Final Presentation Reflection

There were several things I learned before, during, and after the presentation of our final project. One thing specifically is preparation. I am usually nervous when I present and end up stumbling over my words. This time, I wasn’t nervous and felt like I could communicate my thoughts to the audience well. I think a lot of it has to do with the way I prepared. I thought about what I wanted to say prior to the day I presented. I didn’t want to make a script that I could read off of. But rather have some guidelines in my head of points I wanted to make. This helped me a lot because I knew what I wanted to say next, instead of thinking on my feet completely. Another thing I did was spend a lot of time constructing my board prior to the presentation. I felt very confident in my design, as well as my board. I am also in love with my design! I think this definitely helps make a successful presentation – loving the design you present. I was really excited to share my design with everyone. Of course, I do think I can still improve on my communication skills.

Aside from myself, I also learned from other students’ presentations. One thing I learned is that it’s extremely noticeable when people don’t put time and effort in their projects. It shows when they aren’t prepared and looks unprofessional. On a positive note, it also shows when people put everything into their project. While it may take long nights at the studio, it definitely pays off on the final product. Another thing I learned is that speech and communication can make or break a presentation. I think it really helps to have your friends smile at you to help break the ice once you get up to present. Another thing that goes along with being prepared is the set up and layout of the boards. Good organization and the ability to tell a story through the layout is a necessity. People may not be able to make the presentation and just look at your board at a later time. It is important for it to be easily understood by anyone.