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The Function of Presentation Aids

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Although presentation aids can be a valuable asset to a speech, heightening an audience’s interest and helping you convey technical information, these aids should supplement your speech, not substitute for it. Sure, you may have a moving video or shocking image to share with the audience. But if you haven’t researched your topic thoroughly, assembled a useful speaking outline, or even looked up from the podium while speaking, who will care? To be truly useful, presentation aids must enhance your speech, accomplishing three goals:

Help listeners process and retain information. Effective presentation aids help the audience see relationships among concepts, variables, or items. Always make a point, refer to the presentation aid, direct the listeners’ attention to where you want them to focus, and then restate, reiterate, or rephrase what you have said.
Promote interest and motivation. If you show terms, photographs, statistics, tables, and other items that truly reinforce your spoken message, the audience will be more likely to go along with you.
Convey information clearly and concisely. There is no comparison between the amount of time it would take you to read a series of figures versus showing them on a table, graph, or chart. A good visual can present a lot of information in a clear, concise, and simple manner, saving the speaker’s time for interpretation and elaboration.