The FINAL ORAL PRESENTATION provides the Field Study team with the opportunity to conduct a live demonstration of its knowledge of the subject matter and to present clearly and concisely the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from all of the team’s work.
The oral presentation should be given on the client’s premises – preferably in a conference room with a projector and screen available. The WRITTEN REPORT should NOT be handed out to the client until AFTER the oral presentation.
When presenting the report, the team should organize itself as follows:
- Introduction and Purpose of the Report – Team Captain
- Findings – First team member
- Conclusions – Second team member
- Recommendations – Third team member
- Questions – Team captain should field questions and direct them to the appropriate team member for an answer.
Remember that the final oral and written report represent the BEST THINKING of the Field Study team.
Listed at the bottom of this page is a set of “RULES” to be followed when giving a Field Study oral presentation; however, there is ONE FIRM RULE about making such presentations that MUST ALWAYS BE FOLLOWED:
ALWAYS LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE PROJECTION ON THE SCREEN OR THE WRITTEN REPORT ITSELF AND ALWAYS READ THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS EXACTLY AS WRITTEN IN THE WRITTEN REPORT. NO EXCEPTIONS!
The reason should be obvious – you have worked so hard and put so much thought into those sentences that you cannot take the risk of just ‘winging it’ or ‘ad libbing’ – that might blur, distort or even change entirely what you have developed. So don’t ad lib or wing it!
On the other hand, when you come to the dot points that support the findings, conclusions, and recommendations, you CAN ‘ad lib.’ In fact, this adds color to the presentation and when you are doing this you can look your client right in the eye and be convincing.
When you are discussing the “dot points” on any of the findings, conclusions and/or recommendations, you can insert anecdotes or quotes that you remember from the interview notes to add color to your oral presentation.
Here is a set of RULES to follow when giving an oral Field Study report.
- Keep in mind that you and your Field Study team members know the material far better than does your client. You will be surprised at just how knowledgeable you are about the issues you were asked to address. You have ALL the information; your audience has very little. SO BE CONFIDENT!
- Give the presentation as you would to a faculty advisor; don’t be afraid of your client – he/she WANTS you to succeed!
- Read VERBATIM the headline sentences that represent your findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Too much time and thought has gone into developing these sentences – so do NOT “ad lib” or “wing it!”
- Look at the SCREEN when reading the headline sentences for your findings, conclusions and recommendations.
- Look at the AUDIENCE when you give them the “dot points” supporting your findings, conclusions and recommendations.
- Preferably “ad lib” when going through the “dot points.” Here you can share anecdotes that support your findings, conclusions and/or recommendations.
- When answering questions, try to relate the question to a specific interview – use an anecdote as an example.
- Speak SLOWLY and LOUDLY! Your audience wants to hear and understand what you are saying. So DON’T MUMBLE!
- Do NOT be RIGID! Treat your body normally – let your hands and feet act naturally.
- Most of all . . . ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE! It’s “one of a kind!”
Good luck to you!