How can you clearly communicate and present your solutions for analytical skills?

1 Know your audience

Before you start preparing your communication and presentation, you need to know who your audience is and what they expect from you. Different audiences may have different levels of familiarity with the problem, the data, the methods, and the terminology you used. They may also have different goals, interests, and preferences for how they want to receive the information. Therefore, you need to tailor your communication and presentation to suit your audience's needs and expectations. For example, if you are presenting to a technical team, you may want to focus on the details of your analysis, the assumptions, the limitations, and the code. If you are presenting to a non-technical manager, you may want to focus on the main findings, the implications, the recommendations, and the next steps.

2 Structure your message

Having a clear and logical structure is essential for delivering a coherent and convincing message. You should have a purpose, main point, and logical flow in your communication and presentation. A common structure for presenting analytical solutions is to begin with an introduction that provides background and context for the problem, states the purpose and objectives, and gives an overview of the approach and methods. The body of the presentation should present data, analysis, results, and insights in a clear and concise way. It is also helpful to use visual aids such as charts, graphs, tables, or diagrams to support arguments and emphasize key points. Furthermore, explain how you interpreted the data, what assumptions and limitations you faced, how you validated your results, provide evidence to back up claims, and address potential objections or questions. Finally, the conclusion should summarize main findings and insights, state recommendations and action items, explain benefits and implications of the solutions, provide a call to action, and invite feedback or questions.

4 Engage your audience

Communication and presentation are not one-way processes; you need to engage your audience and make them interested and involved in your solutions. To do this, ask questions to check understanding, solicit opinions, stimulate curiosity, or challenge assumptions. For instance, you can ask "How do you think this solution will impact your department?" or "What are some of the risks or opportunities that you see in this solution?". Additionally, tell stories to illustrate points, provide context, create empathy, or inspire action. Perhaps use a customer success story to demonstrate how your solution solved a real problem. Humor can lighten the mood, break the ice, build rapport, or make a message memorable; however, be mindful of humor that is inappropriate, offensive, or disrespectful. Lastly, show enthusiasm with a positive tone, lively voice, confident posture, and friendly facial expression. Demonstrate passion and excitement for your solutions and believe in their potential and value.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?