Management Deck Presentations
Spring Term B 2013
Professor Mary Munter Academic Coordinator: Doreen Aher
312 Tuck Hall 308 Chase Hall
646-2290 646-0165
Course Description
Goals: This course targets a key aspect of managerial communication: deck presentation skills—that is, speaking from a seated position with copies of paper decks that the audience can write on and take away with them at the end of the presentation. This course builds on the core course to improve your ability to speak effectively in various managerial situations, including pitching a product or service and making a complex set of recommendations. As a result of this course, you will . . .
(1) Develop a more effective and adaptable communication strategy, such as persuading your audience, enhancing your credibility, and presenting your ideas in the most memorable way.
(2) Perfect your ability to grab and retain audience interest and understanding through how you structure what you say.
(3) Enhance your PowerPoint skills so your deck will be understood and will lead to your desired outcome.
(4) Improve your nonverbal delivery skills, so that both your body language and vocal traits keep your audience focused on the page you are discussing.
(5) Enhance your ability to give feedback and to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses.
Requirements: You must fulfill five course requirements:
(1) Attend every class session. Since this is an experiential course, 100% class participation is required. Your participation—as a speaker, as an audience member, and as a source of feedback—is essential.
(2) Prepare and deliver presentations. You will be graded on content, structure, deck, and delivery.
(3) Write Self Analyses. Your Self Analyses will be based on an analysis of each presentation as well as a compilation of peer analysis. Preparation time for the Self Analyses will be fairly extensive.
(4) Provide in-depth peer feedback. You will have the opportunity to provide extensive peer feedback, according to the guidelines and forms we will discuss in class.
(5) Complete all of the assigned readings. Please read Guide to Presentations and all of the materials in the course folder carefully. Obviously, all of the techniques in Chapter 5 will not apply, but most of them will. In addition, if you are not a PowerPoint expert, please read Guide to PowerPoint. We will not devote any class time to rehashing the readings. Instead, we will assume you have assimilated all of the concepts in the readings and use the class sessions to give you the chance to implement those concepts.
Texts
Required text: Russell, Lynn and Mary Munter, Guide to Presentations, 4th edition,
Prentice Hall, 2013. Please note: It is very important that you have the 4th edition of this book because it includes new information not covered in previous editions.
Recommended text: (for non PowerPoint experts): Munter, Mary and Dave Paradi, Guide to PowerPoint, for PPt version 2010, Prentice Hall, 2011.
Honor Code: I trust you to behave honorably. All assignments are meant to be individual efforts. By individual effort, I mean no one else is to read, listen to, comment on, proofread, or even type your documents or visual aids.
Specifically, it is acceptable to (1) brainstorm with classmates (or others) regarding presentation topics; (2) give and receive feedback with classmates (or others) out-of-class on nonverbal skills, but NOT on structure or visuals; and (3) receive coaching from classmates (or others) on how to use PowerPoint in general, but NOT on specific design or wording of any slides.
Grading: Your grade will be based on the following 190-point scale:
Assignment #1: 10
Presentation #2: Content 10
Structure 10
Deck 10
Delivery 10
Persuasion 10
50
Presentation #3: Content 10
Structure 10
Deck 10
Delivery 10
Persuasion 10
50
110 points
Peer feedback
Presentation #2 10
Presentation #3 10
20 20 points
Self analyses
Self Analysis #2 20
Self Analysis #3 20
40 40 points
Key take-aways memo 20 20 points
Total 190 points
Course Outline
Introduction to Deck Presentations: Thur., April 25.
1. Be prepared to discuss the following, based on your past experience:
• What is a deck presentation?
• How are they used?
• What are their advantages and disadvantages?
• What are some best and worst practices using decks?
2. Bring to class one or two existing presentation decks (as is) from your previous work or borrowed from a friend. Feel free to “sanitize” the deck by crossing out names etc. Be prepared to role-play a deck presentation using this deck.
3. Read Guide to Presentations chapters 1-3. (It is crucial that you have the 4th edition of GP because it includes information not covered in previous editions.) Be prepared to discuss the following:
• Pages 26-29: What “general purpose” do deck presentations have: tell, sell, consult, or join?
• Page 49: How do deck presentations relate to the pros and cons of stand-up presentations?
• Pages 15-23: Be prepared to discuss an example from your own experience of each of the persuasive techniques: data-driven appeals, benchmarking efforts, consistency reminders, request adjustments, emotional appeals, targeted benefit statements (as opposed to features), credibility, and reaching decision-makers.
Assignment #1: Deck Presentation Summary due: Friday, April 26 (not a class session)
Email me a memo with “high skim value” answering these four questions discussed in class: (1) What is a deck presentation? (2) How are they used? (3) What are their advantages and disadvantages? (4) What tips will you keep in mind when you design your next deck?
Presentation #2: Pitching a Product, Service, or Investment Opportunity: Wed., May 1; Thurs., May 2; Wed., May 8; another class to be scheduled. No class on Thurs., May 9.
1. Due before class on Wed., May 1 regardless of the day on which you are presenting:
(1) Read GP, Part II (chapters 4, 5, and 6). Concentrate particularly on pages . . .
• 69-77: techniques for Q&A
• 80: presentations vs. decks
• 81-86: message titles
• 94: font size
• 97: page numbers
• 98: formatting the Slide Master
• 100-112: data-driven charts, concept diagrams, photographs, text charts
• 115: avoiding chartjunk
• 120-128: nonverbal skills
• 133-134: deck presentation techniques
(2) Choose a topic that pitches a product, service, or investment opportunity. This topic could be totally made up, taken from a Tuck case, taken from your FYP or e-ship class, or from your or a classmates’ past work. (If you use a past deck, do not use the deck you used before; you must design a new one according GP guidelines.) If necessary, clearly define who you are and who your audience is before you start your presentation.
(3) Structure your presentation according to the guidelines in GP, chapter 4. Decide on the exact wording of your backwards look/forwards look transitions between each main point (i.e., those listed in your preview). Think about the relationship between your preview slide and your summary slide.
.
(4) Limit your presentation to less than five minutes. Ending on time will be part of your grade.
(5) Design your deck according to the guidelines that apply to decks in GP, chapter 5 and in Guide to PowerPoint. Your deck pages must include (1) data-driven chart(s) (pages 100-102), based on relatively complicated numbers; (2) concept chart(s) to show ideas (pages 103-105) as well as (3) text chart(s) (pages 109-112).
(6) "Copy" (do not "save") your deck to the "Presentation #2" folder in the MDP course folder, with the title: Your Last Name #2.
(7) Familiarize yourself with the four peer feedback forms (Structure, Deck, Nonverbal Delivery, and Persuasion) and review "How to Improve your Feedback Skills" (both in course folder/Course Materials).
2. Prepare to give graded written feedback in class:
• Read “How to Improve Your Feedback Skills” (in the course folder/Course Materials). Be prepared to give feedback based on the criteria discussed in this reading.
3. Before the day on which you present:
(1) Practice your presentation. Refer to GP, pp. 133-134.
(2) Time your presentation to make sure it is under five minutes long. Ending on time will be part of your grade. Refer to GP, p. 131.
(3) Print hard copies of your deck:
-- To deliver in class: Five hard copies
-- To turn in with your Self Analysis: One copy, 3-per-page, printed in color.
Self Analysis #2 due Fri., May 3 or Mon., May 6; Fri., May 10 or Mon., May 13.
Due to the box in front of Tuck 312 two days after you present (either Friday by 4 pm or Monday by 10 am).
See Self Analysis #2 assignment in the course folder: assignment in Course Materials, template #2 and #3 in the Templates folder. Also turn in your partially filled-in Grade Sheet.
Start thinking about your key take-aways memo (course packet) due at the end of the class.
Presentation #3: Pitching a Complex Set of Recommendations: Wed. May 15; Thurs., May 16; Wed., May 22; Thurs., May 23
1. Due before class on Wednesday, May 15th regardless of the day on which you are presenting:
(1) Refer to GP, pp. 15-23, as you plan your persuasive strategy.
(2) Familiarize yourself with the new peer feedback form on persuasiveness (course folder/Course Materials), which is based on the assigned pages in GP.
(3) Present a complex set of recommendations. This topic could be totally made up, taken from a Tuck case, taken from your FYP or e-ship class, or from your or a classmates’ past work. (If you use a deck from your past, do not use the deck you used before; you must design a new one according GP guidelines.) If necessary, clearly define who you are and who your audience is before you start your presentation.
(4) Design a new Slide Master, different from the one you used in Presentation #2.
(5) Follow Steps 3-6 from the section entitled “Due before class on May 1” and Steps 1 and 2 from “Before the day on which you present, “above.
Self Analysis #3 and Key Take-Aways Memo due Fri., May 17; Mon., May 20; Fri., May 24; Mon., May 27
Both SA#3 and two copies of the key take-away memo are due two days after you present (either Friday by 4 pm or Monday by 10 am) to the box in front of Tuck 312.
See both assignments in the course folder/Course Materials and turn in your partially filled-in Grade Sheet.
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