presentation training method

Ready to get started?

Learning Lab

• How Employees Learn

Developing a Learning Culture

• Building Great Leaders
• ELM Learning Updates

More Topics

• eLearning Design and Development
• Instructional Design
• Neurolearning
• Measuring Impact

7 Types of Training Methods (and How to Choose)

By Emily Gore

February 9, 2023

Traditional types of training methods are exactly what they say they are—traditional. Instead of engaging learners by being innovative, creative, fresh, lightweight, and sometimes funny, they often feel like a burden and unwelcome obligation.

Old days’ training methods fall short of everything they can do to maximize learners’ attention and information recall . Additionally, and in corporate settings, they ignore the collateral effects of effective training methods. As a result, companies miss a terrific opportunity to make their employees happier and more productive.

It’s not just the training materials—it’s the training method.

Many organizations focus on creating good-looking training materials. However, design is not all about aesthetics—it’s primarily about function. And if an employee training course doesn’t meet its functional goals, it fails—no matter how pretty the materials are. 

Nowadays, the variety of training methods can seem overwhelming. Therefore, we compiled a list of the best types of training methods for employees. We’ll also give you some advice on how to select the method that best suits your employees.

How Important Is It To Choose the Right Training Method?

Choosing the best option from a long list of training methods for employees can seem daunting. But corporate training is essential for employee onboarding and employee retention. Figuring out what works best for your employees doesn’t have to be difficult. 

Onboarding is a perfect moment to deliver training. A new staff member is bursting with excitement about joining your company. They’re like sponges ready to soak up all the information they possibly can—about the company, the business, or their function.

Existing employees are also eager to extend and develop their skills. In any case, for the sake of learning effectiveness, the training method is as important as the content and activities.

On top of the different levels of employees that need training, we have an indisputable truth: everyone learns differently. Some prefer to learn by watching, others by listening or reading and writing, and others by doing. Some learners change their preference depending on certain conditions. The topic might also influence the appropriateness of one method over the other.

Powered by technology, the types of training methods are numerous. And we didn’t discard any of the traditional training methods yet, because they do have their perks. Let’s explore the features of each training method for employees.

Types of Training Methods

Most training methods target more than one learning style, whereas some focus on one particular style. And that’s okay! Because if you offer training using different types of methods, you’ll satisfy the styles of different employees. And unless the topic calls for a particular training method, you might even offer a variety of methods for a single topic. You can also give your staff options to learn in different ways depending on the circumstances. For instance, they might wish to learn by listening on one day and by watching on another.

Below are seven of the best types of employee training methods:

• Case Studies
• Instructor-Led Training
• Interactive Training
• On-the-Job Training
• Video-Based Training

Check out the details and benefits of each type!

1. Case Studies

This type of training is great for developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The scenarios can be real or imaginary, but in the context of employee training, they all illustrate situations at work.

Learners read the case studies and then analyze and solve them individually or in a group. Some solutions might be better than others, depend on assumptions, and be either optimal or the best possible given the circumstances.

Although case studies allow your staff to learn at their own pace, they’re most useful for less complex topics.

2. Coaching

Mentorship—another name for coaching—should be an impactful and memorable learning experience. At least, that’s the expectation of mentors and mentorees.

When your experienced staff dedicates time and effort to coaching new employees, those new employees will feel valued and supported. Put some emphasis on the time and effort required by mentors, and remember that it pays off.

Although coaching and on-the-job training might seem similar, coaching:

• Focuses on the mentor-mentoree relationship
• Is more inspiring
• Is most likely to make the employee comfortable asking questions

You can also deliver coaching sessions online—making them even more accessible.

3. eLearning

You might know this one by online training. It’s computer-based training that’s delivered from a distance, online. The advantages?

• Learners can go through the content and activities at their own pace.
• There’s no need to hire an instructor.
• It scales beautifully, so the number of simultaneous learners can increase tremendously.

Oftentimes, this type of training:

• Resembles classroom training
• Uses visuals with a voiceover
• Complements lessons with videos and reading materials

As you don’t have an instructor monitoring engagement levels, you must use other means to do it. Quizzes and other types of interactive activities are wonderful for that purpose. They also allow you to appraise the progress of each employee and the effectiveness of the training.

4. Instructor-Led Training

Whether it’s in-person or online, an instructor-led training session is very much based on the dynamics of a classroom.

• Led by an instructor
• With a presentation—just like a lecture

Although an academic-like classroom experience may not seem thrilling to some learners, the method has some significant pros.

• Learners can ask the instructor questions that the materials don’t cover in real-time.
• Instructors can monitor learners’ progress and engagement.
• Learners and instructors can build a relationship with each other.
• Complex topics are sometimes easier to teach in a classroom.

On the other hand, whether they’re online or physical, classrooms—or instructor-led training sessions—have some cons.

• A high number of learners prevents the instructor from interacting one-on-one with all of them.
• Learners can’t learn at their own pace since there are multiple learners in the (in-person or virtual) room.

5. Interactive Training

Anything interactive has the potential to grab our attention. And training is no different! That’s why interactive training is highly engaging and effective. Learners absorb more information, retain it faster, and recall it for longer periods of time.

The success of interactive training comes from being practical rather than theoretical. So, employees learn by applying knowledge in a realistic setting.

Here are three examples of interactive training:

• Game-based training. Using rewards like points increases motivation levels, and this type of training can make learning fun.
• Roleplaying. A facilitator manages the process of acting out different work scenarios with the learners. It’s especially effective for client or customer interaction training as it explores difficult situations in a controlled environment.
• Simulations. These can be appropriate for learning specialized, complex skills, like for medicine or aviation training. Simulations set up real work scenarios for the learners, so augmented or virtual reality can be great simulation tools.

6. On-the-Job Training

Also known as hands-on training, on-the-job training is all about the practical skills that a job requires. Therefore, the employee learns by going through the experience of executing real activities at work.

On-the-job training reduces the time before the employee starts performing their job function. It can take different forms, such as:

• Internships. Interns obtain guidance, support, and training from the company that hired them. And the more prior knowledge they have of what the job entails, the better for their future success.
• Rotations. Job rotations boost employee motivation, satisfaction, cooperation, and commitment to the company. By exposing the employee to different business areas of your company, they develop skills they might not otherwise have and a deeper understanding of and commitment to the company as a whole. This increases retention levels and your employees’ chances of moving up in their own department or in another.
• Shadowing. New hires observe existing employees while they work, ask questions, and sometimes help with tasks. By doing that, new hires understand how they’ll have to do their work before they actually have to do it.

Employee engagement—or interest and involvement—is vital for the success of on-the-job training. Engagement is typically heightened with on-the-job training since it’s individual and the learning activities intimately relate to the employee’s job.

On-the-job training produces results quickly and is also appropriate for teaching and developing leadership skills.

7. Video-Based Training

Speed and efficiency—these are the keywords that propelled video as an employee training vehicle. Additionally, it became popular because it can be way more interesting than traditional training methods. It’s highly engaging and can be entertaining as well!

Animations raise information recall to impressive levels. Live-action videos are great for demonstrations. Webinars and screen recordings of step-by-step procedures can take a simple list and turn it into an entertaining, story-based how-to.

Video-based training is easily accessible and repeatable—the employee can watch the video as many times as they need. Also, it doesn’t require an instructor.

Now that you know each one of the types of training methods for employees, are you ready to choose? Here are some tips on making the right choice for your organization!

How To Choose the Right Employee Training Method

To choose a training method, you should analyze your training needs from two perspectives.

• Coaching is perfect for teaching leadership, emotional intelligence, or change-management skills.
• eLearning is especially useful for teaching company policies.
• Roleplaying works well for teaching how to deal with employees who don’t follow company policies.
• Video-based training is great for teaching new knowledge, such as industry or technological trends.
• Older employees might feel more comfortable with instructor-led training.
• Millennials often prefer training methods compatible with mobile devices, such as games and video.
• Any online training is most effective when employees are remotely located, are senior-level staff with limited availability, or travel a lot.

Training Methods for All Tastes and Needs

Long story short, employee training is continuous, and companies need it to thrive and prosper. Without developing their employees’ skills, companies can’t face the competition.

Choosing the right training method for your employees is integral to effective training. And you might find value from using varied training methods. It all depends on why you’re delivering the training program and to whom.

The suitability of your training methods to your goals and audience is indispensable to the success of your training program. Finding the right training method makes your employees more skilled and aligned with their job and your company.

Related Posts

Unleashing Employee Potential: 6 Strategies for Successful Talent Development

Why Videos and Mobile Learning Are the Perfect Match

Empowering Organizations: The Role of Enterprise Learning Management

Have a question? Want to talk about your project? We’re ready when you are.

For job postings, please go to our careers page.

" * " indicates required fields

What is Presentation Training?

Posted by Belinda Huckle  |  On November 23, 2020  |  In Presentation Training, Tips & Advice

In this Article...quick links

1. Audience analysis

2. presentation structure, 3. presentation delivery, 4. audience engagement, 5. visual aids, 6. managing nerves, so, what is presentation training , and follow us on social media for some more great presentation tips:.

This might sound like a simple question, with an obvious answer. But is it? What is p resentation training?!

Businesses come to us almost every day and say ‘We would like to book some presentation training for our team. Can you help?’ The obvious answer, being business presentation skills experts, is ‘Yes, we can, and we’d love to help!’. But do businesses really know what they’re asking?

When we drill down and ask them to elaborate they often find it difficult to articulate details around why their people want/need the training. Other than perhaps to say something relatively vague like ‘Our people need to be more confident when they’re presenting’ or ‘Our team need s to deliver better presentations’.

So, we thought it might be useful to share with the broader L&D community, and indeed anyone in business, what presentation training is.

We know from our many years’ of experience coaching exclusively in business presentation skills that both confidence, and delivering better presentations, come by getting all the key elements of what makes a good presenter and presentation sorted. Rather than by confidence being instilled as a thing in itself, or by people being given some ‘acting’ tips for standing up in front of an audience.

So, what are these key elements? We believe there are 6 of them; 6 key pillars of successful presentation training. 

The 6 pillars of presentation training

It doesn’t matter how amazing the content is, or how confident the presenter is, if the information for the presentation isn’t tailored specifically for the audience it will fall flat. 

This first step in presenting is absolutely crucial, regardless of whether you’re a CEO presenting downwards or outwards, or a Graduate presenting upwards or across. The most successful presenters are those that place themselves firmly in the shoes of their audience (i.e. by recognising their audience’s level of knowledge, their feelings about the subject, their concerns about what’s being proposed, the level of detail they prefer, and so on) even before they begin putting together any of their content. They then use these insights to carefully target their message in the most meaningful and relevant way possible to the people they are presenting to.  

Most people know about the importance of presentation structure but many  will admit that whilst they have the basics right, their narrative still doesn’t flow as well as it could, their message isn’t as effectively crystalised as it should be and the key takeaways aren’t as clearly emphasised as they need to be. 

If you like, presentation structure is the engine of a car. In our view most people are using presentation structures from 20 or 30 years ago. That might be fine – but who wants to be driving a car with an engine that’s 25 years old when there is a far smarter, more efficient and effective engine that could be used instead? 

At SecondNature we have developed a Presentation Mapper TM methodology that transforms people’s message clarity, impact and persuasiveness. Even seasoned presenters say our Mapper TM approach has taken their effectiveness as communicators to a whole new level.

Training in how to deliver a presentation is what many people mean when they use the words ‘presentation training’. Many   businesses’ focus is for training to help their people deliver better . They want their people to become confident , open, relaxed, inspiring and authoritative presenters, with gravitas, charisma and presence. 

Developing people’s delivery skills ( face-to-face or online ) is certainly important. But presentation training should not just be about how to deliver a presentation at the expense of learning how to create and structure relevant, impactful persuasive presentations. At the end of the day, effective presenters are those that combine style and substance!

Delivery skills are about the ‘style’ part. And this is where presentation training can use techniques to affect how well a presenter comes across and is received by their audience – like how to use pausing , use their voice and how to communicate using body language, gestures, eye connection, movement and so on. 

At SecondNature we believe in helping people develop their own unique, powerful and authentic delivery style. A style that they are comfortable with, so they can influence, even inspire, an audience. 

Always remember that delivery (style) is only one part of a great presentation!

Very few people enjoy sitting in a presentation and being talked at. Instead they prefer to be communicated with. Fully engaging an audience and making them feel part of the journey or story, even if they aren’t able to actually participate (e.g. when there are hundreds of people in the audience or on a VC call) is a skill every good presenter needs to master. 

The good news is that audience engagement skills are not hard to learn. The bad news is that most people don’t make this a priority. We think that’s a mistake. It’s a mistake because presenters lose out on the opportunity to fully connect with their listeners. And also because the more audience engagement there is the more both the audience and the presenter enjoy the experience. So, learning eff ective audience engagement techniques is a win-win for the presenter and those they are presenting to.

Everyone knows the difference between slides that engage and excite them versus those that send them to sleep. Becoming a skilled slide designer is a craft that can take years to learn. None-the-less all of us should know the essential principles behind effective slide design. If you like, the crucial Dos and the Do Not ’ s. You don’t need to be a Mac whizz to put these simple principles into  practise. And why wouldn’t you? Bad slides can destroy a great presentation and completely undermine a great presenter. So, understanding the principles of good slide deck design should always be a part of any presentation training.

Let’s be clear. Nerves are not a bad thing. In fact, nerves show we care (versus being complacent or arrogant). And nervous energy can have many benefits. They can make us sharper, more focussed, disciplined and on ‘on point’. The issue is when our negative nervous energy overtakes our positive nervous energy . That’s where coaching can help to calm nerves . Unfortunately, there isn’t a silver bullet to managing negative nervous energy. That’s because the causes, and the solutions, vary from person to person. 

Examples of why people are excessively and negatively nervous can include that presenting is a new thing for them; or that they’re under-prepared, or don’t feel their content is going to be relevant. Or that they’ve had a bad experience in the past, or they’re worried about the tech falling over (very common these days with online presenting). Or they’re concerned they’ll be asked a challenging question that they won’t know the answer to. Or that they think they’ll get tongue tied, or will have a brain freeze. Or simply that they’re scared the audience won’t like them. 

All these causes are valid. And all of these causes, with the right coaching, can be overcome. But you can see that a blanket approach won’t work – because everyone is different. Hence why, even in a group presentation skills training workshop, everyone needs to have plenty of individual practise time, as well as detailed and personalised feedback guidance and coaching.

In summary, expert presentation training isn’t just about instilling confidence, or developing narrow skills in one ‘pillar’. Instead presentation training is really an umbrella term that covers a wide range of intermeshing skills. Skills that fall into the above 6 pillars, and skills that with practise can add immeasurably to an individual’s career success and to the achievements of a business or organisation. 

Today, learning all these skills is just as important, if not more so, for all of us presenting online.

Improve your business presentations with our business presentation skills training programmes

For nearly 20 years we have been the Business Presentation Skills Experts , training & coaching thousands of people in an A-Z of global blue-chip organisations – check out what they say about our programmes .

To find out more, click on one of the buttons below:

Written By Belinda Huckle

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Belinda is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of SecondNature International. With a determination to drive a paradigm shift in the delivery of presentation skills training both In-Person and Online, she is a strong advocate of a more personal and sustainable presentation skills training methodology.

Belinda believes that people don’t have to change who they are to be the presenter they want to be. So she developed a coaching approach that harnesses people’s unique personality to build their own authentic presentation style and personal brand.

She has helped to transform the presentation skills of people around the world in an A-Z of organisations including Amazon, BBC, Brother, BT, CocaCola, DHL, EE, ESRI, IpsosMORI, Heineken, MARS Inc., Moody’s, Moonpig, Nationwide, Pfizer, Publicis Groupe, Roche, Savills, Triumph and Walmart – to name just a few.

A total commitment to quality, service, your people and you.

Home Blog Education How to Create and Deliver Training Presentations That Make an Impact

How to Create and Deliver Training Presentations That Make an Impact

Blended learning and hybrid workplaces have improved how employees train and optimize their work output. Corporate training is now a rich combination of in-person group sessions, live online lessons, and SCORM courses that employees can follow at their own pace. 

Are your training presentations up to the challenge?

Learning & Development strategists, HR, and performance management managers take note. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a training deck from start to finish . Plus, some template examples and optimization tips for creating training presentations that make learning more effective.

What is a Training Presentation?

A training presentation is a set of slides created to teach a skill or increase knowledge of a topic. They’re used in training and development strategies in companies worldwide. Across the slides in a training presentation, employees learn essential information and skills to do their jobs better and grow in their careers.

Types of Training Presentations

Training presentations form part of all L&D initiatives in an HR department. They have one of two purposes; to train employees for the job at the present moment and to train them for growth and the future. 

Training for the job instructs employees on how to carry out their assigned tasks and responsibilities . The skills they learn follow guidelines from the company’s brand, processes, and structure.

Examples include:

• On-the-job training
• Practice simulations
• Orientation
• Skillbuilding 

To train for growth , employees are given resources to increase their capabilities, like learning new technology or methodology. They learn skills that will help their career future, preparing them for a promotion within the company or for changing teams laterally in a new role.

Growth training includes topics like:

• Soft skills
• New technology
• New processes or methodologies
• Job rotation
• Personal development
• Career expansion

Why Are Training Presentations Important?

High-quality training and development initiatives in a corporate setting offer many benefits. Three of the most relevant are employee buy-in and retention, company culture, and professional development.

Employee Buy-in and Retention

When training presentations are achieved at a high standard, team members in People Management, Human Resources, Learning & Development, and DEI feel confident and proud of their work in training fellow employees. 

They accompany employees along training paths, so it’s better if they’re invested in what they’re sharing. For a solid brand identity —and clear company culture—thorough training helps with buy-in straight out of the gate with an onboarding strategy. Then continues with regular training initiatives that lead to retention, satisfaction and loyalty.

Company Culture 

The role of company culture in an organization has a lot of weight towards brand equity. But a strong culture doesn’t happen overnight; it’s instilled in the employees’ minds through team-building activities, motivational seminars, and equitable training in all aspects of work.

Company culture flows through the ongoing interaction between trainers and trainees. Group sessions and training days help build relationships between teams and employees. Feeling invested is a trait developed through the right type of training. 

Professional Development

High-quality training for professional development is essential in every organization. On-the-job training for daily tasks is only part of the puzzle; employees also need to train for growth.

In-company training for professional development includes training for higher—or lateral—positions. Offering training for the future not only heightens professional development for individual employees but also carves a strong culture.

How to Create a Training Presentation

Let’s create a training deck together. We’ll use a case study to guide us along.

You and your L&D team at an IT Company are preparing a company-wide training session about the SCRUM framework before implementing it in more aspects of the business. The Training presentation is titled “Understanding the SCRUM Framework. Agilizing our productivity, together.” Sessions will be blended/hybrid to accommodate both in-office and remote employees. There will be a camera recording the instructor, and remote employees will see the presentation and the video of the instructor talking side by side on their screen.

1. Plan and prepare

Planning and strategizing are as important in training as in other business areas. Your training presentation already has a purpose, company-wide training about the SCRUM framework. But if you aren’t sure what employees need to learn to increase productivity and employee satisfaction, you’ll have to do some research. 

Figuring out your people’s learning and development needs takes some work. Are you using a performance management system? What does the reporting reveal? Where are employees failing to set goals? How can training presentations help? 

Analyze the reports, and you’ll see where they’re lacking. Plan upskilling strategies around those topics. With a clear objective, start preparing the training, presentation, and conversation points for group sessions. 

Put together a lesson plan covering the main characteristics of your presentation. Use it as a foundational reference during the production of the training presentation slides .

2. Create a basic structure 

Creating a structure for a training presentation is a critical step before designing slides or even writing the content. Training presentations with a set structure are more impactful than ones without. 

Following a structure makes the transference of knowledge much simpler. Write an outline that follows that structure. Do it on a document or use a visual tool like a storyboard to overview the full presentation deck .

The main structure for any training presentation has three parts; beginning, middle, and end. Yes, it’s that simple.

• Start with an agenda slide that covers the contents of the training presentation and builds a framework of what to expect out of this training program. Follow by listing the syllabus for the course and required learning material that will be accessible, and where students should download/access such content.
• Inform learners that at the end of the presentation, they will have all the basic and practical knowledge to understand and begin working with a SCRUM framework. 
• Explain (if necessary) what they need as a prerequisite to get the most out of the training.
• Any instructions they need to follow during the session, such as how to approach practical exercises or instructions for deliverables expected. 
• Share all supplemental material through links they can download or access from. This should also include any book chapter mentioned, video resources, photos, etc. Cloud-based storage accessible from the Company’s intranet tends to suit all needs.

• Throughout the meatiest slides of the presentation, teach them about the SCRUM framework. Then share how their team will use it to agile production and work in general.
• Use visual training techniques to explain themes and topics clearly.
• Create interactive moments for learners to imprint information. 
• Incorporate a variety of teaching formats to cover all learning styles; video, text, images, infographics, interactive activities, etc.

• Craft a few slides summarizing what they learned using a highlights list.
• Have learners take a quiz to test their knowledge and offer results that include the right answers to the questions they got wrong.
• Share references to supplemental material where learners can get more information on the topic.

The Middle Structure

In the middle is where most of the magic happens. A training presentation is much like a lecture in its purpose. Therefore, using teaching and lecture techniques in your presentations can only be a good idea.

Here are six lecture structures that you can apply to the middle of your presentation. For the SCRUM Framework training, we’ll use the first example .

• Start with what students can be expected to know to what students don’t know.  
• Proceed from reality to abstract ideas, theories, and principles.
• Begin with generalizations and continue with particular examples and applications.
• Open with simple ideas and round them up with complex ones
• Start sharing common misconceptions and then explain the truth.
• Go from a whole view to a detailed view. 

3. Gather resources

Organize all the content you’ll need for the presentation in a folder on the cloud or your team’s content library. Browse the SlideModel template collection, where you’ll find plenty of slides, full decks, and cut & copy elements to include in your training deck. For the slides to describe the SCRUM framework, we used this 3D PPT template of how the parts of the framework are interconnected.

Resource checklist for any training presentation:

• All visuals, videos, and PowerPoint slides add value to the training. 
• Case studies and examples support your points.
• Your company has the appropriate licenses to use the resources that are included in the final design.
• All references, citations and attributions are gathered for inclusion in the training documentation. 
• Your templates are from Slidemodel. 

4. Design the slides

Now, it’s time to put it all together and design the slides. Get all your resources ready, a list of all the templates you’ll use, and start a new project on PowerPoint.

Have your outline and/or storyboard open and start designing slides. Start with the cover and then follow the structure you decided on. Work your way through to the end and add a quiz. Here are some instructional presentation design best practices to help you along.

• Create visual unity and balance by choosing a color theme and font pairing that supports the brand message and purpose of the training.
• Mind the flow between slides from beginning to end. Use subtle transitions that don’t distract from the learning.
• Use a table of contents, section dividers, and interactive slide menus for easier navigation.
• Ensure each slide has a focal point and a visual hierarchy between all other elements.

All training material emulates the company brand, its values and vision. As marketing material follows visual and messaging brand guidelines, so should internal development content. 

Rather than mix & match slide templates, you can try a really fast method to create an entire training presentation by stating its topic, checking the suggested content, and selecting the desired slide design. This is possible thanks to the SlideModel’s AI Presentation Maker .

5 Training Presentation Slide Examples

Are you looking for inspiration to create a training presentation? SlideModel has numerous designs suitable for explaining, visually dissecting, and analyzing the material. Likewise, you’ll find templates that help L&D strategists communicate with instructors during the planning phase and beyond. 

Here are five templates that can help with your training presentation design.

Employee Onboarding

First, this multi-slide ppt template for training is an employee onboarding presentation . Use it to cover all characteristics of a corporate onboarding process. Slides include;

• Pre-boarding
• Training Activities
• Onboarding Roadmap
• Title & closing slides

Managerial Grid

The Blake & Mouton managerial grid is a great way to explain and analyze the different types of management based on production concerns and people concerns. Production concerns are characterized by tasks, and people are concerned with relationships. 

Matrix Grids can be used for other purposes as well. Like stakeholder engagement , talent analysis , and content marketing.

Multichapter Presentation

Does your training content span long chunks of information? Separate it into digestible sections and create a multichapter training presentation. If it still feels very long, separate each chapter into a lesson of a comprehensive digital course. This multichapter presentation template will help you either way. Plus, it will add considerable visual value to the deck as a whole.

SWOT Analysis

Teaching the SWOT Analysis process is best achieved with a “start big and continue into the details” presentation structure. This 5-slide template starts with the main idea and then delves deeper into each section. A visual structure like this also works for any concept that needs explanatory simplification. Simply separate the main concept into four parts and create a further slide for each.

5Cs of Customer Service

Nothing exudes versatility as much as infographics. This template has one function, to describe and analyze the 5Cs of customer service . Nevertheless, you get six visually different infographic compositions for the same topic in one template. How else can your content be separated into five sections with the same first letter? This—all words with the same first letter—is a mnemonic technique that will help your learners absorb and retain information.

How to Deliver Your Training Presentation

How will you deliver the training presentation to your learners? Depending on the company culture and working model, your training presentation will appear in any of the following scenarios.

1. As visual support to your In-person group training session.

The in-person group training session is the most common—until the pandemic changed many things. Your training presentation is the visual support during the event. 

Here are some tips for delivering a presentation during a group training session.

• Practice your ability to talk to a group. Notice your voice inflections or lack thereof. Practice the lesson with the training slides to support your spoken or activity-based teaching material.
• Remember that presenting a business presentation and teaching with a training presentation aren’t the same. If you’re new to in-person group training, research to learn and practice instruction skills.
• While training, maintain constant interaction with the learners. Ask them questions, and let them ask you questions. Invite anyone interested to join the online whiteboard for notetaking and mind-mapping the lesson.

2. As Part of a Live Online Session for Hybrid Teams.

Online, blended learning is quickly becoming popular with L&D teams. But how does it work? And why is it so special?

When you have hybrid teams with some employees in-office, others at home, and even more in other parts of the world, you need training solutions that work for everyone.

For the SCRUM training, we’d do the following:

• Prepare the training presentation slide deck.
• Organize a space for the in-person group and plan the event.
• Set up a camera to record the lesson or training session.
• Invite all employees to the session and offer them options of attendance; in-person, online, and live, watching the event recording.
• Get set up to stream the session live. You can use a webinar tool like Streamyard or the one inside your LMS platform. Someone might need to help so you can concentrate on the training rather than the technical tasks.
• Stream the lesson live and record it. On Chromecast , choose to use the split screen. One side shows the video of you teaching, and the other is the training presentation you prepared.
• Send the recording to the employees that didn’t attend in person or live online.

3. As a lesson in a digital course

Your training presentation can be its own course or part of a bigger one. In a comprehensive multi-lesson course, each section has its training presentation or a combination of presentations and other material. Use e-learning tools like SCORM and xAPI to create courses learners can do at their own pace, which you can keep track of. 

Create your SCORM and xAPI courses with PowerPoint, SlideModel, and the iSpring PPT plugin . Once finished, upload it all to your LMS platform and enroll employees to learn.

What’s the difference between SCORM and xAPI? The visual below has all the answers.

Read our guide on how to create an online course for detailed instructions and tips to make your course stand out.

3. As a PDF document

Delivering a training presentation as a PDF document shouldn’t be your first choice, but consider it for those employees that prefer learning that way. The same training presentation you create for in-person training, online learning or hybrid sessions can be downloaded as a PDF and shared via email or through the learning portal.

Takeaways for how to create successful PowerPoint Training Presentations

Optimize your training presentations to be as efficient as possible using instructional design techniques from the pros. Start with your trusty authoring combination of PowerPoint and SlideModel, and add an iSpring design plugin to complete the toolkit. Follow the steps in the sections above and then some.

Implement Interactivity 

Add interactivity to your training presentations to make them more engaging while touching on more learning styles. Interactivity can be as simple as a navigation menu between slides, dialogue simulations, and quick in-slide quizzes. Use xAPI and an LMS to create interactive training presentations for any topic.

After discussing the importance of interactivity, take a look at our 5-topic training presentation template showcased in the following video. With a tabbed menu, this training PPT template is ideal for presenting the agenda of your training session and delivering it in a streamlined manner. Each tab can represent a unique topic or module, making it easier for your audience to follow along and understand the progression of your training. The slide layout not only enhances visual appeal, making it more engaging than traditional slides, but also promotes organized content delivery.

Animated presentation templates, such as the one shown, are an effective way to captivate your audience and make the learning experience more memorable. This kind of animations add an element of surprise and engagement that static slides might lack. When paired with interactive elements mentioned earlier, such training templates can transform your training presentations into immersive learning experiences.

Add In-Slide Video

Hybrid learning and online learning have a wide berth of possibilities. One is in-slide video recordings of you—the training presenter—talking to the audience on the other side of the screen. 

This is especially practical for digital training presentations that never had an in-person session and instead are all done online. Use tools like Loom and Camtasia to record yourself speaking as you flip through the training slides. Then share the final video output on your company’s learning platform.

Offer Supplemental Material

Regardless of how you deliver your training deck, it’s always a good idea to offer supplemental material for the learner. Let’s look at some ideas:

• If you deliver the training presentation as a video with much narration, offer a PDF transcript for download. 
• On an LMS platform, add printable PDF worksheets and further reading material.
• Before or during an in-person session, give handouts and worksheets.
• In a hybrid webinar, share links to online games that help reinforce the topic.
• In any scenario, offer further resources for self-paced learning.

Incorporate Gamification

One of the best teaching techniques for turning training presentations from meh to memorable is gamification. Using games and game-like visual qualities helps learners capture and retain information better. Gamification techniques like badges, challenges, and competition elevate the learner’s feeling of happiness and contentment. They enjoy the process more and therefore learn more effectively.

Cover Multiple Platforms

Reach all employees where they are by creating and delivering versatile training presentations that are viewable on any device, from wall projectors to mobile phones. Create interconnectivity between them with downloads, digital whiteboards for notetaking, online chatrooms, handouts, etc.  

Don’t forget also to follow accessibility standards. For example, closed caption subtitles on videos and e-reader-compatible text. 

Share Questionnaires And Surveys At The End

Do you agree with the business notion that nothing in business is worth it unless you can track it? If so, then your training presentations must have a callback. Shortly after the learner has attended, watched, or listened to your training presentation, send them a short survey to gauge their satisfaction. Combine this with testing and quizzing results, and over a short time; you’ll have a good grasp on the effectiveness of your training.

Give a Certificate of Completion

Offer your learners a certificate of completion. As its name indicates, a certificate is essential for certifying that a person has taken your course. Create a visual certificate that you can send as a pdf in an email. Include all the necessary information for the learner to mention the completed course on their LinkedIn profile.

In less than three thousand words, you learned why training presentations are important for business, how to create and deliver them, plus tips on how to make your training presentations amazing.

Your L&D team and all your trained employees will benefit from optimized training presentations that use SlideModel templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides. Support your learners with visuals and instructional infographics. Start downloading educational templates today.

Like this article? Please share

Presentation Approaches, Presentations Filed under Education , Presentation Ideas

Related Articles

Filed under Design • March 27th, 2024

How to Make a Presentation Graph

Detailed step-by-step instructions to master the art of how to make a presentation graph in PowerPoint and Google Slides. Check it out!

Filed under Presentation Ideas • February 29th, 2024

How to Make a Fundraising Presentation (with Thermometer Templates & Slides)

Meet a new framework to design fundraising presentations by harnessing the power of fundraising thermometer templates. Detailed guide with examples.

Filed under Presentation Ideas • February 15th, 2024

How to Create a 5 Minutes Presentation

Master the art of short-format speeches like the 5 minutes presentation with this article. Insights on content structure, audience engagement and more.

Leave a Reply

• PRESENTATION SKILLS

Deciding the Presentation Method

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Presentation Skills:

• A - Z List of Presentation Skills
• Top Tips for Effective Presentations
• General Presentation Skills
• What is a Presentation?
• Preparing for a Presentation
• Organising the Material
• Writing Your Presentation
• Managing your Presentation Notes
• Working with Visual Aids
• Presenting Data
• Managing the Event
• Coping with Presentation Nerves
• Dealing with Questions
• How to Build Presentations Like a Consultant
• 7 Qualities of Good Speakers That Can Help You Be More Successful
• Self-Presentation in Presentations
• Specific Presentation Events
• Remote Meetings and Presentations
• Giving a Speech
• Presentations in Interviews
• Presenting to Large Groups and Conferences
• Giving Lectures and Seminars
• Managing a Press Conference
• Attending Public Consultation Meetings
• Managing a Public Consultation Meeting
• Crisis Communications
• Elsewhere on Skills You Need:
• Communication Skills
• Facilitation Skills
• Teams, Groups and Meetings
• Effective Speaking
• Question Types

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.

You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.

We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.

There is much to consider in deciding on an appropriate presentation method.

This page assumes that you have already prepared your presentation , or at least decided on the key messages that you wish to get across to your audience, and given at least some thought to how to organise your material .

On this page, then, we focus on the mechanics of your presentation method: how you will present.

This includes using sound systems, how to manage visual aids, how you stand, and how much interaction you want with your audience.

What Helps you to Decide your Presentation Method?

In making a decision about your presentation method, you have to take into account several key aspects. These include:

The facilities available to you by way of visual aids, sound systems, and lights. Obviously you cannot use facilities that are not available. If you are told that you will need to present without a projector, you’re going to need to decide on a method that works without slides.

The occasion. A formal conference of 200 people will require a very different approach from a presentation to your six-person team. And a speech at a wedding is totally different again. Consider the norms of the occasion. For example, at a wedding, you are not expected to use slides or other visual aids.

The audience, in terms of both size and familiarity with you, and the topic. If it’s a small, informal event, you will be able to use a less formal method. You might, for example, choose to give your audience a one-page handout, perhaps an infographic that summarises your key points, and talk them through it. A more formal event is likely to need slides.

Your experience in giving presentations. More experienced presenters will be more familiar with their own weak points, and able to tailor their preparation and style to suit. However, few people are able to give a presentation without notes. Even the most experienced speakers will usually have at least some form of notes to jog their memory and aid their presentation.

Your familiarity with the topic. As a general rule, the more you know about it, the less you will need to prepare in detail, and the more you can simply have an outline of what you want to say, with some brief reminders.

Your personal preferences. Some people prefer to ‘busk it’ (or ‘wing it’) and make up their presentation on the day, while others prefer detailed notes and outlines. You will need to know your own abilities and decide how best to make the presentation.  When you first start giving presentations you may feel more confident with more detailed notes. As you become more experienced you may find that you can deliver effectively with less.

Some Different Methods of Presentation

Presentation methods vary from the very formal to the very informal.

What method you choose is largely dictated by the occasion and its formality: very formal tends to go with a larger audience, whose members you do not know well. Your role is likely to be much more providing information, and much less about having a discussion about the information.

Form Follows Function

It’s not going to be possible, for instance, to present to 200 people from a chair as part of the group, because most of your audience will not see or hear you. You need to apply common sense to your choice of presentation method.

Audience Participation

While much of your presentation method will be dictated by the event, there is one area where you have pretty much free rein: audience interaction with you and with each other.

It is perfectly feasible, even in a large conference, to get your audience talking to each other, and then feeding back to you.

In fact, this can work very well, especially in a low-energy session such as the one immediately after lunch, because it gets everyone chatting and wakes them up. It works particularly well in a room set out ‘café-style’, with round tables, but it can also work in a conference hall.

The key is to decide on one or two key questions on which you’d welcome audience views, or on which audience views could improve your session. These questions will depend on your session, but it’s always more helpful to invite views on:

• Something that you haven’t yet decided; or
• Something that the audience is going to do themselves.

For example, you might ask people to talk to their neighbour and identify one thing that they could do to put your speech into action when they return to work and/or home. You can then ask four or five people to tell you about their action points.

Handling your Notes

You also have a choice over how you manage your text, in terms of notes. For more about this, see our page on Managing Your Notes in a Presentation .

The Importance of Iteration

You will probably find that deciding on the presentation method means that you need to change or amend your presentation.

For example, if you want to include some audience participation, you will need to include that in your slides, otherwise, you might well forget in the heat of the moment.

Fortunately, revisiting your presentation in light of decisions about how you will present is probably a good idea anyway. It will enable you to be confident that it will work in practice.

Continue to: Managing your Presentation Notes Working with Visual Aids

See also: Preparing for a Presentation Organising the Presentation Material Dealing with Questions

Our Top 8 Tips For Creating Effective Training Presentations!

Table of contents.

Staff training for all employees, including managers, supervisors, and executives, is vital to an efficient and safe working space. For optimal results, you not only need active participants and good public speaking skills, but you need effective training materials that are easy to digest.

If you’re hoping to create a staff training PowerPoint presentation, or any other training material, this is the place to be. Here’s our guide to creating effective training presentations that leave lasting impressions on your trainees .

What Is A Training Presentation?

As many individuals in the human resources department know, employee training is mandatory for employees to complete when they start a job.

A training presentation is a learning material that helps build the right skills that employees need in order to perform their jobs accurately. For optimal results, your training presentations should include lessons that showcase the specialized knowledge in well-structured and easy-to-read slides .

An effective presentation will create a great learning experience for your audience and will illustrate the main message throughout the presentation.

Youth Employment Services Training Presentation

Youth Employment Services (YES) was faced with the challenge of developing a training series aimed at you guessed it, increasing youth employment. A typical PowerPoint just wasn’t captivating enough, so we gave them an engaging presentation from start to finish.

Why Are Effective Employee Training Presentations Beneficial To My Company?

Providing relevant training information to your team is extremely important to the overall safety and efficiency of your company. A solid training presentation that can provide knowledge and important information to your participants can benefit your company in a number of ways. Here are just a few that come to mind:

Peace Of Mind

First, a training presentation can provide peace of mind to your organization. When your team members fully understand the importance of safety requirements or the different responsibilities of their job, it means you can rest assured that they are well equipped for daily tasks and emergency situations.

Employee Retention

Another benefit of effective training presentations is employee retention. When your employees fully understand their role in your organization and feel equipped and supported, they are more likely to stay in their role. Also, knowledge is power and development/progression is more than just monetary.

Setting Standards & Expectations

Finally, an effective training course will ensure that your team members have a set of clear expectations and standards to hold to throughout their time at your company. Clear expectations for your employees can not only lead to a more efficient workplace, but can also create a safer and healthier work environment.

5 Tips That Ensure You Have An Effective Training Presentation

Now that we understand what a training presentation is and why a good presentation is so beneficial for your company, we can focus on how to create a professional and effective training presentation.

Here are 5 training presentation tips that you can use to enhance your training Powerpoint slides and keep the materials interesting to your audience:

Tell Your Story And Articulate Your Learning Goals

When you present your training course to your employees, you want to first start with a summary of the organization’s story and what your main goals are. Your brand’s story should be woven throughout the presentation so that everything ties back together. This solid structure will allow you to build off it and further engage your audience.

In order to engage your team you want them to understand why your business exists and what the main mission or key goals are. When you include these things in your Powerpoint presentation, you can further engage your audience.

As seen in this training presentation for Soccer Shots , the organization’s mission and main goals are clearly articulated at the beginning of the training session.

Make Your Presentation Accessible

In order to even fully engage your students at a training session, they need to be able to hear the presenter and see and read the slides.

Creating an accessible presentation will allow every person in the audience to gain knowledge from the Powerpoint slides.

Accessibility can mean different things for different people, so it’s important to know what kind of needs your audience requires. For example, you may need to use a larger text size, a microphone, a clear font, sign language, or narration throughout the presentation.

As a presenter, it’s important to ensure that everyone present at the session is able to reach each slide, complete each task, and can hear the trainer’s speech.

Cater To Different Learning Styles

Another aspect of a good training presentation is understanding that everyone learns differently. Where some employees can gain a lot of knowledge from slides full of bullet points, other employees may need more interactive elements during the training presentation.

To ensure that your professional training presentation appeals and engages all types of learners, you should try to include a variety of elements in your PowerPoint presentation design .

For example, you might include more graphics, images, or videos that can talk for you. Or, you can have specific conversations starters where participants can engage in conversation with the trainer and the other audience members.

Too much text can lead to an information overload that can cause participants to zone out while the trainer is talking. Instead, structure your presentation slides with some white space so your audience isn’t overwhelmed with information.

Use Real World Examples In Your Training Sessions

Another way to boost training skills in a good training presentation is throughout using real life examples. While data charts and abstract ideas can provide extremely helpful information to participants, real world examples can allow that information to stick.

People are more perceptive to ideas that make an impact on their own lives. So, if you include examples from daily life to illustrate and explain your point, you may find that your audience is more engaged in the training presentation.

Now, use your findings to integrate realistic situations as examples or exercises that show trainees the value of your session. The key to an engaged and motivated audience is to keep things real.

Design Is Critical, So Don't Underestimate It

One of the most important tips for creating effective training presentations is that design matters. As much as it may seem that the information is more important than the design for a training course, the design is actually very critical.

Not only can your design reinforce your brand image and brand identity, but it can further engage your participants. Charts that showcase data and information, graphics, high quality images, eye catching colours, and smooth transitions can all help you make a powerpoint presentation that gets your point across effectively.

A great presentation template and slide deck will have a organic design that not only pleases the eye, but will explain important information to your audience.

Consider Additions or Alternatives To Help Support Your Training Efforts

An effective presentation isn’t just about the slides. There are other components that you need to keep in mind before leading your presentation.

Practice Your Presentation Skills

For one, the trainer will need to practice the presentation ahead of the course.

Good public speaking skills and having a strong idea of what you are talking about can all help with creating an effective and engaging presentation.

Use Effective Handouts

You may also want to use handouts to aid your presentation, but make sure it isn’t just information that is already on a slide in your presentation.

Whether it’s an article with more information, notes about the course, a summary of information, or further tips, handouts can be beneficial for your audience.

Hire a Design Agency

Finally, you should consider hiring a presentation design agency to help you create these slides.

While a presentation template can be a good starting point, a great presentation requires a lot more time, effort, and skill. A professional design agency can take this task off your hands so you can focus on the speech aspect.

This was the case for a Lawyer at BelkerPalm Legal who was giving a presentation to a group of law students. Although his experience was vast and his presentation skills were strong, he didn’t have the visuals to back him up. He was relieved to find the Geeks!

Need Help Designing Your Training Materials?

Look no further than the geeks!

We’re a presentation and training manual design company that truly understand how crucial it is building effective training materials for new employees. We’ve done it for clients, and ourselves, but we always put you first.

Author:  Content Team

Related posts.

FREE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.

Subscribe for free tips, resources, templates, ideas and more from our professional team of presentation designers.

Presentations and lectures

A lecture is delivered to a large number of learners by a teacher (usually in person, but can be by broadcast, video or film). A conventional lecture would be 50–55 minutes of uninterrupted discourse from the teacher with no discussion, the only learner activity being listening and note-taking. Lectures will not necessarily include visual aids. Presentations follow a similar pattern but are more likely to happen outside formal education for example in the workplace. Presentations might be shorter and would definitely include visual aids — possibly of a high-tech nature.

There are many advantages to using presentations and lectures as a delivery method for training. Although the disadvantages are fewer, it is important to acknowledge them and to take measures to minimise them as they are significant and can undermine the learning experience.

There has been a lot of research carried out on learning experiences which sheds light on the appropriateness and value of presentations and lectures as a delivery technique. When preparing your presentation it is good to bear in mind the following:

• The brain has an average attention span of 10 minutes unless the trainer does something to stimulate attention, e.g. ask a question, show a slide, change the pace
• When a message is given once, the brain remembers only 10 per cent a year later — when the message is repeated six times, recall rises to 90 per cent
• The brain is more likely to remember the beginning and end of events
• Recall is high when mnemonics or analogy is used
• Recall falls rapidly after 24 hours without review
• The brain prefers rounded diagrams and figures to square
• The brain prefers colour to black and white
• The brain remembers unusual things very well

Tips for delivering effective presentations and lectures

There are some people who are natural speakers. They can speak without preparation, without notes, without visual aids and put together a presentation on their chosen or accepted subject that will impress, inform and captivate their audience. In so doing they might violate all the tips and guidance offered in this section but they will nevertheless be gifted trainers. Most of us need to develop and practice our speaking and presentation skills and following the guidance below will assist in preparing and delivering an effective and professional presentation or lecture. Some of the tips will also be relevant to other kinds of delivery methods.

Introduction

• Say whether the learners may ask questions
• Tell them whether and when to take notes
• Tell them about the handouts
• Outline your presentation

Find out about your participants’ existing knowledge

This is also a good way to “warm up” the class.

• Ask the class questions
• Give them a (brief) written test or quiz
• Find out what they have done before

Organise your information well

• Make sure you know enough about the subject to be able to respond to searching questions which are not part of your presentation
• Your lecture/presentation should have a beginning, a middle and an end or follow some other logical structure
• Remember you might need to re-orient your learners half way through
• Explain how the presentation fits into the overall training
• Relate your session to previous and subsequent elements of the training

Relate to learners

• Place subject in context
• Identify with something they will find useful
• Use analogies
• Use illustrations and diagrams to help clarity
• Use examples which will make the topic interesting for learners
• Use plain and simple language
• Use words that the learners know
• Write up definitions for complex terms or provide a glossary handout
• Explain abbreviations
• Avoid jargon and unnecessary repetition (but remember to reinforce important points)

Body language

• Be sure to make eye contact with the class without focusing too much on any one individual
• Remember to smile and look confident
• Avoid excessive gesturing which can be distracting
• Find a comfortable posture so that you stand balanced and relaxed
• Use voice tone and pitch to avoid monotony
• Pace yourself slowly enough to be clear — you will need to speak much more slowly than your usual talking speed
• Pause to allow time for words to be digested
• Wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable
• Aim to wear clothes that will not alienate your audience — if in doubt it is best to be smarter
• If “lucky” ties and ear-rings help boost your confidence, wear them
• Remember loud or inappropriate clothes can distract your audience

General tips

• Know your subject
• Keep to your time (practice delivering the presentation to be sure that the timing is right)
• Be honest — even if it means admitting you don’t know the answer
• Be enthusiastic
• Be yourself
• Summarise content and/or review main points
• Refer to bibliography and further reading as appropriate
• Allow time for questions

Visual aids

The most common technique for making lectures and presentations more interesting and effective is the use of visual aids . Lecturing can be a boring and therefore ineffectual way of delivering learning. Visual aids are used in presentations and lectures to illustrate the subject, they can help to break up the monotony, providing a visual stimulant to reinforce what the learners are listening to. The most common forms of visual aids are:

• Overheads (also know as OHPs, slides or transparencies)
• Photographic slides
• Powerpoint presentations
• Objects, pictures or documentation which is handed around the class but which do not constitute a handout

More detail on developing effective visual aids is given in the Teaching aids section.

How are presenters and lecturers assessed by the audience?

Making presentations and delivering lectures can be a very daunting experience, particularly as most of us have been on the receiving end of speeches in the past. It can be helpful to remember how we might be judged or received by our audience. There are three main areas on which a speaker’s competence may be judged:

• Knowledge: technical competence and practical experience
• Design and delivery: the “performance”, including: voice control; eye contact; body language; audio-visual use and support; facilitating discussion; making learning fun
• Enthusiasm: interest in the subject; listening skills; ability to answer questions

How to make lectures and presentations more interactive

Lectures can be the best way to get a lot of factual information over to a large group of people. However, they do not have to involve lengthy periods of monologue from the speaker as there are ways of breaking up the delivery to add variety and interest. Here are some suggestions:

• Interrupt the lecture with questions to the class
• String together a set of mini lectures and class activities
• Buzz groups — set a specific question and ask the learners to discuss it in pairs
• Provide partial handouts to be filled in by the class during the lecture
• Give the class a short piece of relevant reading
• Give the class quiet time (time to think: ask learners to read their notes, think about a problem, or summarise an idea in their heads)

Last updated: 20 December 2005

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Training and Development
• Beginner Guides

Blog Beginner Guides

8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

By Krystle Wong , Aug 11, 2023

From persuasive pitches that influence opinions to instructional demonstrations that teach skills, the different types of presentations serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences.

Presentations that are tailored to its objectives and audiences are more engaging and memorable. They capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

Don’t worry if you’re no designer —  Whether you need data-driven visuals, persuasive graphics or engaging design elements, Venngage can empower you to craft presentations that stand out and effectively convey your message.

Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface, extensive presentation template library and customizable design options make it a valuable tool for creating slides that align with your specific goals and target audience. 

Click to jump ahead:

8 Different types of presentations every presenter must know

How do i choose the right type of presentation for my topic or audience, types of presentation faq, 5 steps to create a presentation with venngage .

When it comes to presentations, versatility is the name of the game. Having a variety of presentation styles up your sleeve can make a world of difference in keeping your audience engaged. Here are 8 essential presentation types that every presenter should be well-acquainted with:

1. Informative presentation

Ever sat through a presentation that left you feeling enlightened? That’s the power of an informative presentation. 

This presentation style is all about sharing knowledge and shedding light on a particular topic. Whether you’re diving into the depths of quantum physics or explaining the intricacies of the latest social media trends, informative presentations aim to increase the audience’s understanding.

When delivering an informative presentation, simplify complex topics with clear visuals and relatable examples. Organize your content logically, starting with the basics and gradually delving deeper and always remember to keep jargon to a minimum and encourage questions for clarity.

Academic presentations and research presentations are great examples of informative presentations. An effective academic presentation involves having clear structure, credible evidence, engaging delivery and supporting visuals. Provide context to emphasize the topic’s significance, practice to perfect timing, and be ready to address anticipated questions. 

2. Persuasive presentation

If you’ve ever been swayed by a passionate speaker armed with compelling arguments, you’ve experienced a persuasive presentation . 

This type of presentation is like a verbal tug-of-war, aiming to convince the audience to see things from a specific perspective. Expect to encounter solid evidence, logical reasoning and a dash of emotional appeal.

With persuasive presentations, it’s important to know your audience inside out and tailor your message to their interests and concerns. Craft a compelling narrative with a strong opening, a solid argument and a memorable closing. Additionally, use visuals strategically to enhance your points.

Examples of persuasive presentations include presentations for environmental conservations, policy change, social issues and more. Here are some engaging presentation templates you can use to get started with: 

3. Demonstration or how-to presentation

A Demonstration or How-To Presentation is a type of presentation where the speaker showcases a process, technique, or procedure step by step, providing the audience with clear instructions on how to replicate the demonstrated action. 

A demonstrative presentation is particularly useful when teaching practical skills or showing how something is done in a hands-on manner.

These presentations are commonly used in various settings, including educational workshops, training sessions, cooking classes, DIY tutorials, technology demonstrations and more. Designing creative slides for your how-to presentations can heighten engagement and foster better information retention. 

Speakers can also consider breaking down the process into manageable steps, using visual aids, props and sometimes even live demonstrations to illustrate each step. The key is to provide clear and concise instructions, engage the audience with interactive elements and address any questions that may arise during the presentation.

4. Training or instructional presentation

Training presentations are geared towards imparting practical skills, procedures or concepts — think of this as the more focused cousin of the demonstration presentation. 

Whether you’re teaching a group of new employees the ins and outs of a software or enlightening budding chefs on the art of soufflé-making, training presentations are all about turning novices into experts.

To maximize the impact of your training or instructional presentation, break down complex concepts into digestible segments. Consider using real-life examples to illustrate each point and create a connection. 

You can also create an interactive presentation by incorporating elements like quizzes or group activities to reinforce understanding.

5. Sales presentation

Sales presentations are one of the many types of business presentations and the bread and butter of businesses looking to woo potential clients or customers. With a sprinkle of charm and a dash of persuasion, these presentations showcase products, services or ideas with one end goal in mind: sealing the deal.

A successful sales presentation often has key characteristics such as a clear value proposition, strong storytelling, confidence and a compelling call to action. Hence, when presenting to your clients or stakeholders, focus on benefits rather than just features. 

Anticipate and address potential objections before they arise and use storytelling to showcase how your offering solves a specific problem for your audience. Utilizing visual aids is also a great way to make your points stand out and stay memorable.

A sales presentation can be used to promote service offerings, product launches or even consultancy proposals that outline the expertise and industry experience of a business. Here are some template examples you can use for your next sales presentation:

6. Pitch presentation

Pitch presentations are your ticket to garnering the interest and support of potential investors, partners or stakeholders. Think of your pitch deck as your chance to paint a vivid picture of your business idea or proposal and secure the resources you need to bring it to life. 

Business presentations aside, individuals can also create a portfolio presentation to showcase their skills, experience and achievements to potential clients, employers or investors. 

Craft a concise and compelling narrative. Clearly define the problem your idea solves and how it stands out in the market. Anticipate questions and practice your answers. Project confidence and passion for your idea.

7. Motivational or inspirational presentation

Feeling the need for a morale boost? That’s where motivational presentations step in. These talks are designed to uplift and inspire, often featuring personal anecdotes, heartwarming stories and a generous serving of encouragement.

Form a connection with your audience by sharing personal stories that resonate with your message. Use a storytelling style with relatable anecdotes and powerful metaphors to create an emotional connection. Keep the energy high and wrap up your inspirational presentations with a clear call to action.

Inspirational talks and leadership presentations aside, a motivational or inspirational presentation can also be a simple presentation aimed at boosting confidence, a motivational speech focused on embracing change and more.

8. Status or progress report presentation

Projects and businesses are like living organisms, constantly evolving and changing. Status or progress report presentations keep everyone in the loop by providing updates on achievements, challenges and future plans. It’s like a GPS for your team, ensuring everyone stays on track.

Be transparent about achievements, challenges and future plans. Utilize infographics, charts and diagrams to present your data visually and simplify information. By visually representing data, it becomes easier to identify trends, make predictions and strategize based on evidence.

Now that you’ve learned about the different types of presentation methods and how to use them, you’re on the right track to creating a good presentation that can boost your confidence and enhance your presentation skills . 

Selecting the most suitable presentation style is akin to choosing the right outfit for an occasion – it greatly influences how your message is perceived. Here’s a more detailed guide to help you make that crucial decision:

1. Define your objectives

Begin by clarifying your presentation’s goals. Are you aiming to educate, persuade, motivate, train or perhaps sell a concept? Your objectives will guide you to the most suitable presentation type. 

For instance, if you’re aiming to inform, an informative presentation would be a natural fit. On the other hand, a persuasive presentation suits the goal of swaying opinions.

2. Know your audience

Regardless if you’re giving an in-person or a virtual presentation — delve into the characteristics of your audience. Consider factors like their expertise level, familiarity with the topic, interests and expectations. 

If your audience consists of professionals in your field, a more technical presentation might be suitable. However, if your audience is diverse and includes newcomers, an approachable and engaging style might work better.

3. Analyze your content

Reflect on the content you intend to present. Is it data-heavy, rich in personal stories or focused on practical skills? Different presentation styles serve different content types. 

For data-driven content, an informative or instructional presentation might work best. For emotional stories, a motivational presentation could be a compelling choice.

4. Consider time constraints

Evaluate the time you have at your disposal. If your presentation needs to be concise due to time limitations, opt for a presentation style that allows you to convey your key points effectively within the available timeframe. A pitch presentation, for example, often requires delivering impactful information within a short span.

5. Leverage visuals

Visual aids are powerful tools in presentations. Consider whether your content would benefit from visual representation. If your PowerPoint presentations involve step-by-step instructions or demonstrations, a how-to presentation with clear visuals would be advantageous. Conversely, if your content is more conceptual, a motivational presentation could rely more on spoken words.

6. Align with the setting

Take the presentation environment into account. Are you presenting in a formal business setting, a casual workshop or a conference? Your setting can influence the level of formality and interactivity in your presentation. For instance, a demonstration presentation might be ideal for a hands-on workshop, while a persuasive presentation is great for conferences.

7. Gauge audience interaction

Determine the level of audience engagement you want. Interactive presentations work well for training sessions, workshops and small group settings, while informative or persuasive presentations might be more one-sided.

8. Flexibility

Stay open to adjusting your presentation style on the fly. Sometimes, unexpected factors might require a change of presentation style. Be prepared to adjust on the spot if audience engagement or reactions indicate that a different approach would be more effective.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the best type of presentation may vary depending on the specific situation and your unique communication goals. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the most effective presentation type to successfully engage and communicate with your audience.

To save time, use a presentation software or check out these presentation design and presentation background guides to create a presentation that stands out.    

What are some effective ways to begin and end a presentation?

Capture your audience’s attention from the start of your presentation by using a surprising statistic, a compelling story or a thought-provoking question related to your topic. 

To conclude your presentation , summarize your main points, reinforce your key message and leave a lasting impression with a powerful call to action or a memorable quote that resonates with your presentation’s theme.

How can I make my presentation more engaging and interactive?

To create an engaging and interactive presentation for your audience, incorporate visual elements such as images, graphs and videos to illustrate your points visually. Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to create a connection with your audience. 

You can also integrate interactive elements like live polls, open-ended questions or small group discussions to encourage participation and keep your audience actively engaged throughout your presentation.

Which types of presentations require special markings

Some presentation types require special markings such as how sales presentations require persuasive techniques like emphasizing benefits, addressing objections and using compelling visuals to showcase products or services. 

Demonstrations and how-to presentations on the other hand require clear markings for each step, ensuring the audience can follow along seamlessly. 

That aside, pitch presentations require highlighting unique selling points, market potential and the competitive edge of your idea, making it stand out to potential investors or partners.

Need some inspiration on how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience? Here are 120+ presentation ideas to help you get started. 

Creating a stunning and impactful presentation with Venngage is a breeze. Whether you’re crafting a business pitch, a training presentation or any other type of presentation, follow these five steps to create a professional presentation that stands out:

• Sign up and log in to Venngage to access the editor.
• Choose a presentation template that matches your topic or style.
• Customize content, colors, fonts, and background to personalize your presentation.
• Add images, icons, and charts to enhancevisual style and clarity.
• Save, export, and share your presentation as PDF or PNG files, or use Venngage’s Presentation Mode for online showcasing.

In the realm of presentations, understanding the different types of presentation formats is like having a versatile set of tools that empower you to craft compelling narratives for every occasion.

Remember, the key to a successful presentation lies not only in the content you deliver but also in the way you connect with your audience. Whether you’re informing, persuading or entertaining, tailoring your approach to the specific type of presentation you’re delivering can make all the difference.

Presentations are a powerful tool, and with practice and dedication (and a little help from Venngage), you’ll find yourself becoming a presentation pro in no time. Now, let’s get started and customize your next presentation!

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

Partner Center

• Presentation Hacks

3 Learning Methods to Apply to Your Presentation Training

• By: Stephanie Fulton

People who are serious about learning how to be a better public speaker can gain a valuable experience with presentation training. At Ethos3, we offer in-person and online training services that will expand your knowledge of presentations. These useful skills with give you perks in the conference room, but first you have to learn them. Learn fast and efficiently with these 3 learning methods that will help you retain information and apply it to your daily life.

Pareto Principle

The first learning method is known as the Pareto Principle. This method teaches that 20% of your inputs will in turn lead to 80% of your outputs. For instance, 20% of your time spent learning will lead to 80% of the results from that time. The key here is to practice in the way that is most beneficial to you. So, if you are a visual learner, spend a few hours reviewing your presentation training on notecards. If you are more active at night than in the morning, try our online course to watch at any time that you choose. As long as you are devoting your time to practicing presentation training in the best way for you 20% of the time, it will lead to an 80% success rate.

Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is all about making up for our short attention spans. Audiences today have an attention span of about 10 seconds. This can cause us to get easily distracted and drop the task at hand. With this technique, you use the short attention span to your advantage. Fully focus on your presentation training practice for at least 25 minutes. Take a 5-minute break. Then return to your presentation training. The video says our brains are receptive to new information when we are focused. Make sure your 25 increments of focus are distraction-free so you can absorb all the new knowledge.

Learn from Doing

Perhaps the best way to learn how to do something is to just do it. Reading, note taking and practicing can only help to prepare you for becoming a stronger presenter. Getting out there and delivering presentations will help you perfect the craft. The video breaks down our results from different types of learning:

10% from reading.

20% from audio or visual.

50% from demonstration.

70% when practicing.

90% when using.

If you want to get the most out of your presentation training, 90% of it will come from actually speaking in front of others.

Two other important takeaways from the video are about persistence and rest. Don’t give up on yourself when you hit a bump in the road. You might feel the urge to give up, but practice makes perfect. To get to perfection, you must persist. Rest is another important factor. Getting enough sleep will help your brains soak in the information and remember it better. Running on no sleep with zero out all the time you spend studying.

Apply these learning methods to help increase the success of your presentation training. For more presentation tips, check out these posts:

Why You Should Schedule Presentation Training For Your Team

How Presentation Training Helps Human Resource Professionals

Presentation Training Tips For The 7 Types Of Learners

Stephanie Fulton

Join our newsletter today.

© 2006-2024 Ethos3 – An Award Winning Presentation Design and Training Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Diversity and Inclusion

• Theater-Based Techniques
• Dr. Gary Genard
• What Our Clients Say
• Client List
• Dr. Genard in the Media
• Leadership Communication
• Fearless Speaking
• Voice and Speech Improvement
• Presentation Coaching
• Speaking Virtually
• Presentation Skills
• Executive Speech Coaching
• The Benefits of Deep Breathing
• How to Calm Your Nerves Before Speaking
• Leadership Skills: The 5 Essential Speaking Techniques
• 5 Ways to Captivate an Audience
• The Body Language Rules: 12 Ways to be a More Powerful Speaker
• 4 Characteristics of an Influential Speaker
• 6 Skills Building Exercises for Effective Body Language
• 7 Tips for Overcoming Audience Resistance
• 5 Rules for Succeeding with PowerPoint
• Great Speaking? – It's About Performance Over Content!
• 5 Key Tools of Vocal Dynamics
• 5 Secrets of Powerful Body Language
• 10 Ways to Stay Fully Focused when Speaking
• 25 Words or Phrases to Avoid in Speeches and Presentations
• 6 Rules of Effective Public Speaking
• 7 Key Components of Successful Presentations
• 12 Easy Ways to Achieve Presence and Charisma
• 6 Skills Building Exercises Video

Gary Genard's

Speak for success.

"Be a voice not an echo." - Albert Einstein

10 Benefits of Presentation Training for Your Employees

Are your staff members, business teams, and salespeople solid presenters? Here are 10 benefits of presentation training for your employees. 

Are your employees well trained to deliver your company's key presentations? Whether you're pitching new business, delivering your value proposition, or speaking to investors at your annual meeting, your business success depends upon high-caliber presentations.

So why do so many organizations fail at speaking with power and persuasiveness? A lack of attention to high-caliber presentation training may be the cause. Or if training is provided, it may be based only on information delivery, rather than laser-focused on effective  performance.

Learn the key ingredients of successful pitches, speeches, and presentations! Download my free presenters guide,  "7 Key Components of Successful Presentations."

The Value of Theater-Based Techniques. It's not surprising that theater-based techniques are the best ones for showing your staff how to reach and move audiences. Your customers, clients, and prospects respond best to speakers who use all of their communication tools to gain influence. One of those tools, of course, is the information you convey. But the power of performance is at least as important in gaining the impact you're looking for. 

Still, there are many reasons for employee training in public speaking and presentations that go beyond sheer performance. Below are 10 such reasons. Together, they will go a long way toward making your company a more cohesive and effective unit where your all-important business presentations are concerned.

Speaking with clarity, for instance, is vital for every client-facing employee! Find out more in my Free resource , "How to Be a Clear, Concise, and Compelling Speaker."

10 Reasons to Provide Training for Your Employees

• Build Morale. Just as the famous saying tells us that most men live lives of quiet desperation, many employees are dissatisfied with their speaking prowess. Most of us get ahead professionally by learning our business, working hard, and making helpful connections. Typically, however, presentation skills training isn't part of the mix. Yet forward-thinking companies know to seek performance-based training by professionals. "I'm no longer avoiding presentations on my job . . . I'm seeking out opportunities!" is often the comment from someone who has received such training.
• Increase Retention . Professional development is no longer a nice perk for key employees to learn and grow; it is expected. Sales people, members of leadership teams, marketing professionals, financial and healthcare executives, human resources professionals, government staff, and all other managerial-and-above levels want and need their organizations to invest in their development. These key employees need to learn the rules of effective presentations ! If the desire of these key personnel for communication skill improvement is not met, they will look elsewhere. A client pointed this out to me concerning my pitch, and mentioned that I should include this in my discussion of ROI. I took the suggestion!
• Shared Skill Set . Even in work environments where collaboration is strong, employees often must think and work on their own. Communicating with others on one's team also doesn't mean that individuals learn and progress at the same level and are focused on the same material. In group training in company presentation skills, however, they do. On-site corporate workshops are usually carefully planned with the company's goals and objectives in mind, along with pertinent issues and personalities. There is simply no substitute for all key employees being in the same room, learning the same skill set at the same time. The result is truly greater than the sum of the parts involved.
• Professionalism. When it comes to reaching a higher level of communication effectiveness and influence, the right type of training is essential. Workshops open to the public must aim for a low denominator given the wide range of knowledge and experience represented. Corporate workshops in presentation skills don't have that limitation. Whatever level the organization wants to reach in terms of speaking success is where such a training starts. Add on-your-feet presentation practice and videotaping, and the results can really allow a company's impact and influence to soar. 
• Team Impact. Presentations by a team may be a group activity, but more often they involve individual team members presenting one by one, as though they were accidentally thrown together on stage. A common scenario, for instance, is for individuals to present in a string of meetings with a prospect or client when that team member's particular expertise is needed. A team weak in its presentation abilities will announce itself with either a collective failure or a drip-drip-drip of ineffective appearances. In both cases, that team needs to be trained to present as a team , with a clear purpose coupled with memorable skills. Your team absolutely needs to know how to speak with presence and charisma ! Recently, I trained the global marketing team of a pharmaceutical company for an important marketing effort. The polyglot nature of the team showed. It was only in the two-day training that The Genard Method provided for them, that the members not only burnished their own skills, but started to genuinely work together in a collective effort. 
• Ability to Sell. Another interesting effect can sometimes announce itself when a team hasn't been receiving timely sales presentation training. When a "capabilities" presentation in PowerPoint  is used by the entire sales staff, for instance, the fact that the deck is dated or no longer accurate may not be perceived. (Knowing how to use PowerPoint effectively in every presentation is also a key skill set.) A "we've always done it this way" mentality may be harming the company. Sales presentation training workshops--often done at annual sales meeting--can bring this problem to awareness. Partly it's due simply to a fresh set of eyes from outside seeing the problem. But a skilled trainer will also be able to connect the company's stated goals for influencing an audience, with what that audience is actually seeing and hearing. That's part of his or her job, and it's actually not rare that we see this need among the sales staff emerging in a workshop.
• Internal Speakers Bureau . Does your company maintain an internal speakers bureau? It's a terrific way to keep the learning going for your employees who speak frequently after the on-site workshop is over. And it's custom-made to increase your employees' comfort level and eagerness to speak on behalf of your organization.
• Create Your Own Coaching Staff. This is one of those under-the-radar benefits of presentation skills training for your employees. Often a human resources executive or Chief Learning Officer will bring this up in their initial discussion with us concerning a training. That executive is interested in learning how it's done, i.e., how she or he can coach key executives on an ongoing basis once our workshop has concluded. Usually this person will ask if they can attend the seminar themselves so they can learn. We are very happy to say yes.
• Build Stronger Customer Relationships. As I say to clients and trainees, your competitor's product or service is probably very close to yours, and the price is also usually in the same ballpark. So what makes that customer or client decide to do business with you? The answer is that they want to! That usually means they enjoy communicating with you and conducting business together. Are your employees skilled, for instance, in knowing how to captivate a business audience ? How about how to overcome audience resistance ? One of the ways customers decide that you will probably be a good fit for them is that they see who you really are through your presentations. Trustworthiness and honesty are the bedrock of successful talks with stakeholders. Of course, these qualities only emerge when presenters' confidence and comfort level are high. That's a key reason to give your employees presentation skills training that meets that need.
• Be Recognized as an Industry Leader. Isn't it time your organization left Presentations 101 behind? The competition is stiff; and in the 21st century, it's truly global. When your employees present, they represent everything you offer and everything you are. Audiences always equate the messenger with the message! If you want to be recognized as an industry leader, your business presentations must go beyond good, and beyond effective. They need to be memorable, perhaps even extraordinary. Give your employees the right level of presentation training to aspire to that goal.

Interested in  live virtual presentation training  for your team? Click on the image below for my Speaking Virtually online workshops!

You should follow me on Twitter   here .

Gary Genard  is an actor, author, and expert in public speaking training and overcoming speaking fear. His company, Boston-based The Genard Method offers  live 1:1 Zoom executive coaching   and  corporate group training  worldwide. In 2022 for the ninth consecutive year, Gary has been ranked by Global Gurus as  One of the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals .  He is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller  How to Give a Speech . His second book,  Fearless Speaking ,  was named in 2019 as "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time." His handbook for presenting in videoconferences,  Speaking Virtually   offers strategies and tools for developing virtual presence in online meetings.   Contact Gary here.  

Tags: leadership skills , public speaking training , public speaking , business presentations , presentation skills training for employees , corporate training , team presentation skills , public speaking skills , pitching new business , team training , public speaking expert , presentation skills training , presentation training , stage presence , speech coach , presence , leadership , pulic speaking training , The Genard Method , Dr. Gary Genard , leadership team , public speaking skills training , leadership coaching , leadership training , leadership development , public speaking training company , corporate workshops , public speaking coaching , sales , sales tips , leadership speaker , leadership coach , public speaking coach , teams , presence coach , public speaking trainer , leadership authors , presentations skills

Subscribe to the blog

Follow gary genard.

• Training Techniques

Main Office - Boston

[email protected] 617-993-3410

• Executive Presentation Skills
• Rehearsal & Preparation
• Group Presentation Skills

Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint

Introduction, lecture and powerpoint method: benefits and disadvantages.

There is no shortage of debate on which training presentation method is the most effective. In my opinion, the majority of them can be successfully delivered if thoughtfully used and planned ahead. Thus, the method of training I chose is a lecture with a PowerPoint. This essay aims to describe how I am going to deliver the training and what factors I considered when chose such a technique.

First and foremost, I chose lecture and PowerPoint delivery, because it is simple and convenient to use. As stated by Noe (2017), “A lecture is one of the least expensive, least time-consuming ways to present a large amount of information efficiently in an organized manner” (p. 233). In addition, PowerPoint is generally considered to be a flexible and popular tool among lectures around the world. Remarkably, PowerPoint slides are capable of providing trainees a framework to follow and aid them with comprehension by a lecturer’s elaboration. According to Burley (2017), in such an approach “Materials are provided for reference, and students often learn in traditional classroom settings.” Therefore, the approach I have chosen is one of the most common training methods.

Secondly, I considered numerous advantages of lecture and PowerPoint delivery. In slides, trainees are able to use hyperlinks, which direct them to web pages so that they might learn more about a specific topic. Furthermore, PowerPoint presentation might contain graphics, charts, videos, and pictures; the visualization with a thoughtful explanation provided by a lecturer will assist trainees in remembering the information more effectively. Notably, visual effects enhance curiosity to a particular concept (Noe, 2017). Nevertheless, in the chosen training approach, there are several downsides. Trainees might be passive and do not pay attention during the lecture. Moreover, graphs could distract students from more relevant content. However, I am willing to remove these disadvantages.

I am going to be cautious to over-design, and include only highly relevant visuals to my slides. In the case of charts, I will make sure the trainees understand them by deliberately elaborating on such visual elements. Also, as far as I am concerned, it is important to minimize the usage of red and green, since color-blind students might not be able to recognize them. Furthermore, it may be helpful to use different fonts, but it may also be a challenge for some students, so if it is not needed, using Arial or font without a serif is wise. In order to make sure all the links are available, I am going to check them ahead.

Regarding the lecture itself, I am going to make trainees more engaged in it by limiting the main points and providing the outline for the lecture. Additionally, I will emphasize the most critical information in the beginning, as well as at the end of the lecture. Apart from using compelling visuals, I will try to make my audience focused by using quotes of famous people, anecdotes, or other exciting information, relevant to the topic. In my opinion, it will also be helpful to link the trainees’ knowledge from the previous session to the current one by assigning quizzes or playing interactive games, relevant to topics discussed.

All in all, this essay summed up the main reasons why I chose this specific kind of training. According to the above-mentioned information, lecture with PowerPoint presentation is found to be an effective tool for learning and revising the previously acknowledged information. Furthermore, such a method is incredibly approachable and easy to use. In spite of several disadvantages of the chosen approach, it is possible to minimize the downsides by carefully preparing for lectures ahead.

Burley, K. (2017). The Traditional Training Methods for Human Resources [ Blog post]. Web.

Noe, R. A. (2017). Employee Training and Development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2021, August 3). Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint. https://studycorgi.com/training-presentation-methods-lecture-vs-powerpoint/

"Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint." StudyCorgi , 3 Aug. 2021, studycorgi.com/training-presentation-methods-lecture-vs-powerpoint/.

StudyCorgi . (2021) 'Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint'. 3 August.

1. StudyCorgi . "Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint." August 3, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/training-presentation-methods-lecture-vs-powerpoint/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint." August 3, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/training-presentation-methods-lecture-vs-powerpoint/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint." August 3, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/training-presentation-methods-lecture-vs-powerpoint/.

This paper, “Training Presentation Methods: Lecture vs. PowerPoint”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: August 17, 2021 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

How it works

For Business

Join Mind Tools

Article • 9 min read

The MoSCoW Method

Understanding project priorities.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

(Also Known As MoSCoW Prioritization and MoSCoW Analysis)

You probably use some form of prioritized To-Do List to manage your daily tasks. But what happens when you're heading up a project that has various stakeholders, each of whom has a different opinion about the importance of different requirements? How do you identify the priority of each task, and communicate that to team members, stakeholders and customers alike?

This is when it's useful to apply a prioritizing tool such as the MoSCoW method. This simple project-management approach helps you, your team, and your stakeholders agree which tasks are critical to a project's success. It also highlights those tasks that can be abandoned if deadlines or resources are threatened.

In this article, we'll examine how you can use the MoSCoW method to prioritize project tasks more efficiently, and ensure that everyone expects the same things.

What Is the MoSCoW Method?

The MoSCoW method was developed by Dai Clegg of Oracle® UK Consulting in the mid-1990s. It's a useful approach for sorting project tasks into critical and non-critical categories.

MoSCoW stands for:

• Must – "Must" requirements are essential to the project's success, and are non-negotiable. If these tasks are missing or incomplete, the project is deemed a failure.
• Should – "Should" items are critical, high-priority tasks that you should complete whenever possible. These are highly important, but can be delivered in a second phase of the project if absolutely necessary.
• Could – "Could" jobs are highly desirable but you can leave them out if there are time or resource constraints.
• Would (or "Won't") – These tasks are desirable (for example, "Would like to have…") but aren't included in this project. You can also use this category for the least critical activities.

The "o"s in MoSCoW are just there to make the acronym pronounceable.

Terms from Clegg, D. and Barker, R. (1994). ' CASE Method Fast-Track: A RAD Approach ,' Amsterdam: Addison-Wesley, 1994. Copyright © Pearson Education Limited. Reproduced with permission.

People often use the MoSCoW method in Agile Project Management . However, you can apply it to any type of project.

MoSCoW helps you manage the scope of your project so that it isn't overwhelmingly large. It is particularly useful when you're working with multiple stakeholders, because it helps everyone agree on what's critical and what is not. The four clearly labeled categories allow people to understand a task's priority easily, which eliminates confusion, misunderstanding, conflict, and disappointment.

For example, some project management tools sort tasks into "high-," "medium-," and "low-" priority categories. But members of the team might have different opinions about what each of these groupings means. And all too often, tasks are labeled "high" priority because everything seems important. This can put a strain on time and resources, and ultimately lead to the project failing.

Using the MoSCoW Method

Follow the steps below to get the most from the MoSCoW method. (This describes using MoSCoW in a conventional "waterfall" project, however the approach is similar with agile projects.)

Step 1: Organize Your Project

It's important that you and your team fully understand your objectives before starting the project.

Write a business case to define your project's goals, its scope and timeline, and exactly what you will deliver. You can also draw up a project charter to plan how you'll approach it.

Next, conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify key people who are involved in the project and to understand how its success will benefit each of them.

Step 2: Write out Your Task List

Once you understand your project's objectives, carry out a Gap Analysis to identify what needs to happen for you to meet your goals.

Step 3: Prioritize Your Task List

Next, work with your stakeholders to prioritize these tasks into the four MoSCoW categories: Must, Should, Could, and Would (or Won't). These conversations can often be "difficult," so brush up on your conflict resolution, group decision making and negotiating skills beforehand!

Rather than starting with all tasks in the Must category and then demoting some of them, it can be helpful to put every task in the Would category first, and then discuss why individual ones deserve to move up the list.

Step 4: Challenge the MoSCoW List

Once you've assigned tasks to the MoSCoW categories, critically challenge each classification.

Be particularly vigilant about which items make it to the Must list. Remember, it is reserved solely for tasks that would result in the project failing if they're not done.

Aim to keep the Must list below 60 percent of the team's available time and effort. The fewer items you have, the higher your chance of success.

Try to reach consensus with everyone in the group. If you can't, you then need to bring in a key decision-maker who has the final say.

Step 5: Communicate Deliverables

Your last step is to share the prioritized list with team members, key stakeholders and customers.

It's important that you communicate the reasons for each categorization, particularly with Must items. Encourage people to discuss any concerns until people fully understand the reasoning.

Zhen is a project manager for a large IT organization. She's working with a team of designers, marketers and developers to redesign a large corporate client's website.

At the initial meeting, each group has strong opinions about which tasks are most important to the project's success, and no one wants to give up their "high priority" objective.

For example, the marketing team is adamant that the new website should gather visitors' personal information, for use in future marketing campaigns.

Meanwhile, the designers are arguing that, while this is important, the site may be more successful if it had a professionally produced streaming video. They also want a feed streaming onto the website's home page from the client's social networking accounts.

The developers counter that the current prototype design won't translate well onto mobile devices, so the top priority is retrofitting the site so people can view it on these.

Zhen can see that, while each priority is important, they're not all critical to the project's success. She decides to use the MoSCoW method to help the group reach consensus on which task is truly "mission critical."

She starts with a key question: "If I came to you the night before rollout and the following task was not done, would you cancel the project?" This question helped everyone in the group drill down to the project's most important priority.

The group finally agreed on the following priorities:

• Must – The retrofit website must be easily viewable on mobile devices.
• Should – There should be a social networking stream included.
• Could – There could be a streaming video on the site to help users.
• Would – Personal information would be gathered for future marketing efforts, but not on this occasion.

The MoSCoW method helped everyone agree on what was truly important for the project's final success.

The MoSCoW method is a simple and highly useful approach that enables you to prioritize project tasks as critical and non-critical. MoSCoW stands for:

• Must – These are tasks that you must complete for the project to be considered a success.
• Should – These are critical activities that are less urgent than Must tasks.
• Could – These items can be taken off the list if time or resources are limited.
• Would – These are tasks that would be nice to have, but can be done at a later date.

The benefit of the MoSCoW approach is that it makes it easy for team members and key stakeholders to understand how important a task is for a project's success.

Apply This to Your Life

Try using the MoSCoW method to prioritize your daily tasks. Look at what you completed at the end of the day. Did prioritizing enable you to get more done?

You've accessed 1 of your 2 free resources.

Get unlimited access

Discover more content

How to use burndown charts.

Keeping Your Projects on Track

Kanban Boards

Managing the Delivery of Your Projects

Add comment

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!

Team Management

Learn the key aspects of managing a team, from building and developing your team, to working with different types of teams, and troubleshooting common problems.

Sign-up to our newsletter

Subscribing to the Mind Tools newsletter will keep you up-to-date with our latest updates and newest resources.

Subscribe now

Business Skills

Personal Development

Leadership and Management

Member Extras

Most Popular

Newest Releases

SWOT Analysis

SMART Goals

Mind Tools Store

About Mind Tools Content

Discover something new today

How to stop procrastinating.

Overcoming the Habit of Delaying Important Tasks

What Is Time Management?

Working Smarter to Enhance Productivity

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Boosting Your People Skills

Self-Assessment

What's Your Leadership Style?

Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

Recommended for you

Enabling genius.

Myles Downey

Expert Interviews

Business Operations and Process Management

Strategy Tools

Customer Service

Business Ethics and Values

Handling Information and Data

Project Management

Knowledge Management

Self-Development and Goal Setting

Time Management

Presentation Skills

Learning Skills

Career Skills

Communication Skills

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

Working With Others

Difficult Conversations

Creativity Tools

Self-Management

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management and Wellbeing

Coaching and Mentoring

Change Management

Managing Conflict

Delegation and Empowerment

Performance Management

Leadership Skills

Developing Your Team

Talent Management

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Member Podcast

Got any suggestions?

We want to hear from you! Send us a message and help improve Slidesgo

Top searches

Trending searches

solar eclipse

25 templates

12 templates

north korea

7 templates

21 templates

48 templates

Travel Guide: Moscow

Travel guide: moscow presentation, free google slides theme and powerpoint template.

Do you know some acquaintances that want to travel to Russia, the biggest country in this planet? Now you can be their own tour guide with this template. Include as much information as possible about tourist attractions, monuments and things to do in Moscow. Let the simplicity of these slides and their cool illustrations speak in favor too!

Features of this template

• 100% editable and easy to modify
• 25 different slides to impress your audience
• Contains easy-to-edit graphics such as graphs, maps, tables, timelines and mockups
• Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
• Designed to be used in Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint
• 16:9 widescreen format suitable for all types of screens
• Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the free resources used

How can I use the template?

Am I free to use the templates?

How to attribute?

Attribution required If you are a free user, you must attribute Slidesgo by keeping the slide where the credits appear. How to attribute?

Related posts on our blog.

How to Add, Duplicate, Move, Delete or Hide Slides in Google Slides

How to Change Layouts in PowerPoint

How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides

Related presentations.

Premium template

Unlock this template and gain unlimited access