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Carnegie Mellon Heinz School Policy Management Information Technology
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90-718, Strategic Presentation Skills

6 units


Prerequisites: None

Skills: Graduate level competence in speaking and writing

Required for: MS, MAM, MEIM, MPM, and BSCF students

Delivery Format: On-Campus

Information:

Enrollment: Enrollment is limited to 10 students per section. Should vacancies occur, wait-listed students are admitted in the following order: students for whom Strategic Presentation Skills is a requirement; graduate students from other departments; seniors with a QPA of 3.0 or better.

Description:

The purpose of Strategic Presentation Skills is to develop strategies that result in data-driven presentations designed to accomplish specific objectives. By the end of the course students are expected to demonstrate ability to do the following:

  1. Define a concise presentation objective
  2. Analyze the audience to be addressed
  3. Anticipate questions likely to be asked by this audience
  4. Engage listeners’ interest
  5. Write a detailed outline that maps out the speaker’s logical argument
  6. Apply principles of ethos, pathos, and logos in each presentation
  7. Design and explain concise, varied visuals
  8. Respond confidently to questions during question and answer sessions
  9. Speak with authority

The first formal presentation is based on self-selected material appropriate to each participant’s level of experience and professional interests. Participants are encouraged to envision themselves as change agents and develop “asks” that can be used in real-world settings. These “asks” may range from a request for funding to support for organizational change to a call for political action.

The second presentation is a ceremonial speech that highlights the values implicit in the “ask.” The third and final presentation is a revision of the first presentation. These presentations are evaluated with respect to the speaker’s quality of preparation, delivery, and professionalism.

Informal presentations include practice sessions for explaining visuals and answering questions as well as impromptu speaking exercises. Practice sessions and formal presentations are taped and reviewed during weekly half-hour sessions with an SPS Teaching Assistant.

Last modified on August 28, 2007