Presenters often find themselves in a situation where they have to present to a diverse audience. Not diverse in terms of race, but diverse in terms of knowledge about the topic at hand. Some people in your audience might be experts while others might be beginners. How will you make a presentation so that both audiences can benefit?
Challenge of a Mixed Knowledge Audience
The most difficult thing about having to deal with a mixed knowledge audience is that the demands of each type of audience are different. Experts get bored if you talk about basic stuff too much. On the other hand, the beginners lose interest when everything starts going over their head.
Strategy For Both Audiences
There are ways to start the presentation in a way which satisfies both audiences. You should start by telling the whole audience that you’ll be taking just 5 minutes to first talk about the important key concepts concerning this presentation. This should spark the interest of both of your audiences from the start of the presentation.
Even Experts Can Wait 5 Minutes
Well anyone can wait 5 minutes. Especially if you’re going to be talking about something really important. And, everyone needs to refresh their memory from time to time. Also, people don’t mind being reminded about the basics if it helps everyone understand the discussion. But don’t tell them directly that this is the real purpose. Or many of them might lose interest.
Anyone Can Learn For 5 Minutes
For the beginners, they get to learn about important points in the presentation. Knowledge that will help them understand and discuss the presentation with their peers. Its not that difficult to learn something new for 5 minutes at the beginning of the presentation.
Knowledge Closes The Gap
This knowledge will not only help the beginners, but it will also help the experts interact with the beginners later on. This knowledge can help close the gap and prompt cooperation which might not have happened if you omitted the 5 minute intro.
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