October 12, 2008, 11:51 AM — The jargon of the IT industry is often confusing for outsiders, which is something to consider when giving a presentation. When speaking to professionals outside of the IT community, be wary of brushing over terminology like HTML or data warehousing that, while familiar to you, is completely foreign to your audience. Jokes with punch lines based around IT jargon will certainly fall flat with this type of audience.
When giving a presentation to other IT professionals, however, is the time to maybe tell the joke you heard that everyone at the office loved but your family didn't get.
A few things to consider when using humor:
- Know your audience. Some audiences may be more receptive to humor than others. Humor may decrease your credibility with some audiences, so be cautious.
- Keep it relevant. When using planned humor, make sure the content is relevant to your topic and respectful of a diverse audience.
- Keep it moving. If a joke bombs, don’t worry about it. Move on as quickly as possible. The less attention you draw to it, the less attention your audience will give it. Continue with your material as planned.
Remember, the key to any great presentation is being comfortable in front of your audience. When it comes to humor, do what you feel comfortable with!
