Let's Talk About Visual Aids


Let's Talk About Visual Aids




"Nooo!! Don't cut my hair!" The look on Thor's face as Stan Lee was about to cut his hair was hilarious. I laughed out loud like nobody's business.

I watched the movie ‘Thor Ragnarok’ with my family the other day. What can I say? I am a die-hard fan of Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston.

Luckily, this is a public speaking blog. If this is a movie review blog, I can go on and on and on and on….I can remember the plot, the script and the whole movie. Don’t worry. No spoilers here. Well, at least not yet. Just kidding!

You must be asking, ‘why is she talking about a movie?’ What does that have to do with public speaking? Now, hear me out. I mean, read me out. You see, I like to link or connect a great movie with a great speech presentation. For me, the same thing applies. We learn from listening, seeing, touching, experiencing (feelings or actual event) and by understanding. Other than that, a good movie reminds me of the power of visual aids. Can you see the connection here?

What are visual aids? The word visual is of course related to seeing and visual aids are something used to help in the learning process for instance; images, pictures and videos. Visual aids help us to see and understand.

Examples of visual aids exist in this world of ours are PowerPoint, photographs, overhead transparencies, drawings, flip charts, whiteboards, videos and props. Visual aids can be anything as long as you can see it and assist in your speech presentation.

Do you need to use visual aids every time you deliver a speech? The answer is no. It is actually depends on your speech content; the message or information you wish to share with your audience and how you plan to deliver your speech. However, you should consider using visual aids in your speech presentation due to these reasons;

The Advantages of Using Visual Aids for Your Speech      

Visual aids help audience to remember your points and stay focus. It is sort of a reconfirmation of what you said because they might not get it the first time you said it. In other words it will be easier for the audience to follow your explanations. Taking in information will be much clearer if you hear a word and see the word at the same time. The more senses we use (hearing and seeing), the better it is.

By using visual aids, you can easily explain details of information. This is helpful especially when you have to give a lot of information for instance; numbers, statistics and technical terms. Let say a doctor is giving a speech about cancer. The doctor will need visual aids to describe information for example how cancer spread or about certain parts of our body.

Visual aids will make your speech presentation more interesting. Your audience might get bored listening to long explanations, non-stop talking with the same presentation technique. When they get bored, they will stop listening to you. You may think they are still listening because they are looking at you but the actual fact their minds had gone to Asgard! If you know what I mean.

Therefore, the use of visual aids will encourage concentration among your audience and lead to a more effective speech presentation. But before you get all excited about visual aids, there are some disadvantages in using visual aids during your speech. I think I prefer to call it as “The risk of using visual aids”.

The Disadvantages of Using Visual Aids for Your Speech

The use of visual aids can be a distraction if you are not careful. Your audience might pay more attention to your visual aids instead of you. They might be too busy writing down notes or looking straight to your visual aids and not listening to what you are saying. In delivering a speech, your facial expression is important because it tells everything. What good will those do if no one is looking at you?
( wow, it rhymes)

What can you do about it? It is simple. Just make sure you don’t speak at the same time you are showing the visual aids. Give your audience some time to look at the visual aids and then make them pay attention to you. The key is to look at their faces and be alert on what they are focusing on that very moment.

Too many visual aids can bore your audience to death and can be a waste of time. Please make sure you don’t use too many visual aids. Please remind yourself, you are giving a speech; not a report. Too many visual aids will be tiring for the eyesight and too much information to be absorbed. It is a waste of time to prepare for many visual aids if your audience are not able to take in the message. If you need to give more information and you think the information is important then give your audience hand-outs.

Visual aids can be a total disaster if you are not careful.
If you choose to use visual aids, you have to prepare them well. You need to plan carefully how you are going to use them during your speech. If you are not careful, the visual aids may ruin your whole presentation. Many unwanted incidents or mishap can happen during your speech. There can be technical problems and you always need to have a back-up plan. I am not trying to scare you. I am just reminding you to help you avoid making mistakes and be ready for any possibilities.

So How Do You Choose Which Visual Aids to Use?

Should you be using PowerPoint?
Should you use some Photographs?
What about Overhead transparencies?
You are good at arts. Why not use Drawings?
Should you use a simpler one like Flip charts?
What about your old time favourite, Whiteboards?
Maybe something more innovative like using Videos?
Should you just use something creative like props?
Whichever visual aids you decide to use please ask yourself these questions;

Which visual aids you are good at using? It can be a total chaos if you use visual aids which you are not familiar with. If you are not good at it, please learn how to use it first.

What kind of information you are delivering in your speech? Will the information include numbers, statistics or any specific details? If yes, you may consider using PowerPoint or videos. Will the information be image related such as Art? Then you can use photographs or drawings to show to your audience.

What about the audience’s size, the venue, room size and facilities provided? Find out this information before you decide which visual aids you should use. For example; if the room is very small with only 10 people, you can consider using the flip charts and the whiteboard. Besides that, keep in mind that certain places do not provide facilities to use PowerPoint or multi media. You might need to find other alternatives.

After you have decided which visual aids to use for your speech, it does not end there. I must tell you some important things to remember when using your visual aids. I have seen some speakers making the same mistakes over and over again.

So What Do You Need to Remember When Using Visual Aids?

  1)Do not read from your visual aids. Visual aids are only meant to help you. Visual aids are not giving a speech for you. You are the one delivering a speech. Do not stand in front of your visual aids, no matter how nervous you are. Do not look at your visual aids and reading every line. It is not your script. Do not turn your back to your audience. Don’t talk to your slides or the whiteboard. You should be speaking to your audience!

   2) Make sure the font (if you are using PowerPoint) or your handwriting (if you are using the whiteboard) is clear and big enough for people to see. Your audience must be able to read your visual aids from their seats. Do not use too many words. Do not use too many slides. Make it short and simple. Otherwise, you audience will have major headaches! 

    3)You are delivering a speech. You do not need to use visual aids all the time. Show your listeners some visual aids then let them look at you and hear you out. You control the use of the visual aids. Do not let the visual aids conquer your whole speech presentation. You do not need to explain every word shown on the visual aids!

   4)Be creative. Be flexible. Avoid boring, predictable slides. Come up with interesting approach to present your speech using the visual aids. What about some humour approach? Maybe you can do a funny video? Use your talent and what you know best. If you are good at drawing, why not use drawings to explain your points? Dare to be different!

  5) Practice using your visual aids before the speech presentation. Do not come on the stage, thinking that everything will be exactly as you planned. Do setting up and check your visual aids. Visualise your presentation and try out the visual aids to see whether it works or not.

   6)Have a back-up plan up your sleeve. Even if you have checked everything, you must not rely too much on the visual aids. Let say you are using PowerPoint for your speech presentation, make sure you get ready the whiteboard and markers too. You will never know, right?

  7)Be well organised. Make sure your slides have numbers. You must know which slides come first. Which video you plan to show first?  You must make certain that your visual aids are ready and in place. I am sure you do not want to panic in the middle of your presentation for having the wrong slide to appear at the wrong time. Ouch!

It is quite simple. Visual aids are tools to help you in your speech presentation. If you choose the right visual aids and use them wisely, it will definitely compliment your performance. On the other hand, if you choose visual aids that are not suitable for your speech and you do not know how to operate them correctly, there is a huge possibility that the visual aids shall spoil your presentation.

Therefore ask yourself if you really need to use visual aids in your speech presentation. Is it necessary? Will visual aids be a great help to you and your audience? Will the visual aids add more value to your presentation? Do you know how to use the visual aids? Can you get anyone to help you if you need one? Which visual aids work for you? Do you have any back up plan? Are you aware of the risk in using visual aids? Can you handle it?

After you have answered all the questions above, please proceed. Be imaginative, be insightful and be out of the ordinary. Go ahead and deliver a remarkable speech with impressive visual aids that will blow their minds away!

Just don’t forget to use your hammer properly.

Err…I mean your visual aids.



Written by: Intan Salwana Anis
@2017 Public Speaking Is Cool. All Rights Reserved.



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