The Multimedia Presentation of Technical Information

The quality of a technical presentation is related to the degree that the author understands the effective use of visual display media. These should supplement, not substitute for, portions of the oral presentation. The author must first recognize the the difference between the techniques of preparing a written report and a corresponding oral presentation. The oral-visual presentation using slides is, in itself, multimedia in character, but it is more effective if taken a few steps further. Good multimedia presentation implies that, by analysis and planning, the most effective medium is used for the type of information to be conveyed, so that maximum overall effectiveness is obtained. Our technical advances in systems, products, and services have been made possible by our own ability to analyze the end result sought; then to select, evaluate, and integrate a myriad of subsystems, components, and concepts from a multitude of disciplines. The multimedia presentation of technical information demands no more than the same considerations and applications.