Tool 139: Presentation

AKA

Presentation Review

Classification

Planning/Presenting (PP)

Tool description

A presentation is an activity from which both team participants and process owners receive benefits. Presentations show a team's progress, achievement, or proposal for action. Another purpose for a presentation is to obtain approvals and commitments from the organization's decision makers.

Typical application

• To report on a team's progress.

• To communicate essential information.

• To update management on projects, changes, or potential problems areas.

Problem-solving phase

	Select and define problem or opportunity
	Identify and analyze causes or potential change
	Develop and plan possible solutions or change
	Implement and evaluate solution or change
→	Measure and report solution or change results
→	Recognize and reward team efforts

Typically used by

	Research/statistics
	Creativity/innovation
	Engineering
1	Project management
	Manufacturing
3	Marketing/sales
	Administration/documentation
4	Servicing/support
	Customer/quality metrics
2	Change management

links to other tools

before

• Audience Analysis

• Information Needs Analysis

• Case Study

• Critical Incident

• Brainstorming

after

• Different Point of View

• Run-It-By

• Starbursting

• Interview Technique

• Resource Requirement Matrix

Notes and key points

• When preparing and making a presentation avoid the following:

  • Unnecessary information

  • Unfamiliar jargon or acronyms

  • Putting others on the spot

  • Blaming people or departments

  • Bypassing levels of responsibility

  • Visuals with information overload

Step-by-step procedure

• STEP 1 Periodically a team decides to present the status of its problem-solving efforts. A presentation can also be arranged by any group that wishes to communicate important information to a particular audience.

• STEP 2 The team selects a participant to take overall responsibility to coordinate the activities required to develop and conduct the presentation.

• STEP 3 The presentation is developed using a checklist. See example Preparing a Presentation.

• STEP 4 The rest of the team assists in the completing of the action items as shown in the checklist.

• STEP 5 The presenter rehearses the presentation with the team. This provides the opportunity for team members to critique the presentation and then rehearse and fine tune it for maximum effectiveness.

Example of tool application

Preparing a Presentation

Checklist for Effective Presentations

• Identify the objective of the presentation

• Analyze the audience

• Estimate time requirements

• Construct the presentation

  • Introduction—state importance

  • Body—focus on main points

  • Conclusion—summarize essentials

• Assemble supporting information

• Create visuals

• Develop handouts

• Invite process owners, key decision makers

• Check out facilities (adequate chairs and tables)

• Check out A/V equipment (good working order)

• Anticipate and prepare for questions

• Start and stop on time!