Once a group has achieved its goal or selected a solution, members face the task of communicating their results to others in the form of a written report, an oral presentation, or a combination of the two. Group or team presentations are oral presentations prepared and delivered by a group of three or more individuals. Team presentations have many of the same characteristics as presentations done individually, but there are differences; while in an individual presentation one person assumes all responsibility for presenting a topic, in a team presentation some or all of the group members share responsibility. Regularly assigned in the classroom (see Chapter 30) and frequently delivered in the workplace (see Chapter 31), successful team presentations require close cooperation and planning.

Analyze the Audience and Set Goals

Even if the topic is assigned and the audience consists solely of the instructor and classmates (perhaps in an online setting; see Chapter 28), consider their interests and needs with respect to the topic and how you can meet them. Then, just as you would do during group work, establish goals for the presentation that you can all agree upon.

Assign Roles and Tasks

First, designate a team leader to help guide coordination among members, beginning with the selection of roles and tasks. Next, assign team members to various aspects of the research, perhaps selecting different team members to present the introduction, body of the presentation, and conclusion—or other responsibilities. Set firm time limits for each portion of the presentation.

Establish Transitions between Speakers

Work out transitions between speakers ahead of time—for example, whether one team member will introduce every speaker or whether each speaker will introduce the next speaker upon the close of his or her presentation. The quality of the presentation will depend in great part on smooth transitions between speakers.

Be Mindful of Your Nonverbal Behavior

During a team presentation, the audience’s eyes will fall on everyone involved, not just the person speaking. Thus any signs of disinterest or boredom by a team member will be easily noticed. Give your full attention to the other speakers and project an attitude of interest toward audience members.

Consider the Presenters’ Strengths

Audiences become distracted by marked disparities in style, such as hearing a captivating speaker followed by an extremely dull one. If you are concerned about an uneven delivery, consider choosing the person with the strongest presentation style and credibility level for the opening. Put the more cautious presenters in the middle of the presentation. Select another strong speaker to conclude the presentation.¹⁶

Coordinate the Presentation Aids

To ensure design consistency (see Chapter 21, “Designing Presentation Aids”), consider assigning one person the job of coordinating templates for slides, videos, and/or audio. The team can also assign a single individual the task of presenting the aids as the other team members speak. If this is done, be sure to position the person presenting the aids unobtrusively so as not to distract the audience from the speaker.

Rehearse the Presentation Several Times

Together with the whole group, members should practice their portions of the presentation, with any presentation aids they will use, in the order they will be given in the final form. Rehearse several times, until the presentation proceeds smoothly, using the techniques for rehearsal described in Chapter 19 in the section “Plan Ahead and Practice Often.”