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Tips on creating a successful multimedia presentation-
A successful multimedia presentation will
not simply transition between bits of information, but rather, must
bring your content to life. Ideas, especially your philosophies and
unique lines of thinking, should be presented as visually as possible,
and in a manner that allows even the most difficult or abstract of
concepts to be understood. It must highlight the key qualities and
features of your services or products that make them better than any
alternative on the market.
Your presentation should be highly crafted
in the extreme. It must flow seamlessly in art, content, and corporate/product
identity from the beginning to the end. The message needs to be clear
and concise so that your audience never has to remind itself what
it is viewing. Content should present itself in a logical manner,
starting from the most basic points and building off of them until
your audience is ready to grasp the more complex thoughts that you
need them to understand. Also, your art and animation should support
your message and your speaker, never competing with them or distracting
your audience from the message.
Finally, while you might show real or hypothetical
case studies to illustrate possible implementations of your product
or services, your presentation should not present canned solutions.
Rather, it should give options and possibilities that spark ideas.
Your audience should come through the pitch with each member mentally
applying your solutions to their unique needs and demands.
There are some key differences between a
narrated presentation (a presentation given by a live speaker or sales
person) and a self-guided presentation (web, CD-ROM, or kiosk delivered
content).
Narrated Presentations:
1. The presentation is given in a somewhat
controlled environment, where the speaker is the expert, so navigation
can be minimal and hidden, not distracting from the main thrust of
the message.
2. The presentation also can take advantage
of the fact that we know what computer it is being given from, and
therefore can utilize processor speed, hard drive speed, and other
factors to their fullest potential.
3. A presentation given by a speaker should
be versatile, especially if the presentation is going to be given
more than once. It should allow the speaker to jump to various parts
of the presentation instantly if the need arises, and allow the speaker
to tailor the flow of information to the specific audience.
4. text in a narrated presentation should
be sparse, highlighting and emphasizing through repetition the main
points and statistics while allowing the speaker to fill in the details.
Self-guided Presentations:
1. Delivery of the content is a key factor.
If it is to be delivered on a kiosk many speed and size problems can
be eliminated, while delivery by CD-ROM will cause some restrictions,
and delivery over the Internet poses many restrictions and difficulties.
Know what you want, ultimately, and either budget for multiple versions,
or build to the lowest common denominator.
2. Since the presentation is self-guided
and lacks the advantage of an expert, navigation must be very simple
and clear, so that the reader can find the information he wants quickly
and without frustration.
3. Without a speaker to fill in the details,
text must be thorough and complete. Your message must come through
loud and clear, and explain the many details and particulars of your
services or products.
4. Since self-guided presentations are generally
a "one size fits all" endeavor, information should be catered
to a general audience rather than any one specific customer or client.
5. Self-guided presentations have the advantage
of being able to link to your web site via the Internet for more information,
products, and interactivity.
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