Topic outline

    • Before coming to the first session, prepare and rehearse a max. 3-minute relational presentation that you will give in Zoom on May 14. Don't use any visuals for this presentation, just you and the story.

      Before starting to plan the presentation, read the reading input on Competing Values Framework that you can find in the Materials-folder. This will give you information about what a relational presentation should be like.

      In short, a relational presentation is one that aims to build a relationship with the audience in some way. Very typical examples are e.g. wedding / thank you / retirement / CEO's Christmas speeches.

      Please note that you don't need to submit anything for this assignment before class.

    • Task:

      Prepare a 5-6-minute informational, business-related presentation. Then, before our class meeting in Zoom, videotape it and upload the video (max 200 MB) or a link to it to this submission box. Also, be ready to show the video from your own laptop by sharing your screen and sound in Zoom.

      Please use visuals to support the presentation, and record the video so that we can both you and the visuals.

      If you are an Aalto student, I would recommend using e.g. Panopto to do this (panopto.aalto.fi). If you are from outside Aalto and don't have access to Panopto, you can e.g. consider using Zoom to give the presentation and recording the session. Or, you can use a videocamera and hook your laptop to a TV screen (if you have the equipment) to show the slides from there while you are presenting. If none of these are possible, consider placing your laptop so that we can see both you and the laptop screen as well as possible.

      Also, if possible, try to video the presentation as if you were really giving a presentation to an audience (so that you are e.g. standing up rather than sitting down and giving it from there).

      Your fellow students will give you thorough feedback on your presentation and use a specified evaluation criteria to assign a grade for you (1-5).

      Please submit your video or a link to it here before coming to Zoom.


    • Prepare a 10-minute promotional, business-related presentation that you will deliver in Zoom.

      When preparing your presentation, you should consider the following issues: audience, objective, content (arguments), organization/structure, the introduction, the conclusion, and visuals.

      When giving the presentation, you should consider the use of notes (avoid them), language, non-verbal language, and signposting the argument. Remember that when presenting in Zoom, you will mostly be able to use your voice and visuals as a means to engage the audience, so carefully practice using your voice for impact (avoid a monotonous tone), and plan engaging visual visuals.

      Note that in promotional presentations you really need to think about the arguments that you will use to sell your product / idea / whatever it is that you are trying to persuade the audience of. In thinking about your arguments, make sure you focus on audience benefits.

      Please submit your presentation here before coming to class on the presentation day. Also, be ready to share it from your own computer in Zoom.
    • Good planning and analysis help you prepare an effective presentation. Your task is to write an approximately 2-page outline of your transformational presentation in which you answer all of the following questions. The outline will help Christa to evaluate the thoroughness of your analysis and the strength of your plan, and to give you feedback beforehand to help make your presentation as transformational and engaging as possible.

      • Title of presentation (make it transformational)
      • What is the situation / context, i.e. where are you speaking and why?
      • What is your communication objective? 'By the end of this presentation, I want my audience to...'
      • Audience: who are they, what do they know, what don't they know, what do they feel, how will these influence content?
      • Why are they listening to you?
      • How will the transformational communication style drive your presentation?
      • How will you structure your presentation?
      • What are your main points?
      • How will you open your presentation (introduction) to ensure audience attention and interest?
      • How will you conclude your presentation to reinforce the transformational nature of the presentation?

      Make sure your outline gives a concrete idea of what you plan to deliver to the presentation audience. In other words, instead of e.g. saying "I will have three main arguments,” which is very vague and doesn't tell what these arguments in fact are, state "My three main arguments will be 1. Argument 1;  2. Argument 2; and 3. Argument 3. These arguments will help address the two main concerns, AAA and BBB, that I expect that audience will have.”



    • Prepare a 5-6-minute transformational presentation. This presentation does not need to be directly business-related.
      As we agreed in class on June 4, you can present it in Zoom or videotape it beforehand and then show the video in Zoom.

      If you are videoing:

      If you are using slides to support your presentation, record the video so that we can both you and the visuals.

      If you are an Aalto student, I would recommend using e.g. Panopto to do this (panopto.aalto.fi). If you are from outside Aalto and don't have access to Panopto, you can e.g. consider using Zoom to give the presentation and recording the session. Or, you can use a videocamera and hook your laptop to a TV screen (if you have the equipment) to show the slides from there while you are presenting. If none of these are possible, consider placing your laptop so that we can see both you and the laptop screen as well as possible.

      Also, if possible, try to video the presentation as if you were really giving a presentation to an audience (rather than e.g. sitting down and giving it from there).


      Your fellow students will give you thorough feedback on your presentation and use a specified evaluation criteria to assign a grade for you (1-5).

      Please submit your presentation visuals / video / link here before our Zoom-meeting.


    • Use the feedback you received on all your presentations during the course to write a 2-page (single-spaced) appraisal which critically assesses your presentations. Specifically, analyze

      1) how your presentation skills were improved during the course, as well as

      2) what aspects of your presentations were successful and what you think could have been better.

      You should comment on both your communication strategy and the presentation delivery. Also, link your assessment to the communication models and frameworks dealt with during this course. Ensure that your writing is analytical, not descriptive.

      IMPORTANT! Include a section where you outline what grade (1-5) you would give to yourself for the course and why.

      To get 5 points for A5, your evaluation needs to clearly indicate how you feel your presentations have improved during the course, and this assessment needs to be linked to the models and frameworks discussed.

      The writing must be analytical (i.e. not just describing that "In the introduction, I talked about what the benefits of X are. Then, I moved on to the body, where I presented my three main arguments... but rather e.g. "In the first presentation, my communication objective was X, but the feedback revealed that this was in fact not clearly stated. After the presentation, I also realized that the objective was not specific enough and should have been Y instead to achieve the intended result. Therefore, in my second presentation, I...).

      An assessment that is given 5 points is also presented clearly, with a good preview, message headings, topic sentences and other considerations that are the basis of good writing.