Recall our discussion in Chapter 12 of the annual keynote presentations of the late Steve Jobs. Clearly, Jobs rehearsed his presentations, including his use of presentation software and other technological aids—in fact, he knew it all well enough to work around it when inevitable technological glitches arose. When practicing with your presentation aids, consider the following tips:
Eliminate surprises. If you’re using any kind of technology, practice with it long before you deliver your speech. A video or audio clip that didn’t download properly may stall or disrupt your presentation.
Test the facilities in advance. Be proactive. Will your speaking site’s wireless connection be fast enough to stream a clip from Netflix of YouTube? You’ll rest easier if you test it out beforehand. Likewise, you should do sound checks for video and audio clips to make sure that the entire audience can see and/or hear them.
Write notes to yourself. In your outline, make sure that you provide delivery cues to let yourself know when to move to the next item or when to show an image or play a clip. This will help you avoid rushing ahead to get to a particular aid, as well as ensure that you don’t forget any.
Rehearse any demonstrations with a partner. When your presentation aid is actually a live prop (for example, a student in your own class), you’ll need to practice with this person in advance of the presentation.
Havea backup plan. What will you do if something malfunctions during your speech? If a video clip won’t play, can you tell it as a story? You might have a handout prepared for your audience members, just in case your software doesn’t work.