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15 Questions You Should Ask Every Time You Start A Project

Keep asking until you get the answers you need to be successful.

Here's the biggest mistake professionals make when beginning a project with a client or team: They don't ask enough questions.

You've been in the typical start-of-project meeting: Someone makes a presentation with dozens of slides and hundreds (well, it seems that way) of charts. Everyone nods . . . or nods off. And you leave the meeting not really understanding how the project will work or what's expected of you.

That's why you need to be the guy (or gal) who asks a lot of questions. As Jagdish Sheth and Andrew Sobel write in their book, Clients for Life , "The really good professionals ask great questions. Often they enable solutions rather than supply them."

Why don't professionals ask enough questions? Here's Mr. Sobel's take: "First, they are afraid. They lack boldness in asking questions because they don't want to come across as being aggressive or overly inquisitive. Second, they don't think enough before they speak. It takes time and investment to come up with really good questions to ask someone, until you get practiced at it. Finally--and this is the most important reason--in our culture we believe we impress others and demonstrate our worth by being "smart" and having all the answers."

Obviously, you should develop your own questions, tailored for the specific situation. But here are 15 great questions (or question sets) to get the party started:

• What are the objectives? How do you define success?
• If the project doesn't succeed, what are the implications?
• Why is this project so important? What is the case for change?
• What are the key milestones? What are the most important dates?
• What are the most important decisions that need to be made? What will prevent us from making those decisions?
• What are the biggest obstacles to getting this done?
• Who are the key stakeholders? Who's the owner/sponsor? Who influences but doesn't own? Who has the potential to be an obstacle?
• What are the project's greatest assets?
• How can we best leverage those assets?
• What are the most important areas we should always focus on?
• How much risk are you willing to take to accomplish this?
• What barriers have you encountered in the past about this issue?
• What keeps you up at night about this?
• What topics haven't we discussed? What topics would you rather not discuss?
• What is your personal passion about this project? What will this mean to you when we succeed?

Ready to ask great questions? (Oops, there's another one.)

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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160 Questions to Ask After a Presentation

Asking questions after a presentation is not just about seeking clarity on what was discussed. It’s a golden opportunity to delve deeper, engage with the speaker, and enhance your understanding of the subject matter. But knowing which questions to ask isn’t always straightforward.

In this piece, we’re about to break down the art of crafting impactful questions post-presentation that will not only benefit you but also add value to the entire audience’s experience.

Table of Contents

Questions to Ask After a Presentation for Feedback

Questions to ask after a presentation interview, questions to ask students after a presentation, questions to ask after a research presentation, questions to ask after a business presentation, questions to ask after a marketing presentation, questions to ask after a book presentation, reflection questions to ask after a presentation, frequently asked questions, final thoughts.

• Can you summarize the key points of the presentation?
• What aspect of the presentation did you find most engaging?
• Were there any areas that were unclear or confusing? If so, what were they?
• How would you rate the overall organization and flow of the presentation?
• Did the visual aids (such as slides or charts) enhance your understanding of the topic? Why or why not?
• Did the presenter maintain good eye contact and use body language effectively?
• Was the presenter’s tone and pace suitable for the content and audience?
• Were there any statistics or facts presented that stood out to you? Why?
• Did the presenter address potential counter-arguments or opposing views adequately?
• Were the objectives of the presentation clearly stated and met?
• How well did the presenter handle questions or interruptions during the presentation?
• Was there anything in the presentation that seemed unnecessary or redundant?
• What would you suggest to improve the presentation for future audiences?
• How did the presentation change or influence your thinking about the subject?
• Did the presentation feel tailored to the audience’s knowledge and interest level?
• Was there a clear and compelling call to action or concluding statement?
• Did the presentation feel too short, too long, or just the right length?
• What was your overall impression of the presenter’s credibility and expertise on the subject?
• How would you rate the relevance and importance of the topic to the audience?
• Can you identify any biases or assumptions in the presentation that may have influenced the message?
• How did you determine what content to include in your presentation?
• Can you explain the rationale behind the structure and flow of your presentation?
• What challenges did you face while preparing this presentation, and how did you overcome them?
• Were there any points in the presentation where you felt you could have elaborated more or less? Why?
• How did you decide on the visual elements and design of your presentation?
• Can you describe your intended audience and how you tailored the content to engage them?
• How did you ensure that the information presented was accurate and up-to-date?
• Were there any counter-arguments or opposing views on this topic that you considered including?
• How would you adapt this presentation for a different audience or context?
• How do you handle unexpected questions or interruptions during a presentation?
• Can you give an example of how you’ve handled negative feedback on a presentation in the past?
• How do you measure the success of a presentation? What metrics or feedback do you seek?
• What techniques do you use to engage an audience that may not be familiar with the topic?
• How do you balance the need to entertain and inform in a presentation?
• How do you prioritize information when you have a limited time to present?
• What strategies do you employ to ensure that your main points are memorable?
• How do you deal with nerves or anxiety before or during a presentation?
• Can you describe a situation where a presentation did not go as planned and how you handled it?
• How do you keep up with the latest trends and best practices in presenting?
• Is there anything you would change about this presentation if you were to do it again?
• How did you feel about the presentation? Were you confident or nervous, and why?
• What was the main message or goal of your presentation, and do you think you achieved it?
• How did you decide on the structure of your presentation?
• What research methods did you use to gather information for this presentation?
• Were there any challenges you encountered while preparing or presenting, and how did you address them?
• How did you ensure that your visual aids or multimedia elements supported your key points?
• What part of the presentation are you most proud of, and why?
• Were there any areas where you felt uncertain or that you would like to improve upon for next time?
• How did you tailor your presentation to fit the knowledge level and interest of your audience?
• What techniques did you use to engage the audience, and how do you think they worked?
• How did you practice your presentation, and what adjustments did you make as a result?
• Did you feel the time allotted for your presentation was sufficient? Why or why not?
• How did you decide what to emphasize or de-emphasize in your presentation?
• What feedback did you receive from peers during the preparation, and how did you incorporate it?
• Did you have a clear conclusion or call to action, and why did you choose it?
• How do you think your presentation style affects the way your audience receives your message?
• What would you do differently if you were to present this topic again?
• Can you reflect on a piece of feedback or a question from the audience that made you think?
• How has this presentation helped you better understand the subject matter?
• How will the skills and insights gained from this presentation experience benefit you in the future?
• Can you elaborate on the research question and what prompted you to investigate this topic?
• How did you choose the methodology for this research, and why was it the most suitable approach?
• Can you discuss any limitations or constraints within your research design and how they might have affected the results?
• How do your findings align or contrast with existing literature or previous research in this field?
• Were there any unexpected findings, and if so, how do you interpret them?
• How did you ensure the reliability and validity of your data?
• Can you discuss the ethical considerations involved in your research, and how were they addressed?
• What are the practical implications of your findings for practitioners in the field?
• How might your research contribute to theoretical development within this discipline?
• What recommendations do you have for future research based on your findings?
• Can you provide more details about your sample size and selection process?
• How did you handle missing or inconsistent data within your research?
• Were there any biases that could have influenced the results, and how were they mitigated?
• How do you plan to disseminate these findings within the academic community or to the broader public?
• Can you discuss the significance of your research within a broader social, economic, or cultural context?
• What feedback have you received from peers or advisors on this research, and how has it shaped your work?
• How does your research fit into your long-term academic or professional goals?
• Were there any particular challenges in conveying complex research findings to a general audience, and how did you address them?
• How does this research presentation fit into the larger project or research agenda, if applicable?
• Can you provide more insight into the interdisciplinary aspects of your research, if any, and how they contributed to the depth or breadth of understanding?
• Can you elaborate on the primary objectives and expected outcomes of this business initiative?
• How does this strategy align with the overall mission and vision of the company?
• What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ll be monitoring to gauge success?
• Can you discuss the risks associated with this plan, and how have you prepared to mitigate them?
• How does this proposal fit within the current market landscape, and what sets it apart from competitors?
• What are the potential financial implications of this plan, including both investments and projected returns?
• Can you provide more detail about the timeline and milestones for implementation?
• What internal and external resources will be required, and how have you planned to allocate them?
• How did you gather and analyze the data presented, and how does it support your conclusions?
• How does this proposal take into account regulatory compliance and ethical considerations?
• What are the potential challenges or roadblocks, and what strategies are in place to overcome them?
• Can you explain how this initiative aligns with or affects other ongoing projects or departments within the company?
• How will this plan impact stakeholders, and how have their interests and concerns been addressed?
• What contingency plans are in place if the initial strategy doesn’t achieve the desired results?
• How will success be communicated and celebrated within the organization?
• What opportunities for collaboration or partnership with other organizations exist within this plan?
• How does this proposal consider sustainability and the potential long-term impact on the environment and community?
• How have you incorporated feedback or lessons learned from previous similar initiatives?
• What are the key takeaways you’d like us to remember from this presentation?
• How can we get involved or support this initiative moving forward?
• Can you elaborate on the target audience for this marketing campaign, and how were they identified?
• What are the main objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for this campaign?
• How does this marketing strategy align with the overall brand values and business goals?
• What channels will be utilized, and why were they chosen for this particular campaign?
• Can you discuss the expected return on investment (ROI) and how it will be measured?
• What are the creative concepts driving this campaign, and how do they resonate with the target audience?
• How does this campaign consider the competitive landscape, and what sets it apart from competitors’ efforts?
• What are the potential risks or challenges with this marketing plan, and how will they be mitigated?
• Can you provide more details about the budget allocation across different marketing channels and activities?
• How have customer insights or feedback been integrated into the campaign strategy?
• What contingency plans are in place if certain elements of the campaign do not perform as expected?
• How will this marketing initiative be integrated with other departments or business functions, such as sales or customer service?
• How does this campaign consider sustainability or social responsibility, if at all?
• What tools or technologies will be used to execute and monitor this campaign?
• Can you discuss the timeline and key milestones for the launch and ongoing management of the campaign?
• How will the success of this campaign be communicated both internally and externally?
• How does this marketing strategy consider potential regulatory or compliance issues?
• How will the campaign be adapted or customized for different markets or segments, if applicable?
• What lessons from previous campaigns were applied in the development of this strategy?
• How can we, as a team or as individuals, support the successful implementation of this marketing plan?
• What inspired the main theme or concept of the book?
• Can you describe the intended audience for this book, and why they would find it appealing?
• How did the characters’ development contribute to the overall message of the book?
• What research was conducted (if any) to ensure the authenticity of the setting, characters, or events?
• Were there any challenges or ethical considerations in writing or presenting this book?
• How does this book fit into the current literary landscape or genre? What sets it apart?
• What do you believe readers will find most engaging or thought-provoking about this book?
• Can you discuss any symbolic elements or literary devices used in the book and their significance?
• How does the book’s structure (e.g., point of view, chronological order) contribute to its impact?
• What were the emotional highs and lows during the writing or reading of this book, and how do they reflect in the story?
• How does the book address or reflect contemporary social, cultural, or political issues?
• Were there any parts of the book that were particularly difficult or rewarding to write or read?
• How does this book relate to the author’s previous works or the evolution of their writing style?
• What feedback or responses have been received from readers, critics, or peers, and how have they influenced the presentation?
• What are the main takeaways or lessons you hope readers will gain from this book?
• How might this book be used in educational settings, and what age group or courses would it be suitable for?
• Can you discuss the process of editing, publishing, or marketing the book, if applicable?
• How does the book’s cover art or design reflect its content or attract its target readership?
• Are there plans for a sequel, adaptation, or related works in the future?
• How can readers stay engaged with the author or the book’s community, such as through social media, book clubs, or events?
• How do you feel the presentation went overall, and why?
• What part of the presentation are you most proud of, and what made it successful?
• Were there any moments where you felt challenged or uncertain? How did you handle those moments?
• How did you perceive the audience’s engagement and reaction? Were there any surprises?
• What feedback have you received from others, and how does it align with your self-assessment?
• Were there any technical difficulties or unexpected obstacles, and how were they addressed?
• How well did you manage your time during the presentation? Were there areas that needed more or less focus?
• How did you feel before the presentation, and how did those feelings change throughout?
• What strategies did you use to connect with the audience, and how effective were they?
• Were there any points that you felt were misunderstood or could have been communicated more clearly?
• How did the preparation process contribute to the overall success or challenges of the presentation?
• What did you learn about yourself as a communicator or presenter through this experience?
• Were there any ethical considerations in the content or delivery of the presentation, and how were they handled?
• How does this presentation align with your long-term goals or professional development?
• How would you approach this presentation differently if you had to do it again?
• How has this presentation affected your confidence or skills in public speaking or presenting?
• What resources or support would have enhanced your preparation or performance?
• How will you apply what you’ve learned from this presentation to future projects or presentations?
• How did your understanding of the topic change or deepen through the process of preparing and presenting?
• What steps will you take to continue improving or building on the skills demonstrated in this presentation?

What if I disagree with a point made during the presentation?

It’s important to frame disagreement in a constructive and respectful way. You might say, “ I found your point on X intriguing. From a different perspective, could Y also be considered…? ” This opens up a dialogue without dismissing the presenter’s viewpoint.

How can I formulate my questions to encourage a more detailed answer?

Use open-ended questions that start with “ how ,” “ why, ” or “ could you explain… ” as these require more than a yes or no answer and encourage the presenter to provide depth. For example, “ Could you explain the process behind your research findings in more detail? “

By asking insightful questions, you’re not only cementing your understanding of the material presented but also opening doors to further knowledge and collaboration. Remember, the quality of your questions reflects the depth of your engagement and willingness to learn.

So, the next time you find yourself in the audience, seize the opportunity to ask meaningful questions and watch as simple presentations transform into dialogues that inspire and illuminate.

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Bea Mariel Saulo

Bea is an editor and writer with a passion for literature and self-improvement. Her ability to combine these two interests enables her to write informative and thought-provoking articles that positively impact society. She enjoys reading stories and listening to music in her spare time.

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350 Top Q&A Questions to Expect for Any Presentations (Save Them Now!)

Zhun Yee Chew

Preparing the slide content is nothing compared to dealing with daunting questions during the Q&A session of a presentation. Sometimes, if we are not lucky, we will face a tough crowd with even tougher questions that may leave us feeling challenged on the spot. And none of us likes the awkward moment of not being able to provide a satisfactory response to the audience.

Answering Q&A questions is a skill that everyone can master with the right resources and the right amount of preparation. You’ve searched, and we have them for you.

In this article, you will find more than 300 Q&A questions that are most commonly asked in a wide range of presentation occasions. Save them so you can be ready for even the most unexpected questions in your upcoming presentations!

What Are Q&A Questions?

Q&A questions, short for “Questions and Answers”, are inquiries posed by an audience or participants to the speaker or presenter during the Q&A session of a presentation . This Q&A segment typically follows a presentation, a talk or a lecture, providing the opportunities for the audience to seek clarification, ask additional information, or understand the speaker’s perspectives.

The whole point of Q&A sessions is to make the presentation more interactive and foster engagement . It’s a chance for the audience to pick the speaker’s brain and get a better understanding of the subject. 

What Are the Different Types of Presentations?

Business Presentations:

• Sales pitches
• Quarterly or annual reports
• Performance reviews
• Project proposals/updates
• All-hands presentations

Academic  Presentations:

• Lesson presentations
• Conference/research presentations
• Classroom quiz games

Training Sessions:

• Employee training
• Onboarding sessions
• Skills development workshops

Public Speaking:

• Motivational speeches
• Commencement addresses

Informative Presentations:

• How-to presentations
• Demonstrations
• Informational sessions

Social Events:

• Celebration speeches
• Team-building activities
• PowerPoint nights
• Presentation games

Technology Presentations:

• Software launches
• Product launches

Crisis Management:

• Crisis communication
• Emergency response briefings
• Contingency plans

Virtual Presentations:

• Online conferences

Different presentations involve different audience types, and the nature of questions posed can vary significantly based on presentation formats and occasions. However, the core of a successful and engaging presentation remains constant – ensuring  interactivity in a presentation  and transforming it into a two-way street through Q&A questions and adding interactive elements or using interactive tools in your presentations.

Academic Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for lecture presentations.

• Can you provide more examples for the concept/theory you just explained?
• Are there any common misconceptions about this topic that we should be aware of?
• What are the main differences between this and [related topic]?
• Can you explain the steps involved in [specific process] in more detail?
• What are the current research trends or developments in this field?
• How does this concept connect to what we learned in the previous lesson?
• Are there any alternative approaches to solve the problems here?
• Can you recommend additional resources or readings?
• Can you provide some tips for studying this material effectively?
• Are there any real-world examples where this concept has been successfully applied?
• What are the most common mistakes students make when working on assignments for this topic?
• Can you explain the significance of this concept in the context of future careers?
• What are the ethical considerations associated with the topics we are discussing?
• Are there any current debates or controversies related to this topic?
• How does this topic connect with interdisciplinary subjects or other courses?
• Can you share examples of how this concept might be used in different industries or professions?
• Can you summarize the key takeaways of today’s presentation?
• Can you discuss any historical or cultural context that influences this topic?
• How might this information be relevant to current events or societal issues?

Q&A Questions for Academic Conference Presentations 

• How did you decide on the research question or topic for your study?
• How did you select your sample or participants, and how representative is it of the broader population?
• Can you explain the methodology you used in your research and why you chose that approach?
• What are the main findings or key results of your study?
• How do your findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge in your field?
• Can you discuss any limitations or challenges you encountered during your research?
• What implications do your findings have for practitioners in the field?
• Can you elaborate on the theoretical framework that guided your study?
• What ethical considerations did you address in your research, and how were they managed?
• How did you validate the reliability and validity of your research instruments or methods?
• How did you address potential biases or confounding variables in your research?
• How do your findings compare to previous research on the same or similar topics?
• Can you discuss any unexpected or surprising results that you discovered during your study?
• How did you handle data analysis, and what statistical methods were employed in your study?
• What alternative explanations or interpretations of your data did you consider?
• How does your research contribute to addressing specific gaps in current knowledge?
• How did you control for potential confounding variables in your research design?
• What recommendations do you have for policymakers based on your research findings?
• How does your study relate to other recent or ongoing research in the same area?
• Are your findings generalizable to different populations or settings?
• How did you ensure the rigor of your data analysis and interpretation?
• What role did collaboration play in your research, and how did you handle disagreements within the research team?
• Can you share any unexpected challenges you faced during the research process?
• How might your findings be applied in a practical context, such as in industry or education?
• How did you establish the validity of your conclusions in light of potential bias or subjectivity?
• What potential areas for future research did your study uncover?
• Can you discuss the relevance of your research to current global or societal issues?
• How did you handle any limitations in available resources or funding for your research?
• What key takeaway message or lesson would you like the audience to remember from your presentation?

Q&A Questions for Student Presentations

• Can you elaborate on the research process you used to gather information for your presentation?
• Can you discuss the process of selecting and organizing the visual elements in your presentation, such as charts or graphs?
• How did you decide on the topic or key elements to include in your presentation?
• What challenges did you encounter while preparing for your presentation, and how did you overcome them?
• What did you learn about the topic that surprised you during your research?
• Can you explain the significance of your topic or its relevance to the course content?
• Can you discuss any alternative perspectives or counter-arguments related to your topic that you considered?
• What sources did you consult to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented?
• Can you explain the connection between your topic and current events or real-world applications?
• Can you share any specific examples or case studies that support the points you made in your presentation?
• Can you elaborate on any implications or applications of your findings beyond the scope of your presentation?
• Can you discuss any ethical considerations related to your topic that you addressed in your presentation?
• How might your presentation contribute to the understanding of the broader course themes or objectives?
• What aspects of the presentation are you most proud of, and what would you do differently next time?

Q&A Questions for Project-Based Lessons

• What is the main goal or objective of this project, and how will our work contribute to it?
• Can you provide more details about the criteria for success in this project?
• How will our progress be assessed, and what are the key milestones or deadlines?
• Can you clarify the roles and responsibilities of each team member in the project?
• Are there specific resources or materials that we should use or reference for this project?
• Can you provide examples of successful projects from previous classes or students?
• Are there specific presentation or communication requirements for showcasing our project?
• What opportunities for feedback and revision will be available throughout the project timeline?

Business Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for sales pitches.

• What makes your product or service different from competitors in the market?
• Can you provide some specific examples of companies or clients who have successfully used your product/service?
• How does your product/service address specific pain points or challenges that customers commonly face?
• Can you share some success stories or case studies related to your product/service?
• How does your product/service integrate with existing tools or systems our company uses?
• What kind of support or training is provided to customers after they purchase your product/service?
• Can you explain the implementation process and how quickly we can expect to see results?
• Are there any customization options available to tailor the product/service to our specific needs?
• What kind of ongoing maintenance or updates does your product/service require?
• How do you ensure the security and privacy of our data when using your product/service?
• Are there any limitations or restrictions we should be aware of when using your product/service?
• How often do you release updates or new features to your product/service?
• Can you explain the scalability of your solution and how it can grow with our business?
• What is your company’s roadmap for future developments or enhancements to the product/service?
• What is the typical return on investment (ROI) that your customers experience after implementing your product/service?
• How do you handle issues or challenges that may arise post-purchase?

Q&A Questions for Work Presentations

• How does your proposal align with our company’s overall goals or strategic objectives?
• What potential challenges do you foresee in implementing this plan, and how do you plan to address them?
• Can you explain the specific roles and responsibilities of each team member involved in this project?
• What kind of timeline are you envisioning for the different phases of this project?
• Have you considered alternative approaches to achieve the same goals, and if so, what are they?
• What resources, budget, and manpower will be required to execute this plan successfully?
• How do you plan to measure the success or effectiveness of this project?
• Are there any potential risks associated with your proposal, and what mitigation strategies do you have in place?
• Can you provide examples of similar projects that have been successful in the past, either within our company or in other organizations?
• How will you keep stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle?
• What kind of collaboration and communication tools do you plan to use to keep the team connected?
• Are there any dependencies or external factors that could impact the timeline or success of this project?
• Can you explain how this project aligns with current industry trends or best practices?
• What are the potential roadblocks or obstacles you anticipate, and how do you plan to overcome them?

Q&A Questions for Performance Review Presentations 

• Can you highlight specific projects or tasks where you feel you excelled?
• How have you demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to take initiative?
• Have there been any instances of conflict or difficult situations, and how did you handle them?
• What accomplishments are you most proud of since our last performance review?
• Where do you think you could have performed better, and what challenges did you face?
• How well do you think your current responsibilities align with your career goals?
• What new skills or responsibilities would you like to take on in the next year?
• How have you found the feedback and communication within the team or organization?
• How well do you feel you have contributed to team projects and collaborations?
• Are there ways we can enhance teamwork and collaboration within the team?
• Is there anything we can do to support you better in your role?
• What additional resources or training do you think would benefit you in your role?
• What motivates you in your work, and how can we ensure your continued motivation?
• What steps can we take to help you achieve your long-term career goals?

Q&A Questions for Annual/Quarterly Report Presentations

• How did specific projects or initiatives contribute to the overall success or challenges outlined in the report?
• What challenges or obstacles did the team face during the reporting period, and how were they addressed?
• Are there any unexpected or significant changes in the industry landscape that may affect future performance?
• What steps were taken to mitigate risks and uncertainties identified in the previous reports?
• Can you discuss the budgetary implications of the results presented in the report?
• How did the team adapt to changes in customer preferences or demands during this reporting period?
• How do the results align with the long-term strategic objectives of the organization?
• Can you discuss any feedback or concerns received from clients, customers, or stakeholders mentioned in the report?
• How did internal collaborations or cross-functional teamwork contribute to the outcomes presented?
• What initiatives or projects are planned for the upcoming quarter or year in response to the findings in the report?
• Can you elaborate on the return on investment (ROI) for specific marketing or promotional activities mentioned in the report?
• How do the current results compare to benchmarks or industry standards for similar organizations?
• Can you discuss any changes or improvements in operational processes that were implemented during the reporting period?
• Can you provide insights into any potential areas for improvement or focus in the coming reporting period based on the data presented?

Q&A Questions for All-Hands Presentations

• What are the key priorities and goals for the team in the upcoming quarter/year?
• Can you provide more details about the recent changes in team structure or leadership?
• How will recent industry trends or developments impact our team’s strategies moving forward?
• Can you discuss the reasoning behind recent policy changes or updates within the team?
• How will the team address challenges identified in recent performance reports or feedback?
• Can you provide insights into the budget allocation and resource planning for the team?
• How will the team adapt to changes in technology or tools that may affect our workflow?
• What professional development opportunities will be available to team members in the coming months?
• Can you share updates on recent achievements or milestones reached by the team?
• Can you discuss the team’s approach to fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace?
• What strategies will be implemented to maintain team morale and motivation?
• Can you elaborate on the team’s strategy for managing workloads and preventing burnout?
• How will the team address any challenges related to communication?
• What steps will be taken to recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements in the future?

Public Speaking Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for motivational presentations.

• How did your background or experiences shape your perspective on the topic you discussed?
• How can individuals or communities apply the ideas you shared in their own lives or work?
• What impact do you hope your work will have on the future of [your topic]?
• How has your perspective on [your topic] evolved throughout your journey, and what lessons have you learned?
• How do you suggest we, as individuals, can contribute to or support the goals you outlined in your presentation?
• What advice do you have for someone who wants to get involved in or pursue a similar field or project?
• What are the common misconceptions or misunderstandings about [your topic] that you’d like to address?
• How can the audience stay informed or engaged with ongoing developments in your field or topic?
• Can you share personal experiences where you overcame significant obstacles and found motivation in [an area]?
• What advice do you have for dealing with [a personal issue]?
• How do you handle setbacks and failures in [an area]?
• What daily habits or routines do you recommend for sustaining long-term motivation?
• How can individuals at various career stages benefit from the insights you shared?
• Can you share examples of successful individuals who have been a source of inspiration for you?

Informative Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for youtube or online webinar presentations.

• How can I access the recording of this webinar for future reference?
• Can you recommend any additional resources for further learning on this topic?
• How does this information apply to different industries or professions?
• How do you suggest we adapt these concepts to our specific organizational context?
• How can we stay updated on new developments or research in this field?
• Can you suggest strategies for overcoming resistance to change when implementing these ideas?
• What role does ongoing professional development play in mastering the skills you discussed?
• How can individuals without a background in this field apply the principles you discussed?
• Can you explain the potential challenges or common mistakes people might encounter when trying this on their own?
• How do you foresee the future trends or developments affecting the subject of this webinar?
• Can you recommend specific tools or software that would enhance our implementation of these strategies?
• What are some key indicators of success when implementing the strategies you discussed?
• Can you discuss any industry standards or benchmarks related to the topics covered in this webinar?
• What would be the first step you recommend for someone looking to implement these ideas in their organization?

Q&A Questions for Demonstration Presentations

• Can you clarify the purpose or goal of the demonstration?
• What specific steps are involved in the process you just demonstrated?
• Are there alternative methods or tools that can be used for this demonstration?
• How long does it typically take to master this skill or process demonstrated?
• Are there any safety precautions that should be considered?
• Can you provide tips for troubleshooting or overcoming obstacles in the demonstrated activity?
• How does this demonstration apply to real-world scenarios or practical situations?
• Are there variations or advanced techniques related to this demonstration that you didn’t cover?
• Can you share examples of successful applications or projects that used the demonstrated technique?
• How does this demonstration align with current trends or innovations in the field?
• What feedback or suggestions do you have for individuals attempting the demonstrated task for the first time?
• Can you discuss any modifications or adaptations that may be necessary for different skill levels or abilities?

Training Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for training workshops.

• Can you provide more examples or practice exercises to reinforce the concepts you just covered?
• Are there any additional resources or recommended readings for further learning on this topic?
• Can you explain the specific steps or strategies for applying what we’ve learned in a real-world context?
• How often is this training updated to reflect changes in industry standards or best practices?
• How can we track our progress and measure the effectiveness of this training?
• Are there opportunities for practical application or hands-on exercises to reinforce the learning?
• Can you discuss any potential challenges or common difficulties participants might encounter during the training?
• Can you provide insights into how this training aligns with current trends or innovations in the industry?
• How will successful completion of this training impact our professional development or career advancement?
• What kind of ongoing support or resources will be available to participants after completing the training?
• Can you explain the relevance of each module or section of the training to our specific roles or responsibilities?
• Can you discuss any case studies or success stories related to individuals who have completed this training?
• Can you outline the specific skills or competencies participants are expected to gain by the end of the training?

Creative Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for brainstorming presentations.

• How did you arrive at the ideas presented during the brainstorming session?
• Can you provide more context on the criteria used to evaluate and prioritize the proposed ideas?
• Are there specific goals or objectives that the brainstormed ideas aim to achieve?
• How do the ideas generated align with the overall vision or mission of the team or organization?
• Can you discuss any potential challenges or constraints that may impact the implementation of these ideas?
• What steps will be taken to further develop and refine the selected ideas from the brainstorming session?
• How will the team decide which ideas to prioritize or move forward with?
• What role do you see each team member playing in the implementation or development of these ideas?
• What steps will be taken to test or prototype the most promising ideas before full implementation?
• Are there any potential synergies or connections between the different ideas presented?
• Can you discuss the anticipated impact or outcomes of implementing these ideas on the team’s objectives?

Q&A Questions for Creative Work Showcase Presentations

• What inspired your creative concept or idea?
• Can you discuss your creative process and how you generated or developed your ideas?
• How did you overcome creative blocks or challenges during the project?
• Can you share any unexpected twists or turns that occurred during the creative process?
• What influenced your choice of colors, themes, or visual elements in your presentation?
• Can you discuss any alternative concepts or ideas that you considered before finalizing your creative work?
• How did you decide on the overall tone or mood of your creative piece?
• Can you discuss any specific techniques or tools you used to bring your creative vision to life?
• How do you balance originality with meeting the expectations or objectives of the project?
• Can you elaborate on the symbolism or deeper meaning behind certain elements in your creative work?
• How did you ensure your creative work aligns with the intended message or purpose of the project?
• Can you share any unexpected challenges you encountered while executing your creative ideas?
• What advice do you have for others looking to enhance their creativity or embark on similar projects?
• Can you discuss any future plans or developments related to your creative work?

Q&A Questions for Portfolio Presentations

• How did you curate or select the pieces included in your portfolio?
• Can you discuss the overarching themes or concepts that tie your portfolio together?
• What criteria did you use to determine which projects or works to include in your portfolio?
• Can you provide insights into your creative process for one of the featured projects?
• How do you believe your portfolio reflects your growth or evolution as a professional or artist?
• Can you discuss any challenges you encountered while working on specific projects in your portfolio?
• What inspired the overall design and layout of your portfolio presentation?
• Can you share any feedback or critiques you received during the creation of your portfolio?
• How do you handle showcasing both personal and professional work in your portfolio?
• How do you stay updated on current trends or techniques in your industry, and how does this influence your portfolio?
• Can you elaborate on any technologies or tools you used to create or present your portfolio?
• How do you handle showcasing a diverse range of skills or talents in your portfolio?
• How do you balance consistency with variety in the presentation of your portfolio pieces?
• Can you provide insights into the decision-making process behind the visual and aesthetic choices in your portfolio?

Subject-Based Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for history presentations.

• Why is it important for us to study this particular historical period or event?
• Can you provide more context on the social and cultural aspects of the time you discussed?
• Are there any alternative perspectives or interpretations of the historical event you presented?
• How did political or economic factors contribute to the events you covered in your presentation?
• Can you discuss the impact of this historical period on contemporary society or global affairs?
• How do historians generally view or interpret the significance of the events you discussed?
• Can you elaborate on any controversies related to the historical topic you presented?
• Can you discuss any parallels or connections between the historical events you covered and current events?
• Can you elaborate on any lesser-known or overlooked aspects of the historical topic?
• What were the main causes and consequences of the events discussed in this lesson?
• How did global events or other regions influence the events in this specific historical context?
• Can you share more details about the key figures or individuals involved in the historical events?
• Can you discuss any social movements or cultural shifts that occurred during this time?
• Were there any controversies or debates among historians regarding the interpretation of these events?
• What primary sources or historical documents can we explore to gain a deeper understanding of this time?
• What lessons or insights can we draw from the mistakes or successes of the past?

Q&A Questions for Geography Presentations

• Can you explain the significance of the geographical features discussed in this lesson?
• What are the cultural or societal aspects that make this geographic area unique?
• Can you discuss the environmental challenges or changes occurring in the region you shared?
• Are there any connections between the geography of a region and its cultural practices or traditions?
• How has human activity impacted the natural landscapes and ecosystems in the region?
• Can you provide insights into the economic factors shaping the geography of the area?
• How do political boundaries or geopolitical factors influence the geography of the region?
• Can you discuss any current or historical conflicts related to the geography you presented?
• Can you share examples of how globalization has impacted the geography you discussed?
• How does the geography of the area influence migration patterns and population distribution?
• Can you discuss any challenges or opportunities related to urbanization in the region?
• Can you provide examples of how transportation infrastructure shapes the geography of the region?
• How do the geographical features discussed impact the local economy and lifestyle?
• Can you discuss the role of sustainable development in shaping the geography of the region?
• How does the geography of a region impact the availability and distribution of resources?

Q&A Questions for Science Presentations

• How does this scientific theory or principle apply to real-world situations?
• Can you provide examples of experiments or demonstrations that illustrate the principles being taught?
• How do current advancements or research in technology influence our understanding of this science?
• Can you provide examples of how this scientific concept has been applied in various industries?
• Can you share insights into any ongoing or future research related to the subject of the lecture?
• Can you elaborate on any potential interdisciplinary connections between this science and other fields?
• How do you see the future developments or advancements shaping the field of science you discussed?
• Can you discuss any recent advancements or breakthroughs in the field related to your presentation?
• What experiments or studies have been conducted to support the information presented in your topic?
• Are there any unanswered questions or areas of uncertainty in the scientific understanding of this topic?
• Can you discuss the importance of peer review in the scientific process?

Q&A Questions for Social Science Presentations

• Can you provide some background information on the topic?
• Can you explain the significance of any statistical analyses or data presented in this studies?
• How might cultural or societal factors influence the interpretation of the findings?
• Are there any primary sources or case studies used in the lesson to illustrate these social science concepts?
• What are the alternative opinions or perspectives that one should consider for this topic?
• How can we critically evaluate bias in the research?
• What are the roles of globalization or international perspectives in this topic?
• Why is [a perspective/opinion] the case?
• What are the potential objections for [a perspective/opinion]?
• How does the topic of this lesson relate to broader social issues or current events?
• Are there any conflicting theories or perspectives within the field related to this lesson’s content?
• Can you explain the practical implications of the theories or concepts covered in this lesson?
• How do the concepts covered in this lesson contribute to a deeper understanding of human behavior or society?
• What are some potential criticisms or limitations of the theories presented in this lesson?

Q&A Questions for Art and Design Presentations

• How do different artistic techniques contribute to the overall aesthetic of the piece?
• Can you explain the cultural or historical influences behind the art or design style being taught?
• How can personal experiences or emotions be expressed through art and design?
• Can you provide examples of famous artists or designers who are known for this particular style or technique?
• How does the use of color, shape, and composition impact the visual impact of the artwork or design?
• Are there any contemporary or modern trends in art and design that relate to the topic of this lesson?
• How does the art or design being taught relate to broader movements or styles in the art world?
• How can art and design contribute to social or cultural change?

Fun Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for powerpoint night  presentations.

• Do you remember the time when we [shared a memorable adventure or experience]?
• What’s your favorite memory from our past travels together?
• If we were to plan a group vacation, what destination would you suggest for our bucket list?
• What’s one place you’ve always wanted to visit that we haven’t explored together yet?
• What’s the most spontaneous or unplanned adventure we’ve had?
• What’s our favorite inside joke?
• If we were to create a time capsule representing our friendship, what would you include in it?
• What’s the craziest or most unexpected thing we’ve ever done together?
• What’s your go-to travel snack or comfort food?
• What’s a shared goal or dream destination you’d like to achieve with the group?
• Can you recall the first time we met, and what was your initial impression of me?
• What’s a skill or talent of mine that surprised you when you first discovered it?
• If our group had a theme song, what do you think it should be and why?
• If we were characters in a movie, how would you describe our dynamic or roles?
• What’s a shared goal or aspiration that you think our group could work towards together?
• What’s your favorite thing about our friendship that you cherish the most?
• If we had a group motto or slogan, what do you think it should be?

Q&A Questions for PowerPoint Games

• What are the rules of the game?
• How long is the expected duration of the game?
• Are there any specific materials or equipment needed to play the game?
• Can you explain the objective or goal of the game?
• Are there any hidden surprises in the game that players might not immediately notice?
• Any secret tips for success in the game?
• Are there any special prizes or incentives for winners of tonight’s games?
• How is the game scored, and what determines the winner?
• What happens if there’s a tie in the game?
• Are there any variations or optional rules we should be aware of?
• Can you explain the order of play and how turns are determined?
• Are there penalties or consequences for certain actions during the game?
• Can participants form teams, or is the game strictly individual play?
• Are there any restrictions on player movement or interaction during the game?
• Can you provide examples of common strategies or tactics used in the game?
• How is cheating or rule violations handled in the game?
• Can you recommend any strategies for newcomers or first-time players?

Feedback Q&A Questions

• What specific aspects of the presentation do you think were most effective?
• Can you provide suggestions for improving the clarity of certain points in the presentation?
• How well do you think the presenter engaged with the audience during the presentation?
• Were there any areas where you felt the presentation could have been more engaging or interactive?
• Can you offer insights into the pacing of the presentation and whether it was appropriate?
• What are your thoughts on the visual elements, such as slides or graphics, used in the presentation?
• Were there any technical issues or challenges that affected your experience during the presentation?
• Can you provide feedback on the overall organization and structure of the presentation?
• Were there any moments in the presentation that you found particularly memorable or impactful?
• Did the presenter effectively convey the key messages or takeaways of the presentation?
• How well did the presenter connect with the audience’s level of understanding or familiarity with the topic?
• Can you discuss any specific examples or anecdotes that resonated with you during the presentation?
• Were there any instances where the presenter could have provided more context or background information?
• What are your thoughts on the presenter’s use of language, tone, and overall communication style?
• Can you suggest ways in which the presenter could improve audience engagement or participation?
• Were there any aspects of the presentation that you found confusing or difficult to follow?
• Can you share your overall impression of the presentation and whether it met your expectations?
• What recommendations do you have for the presenter to enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of future presentations?

Closing Thoughts

With more than 300 Q&A questions to help you with your preparation, you can save so much time thinking and anticipating the questions your audience may ask during the Q&A session of your presentation. Now, you can focus on what matters most – acing your presentation! 

BONUS: Lazy to create PowerPoint presentations from scratch? Try these  11 top-rated AI PowerPoint generators (they’re free!), as well as these  4 ways to use ChatGPT to create PowerPoint presentations . 

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How to Create a Successful Project Presentation

Written by: Unenabasi Ekeruke

You’ve spent time working on a project that could be a potential game-changer for your company or client. Now you’re buzzing to present it to your team, investors and other key stakeholders.

Creating and delivering project presentations can be nerve-racking and you probably have one question running through your mind.

How do you get the decision-makers to understand your project or secure their buy-in?

Considering that some companies have had about 12% of failed projects in the past year, you want to create presentations that are not only convincing but memorable.

With the right project presentation deck, you can win and keep your audience’s attention long enough to explain project details and why it’s sure to succeed.

Not sure how to create successful project presentations? We’ve got you covered.

This article will show you how to set project goals and create winning presentations that take your project to the next level.

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit project presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Let's get to it.

1 Set Goals for Your Project

Before you dive into the main details of your project presentation, you want to answer these questions:

• What is your project set out to achieve?
• Why is it important for you and your team to achieve your set goals?
• How do you plan to communicate your goals to your audience?

If you have to make long guesses before answering these questions, you’ve got a lot of work to do.  

Here’s what you should know. Beautiful or well-articulated project presentations aren’t a substitute for project planning. Without clear goals, your project is already set up to fail. And your investors might think, “why bother listening?” 

Many project managers tend to rush through the goal-setting phase, but we don't recommend this. That’s because you could be setting yourself up for failure.  

Once you clearly define your project goals, you can get stakeholders to buy into them. 

Now the question is, how do you set goals for your project and achieve them? One way to do that is by using the SMART goal setting method. 

Setting SMART Project Goals

SMART is an acronym that stands for S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant and T ime-Bound.  

SMART goals are a staple for planning and executing successful projects. It takes a deeper look into the finer details your audience care about, such as:

• Project plan and schedule,
• Project timelines,
• Milestones, 
• Potential roadblocks and more

For example, let's say your project aims to improve customer experience on web and mobile devices. Notice this example describes the end goal. But it doesn’t specify how you’ll work to enhance customer experience. 

Here’s how using SMART goals provides direction for your planned project. 

When setting your goals, be clear and specific about what you want to achieve in the end. 

A specific goal could be: “We want to build a responsive website and mobile app for our company to improve customer experience. This project will require inputs from our product design, software and marketing department”.

Measurable  

During your presentation, you'd have to answer questions like:

• What metrics will you use to determine if you meet the goal? 
• How will you know you’re on the right track? 

Having metrics in place will help you evaluate your project. Plus, you’d be able to monitor progress and optimize your project to achieve better results.

It doesn’t matter if you’re planning a short-term or long-term project. Ensure you set metrics and milestones that count towards your goal.

From our earlier example, a measurable goal could be to have: 

• Over 100,000 mobile app downloads on Google Playstore and Apple App Store. 
• A 20% bounce rate on your website and a 15% conversion rate on mobile and web. 

Attainable  

One of the most critical questions you want to ask during goal-setting is, “Can we achieve our set goal?” Do we have the resources to accomplish the goal within the available time frame? 

If the answer is no, then you’d have to consider what it would take to achieve those goals. This may require adjusting your goals or the resources needed to achieve your goal. 

Although it’s okay to be ambitious, you should also be realistic.  For example, getting 200,000 app downloads in one week could be overly ambitious if you’ve just launched your app. However, if you set out to achieve that goal in three months, that could make your project practicable. 

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Your project goals need to align with your broader business goals. Are your goals relevant to the growth and success of the company?  Are they worth allocating resources for?

For instance, if your company is B2B and doesn’t plan to expand to the B2C market, launching an e-commerce website would be an irrelevant goal. 

Time-Bound  

Regardless of your project type and size, you should set time frames. Setting target dates for deliverables creates a sense of urgency and motivates you to hit your goals. 

From our example above, a time-bound goal could be “We aim to achieve 100,000 mobile app downloads and a 15% conversion rate by the end of the fiscal year. Our company will launch the mobile app by Q3 with a robust marketing campaign that will run through the end of next fiscal year.”

Setting SMART goals doesn’t have to be a challenging task. Use the template below to set project goals that position your business for success. 

Communicate Project Goals to Your Team Members 

After you've set your goals, your team will play a key role in helping you achieve them. So you ensure they understand these things: 

• Why the project goals are in place
• What it's supposed to deliver for your business and customers
• How their role, team and department contributes to the success of the project

Unless you’re clear on this, the project can derail and move in all sorts of unwanted directions. 

Rather than slam the goals you’ve set on your team, make it a collaborative effort.  Spend time talking to your team and stakeholders about the project goals. 

Don't limit your communication to people within your department. You can reach out to people in other departments like sales, operations, finance, etc., to see how well your goals align with theirs. 

To give your team a better understanding, you can communicate your project goals in a variety of ways, including:  

• Visuals (videos, images, charts, infographics, etc.)
• Verbal presentation
• Documentations

By doing that, you’re sure to get their valuable feedback, buy-in and commitment to the project. Plus, getting your team on board with your project plan will up your chances of successful execution.

2 Lay Out Your Project Plan  

Once you’ve set your goals, the next big step is to outline how you'll achieve them. An excellent place to start is by organizing your project into an actionable plan and steps for execution. 

You might wonder why this step is important for creating a successful project presentation. 

Whether you’re planning a small or big project, writing a detailed plan, structure and layout puts everything into perspective. It eliminates vagueness and helps your audience grasp the project roadmap without missing the points.

Your project plan should contain the technical and non-technical project details. Therefore, you want to give yourself an edge by using a project presentation template that clearly explains all the activities and steps. 

Not only that, your presentation structure should be simple and easy to follow.

Depending on the project type, your plan could include key details such as:

• The goals and objectives you've outlined earlier
• Your project scope, methodology and framework
• Project milestones, deliverable and acceptance criteria
• Project schedule and timelines 
• Resources and budget estimates, etc. 

There's no hard and fast rule for laying out your project plan. However, if you want to create a memorable plan that will keep your audience engaged, you could break it down into three parts, including:

Introduction

• Conclusion and key takeaways

Your introduction should provide a brief overview of what you’re going to talk about and why it’s relevant to your audience. You could start by writing down the project name and the executive summary. 

Think of your executive summary as an abridged version of the project plan. 

If your audience read only your executive summary, would they have all the information they need about your project? If the answer is yes, your executive summary has served its purpose. 

The length of your executive summary will depend on what you intend to cover in your project plan.  However, we recommend keeping your executive summary one or two pages long.

You can include key information such as:

• Objectives of the project
• Key points of the project plan 
• Results, conclusions and project recommendations

Keep in mind that not everyone will have the time to dive into the details of your project plan.  

Having a snapshot of your project brings clarity to key stakeholders and collaborators. It also enables people who aren't actively involved in the project to understand it at a glance. 

Ready to create your own presentation in minutes?

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The body of your project plan is where you have the full project details and everything relevant to its success.

Here you can break your project into deliverables, tasks, milestones and schedules (start and end dates). 

Ensure you precisely define the resources you need to complete the project, including finances, team, time, technology, physical resources and more.

This is the part where you sum up your project plan with key takeaways. Your conclusion should include what you expect from your audience, including key action points and next steps.

Writing your intro, body and conclusion may sound like a lot of information. But instead of writing multiple pages of text, incorporating visuals can make your project presentations more effective.

By using images, videos, infographics and charts , you can capture all the vital information and help your audience understand your message better. 

Visme presentation templates are effective for visualizing different sections of your project plan. They are professionally designed and easy for anyone to craft high-quality project plans that keep their team on track. 

Use the project plan templates below to kickstart your project planning process.

3 Outline the Problem and Solution

You've just spent time crafting your project action plan. Now it’s time to communicate your project plan and goals with your audience.  

Project presentations are a lot like sales pitches. Whether you’re presenting your project plan to clients or creating a pitch deck for investors, your job is to keep your audience hooked right from the start till the end.

One of the most potent ways of grabbing your audience's attention is by highlighting their pain points. 

It’s not enough to have beautiful slides that showcase your amazing product features and project activities. 

Make sure you set up your project presentation to:

• Outline your audience pain points
• Emphasize how your project, product or service works to address their pain points
• Explain how they’ll benefit from using your product or investing in your project

In a nutshell, your audience should have a clear insight into how your project makes their life better. When they’re clear on this, they’ll most likely listen to the solutions you bring to the table and take the desired action.

Don’t make sweeping assumptions about your audience. 

If you’re looking to get them on board, dedicate a slide to discuss their problems and solutions. Make them understand how your project benefits them.

Not sure what your audience's pain points are? Go ahead and do these things:

• Run a persona survey or interview existing customers. This will help you build a data-driven user persona that you can use for all types of business and marketing decisions.
• Talk to your customer support and success team. They have close relationships with your customers, so they know their challenges and what they want. If they don’t know these things, do them a favor and create a customer success program . 
• Interact with your community, ask for feedback and involvement. The more you engage with your consumers, the more you understand their challenges, work toward solving and get them invested in your brand.
• Keeping an eye on relevant social media trends,  Twitter hashtags, Facebook trends 
• Join relevant online forums like Quora, Reddit, Stack Exchange, etc. 

RELATED: How to Write an Effective Presentation Outline

4 Keep Your Presentation Slides Short

When creating project presentations, prioritize quality over quantity. Be sure to keep your slides short and simple. When you do this, your audience will be glad you value their time. 

Remember, this isn’t the time to slam your audience with lengthy and irrelevant jargon. Instead, keep your slides on topics and hit the main points without the boring and unnecessary details.

Here’s why you need to keep your presentation brief:

• Concise presentation slides are not only powerful, but they are also memorable.
• Studies have shown that during project or business presentations, attention levels drop sharply after 30 minutes . By creating lengthy presentations, you risk losing your audience's attention halfway. 
• Nobody wants to sit and watch you flip tons of slides for hours. With shorter slides, you can capture your audience's attention and get them to focus on the message.
• Most people might have limited time or have short attention spans. So they’d want to quickly digest information and move on to the next best thing. 

How do you keep your project presentations short? 

• If your slide doesn’t add value to your presentation, it shouldn’t earn a spot on your deck.
• Supercharge your slide deck with captivating visuals that capture more information 
• Adopt proven methods for preparing your slide

For example, the 10/20/30 rule by Guy Kawasaki is one of the most popular methods used by experts. The rule recommends using ten slides for 20 minutes presentations (about two minutes per slide). It also specifies using a font size of at least 30 for text.

This will enable your audience to digest the messages on your screen while you’re talking. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t an iron-clad rule for presentation. There are other rules such as Pecha Kucha method , Takahashi method, Lessig method, etc. You can adapt any of these rules to suit your project presentation needs.

5 Use Less Text and More Visuals 

Another great way to keep your slides brief yet interesting is using less text and more visuals. 

Remember, your slide should aid your verbal presentation and not replace it. So you want to avoid crowding too much information on one slide. 

Cluttering your presentation with too much text could: 

• Overwhelm your audiences and bore them
• Shift your audience's attention to the text, making your presentation less effective.

Instead, use one slide to present each idea. Marketing guru Seth Godin recommends no more than six words per slide .

People retain more information when it’s presented in bite-size chunks and visuals. This applies to B2B, B2C audiences, project managers and corporate executives.

About 59% of business executives say they’d rather watch a video about a topic than read about it. Hence the need to supercharge your project presentation with compelling visuals that capture and bring your audience’s attention right where you want it. 

Steve Jobs’ MacWorld Keynote presentation in 2007 is an excellent example of how to enhance your presentation with compelling visuals. 

During the presentation, Steve Jobs used live and interactive visuals to show how the iPhone 1 works. 

Read on to learn more tips on creating engaging presentations that will wow your audience. 

With Visme's presentation maker , you can make stunning project presentations with a rich blend of text and compelling visuals. Hook your audience and inspire action with stellar project presentation templates like the one below. 

6 Use Quality Visuals, Diagrams and Presentation Aids

Visuals are important for making successful project presentations. Beyond grabbing the audience’s attention and keeping them engaged, viewers recall 95% of a message when presented in visual form. But when shared via text, they retain only about 10%. 

There are many types of visual aids you can use in your presentations, including:

• Graphs and charts
• Heat and choropleth maps
• Scatter plots 
• Screenshots and more

Using images and videos will up your chances of getting audience engagements and positive responses to your call-to-action (CTA).  

Gantt charts , whiteboard drawings and mind maps are ideal for visualizing early-stage project designs. You can use charts, diagrams, maps and trees to present the project architecture for technology-related projects. 

If you’re working on product development projects, consider adding sketches, flowcharts , models and prototypes to your slide. 

Pie charts are excellent for showing percentages. Vertical bar charts indicate changes over time, while horizontal bar charts help you compare quantities. 

Infographics are perfect for visualizing data and explaining complex information like market trends.

Here’s the interesting part. Visme has the tools you need for every job. The software allows you to add different visuals, infographics, charts and graphs to your deck and customize them to suit your needs. 

You can change design, text and background colors, add or remove legends, animate charts, etc. 

You can also use maps to represent geographic information. Or, use progress bars, thermometers, radials and widgets to visualize stats and figures as shown in the template below.

When adding visuals to your slide, don’t go overboard. Stick to a minimum of two images per slide. In addition, make sure your visuals are relevant to your project presentation.

While designing your presentation slides , always stick to high-quality visuals.  Blurry or low-resolution images or videos can be a major turn-off for viewers. 

With high-quality visuals, your presentations will be crisp and clear, even on large screens. 

The slide below is an excellent example of how to power your presentations with compelling visuals.

7 Pay Attention to Design 

Want to create impressive presentations that pop? If the answer is yes, you need to pay attention to your design details. Your design can make or break your project presentation. 

Whether you are an experienced designer or a novice, design tools like Visme give you an edge. You can create compelling presentation designs for your business in a few minutes.

The beautiful thing is that you don’t have to break the bank to make stunning project presentations. You'll find beautiful ready-made templates and millions of stunning royalty-free images for your slides. 

Here are tips you should consider while designing your slides.

Use the Right Color Combination 

If you want to make your presentations appealing, use color moderately. 

We get it; everyone loves color. But using too many colors can make your presentations look chaotic and unpleasant.

Your color choice can influence how your audience grasps and responds to your presentation. A general rule of thumb is to pick colors that evoke positive emotions in your audience. 

For example, warm colors like yellow, orange and red convey feelings of excitement and positivity. On the other hand, cool colors (blue, green and violet) reflect an aura of calmness. 

When combining colors, aim for a balanced color scheme. For example, if your slide or image background is dark, your text and design elements should have bright colors. This contrast will make your project presentation legible and visually appealing.

You can learn about color psychology and how to use it in your next presentation design by watching the video below. 

Use Clear and Consistent Typography 

Optimizing your typography can make a difference in how people perceive your message. So you want to make sure your slide looks organized, professional and sends the right message. 

Here’s how you can make this happen:

• Use fonts that embody the spirit of your brand
• Keep your text styles consistent throughout your presentation. We recommend you stick to a maximum of three fonts.
• Avoid fancy fonts and tiny text that strain the reader's eyes. Rather use fonts like Arial, Time News Roman, Calibri and other legible fonts suited for small and large screens. 
• Use a font size of at least 30 for the body text and 36 for titles.

In addition, remember to present your text using the color scheme we mentioned earlier. This will keep your text visible over your background. 

Take a look at this slide from one of our presentation templates. Notice how the design, fonts and color combination blends in to make the visuals pop. 

8 Start With a Presentation Template

Whether you’re a newbie or pro, creating project presentations that pack a punch can be time-consuming.

Let’s say you’ve got a deadline looming. You’d have to deal with writing your project outline, preparing your slide notes, designing your slides, sourcing and incorporating visuals and more. 

Handling these things from scratch could slow you down or make your presentations untidy. 

Using presentation templates could save you from all the stress. They help you make professional-looking project presentations fast and easy.

Since the slides are pre-designed, you’ll find a place to insert every possible piece of content you need. Be it a progress bar, chart, graph, table, video or image, the design is right there. 

All you need to do is type your content, input data or insert the image. And boom, your presentation is ready to go. 

In addition, using presentation templates offers brand consistency in terms of font, style, layout, colors and overall design. You can customize and share templates with your project team to keep your presentations uniform. 

The title and main body slide, image and chart layout and fonts are set in the template. Therefore formatting your slide becomes a breeze—no more messy or cluttered project presentations. 

Visme has a wide selection of templates designed to make your presentations shine. You’ll find millions of pixel-perfect graphics, icons, design elements and professionally designed templates for any purpose, industry and project type. 

Regardless of your skill level, you can customize your templates like the one below. Just add your content and your project presentations will be ready in a few minutes. 

9 Present Your Project Like a Pro

If you follow all the tips we shared above, you’ve probably got the perfect project presentation on paper.  Great stuff, but your job isn’t done yet. 

Your delivery is the final piece of the puzzle, and you’ve got to make it count. 

Here’s the thing. Your presentation could flop if the delivery isn’t convincing. Hence the need to plan your delivery and drive your message across with passion and enthusiasm. 

Here's how to deliver project presentations that leave an impact.

Practice Makes Perfect 

Did you know that Steve Jobs used to spend two days prepping for presentations? Yes, you read that right. 

Practice is one of the key steps to nailing your delivery. 

You can practice by reading out loud in your quiet space. While you’re at it, make audio and video recordings and watch them repeatedly.

Ask your friends and colleagues to serve as a test audience and give feedback on your presentation.

This run-through will help ensure your presentation captures the main points within the allotted time. It will also help you maintain the correct body posture during your project presentation. 

Make time to check if the equipment is working and get familiar with the settings and operations. This is especially important if you plan to use video or audio in your slides.

Start With a Strong Opening 

Your audiences could have short attention spans, so make those first moments count. With solid openings, you can hook your audience and set the mood for a successful presentation. 

Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech at Stanford is an excellent example of having a solid opening. With over 4 million views on YouTube, it’s one of the most memorable and watched speeches in history.

Notice how he hooks the audience with powerful anecdotes about his life, beginning from dropping out of college. And then, he goes on to share the lessons he learned in his early days at Apple, losing his job in 1985 and reflections on death. 

Here’s how to make an excellent opening speech that grabs the audience’s attention and convinces them you’re worth listening to:

• Ask a question
• Tell a compelling story
• Share mind-blowing facts and statistics
• Show captivating video and visuals that spark curiosity 
• Open your presentation with humor 

Be sure to tailor your opening hook to your audience. To make this effective, it’d help to know about your audiences, including their likes, dislikes, cultural and ethical dispositions, etc.

If you want to learn more about making captivating presentation openings and more, read our guide on starting a presentation .

While presenting your project, focus on your audience’s needs. By doing this, you’ll build an emotional connection and drive action. 

However, don’t go overboard. Be genuine and focus on getting the points across to them. This way, you’ll gain their trust and build excitement about your project. 

Keep in mind that everything may not go as planned. It’s best to have backup materials and be flexible enough to make necessary adjustments. Preparing for unexpected events will give you more control over them.

End Your Presentation on a High Note

After you've delivered a fantastic presentation, make sure you wrap it up in a memorable way. Doing this will leave a lasting impression and nudge your audiences to take action. 

One way to end your project presentation is to use a powerful call to action. 

You can also tell memorable stories, summarize the main points and highlight compelling figures about the project. 

For example you can mention some really intriguing figures like: 

• Expected growth rate, return on investment and profit margin
• Potential company valuation in the next five to ten years. 
• Projected earnings and market position etc. 

The goal is to hype your audiences and stimulate them to take action.  

You can check out our other article to learn more about ending your presentation on a great note. 

Get To Work: Create Powerful Project Presentations With Visme

Creating a successful project presentation starts with setting your goals and having a clear plan to achieve them. It also requires crafting compelling content, paying attention to design and excellent delivery.  

If you’re going to close those deals, you need a solid pitch deck to explain your project details and why it will succeed. We recommend using an intuitive project presentation software like Visme . 

Visme is the perfect design tool for creating stunning and engaging project presentations .  With Visme, you’ll have access to a wide range of features and tools to help bring your project ideas to life.  

The tool has hundreds of presentation templates, design elements, font styles, built-in stock images and videos, data visualization tools and more to make your project presentation a hit.  You can download your design in different formats and share it across multiple social media channels. 

Now you have all the tips and tools for nailing your next project presentations. Go ahead and make it memorable with Visme's project presentation software.

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

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About the Author

Unenabasi is a content expert with many years of experience in digital marketing, business development, and strategy. He loves to help brands tell stories that drive engagement, growth, and competitive advantage. He’s adept at creating compelling content on lifestyle, marketing, business, e-commerce, and technology. When he’s not taking the content world by storm, Unenabasi enjoys playing or watching soccer.

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10 Must-Ask Project Initiation Questions Before A Project Kickoff

Joanna Leigh Simon is a producer and project manager with more than 10 years of experience working in the field. Working in small, busy agencies for the past 7 years, she has delivered hundreds of projects across various media including websites, videos and films, advertising, branding, and graphic design. A Jane of all trades and a master of some, Joanna's roles shift daily from pure project management and traffic monitoring to client services, strategy, copywriting, vendor acquisition, business development, and process implementation. Previous clients include Johnson & Johnson, The Greater Philadelphia Tourism & Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), Interboro Spirits & Ales, New Balance, Conan on TBS, and Penguin Books.

One of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a Project Manager is being thrown into a project that’s already underway. So how do you start it right? Find out 10 basic project management questions that every PM must ask when thrown into a new project.

As project managers, if there’s one thing we all know for certain, it’s that nothing is certain. Managing changes and unexpected variables comes with the territory – but perhaps one of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a Project Manager is being thrown into a project that’s already underway. Perhaps you just started a new job and you’re being brought in on a project in progress, or another PM left suddenly and you are taking their place.

Below, I’ve outlined 10 project initiation questions that every Project Manager must ask when you’re thrown into a new project. Whether the project is already in the project execution phase or still early in the project initiation phase , this list is just a starting point and it isn't a substitute for official PM training.

But these fundamental questions can serve to guide you to smooth sailing when you’re crunched for time! Of course, these questions can be tailored to suit any unique project or client, and can be asked in person at a meeting, virtually via email, or over the phone.

No matter how you do it, document the answers so that you can refer back to them later or share them with the team and project stakeholders as necessary.

10 Project Initiation Questions To Ask Before Starting A Project

1. what are we actually delivering.

A project might have one overarching deliverable: a website, a program, an event, a brand design. But most projects are made up of several or more phases or items meant to be completed in a certain order.

All of your documentation including scope statement or statement of work , contract, project charter , and project plan should include a straightforward list of each item your team is expected to deliver.

An example of project scope (say, for building a website) might include:

• content strategy
• design round 1
• design round 2
• design round 3
• development
• content input

Even though the project is a “website,” it is your responsibility as the Project Manager to stay on top of each of the project deliverables and moving parts to ensure that they are completed in order, on time, and to specification.

Ask your manager, team, or client to confirm that you have the full list of deliverables and project tasks, and that nothing is missing. Also make sure to find out what has been completed, what’s in progress, and what is yet to come.

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2. What Are We NOT Delivering?

Equally as important as what IS part of the project is knowing, clearly what is NOT. This is one of the easiest ways to avoid scope creep , confusion, and extra work.

For example, in the simple website from #1, your firm is providing content strategy, but does that mean you are also writing all of the copy and providing photographs, videos, or illustrations/visuals to go along with? Make sure that you ask each stakeholder if they will be providing these types of items, or if they want to add them to the project scope.

There is also of course a middle ground, where perhaps you recommend another firm or a partner company to provide some additional services. Either way, it’s incredibly important to determine early on who will be responsible for all elements of the project so that 2 weeks before launch you’re not having a moment with your client explaining that you thought THEY were providing the copy and they assumed YOU were providing the copy.

If the previous PM on the project already went over this with the client, asking again could be a good opportunity to check in and see if the client has changed their mind or if this might be an opportunity to sell more services.

3. Is There A Deadline?

Most projects have deadlines, and believe it or not that’s a good thing. Having a concrete amount of time within which you must complete a project helps your team stay focused, hopefully ensures that the client stays focused, and helps you figure out time and budget allocation.

When you land on a new project, ask your stakeholders about their deadlines. Perhaps there is a firm deadline due to a product launch, event, or budget constraint. (I call this a “drop-dead deadline.”) Sometimes you’ll find that deadlines can be a bit more fluid, i.e. “we’d like this done sometime this summer.” Either way, as PM, you should determine when the true deadline is early on so that you can plan backwards from there.

This is also a good time to check progress against your timeline – until you arrived on the scene, was your team on track to finish by the deadline? If so, great! If not, then here is your opportunity to assess what’s wrong and go about fixing it to get back on track.

4. What Is The Benchmark For Project Success?

This is one of the most important project management questions to ask at the start of any project. The project goal may seem straightforward, ex: build and launch a new website. But don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper.

Ask your clients and stakeholders what they are really trying to achieve with this work. Do they want to gain more brand awareness? Ensure a successful project or product launch? Acquire more users? Increase revenue? Get your client to be open with you about why they are embarking on this project, and keep that goal or project objective at the forefront of your discussions. Knowing what success will really look like can help your team stay focused and make important decisions throughout the project life cycle .

Coming into the project midway through its lifespan also means this is a good time for you to ask the stakeholders whether their vision/goals have changed at all since kickoff, and how you can most effectively help them reach all of their goals.

5. Who Is The Client…Really?

If you work in an agency, I’m sure this has happened to you. I know it’s happened to me more times than I can count! While you’re winning a project you’re dealing with one or maybe a couple of individuals, but then once the work is underway all of sudden other people start coming out of the woodwork to offer feedback and make decisions.

I don’t blame clients for bringing a lot of cooks into the kitchen – this could be an issue of politics, or perhaps the initial collaborator wants to get a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth,) opinion on the work so that they don’t have to be solely responsible for success of the final product. After all, we have to remember that in many cases your clients are investing a lot of time and trust in your team and are entitled to some level of involvement in the work.

Whatever the reason, I personally believe that you can manage this sometimes frustrating phenomenon of “multiplying clients” simply by asking at the outset: “Whose opinion matters? Are there additional stakeholders who will be brought in to offer feedback down the line?”

This way, not only can you be prepared for the frenzy, should it occur, but you can also gently remind your primary client, if necessary, that she agreed you would only be fielding notes from 2-3 people, and now that 10 people are putting in their 2 cents, you might be facing scope creep.

6. Who Is The Point Of Contact?

This question might seem redundant if you are already working with a seemingly dedicated project team, but it is hugely important to determine who is the MAIN, in-case-of-emergency, ultimate-decision-making point of contact on a project.

And a bonus project management question: find out what their preferred method of communication is. Email? Office phone? Cell phone?  The last thing you want to be worrying about if something goes off the rails with a project is who you should reach out to and whether they’ll even read your email.

7. Who Is Doing The Work?

Most of the project questions on this list are ones you will be asking your clients/stakeholders, but this question is an extremely important one and it’s all about your internal team. Perhaps you are joining a project where you already know the designers, devs, etc., or perhaps you’ve just started at a new company where you don’t know a soul!

Either way, as soon as you are staffed on the project, make sure that you have the right people on the job. Does everyone have the skills necessary to complete the work on time and on budget? Does anyone on the team need additional training or support? Have you filled all the roles needed, and researched contractors/freelancers if you need additional hands on deck?

8. Who Is The Audience For The Work?

Often, in project management, we think of each project as having 2 sets of stakeholders – the client or the person asking for the work to be done, and the team, or the people doing the work. But there is usually a third and sometimes silent group of stakeholders – the audience/consumer/recipient/user who will be interacting with, purchasing, or viewing the work when it’s done.

The audience for your work is extremely important. Some projects will allow for surveys or research to be done to learn more about the consumer at the other end of your project work, but if not, you can still ask this question of the client, your team and yourself: who are we building this for, and what is important to them? The answers to these project management questions will no doubt help you stay focused on what it is you are truly trying to accomplish.

9. Has This Been Done Before?

Even the most innovative, unique, remarkable work in our industry usually builds upon or takes some inspiration from something that was done before. There’s no shame in seeing what else has been done in the space or by similar organizations when you are assigned to your new project!

Asking your stakeholders, (clients AND internal team), what other projects have been done before that your team can take inspiration/learn from is a great way to get everyone excited about the work to come, get some new ideas, and stay aware of your competition. I love to ask clients to show me examples of products/projects that inspire them so that my team knows what to aim for and can hopefully surpass expectations.

10. What Might Get In The Way?

Believe it or not, I think this might be my favorite question to ask when I start a new project. It might seem a little bit messy to delve into all the potential problems you might face as a team embarking on this work, but I think coming together to responsibly identify potential roadblocks to success is not only an exercise in humility – admitting that something is bound to go wrong at some point – but it can absolutely help you be prepared for when that moment comes.

Hopefully you have already insured against common pitfalls – staffing, timeline, budget, tech specs, etc., but what else might get in the way of everything happening according to plan? Huddle with your team and ask your stakeholders what they foresee as potential barriers to success – or what barriers have already arisen – and then ensure everyone that you, as PM, are informed about these issues and ready to tackle them should they come up again.

Because things might get in the way, right?

What Do You Think?

Are there any important questions we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments.

Hear more from Joanna in her podcast episode here !

And if you’re looking for even more helpful insights, check this article out: We’ve Got The Power: How DPMs Influence Ways Of Working

How To Organize Digital Assets: Expert Tips & Tricks

7 steps to make your dam implementation a success, how to create a digital asset management rfp.

17 Questions for Project Kick-Off Meetings + Checklist

As I’ve got older and more experienced, I’ve also got lazier when it comes to preparing for project meetings. Recently I was completely caught out when I checked my diary in the morning. That afternoon I had four external people coming in for a meeting that I had forgotten about!

It was an informal pre-kick off meeting for something that might turn into a project. I had a couple of hours to prepare which was plenty, but it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. It could have been worse — at least the meeting wasn’t at 9am.

We talked through the bare bones of what they wanted to do and I think there is something there. The next step will be properly initiating the project.

In this article, we’ll talk about what you should include in that kind of meeting: the project kick-off meeting.

But first, let’s talk about the project initiation phase and what needs to happen at the start of a project to set it up for a successful finish.

The project initiation phase

You kick off the project through the project initiation phase. This is where you get all the information together to work out exactly what it is you are supposed to be doing, by when, with whom.

It’s the very first part of the ‘real’ project, after the business case is approved but before the work starts.

How long is project initiation?

There is no simple answer to how long the project initiation phase should be. On a small project, you could finish project initiation in a morning, following a chat with one other person.

On a big project, you might run multiple workshops with various different groups of stakeholders, each getting you closer to understanding the full project scope and objectives of the project. That could take a couple of weeks.

And you might need extra time to build your project plan and schedule after that. Project managers would call the planning phase a different part of the project lifecycle, but sponsors don’t see it that way in my experience.

They see ‘person doing thinking and planning and not delivering anything’ and ‘the ‘doing’ work has started’. They don’t much care about the specifics of how to manage a project as long as someone is doing the work in a noticeable way for them.

Don’t let anyone tell you are taking too long for project initiation. It takes as long as it takes. When you feel ready to start properly planning, then initiation is over.

What documents are created in the project initiation phase?

The business case should have been completed before project initiation.

During initiation, you are creating the project charter and any other essential project documents .

Read next: The project documents (and templates) you need to manage your project .

Your pre-project questionnaire

I’ve prepared a list of essential questions to ask when starting a project. These are questions to use in your project kick-off meetings, and during the initiation phase so you fully understand what needs to happen.

Here they are:

• Why is this project important?
• What’s the problem you are trying to solve?
• What are you expecting the project to achieve? What do you see as the high-level objective?
• Have the project’s requirements been documented yet? If so, where? By whom?
• What’s the solution that has been agreed upon, if any? What analysis was done about the proposed solutions?
• What are the project’s success criteria? (Read more about success criteria in my definitive guide to project success criteria )
• How does this project tie back to company strategy?
• How is this project going to be funded? Have all the funds already been secured?
• What are the constraints?
• What is most important: time, cost or quality management ? Or would you rank something else as the defining measure?
• Who benefits from the project?
• Who are the other stakeholders ?
• What is in scope?
• What is deliberately out of scope and why?
• What internal and external dependencies should we be aware of?
• Have you done this sort of project before? If so, who can I talk to in order to learn about their experiences?
• What risks are you aware of already? How risky do you think these risks are? What do you think of these risks I know about already?

As you can see, there is a mix of project planning questions and other pre-project questions in the list. These are what I would typically ask during a project initiation meeting.

The questions related to project funding should (in theory) have already been sorted out as part of the business case. In fact, most of the answers to these questions should have been asked at business case time.

And sometimes, the funding isn’t secured, even though the business case is approved — or you only have funding for part of the project.

You might ask different stakeholders different questions, so pick and choose from the list depending on who you are talking to. I would run a series of individual one-to-one meetings and also a team kick-off event.

Consider using transcription software to capture everything discussed in your meeting.

The project initiation meeting

The project initiation meeting is a meeting you have at the beginning of a project to set expectations for the rest of the work.

You might call it a kick-off meeting (I do, sometimes, as it sounds less formal and therefore less daunting for people who will be attending).

Who attends the project initiation meeting

The core project team will normally attend the project kick-off meeting. This includes:

• You, as the project manager
• The project sponsor
• The key day-to-day customer representative, assuming the project sponsor is so senior they won’t actually know how the processes or systems work in detail
• Anyone else who will be working regularly on the project team.

If you are going to use a legal person to draft a contract mid-way through, you wouldn’t invite them to this meeting. The objective is to get the right people in the room so you can all agree on what is going to be done and how.

The initial meeting could be just you and one other person, or you might have a packed meeting room. It just depends on what it is going to take to get the work done.

You might choose to run several different meetings, each with different attendees, focusing on a different topic. Then you’d combine the output of each meeting so you’ve got a complete view of everything that affects project initiation.

Project kick-off meeting agenda

I have another article with detailed guidance on how to create a meeting agenda , but there are definitely some specific topics you’ll want to include in a project initiation meeting agenda.

An agenda for a project initiation meeting looks like this:

Don’t assume everyone in the room will know each other or have worked together before. Take time to introduce everyone and state their roles and what they will be responsible for on the project. This conversation is also useful to feed into creating a roles and responsibilities template for the team and a RACI matrix .

Equally, don’t assume everyone has worked on a project before. You might need to do a ‘what is a project manager and what will I be doing’ introduction to your own role.

Get the project sponsor to talk about the project objectives. Mention key dates, what has been promised and share the highlights from the business case if there was one.

The point of this is to set the project in context, so link it back to the company’s strategic objectives. This helps people understand why they are working on this thing. When people understand why, they are more likely to actually do the work.

Talk about what it is you are going to be delivering. Be specific. Talk about what you aren’t delivering too.

Talk about how you are going to get the objectives delivered. You aren’t doing detailed planning in this meeting. It’s more about ensuring everyone is on the same page for the way the work is going to happen.

For example, if you are going to use Agile methods , make sure everyone is aware of that. If they haven’t worked with Agile before, you might need to do some follow-up sessions to help them understand what it means to work in an Agile team.

That’s a meeting that can be planned for early on in the project — as soon as possible, really.

Set expectations for weekly/monthly reporting, team meetings, time recording, and anything else you need the team to be on the same page for. Layout the time scales for updating you with progress on tasks.

You can even outline what the agenda of the weekly team meeting will be, or what you expect to be discussed in the standups .

If you use project management software, talk about how it works and how you expect others to use it (if you do). Generally, I don’t expect the rest of the team to input data directly into our project management tools, but you might need to explain to them how to do that or set them up with a login.

If your team has to track their time spent on the project, then make sure they know how to do that too. This isn’t the right time for a lesson in how to use the time tracking software, but note down who needs help with that and schedule some time for them to get some training or support before they need to start using it.

Normally, your next steps will be to do a planning workshop with the people who will be doing the work. Get the people in the kick-off meeting to tell you who needs to be involved in that from their areas.

You’ll have been writing down next steps and actions as you go, so summarize what you’ve noted down. For example, any follow-up meetings or training, or providing logins to people so they have the tools, skills, and access they need to do their work.

Any other business. Give people enough time to ask questions and raise additional points that haven’t yet been covered.

You can also confirm the date and time of the next sessions, for example, your first weekly team meeting, if you haven’t already covered that in the next steps.

The AOB section of your meetings should get shorter over time as people get used to how to bring up topics for the room’s attention, but you should always include it in case there are things you have forgotten to discuss.

Typically, the actions from AOB are to make time to have further discussions, so note that in the action summary of the meeting.

During your meeting, you should aim to answer the questions from the pre-project checklist above, where you haven’t had those responses from your one-to-one meetings with stakeholders.

Should you invite the client?

If you are doing a project for an external client, you might want to think twice about having them along to your first project initiation meeting with your internal team. It might not be appropriate for them to be there.

However, you should have a kick-off meeting with the client. If you work in an agency environment where you are approaching the client kick off with a statement of work to discuss, and so on, then read this guide to project initiation from The Digital Project Manager . My experience is all on in-house projects.

After the meeting, capture and circulate meeting minutes to record the important points.

The most important project question

I always ask people: Is there anything else you’d like to add? Since I started asking this question when interviewing people for this blog or just in the course of my normal job, you’d be amazed at what gems of information come out.

Don’t assume that because you are a project manager you know what to ask! When asked an open question, people give you lots of other information that you wouldn’t otherwise have got. Try it!

Once you’ve carried out your kick-off meeting, and go through project initiation, the next stage of the project lifecycle is planning. As you think about how to get the work done, consider how to avoid common scheduling mistakes, so you and the rest of the team know exactly what to do.

You're starting a new project and want to ensure that the kick-off goes as smoothly as possible. This is the guide you need!

This 46-page ebook will help you set up your project right from the beginning.

• What goes into a business case
• How to write a project initiation document (also known as a project charter)
• How to create the other important documents you need to put in place, namely the risk log, change log, issue log and decision log.
• How to create a project plan and a project schedule
• Common scheduling mistakes and how to overcome them
• Tips for getting work done more quickly when your project has to start (and finish) fast.

Packed with practical, real-world advice, this is part of a series of ebooks aimed at managers who don't work in a textbook world.

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years. Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects .

Home Blog Business How To Create a Project Presentation: A Guide for Impactful Content

How To Create a Project Presentation: A Guide for Impactful Content

Corporate, academic, and business meetings share one common factor: successfully delivering project presentations. This is one skill professionals should harness in terms of articulating ideas, presenting plans, and sharing outcomes through an effective project presentation.

In this fast-paced reality where new tools and frameworks make us question the human factor value, we believe there’s much to be said about how working towards building presentation skills can make a difference, especially for making a project stand out from the crowd and have a lasting impact on stakeholders. We can no longer talk about simply disclosing information, the manner in which the narrative is built, how data is introduced, and several other factors that speak of your expertise in the subject.

This article will explore the art of project presentation, giving insights to presenters to deliver a memorable project plan presentation. Whether you are new to this experience or a seasoned presenter, this article promises to give you valuable information on how to build and present a project presentation that resonates with your target audience and will convert into your expected results for the project. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

• Who is the audience of a project presentation?

Executive Summary

Project overview, the project process model, the project scope, the project resources, the project roadmap, the project activities plan, the project risks, quality control, project execution and monitoring.

• The Project Team

What Is a Project Presentation?

A project presentation is a business activity that brings together stakeholders and team members to oversee a project from execution to completion. During a project presentation, one or two people present a document or slide deck with an overview of all the project’s details.

During a project presentation, the project manager highlights key data about the project initiation and planning activities, like the project scope, requirements gathering, a deliverable list, timelines, and milestones.

The first instance of a project presentation is right before the execution of the project itself. Then, during the project process life cycle, you present it again with timely updates and news about the progress.

Who is the audience of a project presentation? 

A project-related audience is made up of stakeholders – all individuals and entities that affect or are affected by the project’s existence.

Discuss the project presentation with team members that’ll work on the project so they know what’s at stake and what’s expected of them. They’ll need information like requirements, the roadmap, the work breakdown structure, and deliverables.

Stakeholders

Present your project to the stakeholders that can authorize resources and expenditures. Show them how the project will offer the solutions they want under the conditions they impose in a set amount of time. 

Stakeholders want to know details like project scope, budget breakdowns, timing calculations, risk assessments, and how you plan to confront these risks and be ready for changes. 

The Structure of a Project Presentation

Project presentations follow a standard structure covering all critical elements. Follow this guideline to ensure that you cover everything with the slides, the speech, and the discussion.

In the next section, we describe a project presentation structure you can build with SlideModel templates or working with our AI PowerPoint generator . As you will see, most sections in the structure are summaries or overviews of project management practices completed during initiation and planning. 

At the start of your presentation, add an executive summary slide . This section is meant to welcome the viewer to the presentation and give an idea of what’s to come. To differentiate your executive summary from the project overview that comes right after it, use the opportunity to place the project into context. 

In an executive summary , show how this particular project fits into the overall strategy for the company or the section it belongs to. If, for example, your project is about TikTok Marketing, offer information as to how it fits in the overall marketing strategy.

Continue the presentation with a project overview to show the audience what to expect. This section covers one slide or a combination of slides depending on the layout. The project overview slide serves as the introduction to a project presentation and what’s inside.

Include these items:

• An Introduction with a brief background about the project. 
• A short explanation of the project’s objectives and completion goals.
• A quick overview of the timeline with start and end dates.

The project life cycle is the series of phases that a project goes through from its inception to its completion. The project process model is the group of knowledge areas, processes, and their relationships that will guide the activities along the project lifecycle. The next slide should display the chosen project process model and explain how it’ll be carried out along the different lifecycle phases. Project process models examples include Waterfall, Scrum, and V Model for software development, and Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) and Swimlane for general business-related projects.

Process models are important for the team to understand execution processes. Stakeholders need to see the process model to understand the systematic process of activities and how long they will take. 

Use one slide for the model, show only high-level components, and offer details during the presentation if the audience asks for them.

The scope is a crucial element of any project and needs its own section in the presentation. The scoping process begins with requirements gathering and includes the creation of a work breakdown structure , an analysis of what’s in and out of scope, plus validation and scope management plans. 

One or two slides are enough to highlight key scope details in a dashboard-style layout mirroring the information on your project scope statement. Preferably, place the scope slides towards the start of the project presentation close to the process model and project resources.

Every project needs resources, and that assessment must be included in the project presentation as well. In a general sense, all resources are what make up the overall budget for the project. In turn, you’ll need to show a budget breakdown that shows high-level resources.

Like many aspects of a project presentation, what you include depends on the industry you’re working for. Construction projects use constructors, materials, machinery, etc. Software projects use programmers, designers, software licenses, computers, etc.

Time is the main resource of any project. During project planning, the project management team estimates the required effort needed to complete the defined scope. Using the Project Process Model, Scope, and Resources, a plan is built. Present a roadmap to highlight the expected time for project completion and where each milestone falls along that line.

Roadmaps can be constructed with an infinite variety of visual layouts, from highly creative and illustrative to structured formats resembling spreadsheets and tables with color-coded roadmaps across the cells. Use one slide to show the roadmap highlighting time estimates, constraints, and projections. For updated project presentations, mark where the project is on the roadmap at that particular moment in time.

Every phase of the roadmap is broken down into action plans . Action plans list activities, their duration, allocated resources (human, material, and financial), and the relationship between activities.

Present your project activities plan with a Gantt Chart and a Costs Report. The Gantt Chart will show the activities to execute, how long they will take, and who (person or team) will be responsible for them. The costs reports will show how much the execution of activities will cost.

During the presentation, you’ll spend the most time on this section, as this is when and where your entire plan is outlined. To show more detail than the roadmap overview, use a few slides to show specific sections of the main Gantt chart and show key activities per phase or milestone.

All projects present risks, and to control them, they must be identified, assessed, evaluated, and mitigated . Visualize your risk assessment with a risk matrix and include it in the project presentation. 

Use this slide to explain to stakeholders how you plan to mitigate the identified risks. Share with team members what’s expected of them in order to keep the risks under control. Risk management is a critical component of project management and something stakeholders will always be looking at.

Controlling the quality of project deliverables is critical for positive project outcomes and continued success with the deliverable. This process is called quality control or quality assurance.

The project process model includes which quality control techniques the team will use and when. Some quality assurance (QA) techniques include statistical process control (SPC), Six Sigma, ISO 9000, and Total Quality Management (TQM). Use one slide to visualize the process and your plan to execute it.

Once the project starts, the project plan is a living entity and evolves over time. This section will need to be regularly updated with progress reports, performance KPIs, and status updates.

Across these slides, explain how activities will be monitored and deliverable outcomes measured. Show exactly how you will determine if the project is on course or has deviations. Visualize all execution activities with a Gantt chart to show the current progress. Use big numbers and data points to highlight performance metrics. Use a comparison slide to visualize the completeness percentage vs. planned progress and budget consumption vs. planned budget.

Explain all monitoring activities for the execution phase using a calendar or schedule that shows on what days activities will take place and who is involved.

The Project Team 

When presenting a project, include a stakeholder map to describe the management team, the sponsors, the main stakeholders, and the implementation team or teams. Depending on the size of the project, this will be an org chart or multiple org charts across a few slides.

Why is it important to present the project team to the stakeholders and vice versa? So that everyone involved knows the other parties and their responsibilities.

Another use for the team slide or slides is to present the next person who will speak during the project presentation. This gives the audience some background on that person’s role in the project.

Case Study – Project Presentation Example

Using the structure we present above, we outlined a case study of a realistic project and how the project manager puts together the project presentation using SlideModel templates. The project presentation example is based on a complex project of building a bridge (Cline Avenue Bridge). For the educational purpose of this article, we are not delivering all the elements of the project presentation, as it is out of scope. Still, we illustrate the more representative slides of each section, show how to prepare a PowerPoint Presentation for a project and how simple it is to adapt the templates to the content that needs to be presented. As a disclaimer, all information we present is an adaptation and reinterpretation of the real project, modified by SlideModel to fit the use case learning goals. This information and presentation should not be considered a source of information related to the Cline Avenue Bridge Project.

In this slide, the presenter summarises the project highlights in a project charter style. The Project Manager can extend this introduction all over the project lifecycle, and the speech can jump from different knowledge areas without the need to change slides or get deeper into details. Specifically, in the Cline Bridge Project, the objective is narrated, the location is just mentioned and linked to a map for further details, and a set of important facts are presented (Building Information Modelling Process, Budget, Duration, Sponsor, and Constructor). Key Highlights of the final deliverable are listed (Segmental Bridge, Material Concrete, 1.7 miles of length and 46 feet of width)

Process Model

The Process Model slide illustrates the framework for the project lifecycle, processes, planning, and execution. In this slide, the Project Manager will describe the model and how it is tailored to the specifics of the project. In this case, for the development and construction of the Cline Bridge, the builder has defined the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) as the process model. During this slide, the presenter can describe the lifecycle phases (Design, Production, Construction, Operation, and Planning) and drill down one level over the knowledge practices involved. For example, the initial stage consists of “Design”, which has two main knowledge areas, Conceptual Design, and Detailed Design. The project manager is able to explain this definition without the need to outline detailed processes and activities within them.

The Scope section of the presentation generally involves several slides, as the content layout is a list of “requirements.” Based on this fact, a table layout is suggested to make good use of space. It is important to avoid abusing the “list” and present the group of requirements rather than specific requirements. Otherwise, the project manager ends up transcribing the requirements document.

In this project presentation example, we present 10 groups of requirements traversing different stages of the project lifecycle. 

• Design Standards: Bridge design must comply with local, national, and international design standards, including relevant engineering and safety codes
• Load Capacity: The bridge must be designed to safely carry a specific maximum load, which would include the weight of the bridge itself, traffic, pedestrians, wind, and other factors.
• Seismic Design: The design must account for seismic loads. 
• Aesthetic Design: The bridge must be designed to meet certain aesthetic criteria aligned with the artists and architects.
• Accessibility and Use Requirements: Requirements for pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, vehicle lanes, load restrictions for vehicles, clearance heights for boats if over a waterway, etc.
• Regulatory Approvals: The project must secure all necessary permits and approvals from relevant local and national regulatory bodies.
• Environmental Impact: The project must take steps to minimize its environmental impact during construction and the operation of the bridge, including implementing erosion and sediment controls.
• Materials Simulation: Materials should comply with regulations and usage expectations for current and future expected requirements.
• Site Preparation: The project must include preparation of the construction site, including any necessary land clearing or grading.
• Foundations Construction: Foundations will need to support materials weight and traffic expected for the next 30 years.
• Site Acquisition: Acquire site and terrain for building and logistics.

Building a bridge involves a high level of resource usage. In an executive meeting of a project presentation, the recommendation is to structure this section as a Financial table with only one level of detail. Further details are delegated to specific resources and cost analysis presentations.

The resources list presented is:

• Professional Services
• Construction Labour
• Quality Assurance
• Contingency
• Waste Disposal and Cleanup
• Subcontractors

In order to break the style of table after table during the project presentation, we suggest using visual elements as icons and colors metaphorically related to each of the elements listed.

Project Roadmap

As explained earlier in the article, the project roadmap serves to offer a comprehensive overview of the significant milestones that will happen over the course of time. Given the magnitude of a bridge construction project and its prolonged duration, it is advisable, particularly for such extensive endeavours, to present a roadmap that aligns milestones with corresponding lifecycle phases in a discernible manner. This approach enables the audience to mentally envision the sequential progression of the construction process.

Aligned with previous slides, in the example we created a roadmap with the following high level milestones, and sub componentes:

• Project Budgeting and Financing
• Land Purchase & Renting
• Conceptual Design
• Detailed Design
• Access Routes
• Waste Disposal
• Simulations
• Materials Tests
• Seismic Tests
• Fabrication
• Preparation of Modular Pieces
• Build and Assembly
• Test under Acceptance Criteria
• Stress Test
• Operation and Maintenance

As you can see, the Project Manager decided over a sequential roadmap, presented with little detail in timings, with start and end dates to picture dimension over the diagram.

Action Plan

In the bridge construction project of the example, there will be plenty of activity plans. All along the project several of these slides will be created and updated. The most suitable option for presentation tasks, durations, precedence relationship and resource allocation is the Gantt Chart Template. We present the first Quarter of the project, over the Conceptual Design Activities. 

As displayed in the PowerPoint Slide , the subtitle clarifies the number of slides that will be used for this purpose.

The activities presented are:

• Site Analysis
• Feasibility Analysis
• Design Concepts
• BIM Model Creation
• Model Revision
• Environmental Impact
• Present Design

Project Risks

Risk management is an iterative process all over the project life cycle. When presenting your projects, the risks will vary depending on the progress over the roadmap. For this specific example we decided to present the risks being discussed during the Ideation stage, where the developer is exchanging risks with contractors and the company that will build the bridge.

Our suggested layout for this kind of information is a simple table, where the risks are clearly readable and visible, while the description is a hint for discussion rather than an in depth explanation.

It is very important to classify the presented risks, at least with two dimensions; “Impact” and “Probability”. This will generate quality conversations around them. 

Outlined Risks during the Initiation Phase:

• Design Errors
• Construction Delays
• Budget Overruns
• Regulatory Changes
• Site Conditions
• Equipment Failures
• Health and Safety Incidents

As the reader can spot, the risks outlined, are very high level, and each of them will trigger specific Risk Analysis Reports.

The quality control section of the project presentation may vary depending on the quality process adopted. For large scale companies with a uniform portfolio of projects , it is common to see a continuous improvement quality model, which iteratively builds quality over the different projects (for example software companies) For construction companies like the example, the situation is not different, and the quality control model is aligned with the specific building process model. In this specific case, the project manager is presenting the quality control process to be applied over the BIM model and the Quality Control process to be followed for the physical construction of the bridge:

Execution and Monitoring

During the project, several status meetings will be carried out. During the project presentation the manager can establish the pattern to be used along the project.

For this example, we set a basic progress dashboard where the project manager can present : 

• The current timeline
• Top 5 issues
• Current Burndown
• Top 5 risks.

The art of project presentation goes beyond listing data in random slides. A project presentation is a powerful tool to align stakeholders and foster an environment of trust and collaboration over factual information.

With a structured approach, all members involved in the project design and execution can understand the direction that’s being taken and the importance behind certain decisions. We hope these insights can turn your project into a powerful presentation that inspires and deliver results.

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Presentation Skills: How to answer those killer questions

Feb 19, 2017 by maurice decastro in communication skills , presentation skills , presentation tips.

Questions can be a major source of anxiety for many presenters.

In our presentation skills courses we are often asked to help people to answer questions more professionally.

It’s a much bigger issue than many people think.

When we probe a little deeper to understand the issue, our delegates often ask 3 questions:

         1. ‘How do I respond confidently to a question I simply don’t know the answer to?’

         2. ‘What if I don’t understand the question?

         3. ‘How do I deal with hostile questions?’

Our first task is to re-frame the way we think about being asked questions. For many people that presents a significant challenge.

It is often perceived as the moment of truth

We’ve spent hours crafting our presentation to ensure its content rich and helpful. We know our content well and have practiced exhaustively.

We’ve left nothing to chance; so what’s the problem?

It’s as simple as it is frightening. We convince ourselves that our entire reputation depends on how we answer questions.

Unfortunately, there can be a touch of truth behind that limiting belief. That’s why it’s the cause of so much anxiety amongst presenters. 

There’s plenty you can do to answer those challenging questions with confidence and credibility. Before we explore them, try to avoid this mistake.

Don’t answer a question saying:

“That is a really good question and I am glad you asked it.”

Quite often, it’s not a good question? If it’s not a good question the response sounds glib. If it is a good question, does that mean the others aren’t?

How you would feel if you asked the next question and the presenter didn’t acknowledge it as a ‘really good question’.

Just answer the question.

The scary six

Our job as presenters extends beyond crafting a content rich, compelling, presentation. We also have to deliver  it in a way that is congruent with our message. We have to anticipate difficult questions too.

Surround yourself with a small group of people you trust and respect. Share your presentation with them giving each person a specific role. 

Devil’s advocate 

Ask them to be contentious, oppose your view and challenge the strength of your presentation.

 Their role is to criticise you and to create an atmosphere of hostility and distrust.

The energy thief

 Get them to look for a negative aspect of everything you say.

The know all 

Encourage them to actively demonstrate that they know more than you on the topic.

Let them tell you in the most respectful way that they don’t agree with you.

The wanderer  

They demonstrate that they haven’t listened to a word you said.

It’s not an excercise for the faint hearted because it takes courage.

It is, however an investment worth making.

Once the scary six have taken you and your presentation apart, take another look at your presentation.

As painful and as strange as it may sound, remember it’s not real and it won’t happen. You, however, will be prepared for anything.

What exactly should you do with those awkward questions?

Killer question 1  – You don’t know the answer

The old saying ‘honesty is the best policy’, has stood the test of time because it’s true. The moment you try to bluff your way through a question you don’t know the answer to, you lose your credibility.

Try this instead.

Step into the question. In other words, take a step forward towards your audience. If you are seated then lean forward into the table or desk.

Have you noticed how common it is for people to be on the ‘back foot’ when they don’t know the answer to a question?

Your challenge is to be on the front foot and to step into or lean into the question.

Acknowledge the person who asked the question with eye contact. After that, bring the rest of the room into your response with eye contact too.  Once you’ve  moved forward and made eye contact, confidently say, ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out and let you know’.

You have a few choices at this point. You can:

Ask the audience

“I don’t know the answer to that but I wonder whether anyone else in the audience does.”

“Can anyone help answer that question?”

Share a thought

You may not have the answer but you may have a view. Share a thought or perspective on the question if you have one. 

‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out and let you know. In the meantime I have a thought on the issue. Please keep in mind that it’s not the answer to your question as I’ve already stated I don’t know the answer but here is a thought…

What’s your view on that?’

Ask for a moment

If you need a little time to think about the question, ask for it.

‘I need a few moments to think about that.’

This also take a little courage but remember, you don’t need to rush in to giving an answer.

Give yourself a little time to think. Your audience will respect you for it.

Postpone the answer

It may well be that you know the answer but under pressure the answer has slipped your mind. This is another opportunity to be honest.

‘ Given the importance of the question, I’d like to give you the most complete answer I can. I will need to get back to you in…’

Killer question 2 – You don’t understand the question

I’ve long held the view that most people don’t really listen. I believe that many do something else – they wait to speak.

“Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey

That is often the reason why we don’t understand the question. The solution is relatively simple; we need to really listen. That means:

– Listen – to the entire question

– Breathe – don’t leap straight into a response

– Check – ‘Let me just check that I understand you correctly, you are asking me if…’

‘To make sure that I’ve understood you correctly are you asking…’

If you still don’t understand the question, don’t panic.  Take a deep breath and ask them to clarify what they mean. Explain politely that you are still not clear you understand the question.

Killer question 3 – It’s a hostile question

Most audiences are on your side. They are friendly, open and are keen to learn from you. That said, every now and then you may get what we call hostile questions.

They feel hostile because of the emotional charge. The questioner may wave their pen at you challenging or criticizing your perspective.

If this happens, your  job is to remain calm. Depersonalize the attack and avoid being over defensive; easier said than done I know.

Your first priority is to diffuse the emotional charge and to take care of the rest of the audience whilst respecting the questioner.

Treat them the same as any other member of the audience.  Answer their question as honestly and as professionally as you can.

Avoid matching your tone of voice to theirs. Stay calm, professional and polite. Remember that your audience will align with whoever is more courteous and respectful.

Very occasionaly it appears as though the questioner is looking for more of an argument rather than an answer. This is rare but if it happens, you owe it to the rest of your audience to close it down.

You do have some options:

– You can acknowledge their concern and suggest that the two of you meet separately after the presentation to discuss the matter in greater detail.

– If the questioner persists you can calmly assert:

‘I’m afraid I need to move on now.’

It’s possible that you may need to repeat this two or three times.

– A  simple but powerful technique you can use to respectfully regain control of your presentation is to:

That means listening very closely and carefully to the perspective of the questioner.

You have listened closely enough to find something you can sincerely agree with. That does not mean you agree with a point they make even if you don’t. It means you listen intently for something that does make sense to you that you can agree with. When there is such a high emotional charge in a question it’s often fueled by passion and a need to be heard.

The questioner isn’t a bad person. They are simply someone who feels very strongly about what you are saying and may not share your perspective. Once you have listened closely enough to find something you can genuinely agree with, no matter how small, there is only one thing left to do.

You acknowledge that you agree with that element of their argument. Tell them that you understand their perspective or that the specific point they just made makes sense to you. Then you pause and you stay silent.

It’s more than a pause of course, as you are signalling to the questioner that you have nothing else to say on the matter.

You don’t say a word and watch what happens next.

Try to understand the motivation behind the question and tone. Share what you are picking up from them: “It sounds like your main concern is with the process. Is that correct?” This will encourage them to focus on the point they are trying to make. It will  also give you a little  time to consider a response.

One of the many key distinctions between a Mindful Presenter and a mediocre presenter is the ability to handle challenging questions professionally and effectively.

That distinction is achieved through the conscious focus and effort to:

– See questions as an opportunity to learn and engage, rather than be judged

– Listen very carefully to the question

– Lose the ‘headstuff’; in other words not making it all about you

– Pause and breathe

– Repeat the question if necessary and appropriate

– Understand the motivation behind the question

– Respect the questioner and the audience

– Anticipate difficult questions whilst crafting the presentation

– Stay calm, focused and on message

– Close the questions down politely and move on

If you need help answering those killer questions:

– Book yourself onto a powerful  public speaking course .

– Invest in some really good one to one  public speaking coaching .

– Get yourself some excellent  presentation training

Image courtesy of: iStock.com

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• Effective Presentation Skills Tutorial
• Handling Questions and Answers

At the end of your presentation, if it is appropriate for the type of presentation, solicit questions from the audience.

Responding to Audience Questions

When someone is asking a question, make eye contact with that person, listen positively, and acknowledge by saying "thank you for that question," or say "that is an excellent question" or "that is an important question".

If the audience is in a large room and cannot hear each other's questions, repeat the question loudly for everyone to hear, before answering it.

If you know the answer to the question, respond appropriately and briefly so you can take more questions and not spend too much time on one question.

Effective Response to Question

This video clip is an example of a presenter effectively responding to an audience member's question .

Ineffective Response to Question

This video clip is an example of a presenter ineffectively responding to an audience member's question .

If the question is not relevant to the presentation, say something like, "I am really sorry that question is outside the scope of this presentation, but I will be happy to stay after the presentation and discuss it with you."

Effective Response to Off-topic Question

This video clip is an example of a presenter effectively responding to an off-topic question or one in which he or she does not know the answer .

Inappropriate Response to Off-topic Question

This video clip is an example of a presenter inappropriately responding to an off-topic question or one in which he or she does not know the answer .

If time is running out for answering all of the questions, say, "I am sorry. I am running out of time, but I will take one last question, and then I will be available at the end to answer any remaining questions."

If you do not know the answer to a question say, "That is an interesting question, and I will have to get back to you later on that" or ask the audience "Can someone help me with this?" or be gracious and acknowledge you do not know the answer at that time.

If an audience member criticizes or attacks what you had covered in your presentation, do not attack back, but separate the valid criticism from the personal attack, and respond to the criticism appropriately.

Some things not to do during the question and answer period:

• Shuffling papers or technology and not making eye contact with the questioner
• Belittling the questioner
• Calling those who want to ask questions by their physical characteristics
• Not taking questions in the sequence they are asked, but focusing on certain people or a side of the room

Asking Good Questions

If you are in the audience, know also how to ask good questions to indicate that you are following the presentation.

You can ask some general questions about any topic, and you may be genuinely curious about some things presented.

• What were the most challenging aspects, or what surprised you the most, in conducting this project?
• Why did you choose this particular methodology or argument instead of another one?
• How did you collect the data? Were there any problems in collecting data? What was the sample size?
• How did you validate your work? Did you validate with a real problem or situation?
• What are some of the limitations of your work?
• What recommendations do you have for further exploration in this project?

Learning to ask good questions at the end of a presentation demonstrates your active participation.

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• Designing Effective Presentation Materials
• Rehearsing the Presentation
• Delivering the Presentation
• Presentation Skills Quiz
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• Common Reasons for Ineffective Presentations

A Complete Guide to Creating Project Presentations – Templates, Tips, and Tricks

Before delving into the article, imagine you are sitting in the audience as an investor, waiting for presentations by two groups on the ‘Clean Water Project’ to begin.

The first presenter starts by simply listing his statistics and discussing technical data. He claims that he put over a dozen of purifiers, his project helped plenty of people in the area, and he showed some numbers and calculations and left the stage.

The second presenter enters and commences with a story of how his installations of water plants uplifted the lives of innumerable people. He shares anecdotes about his visit to designated places, visually describes the challenges those communities face, and then changes the narrative to how his team uplifted them and brought them out of misery. With each slide, he showcases numbers and backs them with an anecdote.

Which presenter are you more likely to finance? Of course, it would be the second one because he presented his project by incorporating all necessary details and left behind an indelible mark on you with his presentation.

Thus, one great project presentation can change your career forever, and its importance cannot be overstated. It serves as a critical platform for conveying a project’s vision, goals, and impact. Effective presentations also allow you to receive feedback, gather suggestions, and improve your plans.

In this blog, we will provide a complete guide to creating a project presentation, including certain templates that you can use to bring another level of charm to your slides.

Tips to Ace Your Project Presentation

1. open with a strong title.

Commencing with a strong title holds immense importance as it sets the stage for success. A compelling heading can ignite the audience’s curiosity and draw them toward your slides. It also serves as a clear focal point, giving them a preview of what to expect and guiding their expectations.

For instance, if you are delivering a presentation on a Solar Project, instead of saying, “Solar Project Presentation,” you can begin with, “Powering the Future: Brightening Lives with Our Solar Project.”

Such a well-crafted title not only intrigues the viewer but also helps establish the main theme or message of the presentation.

2. Define Who You Are Presenting To

Defining your audience is crucial to ensure effective communication and engagement.

Let us understand this with the help of an example. Assume that you are presenting a project to a group of investors. Here, understanding their perspective is key to success. You can tailor your content to address their specific interests, such as potential return on investment, environmental impact, or market trends. By highlighting the project’s financial benefits and long-term sustainability, you can capture their attention and make a persuasive case for investment.

On the other hand, if you are presenting to your managers and team members, including data on project status, timeline, potential threats, change in market status, etc., can be more relevant.

Thus, defining your audience allows you to deliver a presentation that speaks directly to their needs, interests, and motivations, increasing the chances of achieving your goals.

3. Be Prepared for Grilling Questions

Preparing for questions in a project presentation is crucial for maintaining credibility and demonstrating expertise. It shows that you have thoroughly considered potential concerns and have comprehensive knowledge of your project.

By anticipating challenging questions, you can gather necessary information and rehearse your responses to ensure clarity. It is also crucial to thoroughly understand every aspect, such as project objectives, methodology, strategies, etc.

You can also support your responses with evidence such as data, research, or examples that might strengthen your arguments. Remember to stay calm and composed and answer with sheer confidence.

4. Weave a Story Around Your Project

Imagine transporting your audience to a world where your project comes to life through a captivating story . What a wonderful way it would be to convey and convince simultaneously.

Weaving a narrative gives you the power to captivate, engage, and leave a lasting impact on your audience.

For instance, let’s consider a project aimed at developing a sustainable fashion brand. You can begin by painting a picture of the current garment cycle- low-wage workers, dump yards filled with tons of unworn clothing items, and lack of awareness amongst people. Then, introduce your project, where every clothing item is fairly priced, wages are regularized, and garments are sustainable and biodegradable, which leads to a better environment for all of us.

As you progress, share the challenges encountered – limited resources, conflicting visions – but emphasize the resilience and determination to overcome obstacles. Illustrate the transformation with anecdotes of individuals rediscovering the joy of slow fashion and how it completely changed the face of the industry.

By showcasing the project as a story of empowerment, environmental stewardship, and social cohesion, you can connect with your audience on an emotional level, inspiring them to support and be part of the narrative. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to create an immersive experience that transcends facts and figures, resonating with the hearts and minds of your audience and compelling them to take action.

5. Talk About the Problem and Solution

In any project presentation, addressing the problem and presenting a clear solution is essential. By clearly outlining the issue at hand, you establish the context and set the stage for your audience to understand the significance of your project. Then, by presenting a well-defined solution, you demonstrate how your project directly addresses the identified problem.

Let’s consider an example of a project focused on reducing plastic waste in a coastal community. Here you can start by describing the alarming levels of plastic pollution on the local beaches and its detrimental impact on marine life and the environment. Highlight the consequences, such as polluted waters, endangered species, and negative effects on the local economy.

Then, introduce your project as a comprehensive solution that involves community education programs, recycling initiatives, and the promotion of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics. Present evidence of similar projects that have successfully reduced plastic waste in other communities.

By clearly articulating the problem and offering a solution, you create a sense of urgency and showcase the value and impact of your project. This approach engages your audience by highlighting the importance of your work and rallying support for a cause that resonates with their values and the well-being of the community and the environment.

6. Use Charts and Visuals to Showcase Numbers

When showcasing numerical data in a project presentation, utilizing charts and visuals is a powerful strategy to enhance understanding and engagement. Rather than overwhelming your audience with a barrage of numbers, graphs provide a clear representation of the data.

For example, if you’re presenting financial projections for a business project, you can create a bar chart that displays revenue growth over time, allowing your audience to quickly grasp the upward trend. However, suppose you want to depict budget allocations. In that case, you can use pie charts to showcase the division across different components, making it easier for stakeholders to comprehend the distribution of resources.

You can even use annotations and symbols to highlight the most crucial numbers and showcase key achievements.

By presenting data in a visual format , you enable your audience to make connections, spot patterns, and conclude more efficiently. It also helps emphasize key points and support your ideas by visually highlighting significant milestones or achievements.

7. Focus on the Design

Design plays a critical role in determining the interaction and engagement of your audience. By focusing on design details and elements, you can craft slides that stand out and speak for themselves.

This includes using a consistent brand palette and picking fonts that are clear, inclusive, and easy to read. You must also focus on the layout and organization of your content and ensure that it is easy to follow and visually balanced. Further, incorporating white space can help improve readability.

Templates that You Must Include in Your Project Presentation

Creating visuals, illustrations, and graphics from scratch is quite a burdensome task. Not only does it consume much of your time, but it also draws attention away from the content to the design.

Thus, we recommend using expert-designed templates that can be easily added to your slides and are completely customizable. You can adjust the fonts, change colors, and tailor them according to your requirements.

Here are seven such templates that are a must-have for a successful project presentation.

1. Project Timeline

Every project has a timeline that ensures all tasks are being completed as per schedule and allows stakeholders to have a bird’s eye view of important dates and events.

Including a project timeline in your presentation can provide the audience with a visual organization of various stages and milestones of the project. It can foster clear communication amongst team members, help them manage their time effectively, and enhance overall productivity.

Template Link

2. Project Stages

For a project to be successful, it must be well-organized and divided into multiple stages. Right from its conceptualization and initiation to closure, each phase must be outlined properly and presented in a manner that is easy for the audience to comprehend.

With this template, you can showcase even the smallest details, such as the charter, KPIs, tracking, risks involved, lessons learned, and much more.

  Template Link

3. Project Management

Imagine you’re embarking on a journey to conquer a challenging project. As you gather your team and prepare for it, you realize the importance of having a reliable roadmap that guides you through every twist and turns. That’s precisely what the project management infographic provides.

This template helps you showcase different aspects of the project and allows you to provide insights to your team into monitoring progress, identifying bottlenecks, and making timely adjustments.

4. Project Action Plan

We all have big visions and dreams. But it is true that dreams alone won’t get us there – we need a well-crafted action plan that can transform aspirations into actionable steps.

Thus, using an Action Plan template allows you to depict your project’s goals, objectives, vision, and desired outcome. This template is not just a tool – it’s a catalyst for transformation that allows you to guide your team in the right direction.

5. Project Roadmap

A roadmap is just a simple visual representation of the goals that you need to achieve at particular time periods to finish your project on time. Using a template saves you from the hassle of crafting a graphic from scratch and saves much of your time.

This template serves as a crucial element that can showcase various phases, deliverables, quarterly goals, etc., in one place. It communicates your project’s trajectory and becomes a common reference point for all stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and aligned with the project’s objectives.

6. Project Budget

The success of a project depends on its careful financial management. Thus, using a Project Budget template, you can present estimated costs, from personnel and resources to equipment and overhead expenses. You can also depict the allocation of resources and how funds will be distributed across various project activities and phases.

By harnessing the power of this template, you can flawlessly communicate the project’s financial aspects to investors or team members.

7. Project Roles and Responsibilities

Every project requires effort from all individuals on the team. Each member has a unique role to play and a responsibility to shoulder. Therefore, incorporating a Roles and Responsibilities template allows you to showcase everybody’s duties and tasks clearly.

By visually representing the interdependencies and interactions between different roles, you can help team members understand how their contributions fit into the larger project puzzle. This understanding enhances coordination, minimizes gaps, and maximizes the collective impact of the team.

Project presentations are not just about numbers and data. Rather, they are about inspiring, connecting, and convincing the audience. They serve as an excellent tool to showcase your ideas and achievements and support them with concrete facts.

We hope this article acts as a guiding light for your next presentation and helps you successfully create and deliver it.

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8 Questions to Answer for Impressive PowerPoint Presentations

by ELB Guest Author | Feb 1, 2017

Before I developed a huge passion for presentations and visual communications, I worked as an instructional designer for telecommunications courseware. We had to work with SMEs, usually engineers, to pick their brains to help them structure and put on paper all the knowledge required by technicians in the field. That was not always an easy task, but luckily, we could rely on various processes to help us.

When I started my business as a presentation professional, I realized that designing and developing effective, impactful, and impressive PowerPoint presentations was easier when I applied basics I had used in instructional design. Doing so may take some more time at the beginning, but in the end, it made me save a LOT of development time!

So here is my list of 8 essential questions, or as I also call it, my wheel to better presentations.

1. What’s the presentation purpose?

In other words, what goal are you pursuing with your presentation?

Training? If you are training a group of people on how to give better online support to your customers, you can start thinking about actuals problems or complaints you have and what type of information could bridge that gap.

Information? Your boss might be asking to have a status report on a specific project. That means you will need to gather important details, such as budget used, project delayed or on time, or any specific roadblocks you had or are expecting.

Selling? If you are expected to sell the company products or services to new customers, you will need relevant information about them, such as what problem they solve, how do they compare to competition, or what added value they have.

2. What message do you want to convey?

Whatever the type of presentation you are doing, start with the end in mind! If you decide what is your core message right from the start, or what are the key elements of your talk, it will make it easier to chose every piece of content required to help people understand and remember your message. This question is usually the one I come back to the most to decide between “need to have” and “nice to know.”

This question will help you start outlining what elements you should discuss in your presentation. Put everything on paper, cue cards, or Post-Its first, so you are not tempted to think about “how it will look” just now. Going back to pen & paper has saved me a lot of time for all projects I worked on, because it was an easy way to sequence and/or reorder my content ideas and test if it made sense.

3. Who is the target audience?

That question will help you decide on the level of details and type of language you will use during your presentation. For example, if you are presenting to executives and managers, they are usually a busy group of people that know the high-level details of everything but could not care about the various individual tasks required to get there. And if you are speaking at a conference, you will often have a very varied group of people in front of you, in terms of level of proficiency for your subject, but with high expectations in regards to details or how-to.

The more you know about the people you will be presenting to, the better. Always keep in mind what are the expectations of people attending your presentation. Example? If you were told they are freaking out about budgets, don’t start talking about what resources are missing first! Address the money matters first and then get to the fact that you are over predictions because you lack resources and you had to pay overtime.

4. How much time do you have?

Preparing a presentation for 30 minutes or 2 hours will not require the same level of detail. The rule of thumb we used when designing courses was to have content for 75% of the allotted time. Doing so gives extra time for questions or delays often experienced when Murphy’s Law kicks in!

If you took the time to answer previous questions, you should already have an idea of what topics will be covered. The time you have to present will only impact the level of details of each topic, not the number of topics you will cover.

5. What type of environment will you be presenting in?

If you know ahead of time about the size of the room, the lighting conditions, the number of people that will attend, how they will be seated, and how far away from the screen they will be, then you will be able to make better design choices. Examples? The larger the room, the more you will need to think about font size. If you have a lot of windows/natural lighting, you will be better with a presentation with light background so colors don’t look they are washed out.

When people can’t read because fonts are too small, or that contrast between text and background is bad, they are not focusing on what you have to say and it hurts your performance.

6. What type of presenter?

This question is not always required, especially if you are designing your own presentations. When designing for others, we need to consider if they are familiar with using a remote, or Presenter View, before building content with that use in mind. But for your own presentations, it might be useful to think if you need anything else during your presentation, such as a flipchart, Sharpies, or any props used for exercises or interaction with the audience.

7. Questions the audience might ask?

Planning for potential questions ahead of time will help you impress the crowd. Why? Because you will have planned additional supporting material, such as more precise data for a project or a detailed break-down of expenses. You might think this is a waste of time. But how much can this extra time bring you back in terms or recognition, credibility, or even extra sales? You will never know until you try. ☺

8. What existing content do you have?

And finally, taking time to evaluate what existing content you already have (such as other presentation files, digital content, photos or videos) will save you a ton of time. When you can reuse content, it means you don’t have to recreate it all. But when reusing content, do take time to adapt the look to your actual presentation template! Copy/pasting content from various places without adaptation makes you look sloppy and unprofessional.

Many people might argue that this list of questions takes too much of their time. But I can guarantee that doing this type of preparation will actually save you some time when you get to the content creation step. You will have a better idea of what you will talk about and how you can best sequence it to tell “your story.” You might even have more ideas of how you can make your content more visual and move away from bullet points and walls of text. THAT will impress your audience, for sure!

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How to make a project plan presentation for clients and stakeholders

Elevate your project presentations to new heights! Learn the art of captivating clients and stakeholders with our expert tips.

Tim Stumbles

May 13, 2014

25 min read

Updated on February 27, 2024

Ever wondered what sets successful project managers apart? It’s the knack for delivering killer project presentations. Whether you’re gearing up for a stakeholder meeting or updating the higher-ups, nailing clear communication is the name of the game.

In this article, we’re not just talking about how to showcase data – we’re diving into the art of creating engaging project plans that captivate clients and stakeholders .

To help you transform your project presentations, we’ll share insights into how to:

• Simplify your approach for impactful communication.
• Visualize project plans effectively to captivate your audience .
• Select the right chart type for your project .
• Streamline project organization using Excel .

Get ready for practical tips and actionable techniques to make your presentations shine, breaking down the barriers of business communication right from the start!

1. Simplify your presentation for impactful communication

When presenting to project stakeholders, it’s crucial to move beyond mere data and offer a compelling narrative. Rather than drowning in the details of a project charter, consider crafting a visually engaging project roadmap . This approach allows you to add context and to delve into specifics as needed.

While Microsoft Project is commonly used in the planning phase, its detailed Gant chart views (like the example below), may not effectively convey key insights during stakeholder meetings. This is why your next executive-level project review should rely on more visual project management tools to lay out the strategic planning process. The goal is to make complex information easily digestible while ensuring stakeholders grasp the business implications.

An exec-level project review should summarize the strategic planning process and showcase its progress in a visually appealing manner. Remember: the challenge consists of making the information easy to digest and ensuring that audiences understand the business implications.

2. Visualize project data effectively

The best option for outlining a project’s plan is to create a workflow diagram that correlates the tasks with the critical milestones, as shown in the Gantt chart example below:

Presenting the project roadmap in this manner helps your stakeholders quickly see the scheduled tasks, as well as their duration, sequences and other task dependencies , all of which define the critical path . Furthermore, connecting the project activities (tasks) with the project events (milestones) offers clients and execs more insight, which translates to better management decisions.

3. Select the right type of graphic for your project – Timelines vs Gantt charts

When it comes to visually representing your project’s strategic planning process, two main options are commonly used: timelines and Gantt charts . While timelines focus primarily on events, such as milestones, Gantt charts typically depict activities or tasks. However, to create an ideal project presentation, it’s crucial to strike a balance between showcasing both tasks and milestones.

To ensure clarity and coherence, consider utilizing a unified graph, such as a swimlane diagram . This type of graphical representation allows you to categorize tasks and milestones according to their specific project life cycle phase, providing a comprehensive overview of your project’s progress.

To decide which of the two visual project management charts serves you best, check out our case study on the benefits of using timelines in project presentations or our article on the do’s and don’ts of creating a Gantt chart .

Next, let’s take a comparative look at two frequently used alternatives for visually rendering a project charter, Excel and PowerPoint . We will explain how to make a Gantt chart in Excel using a bar graph, and how to make an Excel timeline using a scatter graph. We will also show you how to quickly make a single, unified Gantt chart + Timeline presentation in .PPTX by using our add-in for PowerPoint, Office Timeline .

4. Streamline project data organization in Excel

Whether or not you’re going to create the Gantt chart in Excel, this application from the Microsoft suite is a great place to start drafting the project schedule. More exactly, you will need to create the  Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)  by breaking down the project into smaller pieces of work – the tasks. Make an Excel project management template that you can reuse, then list each of the tasks on the data table in the correct sequence. The tasks will form the project Gantt chart and their order will determine the project schedule.

Another important piece of the puzzle to integrate in your Excel project management template is the milestone section. Project milestones consist of all major deadlines your plan must achieve, and they form your Excel timeline. We have included a Work Breakdown Structure example below, for clarity purposes.

Note : Keep in mind that this is a high-level presentation aimed at executives and stakeholders, so it should not be overly complex. Consider trimming it down if the project schedule contains more than 20 tasks and 20 milestones, in order to facilitate understanding and keep the audience engaged.

Option 1: Making the Excel graphs

It’s worth noting that Excel is nowhere near as graphics-oriented as PowerPoint. The direct result is that your Excel Gantt charts and timelines will tend to look more like stacked bar graphs and, respectively, scatter charts.

Another drawback is that Excel doesn’t allow you to combine a Gantt chart (tasks) with a timeline (milestones) into a unified project roadmap. Therefore, you will need to create two separate visuals and combine them on one slide or present them individually. In order to do that, you will first need to make a Gantt chart showing the tasks of your project plan and then a timeline with your project milestones. Here’s how:

• Step 1: Create a Gantt chart in Excel with the stacked bar chart function

Once you have your project schedule in Excel you will add the task data into an Excel stacked bar graph and then follow approximately 20+ formatting steps to transform it from a stacked bar chart into an Excel Gantt chart, which will end up looking something like the chart below. For detailed instructions, please check out our guide on  how to make a Gantt chart in Excel .

• Step 2: Create a timeline in Excel using the scatter chart function

To create a timeline in Excel you will need to use a scatter chart. Add your data to the scatter chart then follow approximately 25 steps to format it so it looks like a timeline presentation, as shown below. If that’s easier, check out our easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide and a how-to  video tutorial .

Note : However familiar and accessible this Microsoft application may be, there are certain limitations that make it less than ideal for project presentations, including:

• No method to combine an Excel Gantt chart with a timeline. Executives and stakeholders should be able to view the tasks and milestones in conjunction with each other for better visibility into the critical deadlines and activities.
• Making a project roadmap featuring a timeline or Gantt chart in Excel requires advanced operating skills. Converting Excel’s stacked and scatter charts into Gantt charts and timelines depends on properly following a specific sequence of formatting steps.
• The resulting diagrams are not as visually appealing as a PowerPoint slide and considerably more difficult to share with everyone involved.

Option 2: Create the project roadmap as a native PowerPoint slide

So far, we have shown you how to make a Gantt chart in Excel and mix it with a timeline, in order to provide your stakeholders with a 2-part overview of your project schedule. Next, let’s take a look at the alternative: using a PowerPoint timeline maker with embedded Gantt chart functions to generate a slide with both graphics combined.

PowerPoint is perceived as a superior tool for building project presentations. Since it is a graphical application, it is designed for creating and communicating charts in a visual way. Additionally, since it’s a common tool in enterprises, PowerPoint is familiar to audiences, and slides can be easily shared. There are two main ways to build project slides in PowerPoint using our Office Timeline add-in :

• Create the Work Breakdown Structure template in Excel and import the data

Earlier in the article we included a Work Breakdown Structure example made in Excel. The first option relies on using the  import feature  from Office Timeline and bring in the data tables with tasks and milestones. To import the project schedule you created in Excel, use the Office Timeline wizard which will link to your project spreadsheet (or .MPP file, if you prefer Microsoft Project). Here’s a quick demo:

There’s another reason to import the data from an Excel spreadsheet and that’s the  refresh data feature . In short, since the PowerPoint slide is linked to a worksheet, it can be synchronized and updated with the click of a button when the spreadsheet data changes. Check out our support article that explains how the sync process works .

Note : For better visibility, Office Timeline also allows you to import tasks and milestones directly into swimlane templates .

2. Use a Gantt chart or timeline template (swimlanes are also supported)

There are definitely advantages to importing the data file from an external application like Excel or Microsoft project. However, that isn’t your only option. Office Timeline comes with an extensive collection of professional templates that can easily adapt to a wide variety of different project types. These timeline templates are embedded in the add-in and there is also a free gallery with new ones added regularly, for your convenience. Here’s a quick overview of the template functionality:

Simply replace the default data with your own tasks and milestones, and Office Timeline generates the graphic for you.

Note : Customizing a timeline or Gantt chart template with your own data can be done at any time from the user-friendly and highly intuitive interface. Update it easily whenever there are changes in your project schedule, restyle it and share it with your team, all from within PowerPoint. It’s very flexible!

Conclusions

Mastering the art of presenting project plans to clients and stakeholders is essential for project managers. By simplifying your approach, visualizing project plans effectively, selecting the right chart type for your data, and streamlining the way you organize your information, you can elevate your presentations to new heights. With these tips and tricks in hand, you’ll be well-equipped to captivate your audience and drive successful project outcomes.

If you regularly find yourself liaising with the management or your stakeholders and dread the thought of spending hours creating presentations with the traditional tools in the Microsoft Office suite, then check out Office Timeline. Available as a free version , this handy project roadmap-creation app can save you time and ensure you drive your point home without the drawback of an intimidating learning curve. For the more complex timelines, we recommend giving the tool's most advanced edition a try.

FAQs about making client and stakeholder presentations

Gain insight into how you can improve your project plan presentations to clients and stakeholders with our Q&A section. Below, we offer you the answers to the most common questions related to the topic.

What should I include in my project plan presentation?

To be relevant to your stakeholders, your project plan presentation should include a high-level overview of the following items: • Goals • Timelines • Milestones • Key deliverables • Risks • Budget.

How do I ensure my project plan presentation is engaging for clients and stakeholders?

To ensure that your project plan presentation engages your C-suite audience, incorporate visual aids such as project management charts and diagrams to make complex information more digestible. Focus on telling a compelling story that highlights the project’s objectives, benefits, and potential impact. Learn more about how to capture your stakeholders’ attention during presentations with our article on why stakeholders usually ignore project reports and how to fix that .

How can I effectively communicate project progress during the presentation?

Effectively communicate project progress by providing clear updates on completed tasks, ongoing activities, and any potential roadblocks or challenges. Use visual progress indicators such as Gantt charts or timelines to illustrate milestones achieved and remaining tasks.

What should I do if stakeholders have questions or concerns during the presentation?

Be prepared to address questions and concerns promptly and thoroughly. Take the time to listen actively, clarify any misunderstandings, and provide relevant information or data to alleviate concerns.

Should I tailor my project plan presentation to different types of stakeholders?

Yes, it’s essential to customize your presentation to resonate with the specific interests and priorities of different stakeholders. By tailoring your content to address their unique needs and concerns, you will be able to get the message across in a more effective way and ensure that you gain their support throughout your project’s life cycle. Learn how to correctly identify, analyze, and prioritize the parties that may be affected or have an impact on your project with our blog post on stakeholder analysis .

What are some common pitfalls to avoid when presenting project plans to clients and stakeholders?

When presenting project plans to clients and stakeholders, it’s crucial to steer clear of common pitfalls that can hinder effective communication and understanding. Here are some of the most important ones to keep in mind: • Avoid using overly technical language or jargon – while you may be well-versed in technical terminology related to your project, it’s essential to remember that not all stakeholders may share the same level of expertise. Using complex jargon can lead to confusion and misinterpretation. Instead, strive to communicate in clear, straightforward language that everyone can understand, regardless of their background or expertise. • Be transparent about risks and challenges – every project comes with its own set of risks and challenges, and it’s vital to address them openly and honestly during your presentation. Transparency builds trust and demonstrates your commitment to managing potential obstacles effectively. Discussing risks also allows stakeholders to provide input and support in mitigating them, fostering a collaborative approach to project management. • Avoid making unrealistic promises or commitments – although it may be tempting to promise quick results or guaranteed success, it’s essential to be realistic and honest about what can be achieved within the project’s constraints. Making unrealistic promises can set false expectations and ultimately lead to disappointment if objectives are not met. Instead, focus on presenting a realistic project plan with achievable goals and timelines, based on thorough gap analysis and assessment. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your project plan presentation effectively engages stakeholders, fosters understanding, and sets the stage for successful project execution.

How can I follow up with clients and stakeholders after the presentation to ensure alignment and understanding?

Send a follow-up email summarizing key takeaways, action items, and next steps discussed during the presentation. Encourage stakeholders to reach out with any further questions or concerns.

What tools or software can help enhance my project plan presentations?

To enhance your presentations, consider using project management tools that will help you organize, manage, and track complex data in a visual way. Additionally, presentation platforms like PowerPoint can help you design professional-looking slides based on your project information. Designed as a PowerPoint plugin, Office Timeline offers the best of both worlds – it allows you to import project plans from productivity tools like Microsoft Project , Excel , or Jira and turn it into presentation-ready high-level slides that can be quickly shared and updated. For more resources on how to process and communicate project data visually, check out our review of the 8 best visual project management software .

Tim is Co-Founder & CEO of Office Timeline, a Seattle-based start-up that aims to rid the world of boring, uninspiring meetings.

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The Art of Question & Answer: Handling Audience Questions Like a Pro

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

If you have ever given a presentation , you might know how witty and challenging a question-and-answer session can get. Not knowing the answer to a question can be quite unnerving and leave a bad impression even after a fabulous presentation. This blog will help you bridge that gap before your next presentation. We will talk about how to maintain your composure as you deal with questions and also the different types of difficult questions one can face.

Why should I have a Question-and-answer session?

Having a Question and Answer (Q&A) session serves multiple valuable purposes. It transforms one-sided communication into a two-way exchange, turning lectures or speeches into engaging discussions. This interaction not only enhances audience engagement but also promotes collaboration and the collective building of knowledge. Historically, great questions have driven innovation and change, such as Isaac Newton’s curiosity about gravity. During a Q&A , encouraging audience participation by inviting questions and making eye contact with various attendees creates a sense of connection and keeps the session lively, much like a talk show host engaging their audience. 

Including a question and answer (Q&A) session after your presentation holds numerous advantages and is a pivotal aspect of engaging with your audience effectively.

Let’s delve into these reasons:

1. audience engagement and participation: .

Inviting questions at the end of your presentation allows your audience to actively participate, transforming your session into an interactive experience. As Albert Einstein aptly put it, “The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

2. Addressing Confusion and Skepticism:

 Your presentation might leave some audience members perplexed or unconvinced. Before you begin, it’s vital to gauge your audience’s understanding. As Aristotle noted, “Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion.” Q&A provides an excellent opportunity to clarify doubts and bolster your argument.

3. Expanding on Your Message: 

Often, time constraints force you to condense crucial information during your presentation. Q&A, however, empowers you to elaborate on your points, share practical examples, and address any opposition, creating a more comprehensive understanding. This aligns with Robert Frost’s sentiment: “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”

4. Fostering Natural Interaction: 

Effective public speaking thrives on interaction. Audiences seek speakers who communicate openly and naturally. Q&A brings a conversational and relatable dimension to your presentation. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

5. Challenging Your Expertise: 

The unpredictability of Q&A keeps you on your toes. You must be well-prepared and nimble to handle a variety of questions and objections. Eleanor Roosevelt’s words resonate: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face.”

How do you answer Questions effectively?

Handling a question-and-answer session effectively requires preparation, communication skills, and adaptability. Whether you’re conducting a Q&A session as a speaker, presenter, or moderator, here are some tips to help you manage it effectively:

1. Preparation is Key:

Know your audience: Research your audience’s demographics, interests, and knowledge level. Tailor your responses to their needs and expectations. Imagine you’re hosting a Q&A session about pets. Knowing your audience means finding out if they’re mostly cat lovers, dog enthusiasts, or perhaps reptile fans. This helps you tailor your answers to their specific interests, like offering dog training tips for dog lovers and habitat ideas for reptile enthusiasts.

Anticipate questions: Develop a list of potential questions that might arise during the session. This can help you prepare concise and informative answers. If you’re giving a presentation about a superhero movie, anticipate questions like “Who’s the main villain?” or “What are the special powers of the hero?” Prepare concise answers to these common questions to keep the audience engaged.

Review your material: Revisit your presentation or discussion content before the Q&A session. This will help you recall key points and examples that may be relevant to questions. For Ex: You’re a teacher conducting a Q&A after a science class. Before the session, review your notes on the periodic table. This ensures that when a student asks, “What are the noble gases?” you can confidently explain their properties.

2. Set Expectations:

Clearly explain how the Q&A session will be structured. For example, inform the audience whether questions will be taken throughout the session or only at the end. Mention any time constraints.

Let the audience know if you have topics you’d like to cover or all questions are welcome. 

For example: Think of a cooking class where you’re the instructor. Before starting, inform your students that they can ask questions anytime during the class. This sets the expectation that it’s an interactive learning experience.

3. Active Listening:

Give the questioner your full attention. Make eye contact, nod to acknowledge understanding, and avoid interrupting.

Repeat or rephrase the question if needed to ensure clarity and show that you are actively engaged with the questioner.

Imagine you’re a detective in a mystery novel. When a witness asks, “Did you see the suspect?”, listen attentively, nod to acknowledge, and ask follow-up questions to gather all the details. This demonstrates active listening.

4. Take a pause

Before answering any question there is a key aspect that makes you look smart and composed- “The Pause.” The Pause is where you gather your thoughts and prepare your answer in a gist. You decide how to answer the question and tackle it swiftly. If you perhaps don’t know the answer, what is the best way to say you will get back with an answer, and so on? You can get a firm grip on your audience as they wait for you to speak and then speak with utmost clarity, that is the power of Pauses. 

5. Be Concise and Clear:

Answer each question briefly and directly. Avoid going off on tangents or providing excessive background information.

Use plain language and avoid jargon that might confuse the audience. Suppose you’re explaining how to play a video game. Instead of going into a lengthy backstory, say, “To win, you must collect all the magical crystals and defeat the dragon boss.” This clear and concise explanation keeps players engaged.

6. Stay Calm and Confident:

If you don’t know the answer to a question, admit it gracefully. Offer to research or follow up later, and don’t try to bluff your way through.

Maintain a calm and composed demeanor even in the face of challenging or critical questions. Focus on addressing the question, not the tone.

This is also where your preparation becomes your backbone and provides you the confidence to deal with your audience. 

Also, I want you to remember that knowledge is very vast- The more you gain knowledge the more you realize how little you know! Do not worry about admitting that you don’t know an answer, you can provide whatever information you have and later get back to them when you do find one.

7. Manage Time:

Allocate a specific amount of time for the Q&A session and communicate this at the outset. Stick to the schedule to ensure you cover all planned topics. If necessary, prioritize questions based on relevance or importance.

Think of a soccer coach during a practice session. Allocate specific time for different drills and stick to the schedule. This ensures that all aspects of the game are covered within the session.

8. Field Diverse Questions:

Encourage a wide range of questions, including those that challenge your viewpoint or prompt discussion. This diversity can lead to more engaging and informative sessions.

For Example: In a book club discussion, encourage members to ask questions about various aspects of the book, from plot details to character motivations. This diversity of questions leads to a more engaging conversation.

9. Moderate Effectively:

As someone who has to give direction to the discussion, try to maintain control of the session and ensure questions are relevant to the topic and audience. Politely redirect or filter out off-topic or inappropriate questions.

Give everyone a chance to ask questions, and manage time to allow for a variety of voices to be heard.

Pretend you’re a radio DJ taking calls from listeners. If someone goes off-topic, gently steer the conversation back to the music or topic of the show to maintain a cohesive experience.

10. Encourage Feedback:

After the Q&A, ask the audience for feedback on the session’s effectiveness. This can help you improve future sessions and tailor them to the audience’s needs. 

Example: After a group art project, ask each participant what they liked and what could be improved. This feedback helps everyone learn from the experience and create better art in the future.

11. Follow-Up:

If you promised to provide additional information or research an answer, do so promptly after the session. This demonstrates your commitment to addressing the audience’s needs.

12. Reflect and Improve:

After each session, take time to analyze what went well and what could be improved. Consider seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors to refine your Q&A skills for future engagements.

Can I answer a Question with a Question?

Many a time we think is it disrespectful to answer a question with a question, or perhaps even condescending? However, answering a question with a question can be an effective communication technique when used thoughtfully, but it’s essential to be mindful of the context and tone to avoid coming across as disrespectful or condescending. 

Consider, for instance, a scenario where someone asks, “Do you know where my keys are?” Responding with, “Have you checked your coat pocket?” instead of a direct “yes” or “no” can be helpful. However, if someone in a team meeting asks, “How do we solve this problem?” replying with, “Well, what solutions have you considered?” can encourage collaborative problem-solving. So, while answering a question with a question can be a valuable tool for prompting critical thinking or guiding discussions, it’s crucial to gauge the situation and intent to ensure it’s used appropriately.

Types of Difficult Questions:

Often times in presentations we don’t get softball questions that are easy to handle but rather some sort of pushback. The audience tries to gauge your authenticity or simply disagrees with you. These are what we call Difficult questions. They are inquiries that pose challenges beyond their surface. They require careful consideration, provoke thought, or test one’s knowledge, often demanding more than a simple yes or no answer. Handling difficult questions effectively is a skill that involves not only providing accurate responses but also managing the dynamics of the discussion and the emotions of those asking. In this exploration, we’ll delve deeper into these challenging types of questions, dissect their nuances, and offer strategies for responding adeptly and constructively.

1. When You Don’t Know the Answer:

• Challenge: It’s common to face questions to which you don’t have an immediate answer, especially in complex or unfamiliar topics.
• Example: In a technical presentation, someone asks a highly technical question beyond your expertise.
• Admit it gracefully: Acknowledge that you don’t have the answer, but express your willingness to find it.
• Offer a partial answer: Share what you do know or suggest possible resources or experts to consult.
• Follow up: Make a commitment to research and provide a comprehensive response after the session.

2. Too Many Questions at the Same Time (Machine Gun Questioning):

• Challenge: Some audience members may bombard you with multiple questions all at once, making it difficult to respond coherently.
• Example: An audience member asks, “How does this technology work, and what are its applications? Can you explain its impact on the industry?”
• Politely request clarification: Ask the person to specify which question they’d like you to address first.
• Address one question at a time: Break down the multiple questions into individual responses to maintain clarity.
• Control the pace: Politely request that questions be asked one at a time to facilitate a more organized discussion.

3. Audience Member Makes a Statement and Tries to Take Over:

• Challenge: Some individuals may attempt to dominate the Q&A session by making lengthy statements or challenging your expertise.
• Example: An audience member insists on sharing their own knowledge and experience, seemingly to undermine your credibility.
• Acknowledge their input: Politely thank them for their perspective and acknowledge their knowledge.
• Redirect the focus: Gently guide the conversation back to the topic or the question at hand.
• Set boundaries: Establish ground rules for the Q&A session at the beginning, emphasizing that questions should be concise and relevant.

4. Emotional Questions Driven by Anger:

• Challenge: Emotionally charged questions, often stemming from anger or frustration, can be challenging to handle without escalating tension.
• Example: An audience member confronts you with anger about a controversial topic you’re discussing.
• Stay calm and empathetic: Maintain composure, listen attentively, and acknowledge the person’s emotions.
• Avoid confrontation: Refrain from responding with defensiveness or aggression, as it can escalate the situation.
• Reframe the question: Politely ask the person to rephrase their question in a more constructive and specific manner.

5. Off-Topic Questions:

• Challenge: Sometimes, audience members ask questions that are unrelated to the topic of your presentation or discussion.
• Example: In a business presentation on marketing strategies, someone asks about your personal hobbies.
• Politely redirect: Acknowledge the question but gently steer the conversation back to the main topic.
• Offer to discuss later: Suggest discussing off-topic questions after the session to avoid derailing the current discussion.

6. Provocative Questions:

• Challenge: These questions are designed to provoke a reaction or create controversy.
• Example: During a political debate, someone asks a loaded question aimed at stirring up emotions rather than seeking a constructive answer.
• Stay composed: Maintain a calm and respectful demeanor when responding, regardless of the provocation.
• Address the core issue: Focus on the underlying topic or concern within the provocative question rather than getting drawn into the emotional aspect.

7. Incomprehensible Questions:

• Challenge: Some questions are poorly phrased or unclear, making it challenging to discern the intent behind them.
• Example: An audience member asks a question with convoluted language and vague references.
• Seek clarification: Politely ask the person to rephrase or clarify their question to ensure you understand it correctly.
• Paraphrase and respond: Restate what you believe the question is about, and answer based on your interpretation. The person can then confirm or correct your understanding.

8. Condescending Questions:

• Challenge: These questions are posed in a belittling or patronizing manner, often implying that the person asking believes they know better.
• Example: An audience member asks, “Do you even understand the basics of this topic?”
• Maintain professionalism: Respond with professionalism and confidence, avoiding any temptation to match the condescension.
• Address the question’s substance: Focus on providing a well-informed and concise response to demonstrate your expertise.

9. Overly Technical Questions:

• Challenge: In technical or specialized discussions, questions may become overly complex, making it challenging for a broader audience to follow.
• Example: A highly technical question filled with industry-specific jargon is asked in a general audience setting.
• Simplify the response: Offer a simplified explanation or analogy to make the answer accessible to a broader audience.
• Offer follow-up resources: Suggest additional reading or resources for those interested in delving deeper into the technical details.

Handling these challenging question scenarios effectively requires a combination of good communication skills, patience, and tact. Remember that the goal is to maintain a productive and respectful dialogue with your audience while addressing their concerns and inquiries.

People Also Ask:

Why is it important to know how to take the audience’s questions when you are presenting.

It is crucial to know how to handle audience questions when presenting for several reasons. Firstly, audience questions signify engagement and interest in your topic, making it an opportunity to further connect with your audience and demonstrate your expertise. Secondly, addressing questions allows you to clarify any misunderstandings or provide additional context, ensuring that your message is well-received and understood. Moreover, handling questions effectively helps you maintain control over the presentation’s flow, ensuring that it stays on track and doesn’t deviate too far from your intended message. Lastly, audience questions can provide valuable feedback, enabling you to gauge the audience’s comprehension and adapt your presentation in real time if necessary, leading to a more successful and impactful presentation overall.

Who is responsible for answering questions from the audience at the time of the presentation?

The responsibility for answering questions from the audience during a presentation primarily falls on the presenter (most likely You). You’re the one who’s been preparing and practicing your presentation for weeks, months, or maybe even years. You’re the guru on the stage, the oracle of information. When those curious souls in the audience raise their hands or type away with their burning questions, it’s your time to shine. You get to flex your brain muscles and give them answers that will make their heads spin (in a good way, of course). It’s your duty to facilitate a productive Q&A session by actively listening to each question, providing thoughtful and accurate responses, and ensuring that the discussion remains relevant to the topic at hand. However, in some cases, especially during larger presentations or panel discussions, a moderator or facilitator may assist in managing the question-and-answer

In conclusion, mastering the art of Q&A, and handling audience questions like a pro, is a skill that can transform any presentation, discussion, or public speaking engagement. By understanding the diverse types of questions that may arise and adopting effective strategies to address them, you can create an interactive and engaging dialogue with your audience. From riddles that stimulate creativity to emotionally charged inquiries that demand empathy, each question offers a unique opportunity to connect, educate, and inspire. 

Remember, the key to success lies in active listening, clear communication, and maintaining composure, even in the face of challenging questions. Whether you’re a speaker, presenter, moderator, or simply someone engaged in a meaningful conversation, the ability to navigate difficult questions with finesse not only enhances your credibility but also fosters a more enriching and enlightening exchange of ideas. So, embrace the art of Q&A, and with practice and patience, you’ll continue to refine this valuable skill, ensuring that your interactions with your audience are both memorable and impactful.

To learn more about how to conduct presentations and improve your communication skills in the workplace you can try our coaching program here .

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Tress Academic

#30: Questions from the audience you should be prepared to answer

November 5, 2019 by Tress Academic

You can never know the exact questions that the audience will ask after you have finished a conference presentation. This uncertainty can cause additional stress for you, and put you on edge during your presentation. There are, however, a few questions you can assume that someone from your audience might ask. So why not prepare yourself for these questions just in case? We’ll tell you which type of questions these are, and how you can easily prepare yourself for them. Having answers ready for these standard questions will make the Q&A part so much easier for you and alleviate unnecessary stress on the big day.

When we recently held our course “How to present at international scientific conferences” at a Swiss university, we discussed the Q&A part that comes right after a conference presentation with the participants. They spoke about their experiences at conferences where they presented their research, and everything that made it especially difficult for them. The presentations were always a big cause of stress and anxiety for them – is it for you as well? If so, we have another post from the Smart Academics Blog that will help you to deal with being nervous, see #3: “How to cope with stage fright?” .

If you are not an experienced presenter, it is a pretty big thing to go out and stand in front of a large crowd of colleagues from your field and tell them about your work. What our course participants were most scared of – even more than giving the talk – was the moment after they had delivered their presentation and the session chair opened the floor for questions. This was the moment where the unexpected could happen because they didn’t know what the questions would be. The biggest fear in the moment was to receive questions that they cannot answer or that make them look inexperienced, ignorant or worse! 

We totally understand this fear. Imagine you were well-prepared for a talk and had a good feeling throughout the presentation,  but the questions from the audience could spoil the good impression. Just imagine if you would have no idea how to answer relatively simple questions – this would be a waste of!

Do you have the same fears? We’d love to help you overcome them! There are actually a handful of questions that are very likely to be asked. These are the type of questions that so often come up at conferences, especially when early-career researchers are presenting. You should be prepared for these questions, with an answer in hand, which is not difficult to do! It should be a part of your preparation for the conference talk to think about these questions. You will see, it takes a lot of stress off your shoulders! 

Let us tell you about the most common audience questions at conferences below. If you want to prepare yourself for the next talk, download our free worksheet “Questions I should be ready to answer” . 

Typical audience questions you should have an answer for

1. what’s next … .

Of all the questions that people from the audience could ask you, this is for sure one of the most friendly and helpful ones. This question offers no critique of your work, and it does not ask for clarification of anything you said in your talk. The questioner simply wants to know what your next research steps are. They are interested in your research and express curiosity of how it might go on. 

So, make sure you have an idea about which follow-up steps you want to take with your research. Be prepared to tell the audience a little bit about how you might progress. Think about what you want to say before the question is asked and make a structure of the points you want to say, so you don’t leave out anything important. Use our free worksheet “Questions I should be ready to answer” to help you. 

2. Why should we know more about this?  

If you hear this question right after finishing your talk, you might feel a bit frustrated, or even threatened. Why is the audience asking this at the end? Wasn’t your talk clear enough? Have they not listened to you? It can sound as if the questioner doubts the value or necessity of your work. Or it could feel as if you were not clear enough when describing why you research what you do. 

In fact, this is again a very friendly and helpful question. It has no negative connotation and the questioner has no intention of criticising you or your work. He or she may just want to know more explicitly from you why you did this research and why it is worth doing in such detail. It is a question about the relevance of your work. 

So, what do you do? Tell the audience why you did your research, what you expect as its outcome and give some examples or applications to help them better understand why your work is needed. Use our free worksheet “Questions I should be ready to answer” .  

3. How have you done this …? 

This is a question about your methods or the overall approach you’ve applied. You will probably be surprised to get this question because you’ll think you had explained everything very clearly in your talk. Obviously, this was not the case for the person asking. 

Don’t be scared! You have most likely not failed to talk about your methods, but in presentations, the reporting on the scientific methods that were applied to address a certain question is often the most difficult part for the audience to comprehend. Thus, it is not surprising that questions arise on the matter. 

Properly describing the methods you applied in your research in a conference presentation is challenging. You hardly have the time to go into such detail in order to make the audience fully understand it. In a typical 15-minute presentation slot, which requires time for questions and discussion, so it is really more like a  10-12 minute talk, you have only a few minutes available to explain your approach. 

For this reason, we advise participants in our courses to always keep the methods part of your presentation short, by reducing it to the main steps and avoiding too much detail. You should give only a rough outline of the steps because it is difficult, tiring, and sometimes also a bit boring for the audience to listen to a specific set-up of a workflow or a project when you have not been part of the project.

Instead, spend time in your talk presenting your problem, your findings, your examples, and your take-home message. This is what the audience needs to understand! But of course, it might then trigger a question about HOW have you done it, which again, you can prepare yourself for. It is really a friendly and helpful question from an interested person. The audience shows that they want to better understand how your work was done. 

In your preparation phase, determine which methods or method steps could be unclear to your audience and what kind of information they would need to have for a quick understanding of a complex issue. Use our f ree worksheet “Questions I should be ready to answer” to help you prepare for this step.  

4. What do you mean by …? 

The fourth most common question that you can expect to receive is probably the easiest one to answer. It is a clarifying question where the questioner has not understood a specific term, a process, or an aspect of your presentation that you referred to. 

Questions like this pose no threat but are necessary for your audience to fully get your talk. Don’t forget, you will also have some listeners in your audience that come from other fields and they might not be familiar with your specialist terminology. We can never know what the exact level of knowledge of our audience is, therefore, you will sometimes be surprised to get questions about aspects you think are common knowledge – they probably are not. 

If you follow our rule to only include what you can explain yourself in your presentation, you will never have a problem with this question. If you fully comprehend what you talk about, you will always be able to address this question professionally. If you try to illustrate your vast knowledge by alluding to processes that you do not fully comprehend, you run the risk of not being able to further explain to them when asked by the audience. Keep your presentation air-tight to what you know you know!

You can prepare yourself with an overview of topics and aspects that probably somebody in the audience who isn’t from your field wouldn’t know and potentially need a clear explanation. Our free worksheet “Questions I should be ready to answer” will help you to prepare for this. 

Naturally, the Q&A part of a conference presentation is the part that you can’t prepare for as precisely as the actual delivery of your presentation. There will always be an element of surprise for you and this is of course also the purpose of this interaction with the audience. They want to experience you off the cuff, where you have to show a bit of spontaneity. They are not coming to see a well-rehearsed play, but a glimpse of the scientists who are conducting this cutting edge work. 

That does not mean everything taking place during the Q&A is random and you have to give yourself over to fate. An audience can feel when you are nervous and they feel for you when you are a less-experienced presenter. Therefore, they sometimes deliberately ask some of the questions above, because they know these are ‘soft-ball’ questions that you can answer. So, make sure you are prepared for them and show your audience that you have done the work and deserve their attention. We wish you best of luck with your next Q&A session! 

Relevant resources:  

• Worksheet “Questions, I should be ready to answer”  
• Presentations course “How to present at international scientific conferences”  
• Smart Academics Blog #03: How to cope with stage fright?  
• Smart Academics Blog #24: New to the PhD? – 5 tips for a great start! 
• Smart Academics Blog #26: First conference presentation? 17 life-saving tips
• Smart Academics Blog #95: Apply these 5 tips to improve any presentation

Relevant courses and services:

• 1-day course: Presenting successfully at virtual conferences
• 3-day course: How to present at international conferences
• 1-to-1 advice: Presentation Check

More information:  

Do you want to present successfully at conferences? If so, please sign up to receive our free guides.  

© 2019 Tress Academic

#ConferencePresentations #ConferenceTalk #QA #QuestionsAndAnswers, #AudienceQuestions

90 Questions to Ask After a Presentation

Have you ever found yourself mulling over a presentation, wishing you had a treasure trove of questions to uncover the speaker’s insights and wisdom fully?

The right question isn’t just a follow-up; it’s a key that unlocks a deeper connection with the topic. This guide is designed to arm you with a curated collection of inquiries that will enhance your understanding, invite valuable discourse, and help you to apply what you’ve learned.

Let’s dive into the art of the post-presentation conversation and transform every ending slide into an opportunity for continued learning and engagement.

Table of Contents

Clarifying Understanding

• Could you elaborate on the main thesis of your presentation?
• What inspired the topic of your presentation?
• Can you summarize the key points you’d like us to take away?
• Is there an aspect of your presentation you think deserves deeper understanding?
• How does your presentation relate to current trends or issues in the field?
• Were there any counterarguments or challenges to your points that you didn’t mention?
• In what way does your presentation build on or differ from existing research?
• Could you clarify the methodology behind your study or findings?
• How would you explain the significance of your findings to a layman?
• Is there a particular slide or section you can revisit for further clarification?
• Could you give an example that illustrates your point about [specific detail]?
• What were the assumptions underlying your analysis or argument?
• How do definitions used in your presentation compare to industry-standard ones?
• Can you clarify the statistical significance of your data?
• Where might we find more information on this topic if we wish to understand it better?

Digging Deeper into Content

• Can you expand on how your findings compare to similar studies?
• How might emerging technologies impact the relevance of your findings in the future?
• Are there ethical considerations linked to your presentation topic?
• What are the limitations of your research, and how can they be addressed in the future?
• How can your research be applied in other fields or industries?
• In what ways do your findings challenge conventional wisdom?
• Could you walk us through the process of how you collected your data?
• How would different theoretical frameworks affect the interpretation of your results?
• What unanswered questions remain after your presentation?
• How do you expect the discussion on this topic to evolve in the next five years?
• What are the implications of your findings for policy or practice?
• How does cultural context play into the outcomes of your research?
• Can you discuss any relevant case studies that connect to your presentation?
• What follow-up research would you recommend based on your work?
• In your research, what was the most surprising discovery you made?

Gathering Practical Applications

• How can we apply your research findings in our everyday work?
• What steps can organizations take to implement your recommendations?
• Can you suggest tools or resources for applying the insights from your presentation?
• How might your research influence day-to-day decision-making?
• Could you provide a real-world example where your findings have been put into practice?
• What are the short-term and long-term benefits of applying your findings?
• Who stands to benefit most from the practical applications of your research?
• Are there certain industries or sectors where your findings are particularly relevant?
• How will applying your findings change existing systems or processes?
• What are some common obstacles to implementing your research, and how can they be overcome?
• How do you recommend staying up-to-date on applications in your research area?
• Can you suggest partner organizations or groups that are working on applying these concepts?
• What measures can be put in place to evaluate the efficacy of applying your research?
• How do you foresee your findings impacting future innovations?
• What action can individuals take to support the practical application of your research?

Providing Constructive Feedback

• I found [specific point] very compelling; have you considered expanding on this?
• Your presentation makes a strong case for [topic]; how could it be enhanced with additional data?
• I noticed [aspect] during your presentation; could this be a point for further refinement?
• The visual aids were helpful; have you thought about using more interactive elements?
• The section on [specific area] was very informative; how can it be made more accessible for beginners in the field?
• In terms of delivery, would you be open to exploring other formats for your presentation?
• Your research draws important conclusions; how else might you support them?
• The pacing of your presentation was effective; could you use a similar approach to emphasize other key points?
• Given the complexity of your topic, have you considered a follow-up session or workshop?
• What additional resources or readings would you recommend to enhance our understanding of your topic?
• Your narrative was engaging; might there be a way to incorporate more storytelling?
• How might audience participation be facilitated in future presentations to enhance understanding?
• Were there alternative viewpoints you debated including in your presentation?
• How did you decide on the structure of your presentation, and what could be changed to improve it?
• Is there a component of your research that you feel requires more visibility or discussion?

Fostering Engagement and Discussion

• What questions do you have for the audience that might help further the discussion?
• How can the audience keep the conversation going outside of this presentation?
• Are there forums or networks where this topic is actively discussed?
• Could you propose a thought experiment or hypothetical scenario for us to consider?
• How can we encourage more interdisciplinary dialogue on this subject?
• What common misconceptions should we address to clear up understanding?
• In your opinion, what are the most controversial aspects of your topic?
• How can we contribute to the body of research or thought around this subject?
• What role can non-experts play in the discussion of these findings?
• Can you suggest a way to create a community or collective around this area of research?
• How would you like to see this information shared or disseminated?
• What would be an ideal outcome of the discussions that stem from this presentation?
• Are there collaborative projects or initiatives we could start as a result of your findings?
• Would you be interested in hosting a series of discussions to delve deeper into certain aspects?
• How do you suggest we handle differing opinions or debates that arise from your topic?

Exploring Next Steps and Actions

• Based on your research, what should be our immediate action?
• What are the first steps to be taken for those who want to delve deeper into this topic?
• Who should be contacted or involved in further development of this topic?
• Are there upcoming events or conferences where this topic will be featured?
• What can we do as individuals to further the research or findings you presented?
• How can we best track the progress and development in this area?
• What practical steps would you recommend for a follow-up study or project?
• Could you outline potential obstacles we might face in advancing this topic and how to overcome them?
• Are there policy changes or advocacy needed to move this conversation forward?
• How can the general public be engaged in the action steps related to your findings?
• What are the most critical areas for immediate exploration or action?
• Is there a need for collaboration with other disciplines to advance this topic?
• How can educators integrate your findings into their curriculum or teaching?
• What funding opportunities should be looked into to support further research?
• How can we measure the impact of the actions taken as a result of your presentation?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i provide feedback on the presentation style as well as the content.

Yes, but always aim to be constructive and polite. Feedback on presentation style can be as valuable as feedback on content.

What should I do if my question isn’t answered during the Q&A session?

If time runs out, try approaching the presenter afterward or sending a follow-up email with your question.

How can I encourage a discussion rather than just a Q&A session?

Ask open-ended questions that invite the presenter or audience members to share thoughts and perspectives, thus fostering a more interactive dialogue.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—a comprehensive guide to quenching your intellectual curiosity and contributing valuable insights after a presentation. From uncovering the nuances of presented content to setting the stage for future collaboration, asking these questions ensures that no stone is left unturned.

Remember, the journey of understanding and exploration doesn’t end with the closing slide; it’s merely the beginning. Now, go forth and turn those questions into conversations that matter!

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Bea Mariel Saulo

50+ Questions to Generate Audience Participation

When it comes to presentations, one of the most important things you can do is get your audience engaged and participating. This can be a challenge, but with the right questions, it can be easy!

In this post, we will provide you with over 50 different questions you can use in your next presentation. These questions are broken down into different types, so you can easily find the ones that will work best for your needs, as well as slide deck recs for each type of question.

Introduction Questions

Using questions in an introduction to a meeting or presentation sets the tone for the rest of your time together. These questions can also give the speaker an idea of the expectations and wants of those in the audience.

While asking some of these questions to a group can quickly devolve into side conversations or serve as distractions, picking one or two of them and having the group answer on their phones can provide real insight. We suggest using the Meeting Kickoff slide deck to quickly ask the questions, get the audience participating, and set the tone for the rest of the meeting.

1. Who here has ever been to a meeting where they were completely lost within the first five minutes?

2. How many of you have some knowledge about the topic we're discussing today?

3. What is something you're hoping to come away with after this presentation?

4. What are you tired of hearing about on this topic?

5. What motivates you most to learn about this topic?

6. What can I do to make this presentation valuable to you?

7. If you aren't here due to work obligations, would you still want to be here?

8. How do you prefer to consume information on this topic?

9. Do you prefer presentations/meetings in-person or virtually?

10. What would help you focus for the rest of this presentation?

Word Cloud Questions

Another fantastic way to gauge what your audience feels or thinks about certain topics (while keeping them engaged and entertained) is through the use of word clouds. Unlike open-ended questions, word clouds allow an audience to answer a prompt and give a visual representation to the group on which answer is the most prevalent.

Word clouds are an excellent way to draw a group back in mid-meeting and gauge the mindset of your audience. Slides with Friends has a fantastic Word Cloud Game you can put together in a few moments to boost the participation in your next presentation.

1. How are you feeling right now?

2. Who has had the biggest influence on your life?

3. What person in our industry has had the biggest impact on your career?

4. What's something you're worried about professionally today?

5. What's something you're excited about professionally today?

6. What's one of the best ideas our company/group has come up with?

7. How would you describe our last month in one word?

Ice Breaker Questions

If you’re hosting a meeting with a smaller group that’s already comfortable with each other, meeting icebreakers can loosen tongues and generate conversation. These questions are also a bit more fun, perfect for easing into a heavier presentation.

Use our Meeting Icebreaker slide deck to start your meetings with a little bit of sharing and laughter. Setting the tone at the beginning of your meeting will keep the audience engaged throughout.

1. What’s your favorite tradition or holiday?

2. What fictional world or place would you like to visit?

3. What is your favorite time of the day? Why?

4. What's one routine that has changed how you work?

5. What's something about the co-worker/person next to you that you appreciate?

6. What's your biggest non-work goal right now?

7. What's something you're willing to share that we don't know about you?

This or That Questions

With larger groups, it can be even more difficult to grab and keep everyone’s attention, much less get the group to participate. The key to using questions with larger audiences is to keep the answers simple and easy to share.

One of our favorite ways of keeping an audience engaged with questions is with this or that questions. Or, as we call them at Slides with Friends, tea vs coffee questions. Our slide deck Tea vs Coffee was created to make engaging with big groups easier, but still fun.

1. Coffee or tea?

2. Hot or cold climate?

3. Pager or fax machine?

4. Train or plane?

5. Staycation or vacation?

6. Netflix or Amazon Prime?

7. Mountains or beach?

8. Macs or PCs?

9. Beer or wine?

10. Work from home or in the office?

Discussion Questions

Sometimes to generate audience participation, you need to let them do the talking. This is the concept that inspired the discussion questions we’ve put together. What are things people want to talk about while still staying on topic? What can you ask to get the group involved and engaged without derailing the purpose of the gathering?

With the Brainstorming Session Template slide deck, you can present your questions to the group and either have them answer aloud or through their phones. The key here is taking a step back and letting them lead the conversation.

1. What is the best advice you've ever gotten about your career?

2. What was your first job? How has it influenced your career now?

3. How have you seen your industry change in the past 10 years?

4. What is your favorite thing about your job?

5. What is the hardest thing about your job?

6. What are some of the biggest challenges you see in your industry right now?

7. What's one thing you wish was more efficient about your job?

8. What small change can we make today that will shift how we work long-term?

Exit Questions

We’d all love to think every single one of our presentations was a slam dunk, but we know that’s not true. One way to finish up strong and with appreciated audience participation is to ask how you did.

Use the questions below in our Project Wrap Up slide deck to find out how you did and what you can change for the next time you meet. The best way to improve audience participation is to give the group what they want. These questions will help you figure out what that ‘want’ is.

1. What was your favorite part of the presentation?

2. What are you going to do with what you learned today?

3. Who is going to help you implement what you learned today?

4. When are you going to start using what you learned today?

5. What's your plan for continuing to learn about this topic?

6. How would you rate the overall quality of the presentation?

7. What could we have done better?

8. Was the pace too fast, too slow, or just right?

9. Did you feel like you learned something new?

Silly Questions

And finally, just for the fun of it, here are a few of our favorite silly questions to ask the crew at your next Happy Hour Hang . Sure, these questions might devolve into laughter, but that still counts as participation!

1. How would you describe your job to a preschooler?

2. What would your entrance song be if you were coming out on stage?

3. What place in time do you think you'd fit in the most?

4. What do you think is the most overrated show or movie right now?

5. What fictional team (X-Men, Avengers, Justice League) is the best?

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6 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Big Project

• Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez
• Whitney Johnson

Figure out if there is really an opportunity in your idea.

Deciding when to invest your company’s scarce resources in a project is of strategic importance. Yet, there is currently no management framework available to help executives or individuals with the vital decision of when the  right time  has arrived. The authors explain how applying the S-curve model can help decision makers. The base of the curve represents a period of investigation where relatively few resources have been committed. The purpose of this phase is to ascertain whether there is really an opportunity in an idea — or not. During this phase is when you should seek answers to six important, foundational questions: 1) Has the project been done before? 2) Is the project part of your core business and will it leverage your strengths? 3) Can you clearly define the scope? 4) What is the investment cost? 5) Do you have buy-in from key leaders and the wider organization? 6) What is the timeline?

Knowing when to start a project is a key factor to its success. And yet it’s a strategic talent very few companies have developed. If you begin a project too soon, chances are high that the project will miss its deadline — if it doesn’t fail outright.

• Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is the author of the Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook , five other books, and the HBR article “ The Project Economy Has Arrived. ” His research and global impact on modern management have been recognized by Thinkers50. A pioneer and leading authority in teaching and advising executives the art and science of strategy implementation and modern project management, Antonio is a visiting professor in seven leading business schools and founder of Projects & Co mpany and co-founder Strategy Implementation Institute and PMOtto . You can follow Antonio through his  website , his LinkedIn newsletter  Lead Projects Successfully , and his online course  Project Management Reinvented for Non–Project Managers .
• WJ Whitney Johnson is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent-development company and author of Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company .

Partner Center

The 16 questions you must answer when you prepare a talk or a presentation

A guide for entrepreneurs and freelancers

In a summit with another 100 speakers it’s hard to get noticed.  You need to stand out  in a world where conferences are multiplying like crazy, time slots are becoming increasingly short and programs are more and more crammed with talks.

Occasionally you see a unicorn , a great presenter, with a great story and powerful visuals. Oftentimes you linger in the gray zone of the competent, well informed, content rich, but  not so good presenters.

Two approaches

In my opinion there are just  two ways of approaching a presentation.

You could  do your best and hope to get better with time.  Your competition may be as good as you, worse than you or way better. You start from your level and by learning one small thing at each conference you  may  get better in time. Your competition may be on a similar journey and reach and overtake your level at any time.

Either that or  you could study really hard.  This is where it gets interesting for me and where  I can provide you with a ton of value.

Oh, did you just  disconnect  when you read the words “study really hard”?  Yes, you’re busy.  Yes, you may even have some nice presentation books somewhere at home or at the office. You may have been reading some Godin , some Presentation Zen , you may know that Nancy Duarte  exists (and kicks ass). You may even know of this or that coach, of a good webinar. But  you just haven’t got the time for all that.  Right: you need to focus on  product, team, growth.  You need to find investors.  No time to improve your presentation skills.

I  sell courses  so I will tell you that  the best thing you can do is train . But I sense that maybe you would prefer to have something quick and dirty. Maybe a  checklist  that you can go through.

All right: just because you’re so nice, here is  a list of 16 questions that you can ask yourself to make it look like you studied really hard.  Yes, it’s called  cheating , and I’m your  partner in crime  today.

That feeling

Before we go to the 16 questions, allow me to go visit your mind for a second. You and I need to look together at  what happens in your brain when you get the news that you are going to be presenting.

Ready? The first thing that happens has  nothing to do with business.  You are a serious, talented professional, but you are still a human being. This is why at the beginning of your presentation process there is a feeling. A feeling that you know all too well. It can be summarized with the same “Oh, shit!” that you used to say to yourself  when your teacher called you to speak in front of class.

Yes, even though you are a grown up now, you still feel like you have been called by the teacher. Even if a meeting with X Fund or talking a Y Conference is a great opportunity, you still fear it and – instinctively – resist it. That’s fine. Let’s embrace the fear and move on.

What to talk about

When this first sensation subsides you are tasked with  resolving an initial conflict:

• on one hand as an business person  you know exactly what you want to pitch : your latest product, your offering, your strategy, the way of the future!
• on the other hand you remember the last time that you were in the audience when someone was just pitching/pitching/pitching.  You don’t want to bore the eyeballs out of the orbits of our audience.

Now you know that you need to find an angle, you need to figure out: “what am I gonna talk about?”

This usually leads to desperation and hope that – while showering the day before the talk – you will get some sort of insight about what to talk about.

It’s doesn’t need to be that way. Whenever you need to give a presentation  all you need is this process made of 16 questions. Once you answer them you are all set to give your presentation.

1. Who is my audience?

Think long and hard about your audience.  If you don’t know them well and they are a limited number spend some time researching information about them. If the audience will be comprised of many people create a “persona” of the typical audience member. Try to understand  what are their stakes.  Why are they invited to the meeting? What are they trying to get from the day?

Yes. I am saying that you should, first of all,  think like an audience member.  Think about what an audience member would want to receive from a speaker.

Chances are  the outcome that they are looking for is not even remotely connected to your goals.  This is why you have a  lot of work to do . But at least now you know in what direction you should work.

Aligning with the goals of your audience may seem counter-intuitive.  But it will help you find a way to package your pitch in such a way that it does not look like a pitch.

Your job is to  repackage your content,  your ideas and your presentation  in order for it to meet both your goals and the goals of your audience.  You will need to compromise on the amount of sales speak that you use. And – probably – you will need to find some new, different topic to talk about that will peak the interest of your audience. This  new topic will allow you , at the appropriate moment,  to shine a light on your product and deliver the pitch.

How do you do that? Let’s get on with the questions to figure it out.

2. What is my audience expecting from me?

Are they even expecting you?  Do they even know who you are? Are you the highlight of the event and everyone knows you or are you a peripheral part of a bigger picture.

If your audience has expectations you should now define them and make sure to meet them.  If your audience has no expectation then its your chance to define them:  the good news is that you can surprise your audience if no expectation is set.

If your audience is  expecting you to be a boring corporate drone you could surprise them  (and get their benevolence and attention) by giving a short, engaging and fun talk.

If your audience is expecting a  dry pitch  you could tell them a  transformative story  rich of useful data and practical takeaways.

If your audience is expecting you to make their day, then you need to work really hard to align your presentation to their expectations.

3. What am I expecting from my audience? What are my desired outcomes?

If you’re there is not just to please an audience:  you surely have an outcome in mind.  Maybe you want your idea to spread or, more often, you need to sell yourself, your services or a product of yours.

If this is compatible with what the audience expects from you, go ahead and introduce those sales and self promotional elements in your presentation.

But  caveat emptor,  if your audience will react negatively to any pitch or sale tactic why don’t you use this occasion to establish a rapport that you will exploit at a later stage?

Sometimes the best way to sell is not to sell at all:  start by  earning the trust, attention and loyalty of the audience.  You can end your presentation on a  call to action  that is only loosely related to your desired outcome. If you want them to buy your product why don’t you offer to send them your ebook in exchange of their email address? If you already have their contacts why don’t you  leave them wanting more of you:  the first meeting has been about education, in the next one you will have more of your pitch.

4. What language and visual style is my audience expecting?

You know your audience better and you have established what they want from you, and you from them. Now it’s time to define what language and visual style you should use to best communicate with them.

Do you know their lingo?  Can you integrate in your language some elements that are familiar to them? Do you want to – strategically – sound distant from their world by using a different vocabulary?

There are many possible strategies: it’s important that you think about  your talk as a unit, made of different components.  The components are: your style, your language, your slides. These should meld together in a coherent way.

If you are going to be presenting with the help of slides take a moment to imagine  what visual style will look best in the eyes of your audience.  The presentation is about you/your product, but is for them.

Try to  look at your material with their eyes and ears.  Align not only with their expectations about content, but also with their visual expectations.

5. What is my core message?

Defining the core message should be easier now that you know what your audience wants: it must include something coming from your knowledge and experience. This “something” should be  useful for your audience to reach their goal and also for you to reach your desired outcome.

Try to remember some of the last talks and presentations you listened to. You probably can  define them with very short sentences  like: Dana presented the Q1 forecast that does not look as bad as everyone expected. Or Larry, the expert in email marketing, talked about the importance of drip campaigns.

These are core message:  you should be able to write yours down in a simple and short sentence.

Take your time to brainstorm possible core messages. After listening to your talk, they are the one thing that your audience will remember.

6. Why is this core message interesting for my audience?

If you brainstormed core messages, chances are you now have  more than one.  How do you narrow down to the one core message your are going to provide in your presentation?

Look at the core messages you have. You probably have a bunch of core messages that are  perfectly aligned with your desired outcome but don’t look so appealing to your audience.  And you could also have a number of core messages that are  exactly what your audience expects, but that don’t allow you enough maneuvering space to include your pitch.

Your way is in the middle of those two groups.  Look for the core messages that align with both your outcomes and the goals of your audience.  But if you fail to find one, go for the one that better meets the expectations of your  audience.

This is the safe bet when it comes to the core message of your talk.

7. What is the best medium for my core message to come through?

Does your audience really want a PowerPoint presentation   from you?  Would you be better off by talking without the help of slides and, maybe, providing a short memo to the attendees?

Whenever it’s allowed by the “etiquette” of your target audience, think about  talking without slides  or using just 2 or 3 slides that help you make a specific point.

You could also have just a few slides with the main topics of your speech, that set the pace for the different sections of your talk.

Don’t default to making a slide show.

8. What gifts can I give?

I am not talking about materials objects or even discounts or coupons. But more important things like tips, techniques and actionable to-do’s. Stuff that remains with the audience, that your audience can repeat every day.

What I am saying is: your talk happens, and then?

Well if your core message was strong it could be remembered. But wouldn’t it be better if your audience  changed their behavior integrating some of your knowledge and ideas in their daily lives?

Do you think it’s far fetched? At the end of most presentations you can provide  something actionable.  This works not only to fixate the presentation in the memory of your audience, but also serves as a nudge to  change their everyday habits.

I am sure that we all have a book we can suggest, a useful practical shortcut, a theory that can be put into practice following steps 1 through 5.

Give gifts: you’ll be remembered.

9. How many slides?

You should not have more than  1 slide per minute of talk , unless you are a super skillful presenter and your visuals kick some serious ass. So a 15 minutes presentation should average 15 slides where you have around 60 seconds per slide.

You can occasionally break this rule, but at the beginning of your public speaking career try to err on the safe side and  go for less slides.

10. How much text?

If you are going to present a deck make sure to have the  least possible amount of text.  Follow these rules:

Optimize text for whoever is sitting in the last row:  text size should be 30 points minimum, anything smaller will be unreadable in many settings so avoid small text. If your font looks huge on your computer, then you have achieved the right size for a projected presentation.

No lists:  each concept should have its own slide. And don’t ever use a bullet point. Those are  banned.  Right!?

Only in case you are preparing a handout that you are not going to display on screen, go for longer text.

11. What template should I use?

My suggestion for you is to start from scratch as many times as possible.  Drop the defaults.  Kick the logos off the slides and focus on your message.

Would it come through better with beautiful typography or great images? Can you draw? Do you have illustrations ready?  Look at your assets but don’t let you get locked in by any predefined template.

One word of advice: once you choose a template, stick to it.

12. What visuals should I use?

Only use the  visuals that will have the best possible impact with your audience.  Think about what they like, what they would appreciate, what they are familiar with.

Your taste should be put to use to decorate your house, not your slides. Remember:  your presentation may be about you, but is for your audience.

13. Should I rehearse?

Yes! Nobody is great at a presentation that has not been rehearsed.  And you will not loose your spontaneity if you spend some time acting out your presentation.

If you can, record your trials and listen to them to optimize your output.

14. Should I memorize my talk?

Not necessarily. But you should have the  sequence clear in your memory.

You should always know by heart what slide comes next, how to transition to it.  Memorize the key “junctions” of your discourse.  This will also boost your confidence on stage and allow to present without slides in case something technical goes wrong.

15. How much time should I devote to the task overall?

You should allot time for:

• thinking  through your presentation;
• structuring  it;
• designing  it;
• rehearsing  it.

This means that you have to  start way in advance , much earlier than you think. Only if you will be presenting current data that would become stale, you are allowed to put together your materials closer your deadline.

16. How should I plan for all this?

Now its time to start working. Put the conference dates on your calendar and  plan the time you need to think, structure, design and rehearse your presentation.  Make sure to budget the time according to your abilities. Don’t overestimate your ability to prepare  everything at the last minute.

Going from fear to a successful presentation can require time, but is a wonderful journey that will have you sweating on structure and story, have you impersonate your audience and align your goals with theirs. In the process you will better understand them, and your self as well.

Let me end on a high note: the fact that  you are addressing the problem of becoming a better presenter is already sign that you can become one.  The fact that you are reading this article gives me great promise in your growth. You see, 99% of your peers and colleagues don’t even think that presentations can be a great way to communicate, engage, inform and move to action. You do and you have an  advantage over them.

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8 tips for encouraging questions in your presentation

by Olivia Mitchell | 8 comments

Most of us would like people in the audience to ask questions. A lively Q&A session is stimulating and engaging for the audience. But sometimes you ask for questions, and you’re just met with blank gazes back from your audience. It’s a let-down and your presentation ends on a sour note.

Questions from the audience are like young fragile seedlings – they need nurturing. Consider when you’re in the audience – what stages do you have to mentally go through in order to ask a question? It might go something like this:

So as the presenter, you need to nurture your audience’s questions through these four stages. Here are 8 tips to help make them through:

1. Pitch your presentation at the right level for your audience

The first stage of questions is birth – they have to be born in your audience’s mind. If your presentation is too simple for the level of knowledge in your audience – it’s all material they’ve covered before – they won’t have any questions. Conversly, if it’s too complicated for them, they’ll turn off rather than risk asking a question which might make them look stupid.

2. Don’t cover every aspect of your topic in the presentation

If you cover everything there is to know on the topic – you won’t leave room for questions. So don’t be exhaustive in your coverage.

3. Let your audience know you would like questions and when to ask them

Near the beginning of your presentation let your audience know that you welcome questions. Then let them know when to ask them. There are a number of options:

Take questions throughout your presentation

Tell people they can interrupt you throughout the presentation to ask questions as they come to mind. This has several benefits:

• people won’t have to remember their question till later
• if they’re uncertain about something they can get that clarified at the time
• questions on a particular issue are dealt with at the same time that you’re discussing that issue.

The downside to this strategy is that it can take you off track if people ask irrelevant questions or questions that you’re going to cover later in the presentation. If you find it tricky to get back into the flow of your presentation after an interruption it may not be the best strategy for you. Finally, it can throw the timing of your presentation if people ask a lot of questions on a particular issue. This strategy is best used in longer presentations and training courses where timing is less critical.

Take questions at defined points of your presentation

Tell people you will have an opportunity for questions after you’ve finished each part of your presentation. This option is a useful halfway point between having questions throughout and leaving them till the end of the presentation. You can also decide how long to take questions for during each break in your presentation, and so control the timing better.

4. Let them ask a question as soon as they have one

If you’re serious about ensuring that people get their questions answered, invite people to interrupt you and ask their question. It’s the only way to ensure this. That’s when the question is burning for them. The longer you make people wait, the less likely they are to remember it. Once you’ve moved onto a new topic, their question will seem less relevant. Joey Asher from Talking Points blog says:

Questions aren’t to be feared. They’re to be embraced.  There’s no better way to connect with an audience than to allow them free rein to ask as many questions as they want.

5. Invite people to write down their questions as they think of them

If you don’t want to take questions throughout, you can help people remember their questions by suggesting that they write them down.

6. Validate every question

It takes courage to ask a question. It’s public speaking – just not from the front of the room. People are held back by wondering if their question is stupid or did they miss something and you already answered it. So you need to do your bit to make it a safe environment for people to ask questions. Do that by responding warmly to all questions that are asked – even if the question is stupid or you had already covered it. I don’t recommend saying “Good question”. It’s become a cliche which is often used when the presenter can’t immediately think of the answer.

7. Have people discuss in pairs any questions they may have

If your audience seems a little shy, give them an opportunity to discuss their questions with one other person before they ask them in front of the whole of the audience. Here’s how do do this:

“I’m going to ask for questions in a moment. Please turn to the person next to you and discuss together any questions you have. Then I’ll answer those questions.”

This has several benefits:

• It gives people the opportunity to try out their question in front of one person before risking humiliation in front of the whole audience.
• Any questions that are answered by material you’ve already covered can be answered by their partner.
• It gives people the opportunity to rehearse and fine-tune their question so that it will be shorter and clearer when they ask you.

8. Answer questions clearly and succinctly

If you answer every question with a long-winded and incoherent ramble, people are going to be reluctant to ask you another one. They’ll conclude they’re unlikely to get a useful answer from you. Nor do they want to subject the rest of the audience to another ramble.

More resources on other blogs

Five ways to make presentations Q&A friendly from Joey Asher at Talking Points. He also recommends validating every question:

Smiling at the questioner is like rewarding a dog for sitting on command.  Once rewarded, the chances are the audience will ask more.

John Windsor has a useful post Making the most of a Q&A session . He stresses anticipating the questions that might be asked. And also advises that you recap and conclude your presentation after the Q&A session. That provides a stronger ending to your presentation than just lettting questions peter out.

Andrew Dlugan discusses Leading the perfect Q&A . This covers all elements of the Q&A session from both the audience’s point of view and the presenters.

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Hi again Olivia – just seen this following someone else’s link. It’s something I blogged about myself a while ago – and in retrospect I probably over-stated my case: http://www.curved-vision.co.uk/presentation-skills-blog/2008/03/29/questions-or-not/

To me, it’s important to differentiate between two types of question. Firstly, you’ve got questions of fact (“Did you say 200%?”) which seem to me to be necessary at any point because otherwise people won’t be able to make much of anything you say after that.

Secondly though, there are questions of “application” for lack of a better term. Things like “So in my position, would it make sense to….?”. I love these questions as it shows the audience has bitten what I’ve said and is running with it. My instinct is that these questions should only surface at the end (in fact if the presentation is well structured this is probably the only place it CAN surface!).

And, for the “during the presentation so askers don’t forget”, I’ve also seen Twitter used effectively – either as a displayed backchannel – so that the whole audience can see, or just visible to those who have the necessary hardware. Quite often, small questions can be answered by someone else in the audience (like whispering to the person next to you – only there are lots of people next to you!), or the presenter/room host can skim them at the end & answer the key ones.

Hi Emma Yes, that’s a great use of the backchannel. Thank you for adding it to this post. Olivia

You actually make it seem really easy with your presentation however I to find this topic to be actually one thing which I believe I might never understand. It seems too complex and very wide for me. I am taking a look forward to your next publish, I will attempt to get the dangle of it!

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• Best Presentation Tips | Speaking about Presenting: Presentation Tips from Olivia Mitchell - [...] 8 tips for encouraging questions in your presentation [...]
• How to Present While People are Twittering — Pistachio - [...] with asking the audience for “out-loud” questions as well. It’s good practice to stop for questions throughout your presentation…
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How to Explain Your Project in an Interview: Steps and Tips

One of the most important parts of the selection process, especially for technical roles, will be the explanation of your project during an interview. Explain clearly and properly what you did at work, thus proving your technical grip, explanation of complicated ideas, collaboration effort, and contribution towards team success. Here is a guide on how to effectively explain a project in an interview, together with steps and tips to help you shine.

In most job interviews , particularly in high-tech, you will be asked questions about your past projects. Understanding the answer to this question may allow the interviewer to examine your technical competencies and understand your approach toward solving problems, measure communication skills, and get a feel for how you work in a team environment. This is one of the most crucial skills, and knowing how to present your project well could make all the difference in how you are perceived. It can also increase your chances of getting your desired job.

Table of Content

• Why It’s important to Explain Your Project Well

Steps to Explain Your Project in an Interview

1. understand the project inside out, 2. structure your explanation, 3. provide context, 4. focus on your contributions, 5. challenges and their solutions, 6. highlight the results, 7. practice your explanation, 8. prepare to be questioned, tips on effectively explaining your project, sample questions and answers, why it’s important to explain your project well.

• It showcases the skills : It represents your technical knowledge and the ability to apply knowledge in a practical way.
• Highlights Problem-Solving Abilities : Shows how you approach challenges and find solutions.
• Proves Communications Skills: You can express complex ideas with clarity and concision.
• Reflects Teamwork and Collaboration: Indicates your ability to work with others and your role in a team.
• Credibility Building: Shows that you are a serious candidate who can contribute effectively to the organization.

If you are fresher or professional who want to switch and want to learn everything including project making and mock interviews then you can check-out our course Tech Interview 101 in which we have covered all the questions and concepts you will encounter in the interview.

• Deep Dive: Review all aspects of your project, including the problem statement, objectives, methodologies, and outcomes.
• Document Review : Review all documents, codes, or reports authored during the project. Revisit the technical details that were done and the specifics of the contributions.
• Technology Stack : Clearly state the technologies, frameworks, and tools you have used. Understand the way each contributes to the project.

Apply the STAR method :

• Situation : Set the scene by describing the context or problem your project was trying to solve.
• Task : describe what you specifically do in the project and the responsibilities assigned to you.
• Action : Describe the actions you took in planning, developing, testing, and implementing.
• Result : Highlight the outcomes, emphasizing measurable results and impact.
• Project Summary: Start with the overview of the project. Mention the name, duration, and key objectives of the project.
• Purpose and Goals : Explain the reason the project was initiated. What were the business or user needs to be addressed?
• Scope and Scale: Outline the size of the project in the number of persons involved, budget, and timelines.
• Role Definition: Clearly state your role. Developer? Team lead? Designer? Tester?
• Key Responsibilities: Highlight the main things you were accountable for. What were you specifically responsible for?
• Technologies and Tools: Indicate the particular technologies, frameworks, and tools you worked with. Also, explain the reason for using them and how you used them.
• Major Challenges : Describe the significant problems or hurdles you came across. These can be technical issues, lack of resources, or sudden and unforeseeable shifts.
• Problem-Solving Approach: Describe what strategies and steps you took in order to resolve these challenges. Did you look for new solutions, collaborate on a team, or learn new skills?
• Learning Experience: Summarize what you have learned from these challenges and how exactly they added to your professional growth.
• Measurable Outcomes: Quantify results where possible. For example, “Increased the system performance by 30%” or “The project reduced operational costs by 20%.”
• Impact: Explain the overall impact that your project had. Perhaps it increased user satisfaction, revenue, or even efficiency of processes.
• Feedback and Recognition: If there has been any positive feedback or recognition towards the project, outline what this has been. This could be from stakeholders, users, or awards.

NOTE – These are for the professionals worked on the projects which are currently being used by the clients

• Rehearsal: Practice explaining your project numerous times. This helps you refine your narrative and become more confident.
• Mock Interviews: Do mock interviews with any of your friends, family members, or possibly colleagues. You can ask for feedback like clarity, confidence, and the explanation areas.
• Recording: Record yourself talking through the project and then play it back. You could highlight areas of improvement.
• Avoid Unexpected Questions: Think in advance about the typical questions the interviewer can possibly ask. That could span from technical information to questions on project management or even asking about some definite concerns.
• Prepare Answers: Be clear and to the point with answers to these questions. Be prepared to drill down into any area of a project if asked to do so.
• Stay Calm and Composed: If you don’t know an answer, stay calm. It’s okay to admit you don’t know something but express your willingness to learn or how you would find the solution.
• Be Clear and Concise : Try to avoid using jargon or overly technical terms unless absolutely necessary. Any project should be described in as simple terms as possible, especially if the interviewer is not from a technical background.
• Use Visual Aids if Possible : Diagrams, screenshots, or just a short presentation will help clarify your project visually, if only the format of the interview allows. This helps make complex ideas easy to comprehend.
• Be Honest : If there were parts of the project which you found challenging or if some things didn’t go as planned, be honest about it. One also learns from discussing what has been learned through the experience as much as from the success.
• Show Enthusiasm : You should be enthusiastic about your project. Passion and eagerness are contagious, so it can make a good impression on the interviewer.
• Relate to the Job: Try relating your project experience with the role you are applying for. Focus on those skills or experiences which match with the job description.
• Be Ready to Go Deep on Technical Details : Be prepared to dive deep into technical details if so inquired. The interviewers would want more on technical decisions and the whys behind them.
• Keep It Professional: Keep the focus on the professional aspects of the project. Avoid going into extraneous stories about your life that are not relevant to the meaning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Lack of Preparation : Not reviewing your project details beforehand can lead to unclear or incorrect explanations.
• Overly Technical Jargon : Avoid using too much technical jargon without explaining it, as it may confuse the interviewer.
• Vagueness : Be specific about your contributions and the project’s outcomes. Vague answers can make it seem like you weren’t actively involved.
• Neglecting the Big Picture : Focusing only on technical details without explaining the project’s overall impact can make it difficult for the interviewer to see its value.
• Ignoring Challenges : Failing to discuss challenges and how you overcame them can make your explanation seem incomplete and less realistic.

Question 1: Tell me about a recent project you were working on.

Certainly! I was working on the development of an e-commerce website for a mid-sized retail company. The project titled “ShopEase” lasted half a year and had the goal of creating a scalable platform to increase sales and improve the online shopping experience of customers. I filled the role of lead front-end developer, and thus I was in charge of designing the user interface and developing components using React.js. One of the biggest challenges was the site being responsive and having good performance on mobile and desktop. I implemented lazy loading for images and refactored the code to enhance load times.

Question 2: What were the largest challenges you overcame during this project, and how did you overcome them?

One of the greatest challenges was cross-browser compatibility. Some elements were displayed differently in some other browsers, and that can affect the user experience. This is countered by applying CSS resets and libraries that standardize the styling across multiple browsers. After that, I thoroughly tested on both devices and browsers to solve out any issues that arose. The optimization of load time was also very important; this mainly applies when loading high-resolution images. Lazy loading and compressing the images improved the site’s performance drastically. Also, some of the issues faced were on the integration at the backend side, which was resolved after close coordination with the backend team in order to smooth the API interactions.

Question 3: Which technologies did you use in your project, and why?

We used React.js for front-end development in the “ShopEase” project due to its component-based architecture that provided the efficiency of developing reusable UI components. On the back-end, we used Node.js and Express for building robust APIs, as it gave us the opportunity to make use of their scalability and performance. For that, we implemented our database with MongoDB for its flexibility in handling unstructured data, since our products were quite varied. We used Redux for state management in order to keep traceable application state. To round out our split-tech stack, Webpack was used for module bundling, and Babel for transpiling modern JavaScript to older browsers.

Read More Top 15 Software Engineering Projects (2024 ) Top Data Science Projects with Source Code  Must Do Coding Questions for Companies like Amazon, Microsoft …

If you can clearly explain your project during an interview, that itself would be very helpful in getting the job. Some things to control what you say, dwell on what you did, identify difficulties and the outcome, and practice in the delivery are some of the things that will help you explain projects technically yet confidently. After all, one or more of the interviewers may get impressed by the way you explain your project, and that may make you their lead choice for the position. All the best for your interview.

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Bookmark this blog: 148 icebreaker questions you’ll keep coming back to

Skip the age-old prompts about desert islands and engage your team with icebreaker questions that are actually interesting.

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It’s easy for icebreaker questions to feel obligatory – an inauthentic exercise everybody feigns interest in before moving on to the meat of the meeting. 

But don’t underestimate the power of the humble icebreaker – it’s been long established that, when you do it right, they actually work. In one 1997 study , researchers asked pairs of participants to share information about themselves. The pairs that did so reported feeling significantly closer than the ones who just engaged in meaningless small talk.

It’s proof that the right questions can foster or strengthen connections, reduce doubt or anxiety, and encourage team members to speak openly. As psychologist Anton Villado says , “We engage in self-disclosure over some period of time – typically lots of time – and icebreakers are simply meant to hasten that.”

The key is choosing the right (read: non-cringey) questions. From rapid-fire prompts to thought-provoking queries that dig deeper, this big ol’ list of icebreaker questions will help you get the ball rolling. 

Quick icebreaker questions

5-minute team building activities for virtual and hybrid squads

These fast icebreaker questions can be answered in only a few words (or, in some cases, just one word), making them perfect for meetings or conversations when you don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to friendly chatter but still want to establish some rapport and familiarity.

• What’s a surprising thing on your bucket list?
• What’s the best thing you’ve crossed off your bucket list?
• If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
• What’s your favorite children’s book?
• What’s your go-to coffee order?
• What’s your favorite board game?
• What’s an underrated kitchen appliance or gadget?
• What was your first job?
• What’s your favorite room in your house?
• What’s the best vacation you’ve ever been on?
• What’s your least favorite sport?
• What’s your dream car?
• What toppings are on your ideal pizza?
• What song makes you feel the most nostalgic?
• What’s your go-to karaoke song?
• What song is most likely to get you on the dance floor?
• What format was the first album you purchased? (Cassette, CD, digital)
• What smell reminds you most of a specific place or time?
• Do you have a lucky number? What is it, and why?
• What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
• What’s your favorite way to eat potatoes?
• If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be?
• What’s your signature dance move?
• What would your personal theme song or walk-on song be?
• What’s your favorite dad joke?
• What’s your favorite icebreaker question?

“This or that” icebreaker questions

Looking for other quick options? “This or that” questions keep things moving by asking people to choose between only two options. 

• Coffee or tea?
• Early bird or night owl?
• Cats or dogs?
• Salt or pepper?
• Pancakes or waffles?
• Concert or museum?
• Hotel or Airbnb?
• Beach or mountains?
• Book or movie?
• Introvert or extrovert?
• City or country?
• Digital or analog?
• Pen or keyboard?
• Socks or barefoot?
• Sweet or savory?
• Chocolate or vanilla?
• Phone call or text message?
• Adventure or relaxation?
• Comedy or drama?
• Sneakers or sandals?
• Card game or board game?
• Spicy or mild?
• Restaurant or home-cooked meal?
• Ice cream cone or cup?

Meatier icebreaker questions

7 icebreaker games to help your team build authentic connections

When so many icebreakers are surface-level and inconsequential, ones that dig deeper can feel a little counterintuitive. But while these may seem like unusual icebreaker questions compared to the cursory ones you’d typically think of, they’re perfect for sparking meaningful discussions, increasing empathy and understanding, and reinforcing team bonds. 

• What’s your best childhood memory?
• Who would your 12-year-old self say is their biggest hero?
• What’s an unexpected life lesson you’ve learned?
• After people and pets, what’s the first thing you’d rescue if (god forbid!) your home was on fire?
• What’s your proudest accomplishment?
• What’s your most irrational fear?
• If you had to live in a different country for a year, which one would you choose?
• What’s your hottest take or most surprising opinion?
• Would you want to know how much time you have left to live?
• What’s a surprising “fun fact” about you?
• If you had to teach a class or give a TED Talk, what would it be about?
• What one day in your life would you most like to relive?
• What’s a cause or charity that means a lot to you?
• What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
• How would your loved ones describe you in five words?
• What’s your most treasured possession?
• When was the last time you felt inspired to create something?
• What’s one of your nicknames and how did you get it?
• What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
• What character traits do you admire?
• What trait are you most proud of in yourself?
• If you could master any skill immediately, what would it be?
• What would you title your memoir?
• What’s a habit you’re trying to break or build?
• Would you rather travel to the past or the future?
• What’s the biggest misconception people have about you?
• What’s your favorite family tradition?
• If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would you choose?
• What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?
• What advice would you give to your younger self?

Fun icebreaker questions

From the Playbook

If you have five minutes, the Icebreaker Activities Play can help you make personal connections and spark the kind of creative thinking that moves work forward.

Icebreaker questions don’t need to be substantial to be worthwhile. When you need a lighthearted activity for a holiday happy hour, team baby shower, or anything in between, these silly icebreaker questions are just quirky enough to generate plenty of chuckles while still revealing interesting facts about the people you work with. 

• What animal do you think best represents your personality?
• Who would play you in a movie about your life?
• If you could invent a holiday, what would you celebrate?
• If you could have any fictional character as a best friend, who would it be?
• What’s the most bizarre dream you’ve ever had?
• What’s your favorite way to waste time?
• If you could be any age for a week, what age would you be?
• What’s the weirdest (SFW!) thing you’ve ever Googled?
• What’s your favorite under-the-radar life hack?
• If you could change your name to anything, what would you choose?
• What was the last time you laughed really hard?
• What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever collected?
• If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you win a gold medal in?
• If you had to participate in an actual Olympic sport, which would you choose?
• What’s the story behind your coolest scar or gnarliest injury?
• What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever seen in someone’s home?
• What’s the worst haircut you’ve ever gotten?
• What’s your star sign? Do you think your sign’s characteristics describe your personality?
• How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
• What was your most memorable concert experience?
• What was your most memorable wildlife experience?
• What would you want your last meal to be?
• If you won the lottery but didn’t tell anyone, how would your friends and family know?
• What’s your favorite made-up game you play with your friends or family?
• What’s a superstitious belief that you believed as a child (or still believe)?
• What was the first time (or a memorable time) you were frightened by a weather event or natural disaster?
• What’s the oldest piece of clothing you own? Why do you still wear it/keep it?
• Who in your life (or on your team!) would you trust to take care of you if you were an egg?

“Would you rather” icebreaker questions

As a subcategory of silly icebreaker questions, “would you rather” prompts challenge people to consider an off-the-wall scenario and make a choice. You can come up with endless hypothetical scenarios, but here are a few to help get your wheels turning.

• Would you rather have a permanent clown nose or permanent clown shoes?
• Would you rather always have to hop on one foot or always have to walk backward?
• Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?
• Would you rather have the ability to talk to animals or speak every human language fluently?
• Would you rather have to sing everything you say or dance every time you move?
• Would you rather have a personal theme song that plays whenever you enter a room or have a personal mascot that follows you around?
• Would you rather be able to instantly master any skill but have to do it in public or be mediocre at everything but always do it in private?
• Would you rather be eight feet tall or three feet tall?

Work-related icebreaker questions

Looking for a way to warm people up without taking the focus off of the work you do together? These icebreaker questions for work can help team members learn more about each other’s work-related experiences, preferences, and achievements. 

• How did you end up in your current job?
• If you could have another career, what would it be? 
• If you could switch roles with anyone at your company, who would it be?
• What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
• What’s the most memorable moment in your career so far?
• What’s your go-to productivity playlist or music?
• If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
• What’s the best work-related book you’ve read?
• How do you unwind after a busy or stressful day?
• What’s your favorite way to celebrate a work-related milestone or achievement?
• What’s your favorite thing about working in your industry?
• If you could work remotely from anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
• What’s the biggest misconception about your job?
• Who is your dream career mentor?
• If you could automate one part of your job, what would it be?
• What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
• What is your most productive time of day?
• If you could design your perfect office, what would it look like?
• What’s your favorite quote or mantra that motivates you at work?
• What’s the most fun project you’ve ever worked on?

Virtual icebreaker questions

18 virtual team building activities and games

Nearly all of the above icebreakers can work in a remote setting. But when your team is distributed, you have even more opportunities to learn about people’s habits, routines, and priorities. These team icebreaker questions will help everybody feel more in touch and connected — even if you aren’t colocated. 

• What’s something the team would know about you if we spent time in person?
• What’s one thing that’s always on your desk?
• What’s your favorite way to spend a break during the workday?
• Do you have any pet colleagues?
• What’s the funniest thing that’s happened during a video call?
• What’s your favorite way to end or start the workday?
• What’s something we’d be surprised to find in your office?
• What’s your go-to lunch or workday snack?
• What’s your favorite or most-used emoji?
• Where’s the best spot you’ve ever worked remotely?
• What’s your go-to music or background noise while working?
• What’s your favorite perk of remote work?

What’s your favorite icebreaker question? Let us know in the Atlassian Community – we’ll be adding some of your ideas to this list!

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August edition: Copilot for Microsoft 365 updates

Copilot continues to provide ways for you to get your work done with less effort and frustration. This month, we'll tell you how you can do a Bing search directly in Word, how you can query in Copilot for specific time periods, and how you can query to get the details you need about a PowerPoint presentation. We also have news about improvements we've made in response to your requests: How you can create PowerPoint presentations just by referencing a Word doc, and that Copilot can analyze Excel data that has been set free from tables. 

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Prompts we think you’ll love .

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Search bing directly in word to draft a plan based on internal and internet resources   .

Do you want to search for important information without having to leave Word? Ask Copilot a question in Word chat and Copilot will answer using integrated Bing search. 

Ask Copilot, "Who are the board of directors for Microsoft?" 

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Ask specific questions about PowerPoint presentations to reduce information overload 

Do you want to get to the substance of a PowerPoint presentation without scrolling through each slide? You can now ask Copilot in PowerPoint to summarize a presentation or answer specific questions about it.  

Ask Copilot, "What is the goal of this project?" or "Summarize slide 5."  

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Query about a specific time period to get more precise information

Do you want information from a specific time period, like yesterday, last month, or last year? Copilot can now identify any time period and respond to your request with the information you want. 

Ask Copilot, "Summarize all chats with [team member] from last October."  

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Reference a word document to create a marketing presentation without needing to copy links to the document     .

Want to get a quick start with a PowerPoint presentation? Simply reference a Word doc as your source in Copilot for PowerPoint and let Copilot do the rest.  

Ask Copilot, "Create a presentation from /[document]."

Reason over business data, survey results or project progress in Excel without a table  

Until now, you needed to organize your Excel data in tables before Copilot could reason over it. Now Copilot can reason over data ranges with only a single row of headers on top. 

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Transform your workflows with expert guidance about how to use Copilot for specific scenarios in the Microsoft Copilot Scenario Library . 

If you want to see what you missed in past months, check out the updates history .

Take the power of AI on the go! Download the Microsoft Copilot mobile app and sign in with your work account today. 

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