Presenting complex ideas to a multidisciplinary team can be challenging, especially if you are not familiar with the background, expertise, and expectations of your audience. However, with some preparation, clarity, and creativity, you can communicate your message effectively and persuasively. Here are some tips to help you present complex ideas to a multidisciplinary team.
Before you design your presentation, you need to understand who you are talking to and what they need to know. Research the roles, responsibilities, and goals of your team members, and tailor your content to their level of knowledge and interest. Avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that may confuse or alienate your audience. Instead, use simple, clear, and concise language that everyone can understand.
There hopefully is some reasoning behind the team's composition, and it might be helpful to make that clear throughout the presentation. Acknowledge the unique quality and competencies each team member brings to the table and is expected to contribute.
In his book Scientific Advertising, Claud Hopkins described the attitude every successful copywriter must have: "Don't think of people in the mass. That gives you a blurred view. Think of a typical individual, man or woman, who is likely to want what you sell." He continues: "the advertising man studies the consumer. He tries to place himself in the opposition of the buyer. His success largely depends on doing that to the exclusion of everything else. " Times have changed. The truth remains. And what applies to advertising applies to any presentation you have to give. Talk to people. One at a time.
Collaborate with team members from various backgrounds beforehand to develop a shared understanding. Summarize key points at the end and follow up to address any remaining questions or concerns.
First, it helps for one to shed the 'complex' tag, especially in advertising. I have found that if you understand the fundamentals of a concept, it is easy to explain it to any type of audience and especially the ones that are in need of it. I agree that one must also know their audience, but I would take it a step further and find a point of convergence. If you explain a 'complex' idea in terms and with examples of things they are familiar with, then it ceases to be as 'complex'.
One thing I've found helpful in this situation is 1.) Start with a clеar and concisе problеm statеmеnt, highlighting thе challеngе at hand. 2.) Brеak down complеx concеpts into simplе, rеlatablе tеrms using visuals, mеtaphors, and analogiеs. 3.) Emphasizе thе bеnеfits and rеlеvancе to еach tеam mеmbеr's disciplinе, showing how it aligns with thеir еxpеrtisе. 4.) Encouragе opеn discussion, quеstions, and collaboration to еnsurе a holistic undеrstanding and gеnеratе innovativе solutions.
Next, you need to define the purpose of your presentation and the main message you want to convey. What is the problem you are trying to solve, the opportunity you are trying to seize, or the value you are trying to create? How does your idea relate to the team's objectives and challenges? What are the benefits and risks of your proposal? How do you want your audience to feel, think, and act after your presentation? Write down your purpose and main message in one sentence, and use it as a guide for your presentation.
Furthermore, ensure that your purpose statement resonates with your audience by emphasizing how your proposal directly addresses their pain points or fulfills their needs. Crafting a compelling narrative around your purpose can evoke a sense of urgency or excitement, prompting your audience to be more receptive and motivated to act on your message.
Defining the purpose of your presentation and the main message you want to convey is crucial for creating a clear and focused communication. the presentation should be divided into 4 stages. Problem, Solution, Action, Results
A well-structured presentation helps your audience follow your logic, remember your points, and engage with your idea. Use a clear and consistent format that includes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. In the introduction, capture your audience's attention, establish your credibility, and preview your main message and agenda. In the body, present your idea in a logical sequence, using evidence, examples, and stories to support your claims. In the conclusion, summarize your main message, restate your purpose, and call your audience to action.
In my experience, the use of white space is essential to get the point across. It can be tempting to put a lot of information into a slide, however, once you've done the first version of a presentation, go back through the presentation and see where you can be more succinct in your message. You can also walk through specific steps and get more engagement from your participants/viewers either way. You could also invite other collaborators to review it with a fresh set of eyes to ensure voice, message, and professionalism are at their best level.
In my experience, visual elements are key when presenting complex ideas and topics. Avoid having too much text and tables and explain the concept with relatable examples. It's helpful to include a simplified overview of what was presented at the end. A couple of key points and statements for the audience to remember after the presentation.
Use visual aids, analogies, and metaphors to make the idea relatable and easy to grasp. Tell a story or provide real-world examples to add context. Encourage dialogue and questions during the presentation to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Moreover, leverage the power of white space within your presentation to enhance visual clarity and overall comprehension. Incorporate strategic pauses, breaks, and visual separations between key points to allow your audience to digest information effectively and prevent overwhelming them with dense content. A balanced use of white space can also contribute to a more aesthetically pleasing and organized presentation, facilitating a smoother flow of information and reinforcing the impact of your message.
presentation should be precise crisp with more visual or numbers as compared to long boring text. your solutions should be backed up by real life examples and results
One of the most effective ways to present complex ideas is to use visuals that illustrate your data, concepts, and processes. Visuals can help you simplify, clarify, and emphasize your information, as well as appeal to different learning styles and preferences. Choose visuals that are relevant, accurate, and easy to read, such as charts, graphs, diagrams, images, icons, or videos. Use colors, fonts, and layouts that are consistent and appealing. Avoid clutter, distractions, and errors that may undermine your credibility and message.
Additionally, consider utilizing interactive visual elements, such as dynamic animations or interactive charts, to actively involve your audience in the presentation and encourage their participation. Incorporating data storytelling techniques, like presenting real-life scenarios or case studies, can also add depth and context to your visuals, enabling your audience to grasp the significance of the information more effectively.
the data should be interactive and should stand out. the less the clutter the better, in order to engage your audience always use visuals and examples which are relatable to the TA
Finally, you need to practice your delivery to ensure that you are confident, fluent, and engaging. Practice your presentation several times, preferably in front of a mirror, a recorder, or a friend. Pay attention to your voice, body language, eye contact, and timing. Use a conversational tone, vary your pitch, pace, and volume, and avoid fillers, such as "um" or "like". Use gestures, facial expressions, and movements that match your message and emotions. Maintain eye contact with your audience, and smile when appropriate. Keep your presentation within the allotted time, and leave some room for questions and feedback.
Consider recording your practice sessions and leveraging video playback to assess and fine-tune your nonverbal communication, identifying areas for improvement in your gestures, expressions, and overall delivery. Encourage honest feedback from trusted peers or mentors to gain valuable insights into your strengths and areas that require refinement, allowing you to enhance your overall presentation impact and effectively connect with your audience.
Embrace the diversity in the room. We are all experts at something but can’t be at everything. Lean into the areas you are confident and allow collaboration and input from those who know more than you in the areas that you know less about. It’s powerful and authentic to admit our limits and gives more authority to the things we do know.
Show openness to their ideas and experience to improve complex plans or ideas moving forward. The main goal of multidisciplinary teams is to gather varying experiences and perspectives - ensure you actively listen and use their feedback so that the team remains engaged.
Best advice: remember the primary goal is clarity. It's not about showing off how much you know, but about making sure your audience understands and benefits from what you're sharing. So much of what is above works but only if you are open to understanding how your audience needs you to show up. Start with the solution not the tool....Start with the end in mind. Present in bite size pieces - and recognize you might need to do this a few times - once to present the concept, once to answer questions after team has had time to evaluate, and then another time to cement the information as a team. Team based learning can be very productive.
The good news is you're already engaging a multi-disciplinary/multi-functional team (which many don't!). We often forget how much technical language and acronyms we use in our functions, which can mean little to nothing to others. So think about explaining as you would to your grandmother, or to a 7 year old. Not patronising, just clear. And also be open to new insights and being wrong - a big part of the value of the multi-disciplinary/multi-functional approach is that you get different insights and perspectives. And we all have our blind spots. So in summary: be clear and be curious.
1. start with strategy. Explaining the why can help give context to complex ideas 2. consider a user journey. A simple graphic that walks your audience through the concept can go a long way 3. can the concept be simplified? in advertising, usually simpler is better and complicated means the idea isn't clear