p1

p1 is the basis of the presentation. It is the data, the story, the message that the presenter wishes to deliver to the audience. This section covers blog posts that address any part of the construction of p1; taking the “what” of the data and converting it into a “so what” for the particular audience. In particular, this covers audience needs, the value of a single, identifiable message, an elevator pitch, the arc of the story and development of sparklines.

The cornerstone articles on p1 are below but please surf through the links to gain a deeper understanding of why p1 (the story) is the basis of your presentation and must be the starting point in construction.

1.Hysteron proteron – the place to start with a presentation is the message.

2. It is not acceptable or valuable to just talk, you must have a message.

3. The aim and objective of a presentation are not the same thing.

4. The best presentations are planned analog. Shut the laptop and be creative.

5. Consider principally “why” you are presenting, not what to present.

What is the best, new tool in presentations?

An interesting post at The Harvard Business Review on Presentations discusses other new and exciting tools that may help in effective presentations. Sadly, I think they miss the point completely. “Guns don’t kill: bulletpoints do” is a tagline I use…
Read more

The maximum number of words on a slide is zero.

A recent question on twitter to me was, “What is the maximum number of words you can put on a slide?”Easy, the maximum number is zero!Seriously, asking the question shows that the purpose of your supportive media (p2) is for…
Read more

Elevator pitch

In business there is a concept of the “elevator pitch.” Effectively, if you happened to get into a lift with a potential customer, could you deliver your pitch within the elevator ride? And yes, elevator rides are short. This applies…
Read more

Your “powerpoint” is not the message, it supports the message.

I did a little talk in late November 2013 at TEDx Stuttgart. I am hoping to write a few posts around the construction and delivery of the whole thing but it is pertinent once again to highlight the role of…
Read more

@ffolliet would be proud…(2)

More pride as more friends and colleagues make better and better presentations and suggest that I am at least partly catalytic in the process. I do keep encouraging them that it is their own decision to make the move towards…
Read more

You’re boring me.

Seriously, I’ve heard this all before. You need a presentation on your cv/portfolio. You’ve asked the boss who said, “please review my last x cases of” something not very interesting. You’ve managed to find x-y and, after subtracting z because…
Read more

Creativity

“Could you give us a talk, about 30 minutes?” “Sure,” you reply, “no problem.” The facts are clear. The nature of the audience will affect the precise message to be delivered but, let’s fire up Powerpoint, drop in a pile…
Read more

Edward Tufte makes me feel guilty.

I’m currently reading “Beautiful Evidence” by Edward Tufte, a giant of critical thinking and a commenter on data and presentation, amongst many, many other things. In the introduction is a line that surely stands as the metre by which all…
Read more

PechaKucha :Twenty, 20 sec tips.

I recently had the opportunity to present at a PechaKucha event. The word itself means “chitchat” in Japanese and is a presentation format with a strict structure; twenty slides, each moving forward automatically after twenty seconds. I thought I would…
Read more

Einstein

This applies to your story (p1)This applies to your supporting media (p2)This applies to your delivery (p3)If you consider the arc of the story first (please do) then instead of attempting to deliver all known facts, consider the audience and…
Read more