Introduction

This time, we want to switch things up a bit and talk about one of our company's internal initiatives – specifically, our project presentation event.

About the Project Presentation

Each staff member presents with the theme of "helping other employees understand the project I am working on".

The presentations take place in our company's cafe space, utilizing a large screen for material projection. For individuals unable to attend in person due to project commitments or other reasons, we incorporate remote participation via Teams.

Each presenter is allocated approximately 30 minutes, including time for a Q&A session.

The structure and delivery of the presentation are left to the discretion of the presenter. We intentionally refrain having supervisors or experienced consultants revise their materials or presentation style.

Objectives and Activities Involved in the Project Presentation Event

At the project presentation event, participants are involved in two crucial activities: crafting presentation materials and delivering the actual presentation.

While communication with team members and supervisors during project work is valuable, it often does not highlight certain important elements required in consulting work.

The purpose is for presenters to gain experience with these key aspects through the presentation process and then apply that experience to their main consulting duties.

1. Presentation Material Creation

a. Activity Involved
Creating presentation materials using PowerPoint is an opportunity that students and those without consulting experience do not often get.

To help others understand the project they are working on, presenters start by considering the best way to organize the content and develop the story.

They then create the entire presentation themselves—from start to finish—including visual elements.

b. Regular Tasks Involved
In many entry-level or inexperienced roles, individuals may find themselves partially involved in documentation within their core responsibilities. Since the overall structures are often formulated by superiors, the opportunity to create documentation from scratch is often limited.

c. Objectives
In summary, our goal is to foster proficiency in documentation skills using PowerPoint. While individuals at the entry level or those new to the IT industry may start with software navigation, the initiative encompasses core consulting skills. These include creating the typical consulting slide format (title, message line, body) and mastering essential components such as structuring and unfolding a narrative to effectively communicate one's project to an unfamiliar audience. Through this endeavor, we aim to enhance skills that align with the fundamental requirements of a consultant's role.

2. Presentation and Public Speaking

a. Activity Involved
Participants deliver presentations based on the materials they have created to fellow colleagues who are unfamiliar with the presenter's project and have no prior information. This aims to provide clarity on any uncertainties or points of interest. Members are required to complete their presentations, including a Q&A session, within a 30-minute timeframe.

b. Regular Tasks Involved
In many instances, especially in roles typically assigned to new and inexperienced team members, their main work often involves carrying out parts of a task. They usually work closely with team members or supervisors who share common assumptions and background knowledge.

As a result, they do not often have the chance to think about the bigger picture or to consider how and where to start when conveying information to someone without that shared context.

3. Objectives

There are three main points:

a. Development and Enhancement of Communication Skills
To help people who do not share the same background or project context understand your work within a limited time, it is not just about creating good materials—how you communicate during the presentation is just as important.

Ultimately, this comes down to building presentation skills—a vital part of being able to clearly convey information and ideas.

b. Self-Feedback on Created Presentation Materials
In alignment with the goal of improving communication skills, participants identify areas for enhancement in their presentation materials through Q&A sessions and feedback. By reflecting on aspects that provoke numerous questions—indicative of potential communication challenges—participants refine their approach, creating a continuous cycle of improvement applicable to their on-site project tasks.

c. Meeting Facilitation Skills
Under our core objective of "helping others understand the project you’re working on," we aim to give presenters full control over how they use their 30 minutes.

Previously, we typically had a presentation followed by a Q&A session. However, we want to give presenters the chance to create a new approach to achieve the goal. For instance, they can have a Q&A session for each section instead of keeping it separated in a strict manner as before.

Closing

The Project Presentation Event commenced in early 2022, and all employees who were with the company at that time have already participated.

Recently, we entered the second phase of the Project Presentation Event, targeting those who joined us from mid-2022 onwards. While new hires will naturally continue to participate, the goals of these sessions—such as improving communication skills and deepening understanding of one’s own work—aren’t things that can be fully achieved in just one round.

Additionally, many employees have since transitioned to new projects, so we’re positively considering holding second (and even third) rounds of presentations for those who have already participated.