's attention.

How long should the presentation last?

The ideal length of a presentation depends on the context, but a good rule of thumb is that it should last no longer than 20-30 minutes to keep the audience's attention.

How many slides should I use for my presentation?

There is no hard and fast rule for the number of slides, but a common approach is to plan one slide per minute of presentation time. However, the most important rule is that each slide should have a clear purpose.

How can I ensure that my message is communicated effectively?

Make sure that your presentation is clearly structured and that every point you make contributes directly to your main message. Visualizations and examples can also help to get your message across more effectively.

What do I do if I feel nervous during my presentation?

It's normal to be nervous before a presentation. Take a deep breath, speak more slowly and remind yourself that you are the expert on your topic. Practice and preparation can also help to reduce nervousness.

How do I deal with questions or objections during my presentation?

Be open to questions and objections and see them as an opportunity to better understand your audience and cover your topic in more detail. Prepare in advance for possible questions and take time to answer each question carefully.

Which technology should I use for my presentation?

The choice of technology depends on your needs and the context. A good online tool like Collaboard can help you design and deliver your presentation effectively.

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How to Structure a Great Presentation

presentation structure, great presentation template

Today, visual communication is more important than ever. The time we spend in a home-office is rapidly growing . Not only that, but the interaction between us changed significantly in the last couple of years.

It’s completely normal to work with somebody for a long time, but never meet them in person. You can get customers, suppliers, investors anywhere on the globe—without the actual need to travel there personally.

Webinars have been with us for quite some time, but we can all agree that the number of webinar events is unprecedented. With those comes a variety of webinar services , so nowadays you are presenting through MS Teams, later participating in Google Hangouts, and tomorrow you are invited to a Webinarjam event.

Even personal meetings are becoming fast-paced. Everybody has a lot to do. It is critical to communicate in a clear an simple way.

This is why visual presentation is now more important than ever. It is not difficult to lay out an idea in 50 slides and give a two-hour presentation. But in the modern world, it is not possible to have such long interactions.

A challenge is to put an idea on a few presentation slides and get your message across in five minutes. While this is an extreme example, in most cases this is what the presenter should strive for.

In this post, we will go over the main tips on structuring an informative, clear, and short presentation.

You could also learn on the go by creating an account on Piktochart for free. Select one of our presentation templates to get started.

Considerations Before Structuring Your Presentation.

Before we dive into actionable tips to get your presentation going, first let’s clarify some of the main points.

What is the goal of your presentation?

Making posters , infographics, or presentations; whatever your visual medium, you need to ask yourself what is its purpose. Is the main objective of your presentation to pitch investors ? Get new customers? Discuss an idea with your colleagues?

Never do the presentation just because “it has to be done”. Your whole pitch will be much more efficient when you know exactly why you are doing it and where you need to get your audience to.

Who is your audience?

As for every marketing endeavor, the same goes for presentations —know your audience. It does not have to be exact research, but you must know the overall information.

Age, profession, interests—the more you connect with your audience the more memorable will your presentation be.

No matter the goal of the presentation, during your pitch, the audience is your client. And as a famous saying goes, “know your client”.

What are the main points?

Right at the beginning, establish the main points that you want your audience to remember. If I would ask one of the presentation participants in a week what was your pitch about—what would he/she answer?

Presentation style

There are many ways how you can style (structure) your presentation. Which approach you will choose hugely depends on what is required from you. Let’s go over some of the most popular styles of the presentation:

Short Presentation

If you are one of many presenters that day, you will have a very limited amount of time to present your idea. In addition to that, you may be speaking after many people. So at this point, the audience is already tired and it is important for you to stand out.

In this situation, you must compress your ideas to as few points as possible. Your presentation will probably not have more than 3-5 slides. On these slides, only the main points will be included.

Piktochart has many great templates that will help you create a pitch deck (or a quick presentation) in no time! Sign up for free to create a visual.

Guest Presenter

If you are one of the main participants of the program, you will have more time to present. Though it may not seem so, it is much easier to prepare for a longer presentation than for a short one.

In this case, you may add more points to each slide, and speak more freely on the topic.

Problem Solving

You may see this approach frequently on TED. Presenters briefly talk about themselves, then they describe the problem that exists there.

To emphasize its importance, they also describe the possible impacts of the problem not being solved. After the stage is set, they describe how they would solve it.

Storytelling

We frequently see this approach in various motivational presentations. Storytelling is a great way to emotionally connect with the audience. All the stories start with an underdog. Why? Because everybody can relate.

They go through struggles, setbacks, problems. Again—everyone can relate. They end with catharsis in a form of success or justice. For the last part, not many can relate but they can emotionally resonate with it as they too would like such an outcome for themselves.

Demonstration

We all remember the presentation of the iPhone by Steve Jobs in 2007:

Or the unveiling of the Tesla 3 model by Elon Musk:

Rather than the speaker, the center stage is given to the product. This is what good demonstration-presentation should look like.

The main topic becomes the product, so all the tips that we will discuss in this post must be related to it.

There are many other niche styles of the presentation, but most of the ones you see (and do) will fall into one of the described categories.

So since we established the main presentation styles, let’s dive a bit deeper into the way a good presentation would be structured.

Presentation Structure

While in the previous section we established what and to who we will be presenting. In this section, we will go over the main flow of your presentation.

In this section, I will use some examples. All of them come from Piktochart, and they are of course done for illustration purposes only—so please do not judge my creations too critically.

Also, for each section, I will be using a different visual template. Your presentation should of course be coherent in terms of style!

Cover Slide

Through your presentation, you are telling a story and all good stories start at the beginning. Cover slides look professional when you present and they are a must when you are printing or sending.

Nothing too complicated. Brief and to the point. The cover slide is there to establish the topic (or that audience knows that they are in the right room) and set an overall tone to the presentation.

If you have a longer presentation, an agenda slide should be included. Sure, if you are going with a 5-minute sales pitch—skip this, but it is good to let your audience know what you will cover and how much time it will take.

Profile Slide

It is important to establish authority with your audience. Why should they listen to you? What qualifications or experiences do you have?

The profile slide is a great tool to establish your background and also to connect a bit.

I am not a big fan of jokes in presentations. Particularly when speaking to a bigger audience. What may seem like a witty joke to you, may be taken as not funny or even insulting by your audience.

But if I would be considering a small joke, it would be in the profile slide. Do not overdo it, or don’t it at all if you are not sure about it.

The Problem

The common pleasantries are behind us and now we are getting to the main part of a good presentation. It opens with The Problem.

For this post, I will not be explaining how to present a quarterly financial report (you may find plenty of report presentations here). But (as you may have noticed) we are rather having a look at how a sales deck, investment pitch, or product presentation may look like.

The problem slide will set out the main point of the presentation. This is when you are trying to seriously connect with your audience.

In the case of a pitch—you are trying to present the problem in such a way that many people can relate to it. If nobody can relate—nobody will be interested.

If you are just doing a presentation on the topic (not a sales pitch), you might want to draft this in a way that will explain the overall environment of the topic that you are to tell about—to set the tone of the whole presentation.

The Solution

After the tone of the presentation is set, or in the case of a pitch—the problem is explained, it is time to deliver what everybody is here for. For the pitch it would be the solution, for the overall presentation—it would be just an explanation of things (or possibly your personal view on the matter).

As with everything else, the provided solution/explanation must be as simple as possible. It must directly tackle the problem/the tone of the presentation that you‘ve set in the earlier slide.

The Conclusion Slide

After the main talk is done, close the presentation with the final slide. One of the teachings of leadership books (or pseudo-teachings) is that even if you are silent for the whole meeting, but in the end, you recap all that was said by others—you will be seen as a leader.

Closing statement matters. Ending with a properly chosen inspirational quote is something that worked well for me.

Of course, it will depend on the overall theme and tone of your presentation. But first and last impressions matter. So make sure you close on a strong note.

Right before the closing slide, it is good to set up a “stop slide” which will remind you that now is a good time to take some questions.

You may start with a couple of pre-written questions to get the discussion going and then see if there are some questions from the public.

Closing Slide

The final slide of your presentation will be the one with Thank You note and contact information.

Make sure that you include the contact information, so you make it easier for everyone to find you.

That is it. While it may seem like a lot of work, with Piktochart templates you will be much quicker. The brief slides that you see above took me a couple of minutes to make.

So while we have the main structure of the presentation behind us, let’s have a look at some actionable tips that you should think of when preparing for your event or a webinar.

Presentation Tips

No matter what type of presentation awaits you, here are some presentation tips that will hopefully help you as much as they helped me:

When designing your presentation, make sure to leave space on the left or upper side. This will serve you well if you have to print and bind your presentation.
Font type matters . It sets the tone for your presentation. Piktochart has lots of great combinations to choose from, but when in doubt, Helvetica and possibly Verdana will always look good. For tables with lots of numbers, Arial will be both readable and will fit the cells.
This will force you to put less text on the slide.
Always imagine that you are a 50+ investor sitting in a back row. How readable is your presentation for him/her?
In small groups, take questions as you go . It will help you develop the topic and better feel out what your listeners are thinking about (worried about).
In bigger groups, leave the Q&A to the end of the presentation . Otherwise, it will be too messy and you will constantly get interrupted.
The presentation podium is an enemy . It will make you stand in one spot, with no movement, and monotonously monolog through your presentation. Do not do it.
Use your voice . It is said that to get into the meditative state of trance, you have to hum on the same low frequency. You do not want that to happen to your listeners right? Do not be overly dramatic or emotional, but do not be afraid to give a rhetorical question or to give color to your presentation with the proper use of your voice.
Do not read from your presentation . Your slides are there just so you can keep track of where you are in your story. Pay attention to the audience, not the presentation.
If possible, do not give out your presentation in advance . Your audience will read through it, make their conclusion about it and you will have no chance to explain all the nuances.

The hardest part of a presentation is to start. When you are staring at a blank slide, it seems like it just can’t be done. You do not know where to put the pictures, how the titles should be, how the text will be laid out.

Here is where Piktochart’s online presentation maker comes to the rescue. Create an account for free and choose the design that seems to work for your topic and just start filling the blanks. As you will progress, the path will be much clearer.

Hopefully these tips on how to structure a presentation and how to present it will help you achieve your goal!

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How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

No matter how sleek or beautiful your slide decks appear, your presentation won’t be a success if it fails to adhere to a sound and proper structure, throughout. This is why it’s worth taking some time to learn how most effective presentations are structured.

And what could be a better way to understand the right way to design your presentations than learn it from a presentation company ? In this article, we share the standard structure of an effective PowerPoint presentation, in addition to some practical tips on how to implement this structure technically, using PowerPoint.

What Is the Standard Presentation Structure?

A decent presentation always has an important story to tell and, just like any other narration, it primarily consists of three basic sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction

The first section in your presentation should be an introduction. It should set the tone for your entire presentation and explain to the audience what they can expect from your presentation. Here are some of the slides you may want to add in the introduction section:

The title of the presentation
The objective(s) of the presentation
A table of contents

As you can guess, this will be the main section of your presentation, where you explain your topic of concern. Break down your content into bite-sized points, arrange them in a logical order, and then present all the information you would like to share with your audience, in order to support each of your points.

This section is to summarise all the key points or highlights from your presentation. Share with your audience how this information will help them in the future. Finally, thank the audience for viewing your presentation.

Tips for Structuring a PowerPoint Presentation

Now that you know what sections a typical presentation consists of, let’s take a look at how to structure it effectively in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Create slides and edit them in Outline View

It’s always a good idea to structure a PowerPoint presentation while in the editing mode. To do this efficiently, go to the ‘View’ tab and select ‘Outline View’. It will show you the title and main text section for each slide, and let you edit the text, while also providing an overview of the presentation’s content.

TIP: You can also use the Outline View to select a section of bullet text and promote it to slide titles, and vice versa. To do this, right-click on a relevant piece of text or title and select ‘Promote’ or ‘Demote’.

Arrange slides into sections

If you are developing a large PowerPoint presentation, it’s best to organise it by clubbing multiple slides together into sections that can be easily collapsed and expanded, whenever required.

To create a new section, go to the list of slides, and right-click on the slide from where you want a new section to begin.

From the drop-down menu, select ‘Add Section’ and assign a name to the section.

To re-order the sections, right-click on the section name and click ‘Move Section Up’ or ‘Move Section Down’.
To expand or collapse a section, click on the icons for the same on the left of the section name.

TIP: You can also access these settings by going to the under the ‘View’ tab and choosing Slide Sorter.

Create a well-organised table of contents

The aforementioned tips will help you organise a presentation’s content. However, it’s also crucial that your audience can navigate through your presentation with ease. This is why it’s always a good idea to create a structured and interactive table of contents, and place it near the beginning of the presentation.

To do this, follow these steps:

Go to the title slide or a blank slide and insert the table of contents.
Switch to ‘Outline View’, right-click on the outline pane, and click ‘Collapse’. Then, click ‘Collapse All’ to display only the titles.
Select all the slide titles, copy them, and paste them on the desired slide.
Select the title of the first slide and right-click on it. Then, click on ‘Link’.
In the window that opens next, select ‘Place in This Document’ (from the left-hand menu), select the corresponding slide for the selected title, and click OK.

Repeat this procedure for the remaining titles and link them to the corresponding slides.

Wrapping Up

There you have it! There are many more tips to come, so, if you are interested to learn more about presentation design, don’t forget to check out our future blog posts.

Want to take your online presentation game to the next level? Contact us today!

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to structure any presentation

How to structure any presentation

No matter what your topic’s about, there are effective ways to set up your presentation structure. A well-delivered presentation is memorable, logical, and will impart your knowledge and expertise to your audience. And research backs this up : audiences retain information that’s in a properly structured presentation 40% more accurately than without an order. Learn how to structure your presentation and get the most out of presentation software , while making the most impact.

Why follow a structure?

The most compelling presentations follow a logical narrative. You begin with establishing a foundation, introducing your thesis statement, and then diving into your points.

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

If this structure seems familiar, that’s because it mimics the five-paragraph essay that uses the same narrative form, except in a written versus visual context.

Start with an accurate, concise title

In your opening slide, your title, subtitle, and any other descriptions will introduce your topic to your audience. Whether it’s humorous, academic, or a little of both, it’s best to keep your title concise and therefore memorable; your subtitle can expand on more details.

If you choose, you can include a summary of your presentation as a preview of what your audience can expect and the points you aim to cover. This can touch on how long the presentation will last, what the audience will learn, and what anticipated questions you may be expecting. You can easily place this information into a table of contents in PowerPoint.

Introduce yourself to your audience

The first slides of your presentation should explain to the audience why you’re here, and why you’re the most qualified to explain this topic. Perhaps you had previously written persuasive papers on the subject or you’re the project lead on this role. A brief biographical statement with highlights to your career or expertise, punctuated by bullet points, will go a long way into touching upon your qualifications.

Bring the topic into the fold

Next, you’ll be introducing your topic to your audience—which will be an overview of the angles you’ll explore in this presentation. Discuss your thesis statement in the form of your presentation’s purpose: do you aim to refute a common misperception, or persuade the audience towards a certain way of thinking? Discuss the potential challenges to your thesis statement, and know that later in the presentation, you’ll be addressing these issues head-on in order to make your argument airtight.

State your argument in the main body

The main body of your presentation will be the bulk of your presentation, and you can make this section as long as it needs to be in order to get your point across to your audience. No matter what approach your presentation takes, it will consist of bullet points, images, and multimedia. Visual aids go a long way to helping your audience retain information, and PowerPoint makes it easy to insert images and videos into your slides.

Begin with statements that are short, memorable, and impactful. Then, back these up with facts and evidence from your research: The key to successful sourcing applies to essay research as well as presentations. Be sure to place enough separation between distinct ideas into their own slides, as too much information in one slide can become overwhelming and therefore more easily forgotten.

Sum everything up in your conclusion

To help your audience retain what they’ve learned, make sure to sum up all the key points of your presentation. Your conclusion should be brief and to the point. Make sure you don’t bring up any new information in your conclusion.

Be sure to answer questions

At the end of most presentations, there is time for questions and answers. Here, you can dive into detail with specific concerns your audience might have, while using this time as a chance to reflect your own expertise.

Be sure to budget enough time (approximately 5 to 10 minutes) for this portion, depending on the subject and response. Your audience will likely appreciate this chance of interaction, and by addressing any questions they might have, you can reinforce the merits of your presentation on a personal level.

Presentations might be difficult, but developing a well-structured presentation can impart confidence—which will be helpful in reducing the anxiety that comes with public speaking. For more tips on how to deliver a winning presentation, check out Microsoft 365 .

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Topics in this article

How to introduce yourself in a presentation

Gain your audience’s attention at the onset of a presentation. Craft an impressionable introduction to establish tone, presentation topic, and more.

How to add citations to your presentation

Conduct research and appropriately credit work for your presentation. Understand the importance of citing sources and how to add them to your presentation.

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Structure Your Presentation Like a Story

Nancy Duarte

To win people over, create tension between the status quo and a better way.

After studying hundreds of speeches, I’ve found that the most effective presenters use the same techniques as great storytellers: By reminding people of the status quo and then revealing the path to a better way, they set up a conflict that needs to be resolved.

ND Nancy Duarte is a best-selling author with thirty years of CEO-ing under her belt. She’s driven her firm, Duarte, Inc., to be the global leader behind some of the most influential messages and visuals in business and culture. Duarte, Inc., is the largest design firm in Silicon Valley, as well as one of the top woman-owned businesses in the area. Nancy has written six best-selling books, four have won awards, and her new book, DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story , is available now. Follow Duarte on Twitter: @nancyduarte or LinkedIn .

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How to make a project plan presentation for clients and stakeholders

Elevate your project presentations to new heights! Learn the art of captivating clients and stakeholders with our expert tips.

Tim Stumbles

May 13, 2014

25 min read

Updated on February 27, 2024

Ever wondered what sets successful project managers apart? It’s the knack for delivering killer project presentations. Whether you’re gearing up for a stakeholder meeting or updating the higher-ups, nailing clear communication is the name of the game.

In this article, we’re not just talking about how to showcase data – we’re diving into the art of creating engaging project plans that captivate clients and stakeholders .

To help you transform your project presentations, we’ll share insights into how to:

Simplify your approach for impactful communication.
Visualize project plans effectively to captivate your audience .
Select the right chart type for your project .
Streamline project organization using Excel .

Get ready for practical tips and actionable techniques to make your presentations shine, breaking down the barriers of business communication right from the start!

1. Simplify your presentation for impactful communication

When presenting to project stakeholders, it’s crucial to move beyond mere data and offer a compelling narrative. Rather than drowning in the details of a project charter, consider crafting a visually engaging project roadmap . This approach allows you to add context and to delve into specifics as needed.

While Microsoft Project is commonly used in the planning phase, its detailed Gant chart views (like the example below), may not effectively convey key insights during stakeholder meetings. This is why your next executive-level project review should rely on more visual project management tools to lay out the strategic planning process. The goal is to make complex information easily digestible while ensuring stakeholders grasp the business implications.

An exec-level project review should summarize the strategic planning process and showcase its progress in a visually appealing manner. Remember: the challenge consists of making the information easy to digest and ensuring that audiences understand the business implications.

2. Visualize project data effectively

The best option for outlining a project’s plan is to create a workflow diagram that correlates the tasks with the critical milestones, as shown in the Gantt chart example below:

Presenting the project roadmap in this manner helps your stakeholders quickly see the scheduled tasks, as well as their duration, sequences and other task dependencies , all of which define the critical path . Furthermore, connecting the project activities (tasks) with the project events (milestones) offers clients and execs more insight, which translates to better management decisions.

3. Select the right type of graphic for your project – Timelines vs Gantt charts

When it comes to visually representing your project’s strategic planning process, two main options are commonly used: timelines and Gantt charts . While timelines focus primarily on events, such as milestones, Gantt charts typically depict activities or tasks. However, to create an ideal project presentation, it’s crucial to strike a balance between showcasing both tasks and milestones.

To ensure clarity and coherence, consider utilizing a unified graph, such as a swimlane diagram . This type of graphical representation allows you to categorize tasks and milestones according to their specific project life cycle phase, providing a comprehensive overview of your project’s progress.

Swimlane diagram template made with Office Timeline

To decide which of the two visual project management charts serves you best, check out our case study on the benefits of using timelines in project presentations or our article on the do’s and don’ts of creating a Gantt chart .

Next, let’s take a comparative look at two frequently used alternatives for visually rendering a project charter, Excel and PowerPoint . We will explain how to make a Gantt chart in Excel using a bar graph, and how to make an Excel timeline using a scatter graph. We will also show you how to quickly make a single, unified Gantt chart + Timeline presentation in .PPTX by using our add-in for PowerPoint, Office Timeline .

4. Streamline project data organization in Excel

Whether or not you’re going to create the Gantt chart in Excel, this application from the Microsoft suite is a great place to start drafting the project schedule. More exactly, you will need to create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) by breaking down the project into smaller pieces of work – the tasks. Make an Excel project management template that you can reuse, then list each of the tasks on the data table in the correct sequence. The tasks will form the project Gantt chart and their order will determine the project schedule.

Another important piece of the puzzle to integrate in your Excel project management template is the milestone section. Project milestones consist of all major deadlines your plan must achieve, and they form your Excel timeline. We have included a Work Breakdown Structure example below, for clarity purposes.

Note : Keep in mind that this is a high-level presentation aimed at executives and stakeholders, so it should not be overly complex. Consider trimming it down if the project schedule contains more than 20 tasks and 20 milestones, in order to facilitate understanding and keep the audience engaged.

Option 1: Making the Excel graphs

It’s worth noting that Excel is nowhere near as graphics-oriented as PowerPoint. The direct result is that your Excel Gantt charts and timelines will tend to look more like stacked bar graphs and, respectively, scatter charts.

Another drawback is that Excel doesn’t allow you to combine a Gantt chart (tasks) with a timeline (milestones) into a unified project roadmap. Therefore, you will need to create two separate visuals and combine them on one slide or present them individually. In order to do that, you will first need to make a Gantt chart showing the tasks of your project plan and then a timeline with your project milestones. Here’s how:

Step 1: Create a Gantt chart in Excel with the stacked bar chart function

Once you have your project schedule in Excel you will add the task data into an Excel stacked bar graph and then follow approximately 20+ formatting steps to transform it from a stacked bar chart into an Excel Gantt chart, which will end up looking something like the chart below. For detailed instructions, please check out our guide on how to make a Gantt chart in Excel .

Step 2: Create a timeline in Excel using the scatter chart function

To create a timeline in Excel you will need to use a scatter chart. Add your data to the scatter chart then follow approximately 25 steps to format it so it looks like a timeline presentation, as shown below. If that’s easier, check out our easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide and a how-to video tutorial .

Note : However familiar and accessible this Microsoft application may be, there are certain limitations that make it less than ideal for project presentations, including:

No method to combine an Excel Gantt chart with a timeline. Executives and stakeholders should be able to view the tasks and milestones in conjunction with each other for better visibility into the critical deadlines and activities.
Making a project roadmap featuring a timeline or Gantt chart in Excel requires advanced operating skills. Converting Excel’s stacked and scatter charts into Gantt charts and timelines depends on properly following a specific sequence of formatting steps.
The resulting diagrams are not as visually appealing as a PowerPoint slide and considerably more difficult to share with everyone involved.

Option 2: Create the project roadmap as a native PowerPoint slide

So far, we have shown you how to make a Gantt chart in Excel and mix it with a timeline, in order to provide your stakeholders with a 2-part overview of your project schedule. Next, let’s take a look at the alternative: using a PowerPoint timeline maker with embedded Gantt chart functions to generate a slide with both graphics combined.

PowerPoint is perceived as a superior tool for building project presentations. Since it is a graphical application, it is designed for creating and communicating charts in a visual way. Additionally, since it’s a common tool in enterprises, PowerPoint is familiar to audiences, and slides can be easily shared. There are two main ways to build project slides in PowerPoint using our Office Timeline add-in :

Create the Work Breakdown Structure template in Excel and import the data

Earlier in the article we included a Work Breakdown Structure example made in Excel. The first option relies on using the import feature from Office Timeline and bring in the data tables with tasks and milestones. To import the project schedule you created in Excel, use the Office Timeline wizard which will link to your project spreadsheet (or .MPP file, if you prefer Microsoft Project). Here’s a quick demo:

There’s another reason to import the data from an Excel spreadsheet and that’s the refresh data feature . In short, since the PowerPoint slide is linked to a worksheet, it can be synchronized and updated with the click of a button when the spreadsheet data changes. Check out our support article that explains how the sync process works .

Note : For better visibility, Office Timeline also allows you to import tasks and milestones directly into swimlane templates .

2. Use a Gantt chart or timeline template (swimlanes are also supported)

There are definitely advantages to importing the data file from an external application like Excel or Microsoft project. However, that isn’t your only option. Office Timeline comes with an extensive collection of professional templates that can easily adapt to a wide variety of different project types. These timeline templates are embedded in the add-in and there is also a free gallery with new ones added regularly, for your convenience. Here’s a quick overview of the template functionality:

Simply replace the default data with your own tasks and milestones, and Office Timeline generates the graphic for you.

Note : Customizing a timeline or Gantt chart template with your own data can be done at any time from the user-friendly and highly intuitive interface. Update it easily whenever there are changes in your project schedule, restyle it and share it with your team, all from within PowerPoint. It’s very flexible!

Conclusions

Mastering the art of presenting project plans to clients and stakeholders is essential for project managers. By simplifying your approach, visualizing project plans effectively, selecting the right chart type for your data, and streamlining the way you organize your information, you can elevate your presentations to new heights. With these tips and tricks in hand, you’ll be well-equipped to captivate your audience and drive successful project outcomes.

If you regularly find yourself liaising with the management or your stakeholders and dread the thought of spending hours creating presentations with the traditional tools in the Microsoft Office suite, then check out Office Timeline. Available as a free version , this handy project roadmap-creation app can save you time and ensure you drive your point home without the drawback of an intimidating learning curve. For the more complex timelines, we recommend giving the tool's most advanced edition a try.

FAQs about making client and stakeholder presentations

Gain insight into how you can improve your project plan presentations to clients and stakeholders with our Q&A section. Below, we offer you the answers to the most common questions related to the topic.

What should I include in my project plan presentation?

To be relevant to your stakeholders, your project plan presentation should include a high-level overview of the following items: • Goals • Timelines • Milestones • Key deliverables • Risks • Budget.

How do I ensure my project plan presentation is engaging for clients and stakeholders?

To ensure that your project plan presentation engages your C-suite audience, incorporate visual aids such as project management charts and diagrams to make complex information more digestible. Focus on telling a compelling story that highlights the project’s objectives, benefits, and potential impact. Learn more about how to capture your stakeholders’ attention during presentations with our article on why stakeholders usually ignore project reports and how to fix that .

How can I effectively communicate project progress during the presentation?

Effectively communicate project progress by providing clear updates on completed tasks, ongoing activities, and any potential roadblocks or challenges. Use visual progress indicators such as Gantt charts or timelines to illustrate milestones achieved and remaining tasks.

What should I do if stakeholders have questions or concerns during the presentation?

Be prepared to address questions and concerns promptly and thoroughly. Take the time to listen actively, clarify any misunderstandings, and provide relevant information or data to alleviate concerns.

Should I tailor my project plan presentation to different types of stakeholders?

Yes, it’s essential to customize your presentation to resonate with the specific interests and priorities of different stakeholders. By tailoring your content to address their unique needs and concerns, you will be able to get the message across in a more effective way and ensure that you gain their support throughout your project’s life cycle. Learn how to correctly identify, analyze, and prioritize the parties that may be affected or have an impact on your project with our blog post on stakeholder analysis .

What are some common pitfalls to avoid when presenting project plans to clients and stakeholders?

When presenting project plans to clients and stakeholders, it’s crucial to steer clear of common pitfalls that can hinder effective communication and understanding. Here are some of the most important ones to keep in mind: • Avoid using overly technical language or jargon – while you may be well-versed in technical terminology related to your project, it’s essential to remember that not all stakeholders may share the same level of expertise. Using complex jargon can lead to confusion and misinterpretation. Instead, strive to communicate in clear, straightforward language that everyone can understand, regardless of their background or expertise. • Be transparent about risks and challenges – every project comes with its own set of risks and challenges, and it’s vital to address them openly and honestly during your presentation. Transparency builds trust and demonstrates your commitment to managing potential obstacles effectively. Discussing risks also allows stakeholders to provide input and support in mitigating them, fostering a collaborative approach to project management. • Avoid making unrealistic promises or commitments – although it may be tempting to promise quick results or guaranteed success, it’s essential to be realistic and honest about what can be achieved within the project’s constraints. Making unrealistic promises can set false expectations and ultimately lead to disappointment if objectives are not met. Instead, focus on presenting a realistic project plan with achievable goals and timelines, based on thorough gap analysis and assessment. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your project plan presentation effectively engages stakeholders, fosters understanding, and sets the stage for successful project execution.

How can I follow up with clients and stakeholders after the presentation to ensure alignment and understanding?

Send a follow-up email summarizing key takeaways, action items, and next steps discussed during the presentation. Encourage stakeholders to reach out with any further questions or concerns.

What tools or software can help enhance my project plan presentations?

To enhance your presentations, consider using project management tools that will help you organize, manage, and track complex data in a visual way. Additionally, presentation platforms like PowerPoint can help you design professional-looking slides based on your project information. Designed as a PowerPoint plugin, Office Timeline offers the best of both worlds – it allows you to import project plans from productivity tools like Microsoft Project , Excel , or Jira and turn it into presentation-ready high-level slides that can be quickly shared and updated. For more resources on how to process and communicate project data visually, check out our review of the 8 best visual project management software .

Tim is Co-Founder & CEO of Office Timeline, a Seattle-based start-up that aims to rid the world of boring, uninspiring meetings.

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How to present a project? Ultimate Guide

Project success belongs to the way you adapt to present it. If you present your project in an effective way that you grab the intention of your client and take him/her to an agreement but if you create blunders and skip important points that you need to discuss while presenting your project .

Importance of properly presented project.

Presenting a project effectively is crucial for several reasons. It can significantly impact the project's success and your ability to communicate its value to stakeholders. However, here we have some key reasons why you must present your project correctly:

Proper presentation helps ensure that your audience understands the project's objectives, scope, and goals. It reduces ambiguity and confusion.
Project presentation will align all stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding the project's purpose, deliverables, and timelines. This alignment will ultimately lead to project success.
An engaging presentation can capture your audience's attention and keep them interested throughout. So, you can expect better feedback, buy-in, and support for the project.
Effective project presentations provide the necessary information for decision-makers to make better choices. Whether it's approving project funding, adjusting the scope , or making strategic decisions, clear project presentations are essential for everything.
By presenting your project properly, Stakeholders will know who is responsible for what. It will ultimately help to prevent misunderstandings and finger-pointing.
Presenting the project can also help identify potential risks and issues early on. Stakeholders may raise concerns or offer insights that can help you address problems before they become major roadblocks.
Project presentation helps in resource allocation . It allows stakeholders to see the project's resource requirements, helping them allocate personnel, budget, and other resources accordingly.

In short, presenting a project correctly is not just about creating a visually appealing slide. It is also about conveying information and aligning stakeholders. You must ensure that everyone involved has a clear understanding of the purpose, progress, and potential challenges of the project. Therefore, effective project presentation is a skill that you must learn.

A complete guide on how to present a project?

Do not panic, and be confident about the content and visuals you have prepared to present your project. You should have command of all the information about your project, and you should also know each word you have included in your presentation so that you can explain it deliberately and confidently. You should follow some important steps to present your project:

First of all, know the goals of your project.

You should know the goals of the project you are doing as a project manager or being an owner of the project. First, you should discuss the project and fix its goals by having a warm call-up meeting with your teammates and the owner of the company or the client for whom you are doing the project. It is important when it comes to how to present a project.

Goal setting and owning are most important to make a project successful. It is the winning spot you set to win the race. If you do not do this, it means you do not have directions for where you will go, and all your efforts are useless.

Explain the goal of your project.

After setting the goals, you need to convince the audience by sharing the goals of your project in a way that they could have a better understanding of it. You can explain your project by

Verbally presentation
Documentations

If you explain the goals very well, you have done half of the work .

Organize the steps on a paper to present your project

After setting and explaining the goals of your project, you need to convince the audience or your client by explaining the ways to achieve these goals that seem. For that purpose, you should prepare well. You should make a layout of your presentation in which all the steps are organized and explained.

It will provide you with backbone support in presenting the project in an organized and ordered way. This organization will help you remember all key points and give you confidence about what you are saying. You know its meaning.

Prepare a rough sketch of the words you are going to speak

It is just like writing a speech. The delivery of words plays an important role in convincing the audience. If you know how to play the game of words well, you will easily take the audience to your platform. Therefore, before speaking in front of a crowd, keep in mind that you will be judged based on the words you deliver.

So, prepare for speaking and know the meaning of every word you have included. It can prove your strength or your weakness. It all depends on your preparation.

A healthy discussion with your team

When you work with your team, the pressure of work is minimized, and the moral support of your team also encourages you to give your best. While presenting your project, make your team ready to collaborate with you; you can divide the presentation into chunks and share it with your team members asking them to explain that specific part.

Team collaboration encourages success step-wise with the best quality in a short time as the work is divided and you are not burdened. Have trust in your team and get unique ideas by having a healthy discussion with them. Show value to others' ideas by considering and appreciating them.

Prepare your team-mate on standby if there appears to be a need to get their services while presenting the project. They provide you support to answer some critical questions asked by the client if you have pre- planned with your team members . You should keep this in mind when you are talking about how to present a project.

Prepare a presentation on PowerPoint

Another effective way to present the project is to put your ideas on the slides and mention the most important content about them. You can use the images to clarify the concept of your presentation and its purpose, as the images also describe the stories behind them. The images you use for visual description should be very clear and easy to understand.

Several tools in a presentation can help you present your project in the form of image illustration. You can play these slides automatically by setting the time duration. Do practice over these slides after fixing the duration for playing the.

You can present your project not only in the form of words or images but also through videos or graphics. The message you want to convey should not be lengthy or complicated. It should be simple and perfectly visible. Video audio presentation can be of more advantage in this regard.

Create some humor for the audience

If you talk a lot and change slide after slide, this will cause boredom among the audience. Here, you need to engage the audience while conveying your serious message in such a way that it seems entertaining. You can relate the bullet points or images with funny day-to-day activities to create humor, or you can also add some funny pictures or illusions to make fun of during heavy, serious discussions.

You will indirectly and silently decently engage the audience. If you do so, you will not feel the need to ask or make a request to the people to listen to you. They will do so willingly . It is an art, and if you know how to do it without realizing the audience you are doing this intentionally, you are a successful speaker.

In this way you will easily grab the attention of the client of your audience, they will love to listen and understand you, and even they will wait and expect the next bouncer from your side.

Adopt a confident body language.

It is human nature that we feel hesitant when we address a crowd who is sitting to judge us and ready to argue with us when it is our first time. But slowly, you will learn to deal with such a situation.

No matter if you are a beginner, you do not need to get worried. Just stay confident that you have prepared your presentation and practiced as well, and you can answer every query raised by the audience.

Focus on your body language; avoid doing the things that reveal your nervousness, like pressing your hands and playing with a pen by producing the sound of a tick-tock. It looks so odd and leaves a bad impression on your audience.

Make sure you have presented all the aspects.

Keep a checklist with you on paper or a computer slide and check with it whether you have explained important parts of your project, your client must know about them, or one of them is left by mistake. If it is left, it is okay; make a turn and explain it in a way that it seems you did not explain it before to maintain the surprising effect of your project.

I will say again that practice is the key to making your project presentation successful and completed within the expected or allocated time limit. It is important when you come up with the question of how to present a project.

Present everything without getting nervous.

Project presentation can sometimes be a real headache, even for pros. However, when you are presenting your project presentation, you must explain everything you have prepared without getting nervous.

It would be better to keep these steps in mind to make the most out of this experience:

You must keep your presentation concise, but don't forget to cover any of the essential points.
When you are presenting your presentation, you can take a quick pause to gather your thoughts. Slowing your breathing will certainly calm your nerves.
Take notes of what you will cover in your project presentation. It will help us to look more confident in the presentation room.
Above all, practicing your project presentation more can also make you feel less nervous. For perfect results, it is always better to practice throughout the time.

Answer the relevant questions

When you present your project, there will be many questions among the audience that are mostly related to the project type, but some of them will ask such questions just to confuse you or let your morals down. Here, you need to play the mind game; do not let these questions disturb you, but answer them with patience whether you know the answer or not.

If you do not answer, simply tell them you do not know about it but want to know and ask for an explanation in the sense to add up your knowledge. If these questions are shits just to disturb you, they will not be thrown towards you next time.

You must be prepared for your question-answer session during and after your project presentation. It is because your audience may ask you some difficult or tricky questions. Regardless of what you have been asked for, it is always important to take proper time and answer their questions with the information they are looking for.

Wrap up with a project

After discussing every aspect of the project with the client in detail, answering the queries, and getting suggestions, you need to end the session by wrapping up the project presentation in the form of a summary and giving a short review. In this way, all important parts of the projects will be recalled and finalized.

Common mistakes to avoid in project presentations

When presenting a project, avoiding common mistakes is essential for ensuring clarity, engagement, and effectiveness. So, here are the common mistakes that you must avoid in your project presentation:

Lack of Preparation

Inadequate project presentation can affect you in multiple ways. For example, you may stumble over your words during the presentation, lose your thought process while explaining some concepts, or even don’t have your project material ready to present.

Effective preparation is key to a satisfied audience. Therefore, you should also focus on preparing your project presentation. The process involves researching your topic thoroughly, creating a structured outline, and practicing your presentation multiple times to build confidence and fluency.

Information overloading

When it comes to presenting a project, people usually make the mistake of overwhelming their audience with the overload of information. They add excessive data, statistics, and technical details of the project that may be hard to digest for the audience.

The best practice here is to focus on adding the most important and relevant information only to your project presentation. Additionally, you can also add some statistics to support your key points. The best practice to simplify complex or technical project information is adding visuals in your presentation.

Not clearing your project purpose.

Without clear objectives, your audience may leave the presentation unsure. It is because they don’t get what actions they should take, the scope of the project , or what they will get from the project.

You should overcome this problem by stating the purpose of your project early on. Moreover, it would be better to outline what you want to achieve with this project and what others will get from it.

Poorly designed visuals

Visuals in your project presentation should complement your spoken words. The visuals in the presentation should not distract your audience from what you are saying.

Remember that cluttered or confusing slides can lead to disengagement.

You must keep slides simple, with clear headings, bullet points, and visuals that reinforce your message. Use a consistent design template and appropriately designed visuals for improved engagement.

Skipping the introduction

An engaging introduction sets the tone for your presentation. It gives you an opportunity to capture the attention of your audience and increase it consistently.

For this, you have to craft a compelling opening, such as a relevant story, a surprising fact, or a provocative question. These practices will certainly help you to draw your audience in.

Not defining the problem statement.

Failing to clearly define the problem your project addresses can leave your audience wondering why the project is necessary. As a presenter, you must provide a concise and relatable problem statement early on. It should demonstrate the relevance and importance of your project.

Poor storytelling

Stories help make your presentation memorable and relatable. They add a human element to your content. Therefore, it would be better to incorporate relevant anecdotes, case studies, or real-world examples into your project presentation. These will help you to illustrate your points and connect with your audience emotionally.

Disorganized presentation structure

A disorganized presentation structure can confuse. Even your audience will find it difficult to follow your thoughts. So, you must create logical sections with clear sections, transitions, and signposts. These will help you to guide your audience through your content seamlessly.

Final thoughts

If you are new to project management and do not know how to present a project to your client or the crowd of the audience, please do not be worried and panic at all. It is not a big deal. You can do it by maintaining your confidence level, organizing the order of steps you are going to discuss, practicing and being tricky about grabbing the attention of the audience.

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7 Incredible Ways to Structure Your Presentation

As a speaker, you make every effort to make your presentation stand out – you add high-resolution images, well-researched content, animation, and whatnot, but despite this, sometimes your slideshow fails to hit the mark. Can you think of any reason? Poor design, lack of facial expression, and ineffective delivery of speech are the most probable reasons you will give for the presentation failure . Well, these are quite obvious reasons. Wait! Are you overlooking one important aspect that makes the presentation fall flat, i.e., the structure?

According to research studies, the information/data presented in a structured manner is retained 40% more precisely by the audience than the unstructured information/data.

Every decent presentation follows a natural flow with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and appropriate transitions and signposts, which gives a direction to the audience and keeps them on track. However, creating a well-structured presentation is a daunting task and takes a lot of nerve as you have to consider a lot of factors – the objective of your presentation, whether you need any visual assistance, settings where you will be delivering your talk, knowledge of the audience level, time constraints for your speech, etc.

If you are not sure how to organize your slides to create an impact on the audience, you have landed at the right place. In this blog post, we have provided some outstanding ways to structure your presentation. Let’s dive deeper!

1. Situation-Complication-Resolution

Image Source:

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Situation-Complication-Resolution.jpg

This structure is the best fit for presentations that aim to persuade the audience. It first describes the current scenario (more precisely, what’s going on at present) and then introduces the audience to the complication or problem (causes and impact). Then portray the solution of the problem (the steps, resources, and time required to solve it, the objections you may encounter, etc.). Finally, visualize the benefits after the resolution of the problem. You can make the presentation more intriguing by backing up your information with real-life examples, proof, and facts.

To sum up, the flow of information in this structure goes this way:

Situation – The current scenario is represented with clarity.
Complication – The challenge/problem that needs to be solved.
Resolution – It depicts the solution to the problem.

Example : In his TED talk, Paul Greenberg beautifully presented how fishing salmon, tuna, and shrimp can ruin the oceans. He then suggested a few specific ways to overcome the problem that can benefit both nature and the people who earn their livelihoods through fishing.

2. Hook, Meat, and Payoff

Image Source:

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Hook-Meat-and-payoff.jpg

In this presentation structure, the presenter opens his talk with something (like surprising information, less known facts, provocative statements, rhetorical questions, etc.) that keeps the audience hooked and wanting more. Gradually, the story progresses in an interesting way and finally ends with a conclusion that relates to the beginning.

Hook – It develops the interest of the audience and piques their curiosity, giving them a strong reason to stay intrigued and listen.
Meat – The main part of the presentation that describes what people actually need to understand.
Payoff – The benefit or reward the audience gets after gaining new knowledge or developing a new understanding.

Example : To learn more about how this structure works, watch this presentation by Simon Sinek on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”

3. Situation-Opportunity-Resolution

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Situation-Opportunity-Resolution.jpg

Every problem has an opportunity – this can be better represented by leveraging the Situation-Opportunity-Resolution structure. Instead of focusing more on the audience’s fear, it gives more attention to their aspirations.

Opportunity – The opportunity that must be grabbed to address the problem.
Resolution – It depicts the solution to the problem. You can provide evidence and proof to increase the credibility of the story.

Example : Watch this TED talk by Adam Galinsky on “How to Speak Up for Yourself” to get more insights into this structure.

4. The Drama

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-Drama.jpg

https://www.presentation-guru.com/on-structure-the-hidden-framework-that-hangs-your-story-together/

This structure is generally followed to present the success story of the business/individual. To be more precise, this structure depicts a Hero’s Journey – how he embarked on a voyage, what challenges/obstacles he encountered on the way, what unique things he discovered about himself, and what was the outcome of the entire voyage.

The entire story is narrated in the following 8 steps:

One Fine Day – Depicts a stage situation that is not completely perfect, but just average.
The Challenge – The challenge that comes suddenly and can’t be overlooked.
Descending Crisis – How the challenge made things worse for the hero.
Rock Bottom – Everything is at its worst, and the hero feels lost.
The Discovery – A ray of hope (new abilities, skills, etc.) that makes the hero believe that the problem can be resolved.
The Rise – How the problem can be resolved in a positive manner.
The Return – How the hero overcomes the challenge and opens the way to a new range of possibilities for him.
The Lesson – The key takeaway message that the hero gets from the entire journey.

Example : See how beautifully Adam Driver narrated his story of becoming an actor from Marines. This TED talk is the perfect example of this structure.

5. The Pitch

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-pitch.jpg

The Pitch is perfect for sales presentations that aim to make the audience believe that the presenter’s idea can help them resolve their problem. The slideshow begins with the evaluation of the current situation and then proceeds towards the hurdles and the solution. You can include data, research, experiments, case studies, or use tests to support your ideas. Conclude your talk with the action that the audience is supposed to take next. Don’t forget to add a ‘hook’ (added benefit).

Here is a quick look at how this structure looks like:

The Wind Up – A summary of the current scenario.
The Hurdle – The problem/issue that needs to be resolved.
The Vision – A quick glimpse into the main idea on how the problem/issue can be solved.
The Options – Illustrates two different options to solve the problem.
The Close – The best option is presented as the ideal solution to the problem.
The Fine Print – Represents how exactly the problem will be resolved.
The Hook – Showcases the ‘added benefit’ of the solution.

Example : Check out how Enric Sala pitched to solve the problem of turning the high seas into a natural reserve. He ended by making people aware of how people can contribute to their country.

6. The Explanation

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/the-explanation.jpg

This structure works best for crafting information-rich presentations that aim to educate the audience about a new regulation, initiative, insights, or process. The presentation progresses in an upward direction, depicting where we are now and where we need to reach or what we need to attain in the future. The steps to move to the next stage are showcased precisely, ensuring that the audience understands accurately how and why each stage affects or concerns them. The final stage of transformation is disclosed at the end. In a nutshell, this structure follows the following steps:

The Lay of the Land – Where the things are now and what is the final destination.
The Roadmap – The visual map that shows how to reach the final destination.
The First Step – Instills the adventure to embark on the journey.
The Next Step – Further steps are illustrated one by one.
Almost There – Depicts how much you have progressed since the first step.
The Arrival – Indicates the end of the journey.

Example : Watch this TED talk by Amy Cuddy, an American social psychologist. She followed an Explanation structure for delivering her talk on power poses and how they can impact the consequence of a difficult situation.

7. Fact and Storytelling

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sparkline.jpg

If you are going to communicate your company’s or department’s vision or present an idea, product, or initiative, you can use this structure which follows a zig-zag pattern instead of a traditional linear one. Using this structure, you can zig-zag back and forth between ‘how things worked then’ and ‘how they would work in the future,’ giving momentum to your presentation. This structure focuses on concluding the slideshow on a high note.

Example : In 2007, Steve Jobs used the same structure for his keynote for launching the iPhone. He took advantage of the power of the unexpected to create a suspenseful opener and tease the audience. He threw light on what smartphones looked like and could do then and what they would look like and would do in the future. He finally demonstrated the iPhone in a very dramatic way.

Watch Steve Jobs’ full keynote below:

The Bottom Line

Some presentations leave you informed or inspired. This is because the speaker crafted the slides in a simple and logical manner that made it easy for you to grab the key takeaway message quickly.

A thoughtfully organized presentation benefits the speakers as well by helping them stay on topic, remain calm, avoid awkward silences, and deliver their talk with confidence. By choosing the right structure for your presentation, you can convert your boring information/data into an exciting story that appeals to your audience, both emotionally and intellectually. If you are presenting for the first time or have no time to craft a presentation from scratch, you can use pre-designed, high-definition templates to give a structured look to your information. If you have something relevant to the topic you want to share with us, write in the “Comments” section below. And, if you like the blog post, do share it on your social media handles.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

What will affect your presentation structure?

What is the typical presentation structure?

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

2. Introduction

3. The main body of your talk

4. Conclusion

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Other common presentation structures

Demonstration

Problem-solution

Storytelling

Remaining method

Transitions

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Shifting between similar points

Internal summaries

Physical movement

Key slides for your presentation

Group Presentations

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

How To Create a Project Presentation: A Guide for Impactful Content

Executive Summary

What Is a Project Presentation?

Who is the audience of a project presentation?

The Structure of a Project Presentation

The Project Team

Case Study – Project Presentation Example

Process Model

Project Roadmap

Action Plan

Project Risks

Execution and Monitoring

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How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

Plan your presentation

Typical Presentation Structure

Introduction

Personal Introduction

Introduce the topic

Mention the length

Icebreaker Polls

Get to know your audience

Include a quote

Present your topic

Length and Structure

Focus on the essentials

Make your presentation interactive

Repeat the main points

Include a Q&A part

Get Feedback

Presentation style

Short Presentation

Problem Solving Presentation

Tell a Story

Make a demonstration

Chronological structure

Nancy Duarte TED Talk

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