I want to share a presentation lesson from over 1,900 years ago.
Focusing on avoiding information overload.
Let me start with a quote from Roman times.
“Vessels with narrow mouths reject liquid if too much is poured in at once, but can be filled if it flows in gradually or a drop at a time…” – Quintillian, The Orator’s Education: Book One
Too many presenters today go for information overload.
As a result, most audience members take away very little, if anything.
There are two questions you should always ask when you are preparing your presentation.
Many speakers ask neither!
Question One
How much material overall do you believe your audience can absorb from your presentation?
Weigh up the various factors here, including:
- The audience knowledge of your subject
- The complexity of your subject
- The length of the presentation
Be realistic – there is usually a slight bias in including too much.
If in doubt, cover less but do justice to all that you cover.
The vessel will also reject liquid if too much is poured in overall.
Question Two
How will you space out your material to maximise your chances of succeeding with your answer to the first question above?
There is an art to this and it is something we focus on carefully at Speak With Impact when we work with clients.
It is not just the overall volume of material that matters – it is how well you position it.
Don’t front-load everything.
Don’t try to do it all at the back end either.
- Break the presentation down into smaller slices
- Ensure each slice has a manageable volume of information
While the information may not need to be transferred ‘a drop at a time’ you do need it to flow gradually.
Conclusion
Do not have too much information overall.
Do not have too much information in any one section.
Get this right and it is far easier for your audience.
And easier for you too!
For more tips and advice – similar to avoiding information overload – to help when presenting. Check out the following article on…
