Before you prepare your English presentation, it’s important to think about who will be sitting in the audience. Not their names, but what they know about your topic and their reason for attending your presentation. Here are some general questions to ask yourself:
A. Who is in the audience?
> Where do they work?
> What are their positions?
> What kind of education or background do they have?
B. What do they already know?
> What do they know about your specific topic?
> To what extent will they know technical vocabulary and concepts?
> What is their opinion on your topic?
C. Why are they at your presentation?
> What is their motivation for being present?
> What do they hope to learn from your presentation?
> Are they interested in your topic?
D. How well do they know English?
> Are they native or non-native speakers?
> What countries are they from?
E. What will the atmosphere at the presentation be like?
> How big is the room?
> What’s the maximum number of attendees for the space?
> Is a microphone necessary?
> When will the presentation take place: early morning, right before lunch, after lunch, etc.?
Doing an audience analysis for your English presentation will help you decide what kind of information to include, which vocabulary to use, and how complex your sentences and language can be. It has another benefit, too: it will help you think about what kinds of questions the audience members might have during or after the presentation.
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