Final Presentations#
The final presentation is a significant moment to exhibit your team’s hard work and innovation. It’s an opportunity to present your software solution to mentors, peers, and most importantly, your client. With only 12 minutes at your disposal, it’s crucial to deliver a concise, engaging, and informative presentation. Below are guidelines and tips to ensure your presentation leaves a lasting impact.
Structuring Your Presentation#
For a 12-minute final presentation, time management is crucial to ensure that all key points are effectively communicated without rushing or overrunning. Here’s a recommended breakdown to help students allocate their time wisely across different sections of their presentation:
Team Introduction (1 minute):
Quickly introduce your team members and outline their roles. Keep it concise to save time for more substantive parts of the presentation.
Business Need (1 minute):
Describe the problem or need that your project addresses. Highlight the importance of solving this issue to set the stage for your solution.
Project Requirements (1 minute):
Briefly explain how you collaborated with the client to identify and refine the project requirements. Focus on the process rather than listing all requirements.
Target Users/Personas (1 minute):
Introduce the personas that guided your design decisions. This helps the audience understand for whom the application was developed.
Project Process (2 minutes):
Spend a bit more time here detailing the journey of your project’s development, including design choices and architectural overview. Visual aids can be particularly effective in this section.
Project Outcomes (1 minute):
Summarise the key deliverables and what your team was able to achieve. Highlight how the outcomes met the project requirements.
Application Demonstration (4 minutes):
Allocate the most time to demonstrating your application. Use scenarios involving your personas to show how the application works and its key features.
Challenges and Accomplishments (1 minutes):
Conclude by reflecting on the major challenges your team faced and how you overcame them. Also, mention any significant achievements that you’re proud of.
Additional Tips:#
Audience Awareness: Assume no prior knowledge of your project. Explain technical aspects in an accessible manner.
Speaker Roles: Ensure every team member has a speaking part, promoting a collaborative effort.
Visual Aids: Utilise PowerPoint or other presentation tools effectively. Seek out professional templates on platforms like Canva or Adobe Creative Cloud Express that align with your project’s branding.
Rehearse with Timing: Conduct dry runs to ensure each section fits within its allotted time. Adjust as necessary to avoid overruns.
Transition Smoothly: Practice transitions between speakers and sections to maintain a fluid presentation flow.
Prioritise Content: Focus on the most impactful information for each section. It’s better to convey fewer points well than to rush through many.
Engage Your Audience: Keep your audience engaged with a clear and dynamic presentation style. Visual aids should complement your speech, not replace it.
Q&A Preparation: If there’s a Q&A session afterward, ensure your presentation leaves enough time for questions within the total allotted time.
By following this structured approach and allocating time wisely, students can deliver a comprehensive and engaging presentation that showcases their project effectively.
During the Demo#
Persona-driven Tasks: Walk through the application as your target user, employing predefined personas for authenticity.
Feature Selection: Prioritise demonstrating features that fulfill core client requirements. Avoid common functionalities like login processes unless they’re central to your project.
Realistic Data: Use plausible data to simulate an authentic user experience. Prepare this data in advance to ensure smooth navigation during the demo.
Preparing for Mishaps#
Backup Plans: Have contingency measures in place for technical issues, such as pre-recorded segments of critical functionalities.
Rehearsal: Conduct several practice runs to refine timing, transitions, and handle potential questions or technical glitches confidently.
Virtual Presentation Considerations#
Unified Appearance: Use a consistent virtual background and naming conventions for all team members.
Technical Setup: Test your audio and video quality beforehand. Ensure a stable internet connection to avoid disruptions.
Final Thoughts#
Preparation is key to a successful final presentation. Practice extensively, anticipate questions, and refine your narrative to ensure your presentation is coherent and compelling. Remember, this is not just a demonstration of your technical prowess but an opportunity to showcase your team’s ability to address real-world problems innovatively and effectively.