Telling Your Story Produces a Better Technical Presentation

Tell your story. Explain what you see in the data, what it means to you, and why it matters.

The best way to improve a technical presentation is to tell your story. The second-best way is to keep it brief. Storytelling is often discussed in communication circles, but “telling your story” in a technical setting is different. It is not about drama or narrative flair. It is about explaining how you see the data, the uncertainty, and the implications.

What Your Story Actually Is

Your story begins with how you interpret the data through your training and experience. It includes clarifying what you mean by key terms such as reliability, risk, and resiliency. It continues with what the data shows when you graph it and what it does not show. It ends with what you conclude based on your understanding of the patterns, gaps, and limitations.

Telling your story means explaining what you see in the data and what the data means to you. It is not a script to memorize. It is your professional interpretation, expressed clearly and concisely.

Why This Helps Technical Managers

For managers, asking staff to “tell your story” removes several burdens. It reduces the fear of missing a key message. It reduces the fear of imperfect delivery. It reduces the fear of disappointing the boss. When staff focus on telling their story, they communicate with more confidence and less anxiety. They stop trying to perform and start trying to explain.

The Tip

Tell your story. Explain what you see in the data, what it means to you, and why it matters. When you do that, you communicate more clearly, reduce fear, and deliver a better technical presentation.

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JD Solomon is the author of Communicating Reliability, Risk & Resiliency to Decision Makers: How to Get Your Boss’s Boss to Understand and Facilitating with FINESSE: A Guide to Successful Business Solutions.