There is a feeling that this improved approach to presentation is principally about style. No, it is principally about science. The reason that the majority of presentations fail is because, by their construction and delivery, they break well established scientific principles of human communication.
The first and simplest of these is described as cognitive load. That is the inability of the brain to do many things at the same time. The majority of presentations are text based and a literate human can only make sense of text by reading. If you see text, you will read it. Intriguingly, even once you have read it you will keep returning to read it again.
Listening whilst reading is a challenge, particularly as the audience can read faster than a presenter can speak. Consequently, the listening will be to different words than are being read. If one then attempts to write, whilst listening and reading, it is clear that efficiency of all of these tasks is falling. Worst of all, this leaves no space to think. The brain choses to concentrate on one task and we default to reading.
Listening whilst reading is a challenge, particularly as the audience can read faster than a presenter can speak. Consequently, the listening will be to different words than are being read. If one then attempts to write, whilst listening and reading, it is clear that efficiency of all of these tasks is falling. Worst of all, this leaves no space to think. The brain choses to concentrate on one task and we default to reading.
Consider, if you are studying, would you do this and carry on a conversation or watch tv? If you are asking for directions and writing them down, do you discuss the restaurant you are trying to find or concentrate on the task? If you are following complex instructions, do you ever turn down background music? If something challenging is going on, don’t you ask for quiet?
Our brain may be complex but we can’t read, listen, write and think all at the same time. The reasons many presentations fail is because science.
