Describe how you communicate complex technical information to a non-technical audience, such as when conducting a customer presentation.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
What You Need to Know
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Teaching a non-technical person something technical in a few minutes is important in any industry. The interviewer wants to see that you are a good translator between tech and non-tech-related issues. This question also addresses your problem-solving skills and ability to communicate effectively.

When it comes to communicating ideas effectively, it's your job as the communicator/presenter to make sure your talk is enjoyable, to wow the crowd, and to help get across what you want to say in a clear, simple, and easy-to-follow way. It's important to remember that every aspect of a presentation should be engaging and visually interesting to the audience. It's also important to make sure that your audience is paying attention from the very beginning. Avoid losing your audience in the early stages, as this will likely mean that you've lost your audience for the entire talk.

"When you can show the idea in terms of something the person already knows it will go much better. Often, analogy or simple anecdotes work well. I also try to illustrate complex concepts by showing the idea using diagrams and other forms of visual information."

"I've found that an effective way to present technical material is to tone down the technical content to an absolute minimum and to not presume that my audience knows anything about the topic I'm presenting. Surprisingly, I've found this works for technical audiences too, as it brings everyone up to speed without sacrificing the audience's attention. It never hurts to slow down the presentation with brief explanations of the deeper technical aspects."