The Persuasion Triad — Aristotle Still Teaches

- 953 shares
- 9 years ago
Public speaking is the art of communicating ideas effectively to an audience, whether in person or online. When you speak well publicly, you present design work clearly, advocate for users, and win trust from stakeholders so ideas gain traction, projects move forward, and you grow as an influential speaker.
Discover what delivering effective messages to audiences who want to hear from you helps you achieve, in this video with Morgane Peng, Managing Director, Global Head of Product Design and AI Transformation.
Think for a moment about what public speaking means outside of political speeches and theatrical plays; does it conjure pictures of nervous speakers at weddings? A class presentation from a school project? Or perhaps a debating team in action? Consider, for example, what a debater aims to achieve; much like a lawyer in court; the purpose of public speaking in that context is to engage the audience and influence opinion. Effective public speakers don’t just transfer knowledge; they inspire action, build trust, and create alignment among diverse audiences, too.
For UX and product designers alike, and for most professionals, public speaking skills are vital, since as a designer you spend about as much time communicating as you do designing. Fortunately, as a designer, you also practice effective communication in the very craft of designing, anyway. Even if you think you’re the most introverted type of designer, you still practice good communication in ways you mightn’t realize. How? You do it through well-considered design choices that show users what they can do with a digital solution and how to use it best, in the interfaces and digital products you create. Still, your ability to articulate ideas often determines whether your work gets recognized, approved, and implemented.
Here are the three main reasons public speaking matters in UX design and beyond:
Effective design is highly collaborative, not a “one-person show.” You don’t produce first-class work in a vacuum, all on your own, and release it. You need input from stakeholders, feedback from users, and alignment with product teams. Clear presentations make this possible, with the help of clear presentation skills.
To deliver solutions that meet the mark and prove empathy with users, you need to act as the voice of the user. Business leaders and other team members typically won’t be able to envision users in this way, let alone champion user needs. That’s why it’s up to you to explain research insights, design choices, and usability findings in ways that stakeholders understand and value.
Explore how to spot disconnects between how some stakeholders see “good design” and how designers do, in this video with Morgane Peng.
Speaking in front of people and presenting well isn’t just about projects and advancing users’ best interests while designing for the brand’s best interests; it’s also about personal growth. You’ll be glad to know that if you can confidently explain your impact, you’ll stand out in performance reviews, job interviews, and leadership opportunities. It pays to be able to clearly articulate that conscientious understanding of what users need, and why, because it shows people in power that the brain behind a great design knows what’s going on and can apply that know-how higher up. How you convince the people with power at your company that you have this confident understanding is by presenting what’s important and doing it well. To put it simply, when you’re a great presenter, you can become a great leader because you:
Influence decisions and secure buy-in.
Inspire teams and motivate action.
Build credibility and executive presence.
Amplify your personal brand inside and outside your organization.
Skilled presenters can find their practice described as far back as the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle identified a trinity of “appeals” in the craft of persuasion, which involve logos (appealing to an audience’s logic), pathos (appealing to their emotions), and ethos (appealing to their ethics, morals, and character). Over two thousand years ago, Aristotle defined these essential ingredients for establishing trust and therefore making it more likely a listener will believe a speaker.
For you as a modern designer, Aristotle’s findings still hold true: indeed, the art of public speaking combines multiple elements that shape how the audience who listen to a message receive it. These elements don’t just convey content for the public speaker; they influence credibility, trust, and impact and are:
Public speaking is about presenting and advocating, and presentations should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, structured for the audience to remember them and you as the speaker who delivers clear and relevant points. This first ingredient forms the “backbone” of the presentation: get the structure right and it will be easier to keep the audience on board.
Great speakers adapt their vocabulary, level of detail, and examples to match the needs of the audience. Consider a variety of presentations given to different audiences, in schools, colleges, workplaces, or even television programs (again, for a variety of audiences); think about the presenter’s vocabulary. How do they adjust and fine-tune the message so it’s appropriate to the audience? When you know who is watching and listening, and why, you can “dress” your presentation appropriately for these people to identify with and understand.
A speaker who puts across a clear set of points in the right vocabulary can get people listening, all right, but capturing and holding attention requires storytelling, relevance, and interactivity. Consider two presenters; both have the same points to mention and language to mention them in, but one’s presentation resonates more because they made the subject and points matter to the audience. While the other presenter merely spoke facts and figures using the right words, the one who crafted them into a narrative the audience could relate to had that audience follow what was happening, appreciate why it was important (to themselves), and feel part of the experience because the presentation was about their world. The difference is that the less-successful presenter spoke at the audience, while the one who won their audience over spoke to them and impressed them more deeply.
Another factor that reflects how to get the language right for the audience is another part of how to deliver the right words and ideas to that audience. For example, you as a speaker can take a “role” in your presentation such as these ones:
Demonstrator: a hands-on approach that gets right into showing a prototype or proposed design solution, good for sharing information when everyone is already familiar with the project.
Storyteller: a style that connects with the audience through a story and creates a narrative around the core subject, like a problem in the user journey which they as a designer solved.
Instructor: a teacher’s approach that breaks down complex concepts for the audience to understand.
Collaborator: more of a two-way presentation style where the presenter invites audience feedback.
Speaking of style, your style as a public speaker involves the more direct or physical aspects of speech delivery, including:
Pitch is the rise and fall of your voice, signaling emphasis and emotion. Nerves and stress can raise your pitch, which signals less confidence to the audience.
Pace is the speed at which you speak, influencing comprehension and energy. Nerves and stress can make some speakers speed up their words, as if to get the presentation “over with” faster, and the audience can pick up on that.
Tone is the attitude and emotional quality that comes through in your voice. Too much enthusiasm might seem insincere or even signal mockery; too little can make for a lackluster performance and put listeners to sleep.
Articulation is the clarity with which you pronounce words, ensuring understanding. Fortunately, practice can make perfect, so you can be aware of where to say problematic terms (like jargon or difficult words) more clearly, for example.
All together, these elements define how persuasive and memorable a presentation becomes.
Effective public speaking involves adopting deliberate practices more than it has anything to do with natural talent. Below are actionable ways to strengthen every dimension of your delivery, from before and during to afterwards, so you can improve further.
Know your material, your audience, and the relevance of that presentation material to them. When you try out the first “draft” of your presentation, you’ll likely find areas where you need to expand on the subject matter or even a few where you slow down or stop. These are prime points to research and fix. If any presentation data is sensitive, try presenting a practice version a few times with yourself or a trusted department colleague.
Take heart; glossophobia or “presentation anxiety” is natural and common, and, along with solid rehearsal of what you’ll present, you can try support strategies to help with how you do it, such as:
Voice training: Work with a coach, join a theater group, or practice improv to develop range and confidence: your voice is a tool you can “sharpen” this way. Also, you’ll notice similarities between actors’ “stage fright” and public speaking anxiety, but note that actors often need to remember far more than a presenter for UX public speaking. Actors also must learn to project their voices to the audience and often do face judgement for their performances. UX design public speaking doesn’t typically involve such “risks.”
Stress control: Use power poses to help lower cortisol and project confidence. Safely practice 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8) to slow your heart rate and steady your voice. Remember, your audience members are just people, too, there to listen to and participate in an engaging presentation; they’re not judgmental entities endowed with preternatural powers to make you feel bad and wreck your presentation.
You’ll have noticed how you sound and come across in your rehearsal. Even with rehearsing and knowing your material by heart, a live presentation might feel challenging enough to change your:
Pitch: Vary pitch to emphasize excitement or seriousness: avoid staying flat, which drains energy, but don’t come across as too excited.
Pace: Slow down when explaining complex ideas; speed up slightly when telling stories for energy: bring the content to life through speed, appropriately.
Tone: Match your tone to the content, empathetic when discussing user pain points, assertive when presenting solutions. In design, empathy is key to bringing effective solutions to genuine user pain points, and you can mirror that in your tone.
Explore how empathy in design reflects a dimension of a designer’s nature as a caring and credible authority on a subject, as our video shows.
Articulation: Speak clearly, especially when you’re introducing technical terms or acronyms. Pre-empt any questions about what “strange” terms mean by showing you know they may be unfamiliar and that you’re considerate of your audience’s needs.
Use silence, too. Quietness is like your canvas to “paint” points upon and pace the delivery of especially important ones. Use pauses intentionally to create anticipation and give weight to key points. A bonus is that silence, in the right measure, shows confidence, that you’re neither “clamming up” and finding it hard to speak nor racing through your words to try and get to the end of the presentation for your sanity’s sake.
Once you’re sure of what to say to whom and how, continue your preparation by focusing on the room or meeting place. Your environment and setup will shape the audience’s perception of what you will deliver to them; therefore:
In-person: Arrive early, declutter the room, and arrange seating to encourage collaboration. Be close enough to the screen and not far from the audience, and if you’re sitting, reduce the chances of opposition or awkwardness by not having everyone else sit on the opposite side.
Online: Clear your desktop, hide bookmarks, and use chat or reactions early to keep people engaged.
First impressions: Greet attendees warmly, establish context, and use introductions to build credibility and their view of you as a relatable, friendly, competent, knowledgeable, and aware presenter. Think about which parts of you show your expertise and which show you as more likeable: two essential ingredients.
Grab a greater grasp of how to build trust and get a seat at the table with helpful insights and tips from Morgane Peng, in this video:
Engagement comes from making your audience care; speak to them in their “language” and in a way that brings the subject matter “home” to them.
Map out stakeholders according to their interest and influence, and adjust your detail level accordingly.
Discover how to tap the power of stakeholder maps to determine what’s important to who are on the seats, in this video with Morgane Peng.
Replace jargon with accessible terms, especially when dealing with business stakeholders and “non-design people.” For example, say “feedback session” instead of “usability testing.”
Adapt in real time to emerging realities. The dynamic elements of a presentation can decide how captivated, or not, audiences become, so offer examples or summaries if attention drifts or you notice audience members’ brows knit or blank stares.
Clear frameworks help your audience follow and remember your message, such as:
Freytag’s Pyramid: Create a narrative arc with exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, a powerful way to frame case studies or design problem-solving stories.
STAR Method: Explain your role in projects concisely (Situation, Task, Action, Result) so you can put your presence across in no uncertain terms regarding the scenario you acted within, what it took to bring about change, and the impact of that change. It’s perfect for interviews or performance reviews.
SOLER Framework: Enhance non-verbal delivery with Sit squarely, Open posture, Lean forward, Eye contact, and Relax, an approach that communicates confidence and openness while balancing pride with humility.
Explore how to use trust frameworks to help build and sustain that all-important ingredient in any presentation, in this video with Morgane Peng.
How did it go? Who commented and gave feedback and what did they say? An effective presentation “sells itself” when you deliver as the “agent” and the important ideas in it as the “goods.” If you’ve rehearsed at least once aloud before the presentation, to polish flow and build confidence, you’ll more likely enjoy the fruits of a successful presentation.
In any case, follow up; after the presentation, send recap notes, reflect on feedback, and update slides while they’re fresh in your memory. And note that the outcomes of meetings like this are only truly successful if team members act on insights and execute meaningful implementations or changes.
Public speaking has a “larger than life” reputation that many people find intimidating. To define public speaking in the simplest way, it’s the practice of delivering information to an audience in a clear, structured, and impactful way. The definition of public speaking can conjure different imagery depending on the individual who considers it. Traditionally, people tend to think of speeches on a podium or stage, the “province” of politicians and (for those who see a difference between the two) actors. However, in twenty-first-century workplaces, including virtual meeting rooms, public speaking extends to take many forms: pitching ideas in a meeting, leading workshops, presenting design solutions, or even sharing updates.
The “speaking” element in “public speaking” can seem as misleading as the “public” part; as a designer, you generally won’t have to deliver keynote speeches at grand functions or address the general public, for example. And the act of speaking involves something other than just saying words.
Public speaking at work is often underestimated or even dismissed as something for corporate leaders or educators to do. Many professionals assume their technical expertise alone will carry them forward and they can leave the presenting dimension to the business leaders and department heads who “signed up” for it as part of their “remit.” However, while users should be able to intuitively use and enjoy effective UX design solutions without your being there as a designer to “present” it personally, in many contexts good work doesn’t magically speak for itself: the one who created it must speak for it.
One can’t discuss public speaking myths without starting with perhaps the most important aspect that powers them: dread or fear. Glossophobia is the fear of speaking in public, and it’s a common “phobia.” Many people hold back from improving their public speaking skills because of misconceptions, some of which can stem from this fear, and three myths rank as particularly common ones:
“It comes naturally.” This one is not necessarily fear-based, but it can harm the delivery of a speech if you just talk casually or chat your way through your presentation “on the fly.” Talking with friends is not the same as presenting at work. Imagine an authoritative speaker delivering a presentation: at work, in a lecture, or even in a podcast or a documentary about a serious subject. Professional public speaking uses proven techniques so the speaker can get messages across effectively to their target audience. They’re skills which anyone can learn.
“Soft skills matter less than technical skills.” This may come from wishful thinking about being able to prove one’s value from the comfortable privacy of one’s own silo or office without having to speak up. In reality, though, and because good design revolves around effective communication, managers consistently rank communication and collaboration among the most critical workplace skills.
“Introverts can’t be good speakers.” This is false, does a disservice to many highly intelligent individuals, and sadly ranks as an all-too-common belief that many people let get in the way of their advancement. In fact, introverts often excel because they listen deeply, prepare carefully, and deliver in ways that feel authentic. It doesn’t mean that extroverts can’t do this, or that they might pump hot air and bluster, instead of delivering points properly, because some might have a “gift of the gab,” love to hear their own voices, or like to stroke an inflated ego. It’s just that many introverts might underestimate their strength and value as presenters because of the stress of having to get up in front of people and persuade them.
Effective public speaking needn’t be frightening; it’s a skill anyone can learn to present ideas or concepts clearly, professionally, and convincingly to an audience and bring about powerful change a designer can be proud of.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0
Public speaking is not one-size-fits-all activity, a fact which even the shiest personalities can take heart from knowing. Each context requires a tailored approach:
One-way presentations are status updates or pitches you give to senior stakeholders. They involve limited interaction and often feature a Q&A (questions and answers) session at the end.
Discover how to pitch effectively to clients in this video with Todd Zaki Warfel, Author, Speaker and Leadership Coach.
Two-way conversations take the form of workshops, design critiques, or user research sessions where discussion and collaboration form central activities.
Online presentations are remote meetings and webinars, where distractions are just one click away. Since the pandemic of the early 2020s and the associated rise in remote work, their “popularity” has skyrocketed. Engagement tools like polls and chats help keep attention during these forms of public speaking.
In-person presentations are probably the most frequently imagined form of public speaking in a design context. When you present in person, you benefit from eye contact and body language, and these situations call for strong presence and confidence, plus the ability to “read” the room to see how well individuals can receive points.
By knowing the difference between, and mastering, these formats, you can adapt to any situation and make your ideas resonate.
You can build and fine-tune this skill to make presentations more dynamic and outcomes more productive, and successful: the “trick” is engagement.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall, public speaking is far more than speech delivery and convincing an audience once or twice in a meeting room; it’s a lifelong skill that shapes how you communicate, influence, and lead. For you, it’s the bridge between great ideas and real-world impact; present with clarity, engage your audience, and build trust and you can become visible enough for your work to get the recognition it deserves.
Nerves can get in the way for anyone, but the good news is that public speaking is not an innate gift but a learnable skill, with clear frameworks and proven techniques. Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, junior or senior, you can become a confident, persuasive communicator, and prove the worth of important ideas because you make them matter to people who understand why they must matter.
Every meeting, workshop, or project update is an opportunity to practice and improve. Over time, these moments build into a career advantage that sets you apart; not just as a designer, but as a leader who knows what is important, why, and how to ensure others recognize it as such.
Discover how to unleash your presentation skills potential and much more in our course Present Like a Pro: Communication Skills to Fast-Track Your Career with Morgane Peng, Managing Director, Global Head of Product Design and AI Transformation.
Reach into the past for some powerful points about how to manage present presentations and future instances when you stand in front of others speaking, in our article The Persuasion Triad — Aristotle Still Teaches.
Explore helpful insights in this article published in Bootcamp, 10 things I learned when I started public speaking as a Design Researcher.
Get more out of your public speaking information with additional tips in the Justinmind article 6 tips to ace your next UX design presentation.
UX designers need strong public speaking skills because design work does not speak for itself: you must explain the problem, process, and solution so others understand its value. In practice, this means you’ll need to clearly present research insights, design decisions, and usability findings to stakeholders who may not have a design background. For example, if you’re pitching a new checkout flow, your ability to show how it reduces user friction can win buy-in faster than showing screens alone.
Public speaking helps you advocate for users, earn trust, and stand out in team discussions, too. Without these skills to spotlight great ideas, those ideas risk being overlooked. Strong communication ensures your design work gains traction, accelerates project approval, and supports your career growth as you become known as someone who can represent designs and design concerns effectively.
Discover how to tap one of the most powerful forces in design, in our article Trust: Building the Bridge to Our Users.
Audience awareness matters in public speaking because not everyone needs, or can handle, the same level of detail or jargon. As a UX (user experience) designer, you might present to developers, managers, or executives; each group has different expectations. Developers may want to know usability testing methods, while executives may only care about bottom-line concerns like impact on key performance indicators (KPIs). If you explain things at the wrong level, you risk losing attention. For example, calling a usability test a “feedback session” for non-designers makes your message clearer.
A tip: map stakeholders by interest and influence; it helps you tailor depth and language. When you adapt vocabulary and focus on what your audience values most, you show empathy, keep attention, and make your message relevant. Strong audience awareness helps your design presentations land with clarity and influence, whoever’s in the room.
Explore how to land points that matter to businesspeople by knowing what Key Performance Indicators are and why they’re important.
Nerves are natural, but you can manage them with preparation and calming techniques. Start with rehearsal; when you know your material, you sound more certain and build confidence from your listeners. Just before speaking, try a “power pose” by standing tall with open posture for two minutes; research shows it lowers stress hormones and boosts confidence.
Pair this with the 4-7-8 breathing method: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8, as it slows your heart rate and steadies your voice. In UX presentations, focus on your audience rather than yourself; remind yourself they’re there to learn, not to pick faults with you or judge. For example, frame your talk as helping stakeholders understand why a new onboarding design solves user pain points; they might be amazed at how wrong their earlier assumptions were. When you shift focus from your anxiety to their needs, it helps make nerves manageable and your delivery more authentic and confident.
Rest assured nerves aren’t “new” or peculiar just to you, and understand more about assumptions to see how you might enlighten your audience about incorrect beliefs they may have.
If you notice people losing focus during a UX presentation, pivot quickly to re-engage them and bring things back to them and their frame of reference. Pause and ask a simple question, something like: “How does this fit with what you’ve seen in user research?” This will invite interaction and pull attention back.
Another good tactic is to switch to a concrete example. For example, if you’re explaining usability testing findings and people seem distracted, tell a short story about a real user who struggled with the old design. Another helpful tactic is to summarize what’s been covered and preview what’s next: “We’ve seen where users drop off; now let me show you how we solved it.” Monitor body language and reactions; it helps you adjust in real time. Try to adapt delivery instead of pushing through; it’ll prove to your audience that you’re speaking to them and not at them, and keep stakeholders engaged in your message.
Enjoy a wealth of prime presentation-related points in our Master Class Win Clients, Pitches and Approval: Present Your Designs Effectively with Todd Zaki Warfel, Author, Speaker and Leadership Coach.
It takes curiosity, not defensiveness, to handle tough questions or criticism well. To start with, acknowledge the concern: “That’s a good point.” Then, depending on the question, seek clarity by asking, “Can you share more about why that worries you?” This turns criticism into actionable feedback. For example, if a stakeholder says, “This layout won’t work for long product names,” reframe it into a design improvement opportunity.
Some questions might be direct and negative-sounding, but in UX presentations, separating yourself from the work is key; criticism of the design is not criticism of you. Build trust and credibility by staying calm, asking follow-up questions, and reframing negative input as collaboration. It’ll also show emotional intelligence: you value different perspectives and want the best solution. Be the brand you’d like to look up to, whatever others may say.
Find a treasure trove of helpful points about handling feedback in How to Get Meaningful Design Feedback from Your Clients.
Yes; rehearsal is one of the most important steps in public speaking; don’t “wing” it. Even one practice run helps you refine flow, reduce filler words, and build confidence as you simplify complex design stories into clear, concise points. For example, running through your portfolio case study out loud can reveal jargon or unclear steps you can reframe for clarity.
Rehearsal also helps you stay within time limits, which stakeholders (extremely busy people, more often than not) appreciate. Try practicing with a teammate; it can simulate questions you might face and prepare you to respond smoothly. While over-rehearsing word-for-word can make you sound robotic, structured rehearsal ensures you know your key points and transitions. Why not try a mnemonic, a mental device like, for example, “blue snow,” where “b,” (for “bias risks”), “l” (for “launch concerns), “u,” (for “user reviews), and so on help you keep to a framework, too.
Pick up some additional helpful points about presenting confidently and effectively in our article, Learn How to Present Your Business Services and Close a Sale.
Capturing attention at the start of a UX presentation sets the tone for engagement. Start with context: why the project matters. For example, say, “We discovered 40% of users abandoned checkout last month; let’s look at why.” This immediately signals relevance and urgency.
You can also tell a short user story to bring an issue closer to listeners, such as: “Meet Sarah, a new customer who tried to sign up but gave up halfway.” Stories create emotional connection, and relatability can keep people listening. Asking a simple question like, “Have you ever abandoned a shopping cart online?” pulls your audience into the experience.
Don’t dive into details too quickly; people need to know why they should care before they listen to how. Frame your introduction around impact, curiosity, or relatable experience, and you can engage attention, bring facts and figures to life, and make your presentation more memorable and persuasive.
Explore a wealth of helpful points in our article How to Communicate Clearly and Gain People’s Interest.
The best slides support your message, but they don’t replace you as the speaker. Keep slides simple, with minimal text, so your audience listens to you instead of reading ahead. Use consistent fonts, colors, and spacing to build visual trust.
In UX presentations, align slide design with familiar principles: clear hierarchy, scannable structure, and accessible contrast. For example, instead of writing “User testing results,” write “56% of users struggled in checkout.” That headline communicates the point instantly. Use visuals like screenshots, flow diagrams, or photos sparingly to illustrate key findings.
Don’t overload slides with data; instead, summarize insights and offer detailed reports separately. When presenting online, reveal content gradually with animations to match your speaking pace, while you guide focus and keep your narrative clear.
Get a greater grasp of how to use visual hierarchy to your advantage and enjoy giving more effective presentations.
Yes, introverts can be excellent public speakers in UX. Public speaking isn’t about being the loudest; it’s about being clear, authentic, and engaging. Introverts often excel because they prepare carefully, think deeply, and listen actively. These traits make their delivery feel genuine, which audiences value. For example, an introverted designer may lead a usability report presentation with thoughtful stories and well-structured slides that resonate more than flashy performances.
While public speaking may feel less comfortable at first, it’s a skill that grows with practice. Techniques like rehearsing, using clear frameworks (like STAR or Freytag’s Pyramid), and leaning on storytelling can boost confidence. Being introverted doesn’t limit success; it can actually make your communication style more relatable and trustworthy.
Unlock a wealth of helpful insights about how to use active listening to your advantage in public speaking, in this video with Morgane Peng, Managing Director, Global Head of Product Design and AI Transformation.
Jim, M. E., Yap, J. B., Laolao, G. C., Lim, A. Z., & Deja, J. A. (2025). Speak with Confidence: Designing an Augmented Reality Training Tool for Public Speaking. arXiv. arXiv:2504.11380v1.
This paper introduces SpeakAR, a mobile-based AR tool designed for public speaking training. Built in Unity for Android devices, SpeakAR enables users to position static avatar audiences within their physical environment and overlay presentation slides for immersive rehearsal. In a pilot study involving five participants, the system received favorable feedback for boosting speaking confidence. The presentation feature was especially valued (avg. rating 4.6/5), while participants suggested enhancements like dynamic avatar animations to improve realism. Although results are promising, the authors note limitations including the small sample size and absence of quantitative anxiety measurements, indicating the need for future validation.
Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. John Wiley & Sons.
Nancy Duarte’s Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences unveils a powerful storytelling framework tailored for compelling presentations. Drawing from journalism and cinematic techniques, the book prescribes positioning the audience as the “hero” with the speaker as the “mentor,” guiding them through a structured journey of contrast, conflict, and meaning. Using tools like “Sparkline” visualizations and S.T.A.R. moments (techniques that create emotional resonance and memorability), it teaches UX professionals how to design presentations that inspire action rather than just inform. Its influence lies in transforming presentation design into narrative-driven persuasion, making it a critical resource for communicating UX insights effectively.
Remember, the more you learn about design, the more you make yourself valuable.
Improve your UX / UI Design skills and grow your career! Join IxDF now!
You earned your gift with a perfect score! Let us send it to you.
We've emailed your gift to name@email.com.
Improve your UX / UI Design skills and grow your career! Join IxDF now!
Here's the entire UX literature on Public Speaking by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:
Take a deep dive into Public Speaking with our course Present Like a Pro: Communication Skills to Fast-Track Your Career .
Make yourself invaluable when you master the art of delivery and craft messages that resonate. You'll inspire action and guide the conversation. You become the person people listen to, trust, and follow. Research shows that people trained in presentation skills are 12% more likely to move into leadership roles. This is the skill that gets your name on the next big project, a salary increase, and the shortlist for promotion. Deliver presentations where each word works for you and gets you the results you want.
Gain confidence and credibility as you learn how to overcome nervousness and impostor syndrome, use your voice and body language to engage any audience, and own every room you enter. Never again leave a meeting thinking, "I should have said that better." Master the overlooked skill of turning feedback into fuel: handle criticism with confidence, navigate difficult conversations, and make Q&A sessions your strongest moments. If you can't communicate your ideas, someone else will, and they'll get the credit.
Craft your personal portfolio with step-by-step guidance. Through hands-on activities, you'll create a professional presentation video—an impactful asset that showcases your skills and helps you stand out to employers, clients, and collaborators. It'll speak for you long after the course ends.
Master complex skills effortlessly with proven best practices and toolkits directly from the world's top design experts. Meet your expert for this course:
Morgane Peng: Head of Product Design & AI Transformation at Societe Generale CIB. Morgane is a design leader who climbed from trainee to Managing Director, and knows exactly how to use strategic communication and presentation skills to fast-track career growth and open doors to leadership.
We believe in Open Access and the democratization of knowledge. Unfortunately, world-class educational materials such as this page are normally hidden behind paywalls or in expensive textbooks.
If you want this to change, , link to us, or join us to help us democratize design knowledge!