Preparing for Technology Failures

Read these tips on how to prepare for technology failures during your presentation.

Murphy's Law Applies Directly to You: Plan for Disaster

Computers, networks, and projectors introduce many possible points of failure into presentations. So Murphy's Law – "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong" – applies in spades, and it applies directly to you. Something can, and very often does, go wrong with the computer, the projector, the software, the connector cables, the local network, the Internet connection, your thumb drive, or your presentation itself. Never assume that what works on a PC will work on a Mac, or vice versa. You also can't assume your host will have the same version of Powerpoint (or Keynote, etc.) that you do. Inquire in advance. 

  • Be prepared to use your own computer. I always prefer to project from my own machine, because I know its quirks and I know exactly how to connect it. You may prefer to use your host's – but bring your own and be prepared to use it, just in case. Be sure you have any necessary dongles.

  • Bring backup. Badness can always happen. My hard disk drive once crashed permanently – on slide number 3 of a one-hour talk. This kind of thing not only can happen to you, it will happen to you; the question isn't whether, but when. So: if you use a computer, always bring backup. That's backup, backup, backup. Begin making backups several days before the talk, if not sooner. Use a USB thumb drive. Dropbox and other cloud storage are also good – but network backup isn't entirely reliable (that can break too!) On the day of the talk, keep the thumb drive in a pocket or hang it around your neck. That way, even if somebody steals your bag or your laptop, you've still got the backup.

  • Bring printed notes. If the projector commits suicide in the middle of your talk, you will have no time at all to fix it. None. So: always be prepared to deliver your talk without any slides as a last resort. This is where you will really be glad you brought printed notes. Speaking without slides is one thing, but speaking with no notes at all is a skill only the greatest presenters ever master.



Source: Paul N. Edwards, http://pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalk.pdf
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Last modified: Wednesday, September 23, 2020, 3:31 PM