22 Jan Presentation Tips

Tried and true advice to help you build your presentation skills as a designer – a lifelong skill that involves sharing your work clearly, articulately, and with confidence.

1. Present with Confidence

Everyone gets nervous, but try not to be shy. Confidence comes from knowing you put the work in. You put in the long hours and went through all the research and design exploration to provide the best solution to the project brief. Why shouldn’t you feel confident at this point? Believe in your work and articulate yourself clearly.

2. Explain Your Concepts

Be ready to explain the reasoning behind your final design. Be able to explain why every single pixel committed to the screen is important. Without that, your work will have no legs to stand on. If you’re having trouble vocalizing why, just remember design is about solving the client’s problems. Whether that’s a communication or behavioral problem, start from there and you’ll find that your rationale will be much more convincing.

3. Listen to Criticism

Always make sure to listen to comments and feedback. No matter what someone says, they might have insight into something that you never thought of before. Don’t get offended or defensive easily. Be patient, hear them out, and after they have told you all their concerns, have a civilized conversation about why you agree or disagree with what they have said. Always be respectful but also defend the reasoning behind your designs. Don’t take all criticism at face value and always ask more questions.