I had initially wanted to speak go up there presenting with my little scribbles just a few minutes before the actual presentation. However, upon seeing how the group before had gone up with absolutely nothing, I told myself, I'll just rely on my notes just in case. It was also worrying since the group before had done such a good job.
So I got up there when it was my turn in hope that things would go well. The more I wanted to peep at my notes, the more it made me nervous. I fumbled over my words and I spoke far too quickly. I even mispronounced some words in my nervous-ness. It was then that I decided to do away with my little scribbles and rely on the rehearsing from the night before.
It was much easier to just look at the audience who were already our friends. Warm smiles and small nods here and there made it easier to speak naturally and pace myself. I want to thank Nadiah for always smiling back! Such warm gestures definitely made the oral presentation less tensed! I also learnt that it was easier to relate to the audience with questions asked, such that the audience could be involved in the presentation.
This oral presentation taught me the importance of rehearsing, not just by yourself, but as a group to be prepared together. In times when I got extra panicky, I took a deep breath and told myself to calm down before proceeding with what I had to say next. I believe that this oral presentation was a good chance to know which skills are in need of sharpening and more practice such as pace of speech, clarity and confidence. It has also taught me how to overcome challenges on the spot and the need to think quickly and decisively when answering questions.
Though I may not have fared as well as I had expected or wanted myself to do so, I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn here first, before I start presenting when I start work in the real world, under much worst conditions. Every challenge now, will be a chance to improve myself before the real thing. This to me, was thus a valuable experience.
Hi Jane,
ReplyDeleteI apologise for this delay.
Our group feels that your group have presented the overall summary on your recommendations well during the presentation and added appropriate pictures which are eye-catching and prominent. This helped in illustrating your points well.
Also, our group liked where each of the group members stood during presentations as it did not block the slides and it was an appropriate distance from the audience. It was also good that your group asked questions to get the audience involved and the presentation was more dynamic.
However, we have picked out some points which your group could improve on in your presentation. Firstly, your group could have avoided looking at your scripts during the presentation as it would cause you to have lesser eye contact with the audience and it may give the impression that your group did not know your content well.
Secondly, the presentation of your slides could be improved by using a darker background to avoid your slides from blending into the background. This can create a better contrast and grab one’s attention.
Lastly, during Q & A, our group felt that it could be improved by providing more team support to each other. There were certain times when one group member was answering and another group member seemed distracted.
Hey Jane,
ReplyDeleteThis is the second part on your own presentation.
Overall, I felt that you were fanstatic! I'm not kidding. You were very natural, quite eloquent and your smiles really made the presentation more enjoyable (as you know our topics may be a bit dull). =) You were defintely very engaging I must say.
Although you had great eye contact with everyone, I felt you were mainly focusing on me. I've checked with Roy on this, and he disagreed. However, this is not really a big issue because overall, you maintained eye contact with everyone. =)
I would like to say that you were a bit fast even though I was still able to catch what you were saying. However, I felt that because you were rushing through, you faltered over certain words and caused you to articulate not as fluently as I believed you could.
One last thing my group would like to let you know that we felt that you were not polite in answering Keldren's question. Even though that was a class presentation, and we all knew one another, we were still required to deliver a professional presentation. Afterall, this is ES2007S, Professional Communication!
That's about all. Thank you once again for the great job! =)
Hey Jane,
ReplyDeleteOverall, we think you guys did a good job! The presentation was very organized and timely. The opening was rather good, you introduced each other and the topic was stated appropriately. Like Brad mentioned, we felt more emphasis could be given to the content page to show an even clearer macrostructure.
We liked the fact that you guys alternated the findings with their respective recommendations. It showcased originality in your presentation. We thought the aesthetics of the slides could be improved upon. We also found your slides slightly cluttered, and certain figures could have been emphasized.
As for your Q&A section, we felt that the questions were answered professionally and it was impressive to see that you guys managed to maintain your composure even when the posted questions were tough to handle.
Once again, job well done! Cheers!
Hello Jane,
ReplyDeleteI think you had a strong presentation. I felt that the language was good, your pronunciation was clear, you used appropriate volume and speed, eye contact was also good, and you used your slides effectively. What I found excellent about your presentation was the confidence you had demonstrated, along with the facial expressions showing your enthusiasm in the topic. You also had fitting gestures which complemented your speech very well.
There’re a few things I’d like to mention, though. At one point I noticed you had a bored expression while Michelle was speaking. I felt it would’ve been better if you’d looked interested in what she had to say. At another instance, I felt that you were a little too aggressive in answering Keldren’s question. Perhaps if you had adopted a milder approach at answering his question, chances of a cooperation could be higher.
Overall, I think you did an excellent job! You conveyed your message across to the audience very effectively. Thank you for the wonderful performance!
Cheers!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Grace & Roy,
ReplyDeletethe both of you have touched on close to the same comments. Thus, I would like to address it at the same time.
1) After much thought, I also felt that my reply could have been less aggressive. Though there's not good reason for it, I must admit that I was a little frustrated after so many comments came bombarding through. A good number of questions, were actually foreseen to come the night before, and when they did, I was really "sian". But, I have learnt the importance of controlling my emotions, whether this was a professional communication scenario or even casual.
2) About not being supportive when Michelle was discussing the suggestions. I found it really awkward to try to maintain eye contact with the audience, since I wasn't the one speaking. On hindsight, I should have just tried to maintain that sort of contact without looking down to avoid that uncomfortable situation. Or perhaps, A chair could have been placed, such that when we were taking turns to speak, the other could sit down, and not feel so out of place.
Thanks for both your comments! Will definitely keep them in mind and work on them in the future!