A technical presentation is a form of oral presentations which is common in technical fields. The format of a technical presentation, because

• the purpose is usually either to inform or to persuade,
• the speaker is usually an expert in a technical field,
• the audience is generally not hostile,
• the presentations tend to contain significant technical detail,
• a form of standardization is required, and
• giving presentations is a secondary role of the speaker,

has evolved to be a slide-based presentation followed by a questions and answers session. Consequently, the following set of guidelines will focus on five separate aspects relevant to giving successful technical presentations:

• Enthusiasm and expertise,
• Organization,
• Visual aids (usually slides),
• Presentation skills, and
• Answering questions.

A good speaker must master each of these aspects of a technical presentation. Failure in one aspect will easily negate any benefits of another aspect of the technical presentation. Each of these aspects will be elaborated upon in the following five sections.

The philosophy used in these guidelines will be to try to indicate what makes a good presentation. It is generally easy to to indicate what makes a poor presentation, e.g., don't scratch yourself; it is much more difficult to state what makes a good presentation. To quote Benjamin Disraeli:

"How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct."

Grading

The grading scheme of the proficiency examination reflects these aspects by awarding equal weight to the latter four. The first, enthusiasm and expertise, will significantly affect the balance of the aspects.