Murphy’s Law states that whatever can go wrong,
will. And when you’re giving a
presentation using any kind of technology, from a projector to a phone, Murphy’s
Law definitely applies. I’ve seen or
experienced all of these examples, and while some can be prevented or prepared
for, they are all nerve-wracking when they occur!
1. If
you are hosting a conference call on your cell phone, the call will drop at the
most crucial moment of the discussion.
2. The
battery on your lavaliere microphone will die out slowly, causing your voice to
break in and out - before finally quitting completely at the high point of your
presentation (and just as the A/V tech has left the room).
3. The
battery on your PowerPoint remote control will suddenly go haywire, causing
your presentation to jump forward and back like it’s possessed.
4. The wireless
network in your meeting room will kick you off during a live presentation, moments
after you’ve been ensured that the network is stable and there will be no
problem accessing it live during your presentation.
5. In
the middle of your slide presentation, your laptop will begin downloading
automatic updates and then shut down and restart slowly to fully install those
updates.
6. The
webinar software you’re using will stop working for no reason at all, but only
once everyone has joined the webinar and only if your most important client or
partner is participating.
7. If
you are using a wired headset to connect to a conference call, the wire will inexplicably
stop working (perhaps due to yanking it one too many times, when you forgot you
were tethered) and it will take you 6 minutes to realize that people can’t hear
you.
8. The mute
button will malfunction on the speaker phone that you’re using for your
conference call, which you’ll only realize after you’ve made a negative comment
about someone on the call.
9. The microphone
will emit eardrum-piercing feedback in the first few seconds of your
presentation, even after you’re done a sound check.
10. The
bulb on the slide projector will blow out during your slide presentation - and there
will be no replacement bulb within a 4 mile radius.
What examples have you seen or experienced of Murphy’s
Law of Presenting With Technology?