The Data School New York recently hosted Learn What The Data School Learns (LWTDSL) which is a series of free training sessions for the public. These sessions are geared towards allowing anyone to learn an aspect of what is taught at The Data School by a current data schooler. I and the rest of DSNY4 had the privilege of conducting these training sessions.
I was responsible for leading off LWTDSL with a session titled “Introduction to Alteryx”. This training session provided an overview of Alteryx and focused on the user interface, connecting to data sources, common data types used, and exploring data in Alteryx. The focus was the basics and provided a great starting point for participants new to Alteryx.
The session was well attended and I got the chance to interact with a few attendees eager to learn about Alteryx and The Data School in general. The experience of conducting the sessions was very valuable to me and I enjoyed passing on knowledge and interacting with attendees.
Here are some key points I took away from the experience.
- Planning goes a long way.
We started preparing for the sessions a few weeks prior. For me, this involved going over aspects of Altery, creating a lesson plan, creating a PowerPoint presentation, and an Alteryx Workflow template for attendees to follow along with. This made it easier to transition between segments of the session and ample breaks for Q&A.
2. Make a Script.
This has never failed me when presenting. Having notes broken down by main points, pro tips, examples, and a bit of troubleshooting in addition to preparing for frequently asked questions for the topic go a long way. I like to think of the script as your mental guide as you navigate your presentation. During the presentation you may be sidetracked by a technical issue or an unexpected question and the script provides you with the prompts you need to get back on track.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice!
No matter how good you are at impromptu conversations or how charismatic you are, a lack of practice shows up with incomplete phrasing, disjointed flow, and awkward pausing. Practicing before you present allows you to iron out any wrinkles in your delivery and allows you to spot gaps in your lesson plan as well as helps you project your voice and maintain eye contact with your audience. I am not a big fan of seeing or hearing myself on camera but recording yourself for the expected length of the presentation is great for practice and ensures you are best prepared for your presentation.
4. Lack of audience interaction shouldn't deter you.
All attendees may not feel comfortable asking questions. There is no need to force Q&As, this may cause awkward moments of silence during the presentation. It is best to go with the cadence of that particular session, not all will be the same and you have to adapt to your audience.
5. Develop pre-presentation grounding exercises.
I'm a big believer in knowing yourself and preparing with that in mind. Leading up to presentations, some people like to talk to others, some like to sit alone, some listen to music to get their energy up and others like to do breathing exercises to calm down. Do what feels right for you and stick to it, you will feel more comfortable during your presentation.
6. Control your pace.
Pacing yourself and leaving space for natural breaks after you demonstrate something allows you to follow yourself better. Moving too quickly can lead to the attendees falling behind and asking you to go over segments of your presentation or worse they may give up on the session.
7. Enjoy it!
Everyone is not a natural presenter and stage fright and nerves can have a big impact. Focus on what is in your control and do the best you can. The more presentations you get under your belt the better you will become. If you can inject your personality into your presentation and treat it like a conversation. Chances are, if you are enjoying your presentation the attendees will be as well.
Join the mailing list to find out about upcoming events and training sessions. Join the mailing list.