Pecha Kucha: My brief take on this presentation format

This is a long overdue post that I have been writing in fits and starts and never got around to completing. This often happens with me...especially when I am on a learning spree. I tend to start on multiple things, create chaos in my mind, keep adding to that chaos till my mind somehow sorts them out, and helps me to see an emerging pattern. Till then, I don't try to write anything--hence my long absence from my blog.

Among the multiple new experiences and learning of the past one month, i.e., since I joined ThoughtWorks (a wonderfully chaotic place with a method underneath the madness that is as stimulating as strong black coffee and excellent conversation, and I love both!), I got to see Pecha Kucha in action. I have read about it, seen You Tube videos describing the form, and read posts waxing eloquent about its power, but have never experienced it first hand. Thanks to my friend Sumeet Moghe who has introduced Pecha Kucha nights as a part of the ThoughtWorks grads training program, I not only got to see it but also to participate.

What did I think about Pecha Kucha?

First impression: It reminded me of Bento meals made famous by Garr Reynold's in his Presentation Zen (and not surprising since both come from the same country)--just enough, not more nor less, and filling you just 80%. Therein lies the power of this form. It stimulates you, provides you with just the right amount of scintillating informaiton that leaves you craving for more if the topic is of interest to you.

In it's almost Zen-like simplicity of 20 slides of 20 seconds each, it is an extremely powerful vehicle.

1. Pecha Kucha as a presentation tool
2. Pecha Kucha as a learning tool

Pecha Kucha as a presentation tool
As a presentation format, it is the next best thing to slice bread (not my line but I liked it...)! The rigour of the format pushes one to be innovative, to keep asking the question "so what", allows for no flab in the content and no slackness in the storyline. Does it hinder creativity? Not at all if one is willing to put in passion and hard work into the creation of one of these presentations. And I have seen some cool ones coming from the ThoughtWorks grads and will share the links at the end of the post. It is almost impossible to get away with dumping 5 bullet points on each slide and present that as a Pecha Kucha presentation. The form cannot be taken for granted. It is finicky to the extreme and demands perfection. The restraints force innovation.
I personally found it useful to create a storyline offline using paper and pencil, weed out the weak links in the story asking the question "so what" as I moved along. Once I had the story down to 20 slides, I looked for images, data and quotes that would support what I wanted to say. Finally, it is about practice...and delivering with passion. And I have miles to go and tons to learn when it comes to delivery. But I would recommend Pecha Kucha to all those who are seeking to learn how to present effectively.


Pecha Kucha as a learning tool
Since I saw Pecha Kucha used as a part of the ThoughtWorks grads training program and being at heart still a teacher, I thought of the values of Pecha Kucha as a learning tool. And realized that there are plenty. And here, I draw from my observations and conversation overheard of the grads who prepared for their first ever Pecha Kuchas. 

1. It taught them to think hard and identify the one true passion that they wanted to talk about (and mind you this is not easy for 22-year olds who have varying interests)
2. They learned to identify and hone their topics to retain only the key points of interest (and the topics ranged from cricket to cars, from Bollywood movies to extreme sports, from programming languages to conserving India's tigers).
3. They learned to stand up in front of a crowd and speak with confidence and ease (no mean fit)
4. It taught them the power of articulating their passion through words, images, videos, music...
5. It brought to the forefront hidden talents and revealed facets of personalities that make for a strong, vibrant community

I went through the same learning curve altho' I write here in the third person. And there is more to learn...a great deal more...

You can see some of the presentations here just for the diversity in passions that drives each one of us...

• Esoteric Languages 

• What I learned from School Kids 

• Kitesurfing 

• Tigers - The Last Shot 

In Response: Signs of Authority-Important Presentation Traits

The post, Signs of Authority-Important Presentation Traits, appealed to me at various levels, and the comment from Mr. Govindarajan raised a point that struck a chord.

Like him, I have been a classroom lecturer facing students and using the "chalk and talk" method of communication. For many reasons, this has remained my favorite mode of engaging with the audience. And one I am most comfortable with.

In recent years, the rise of the PowerPoint and its ubiquitous presence have given birth to the syndrome called "Death by PowerPoint" wherein, as pointed out by Mr. Govindarajan, "The listeners ignore the presenters' verbal authority and watch the screen forgetting that the screen is only an AID and not the presentation itself." Or the message. This leads to disengagement, switching off, and lost communication opportunity.

These are concerns recent writers like Nancy Duarte and Garr Reynolds are emphasizing as well.

And this happens because the presenter has forgotten that the slides are only there to aid, reinforce and support.

I think the use of a medium like the flip-chart or the w/b actually enables the presenter by making him/her the center and highlighting the message more than the tools. Lately, I have read a few books that reinforce the power of this kind of engagement. One of them being The Back of the Napkin.

What did the chalk and talk method demand of a presenter that holds true for all effective presentations?

1. Command over the Subject: There is no reference point. You "talk" directly to the audience using the board to jot down points and quickly sketch diagrams to aid understanding. The audience "sketched" with you; therefore, there was no lag in communication. No one waited for the other to catch up (as happens when the audience has finished reading the bulleted points on the slide and is waiting for the presenter to finish reading them out).

Also, because one is facing the audience and watching them, it is easy to note the levels of engagement. Today, this style can be closely replicated using a flip-chart or a whiteboard if the audience is in the same room.



Q. Do we really need PowerPoint slides all the time? I think not! Not all the time. Sometimes, it could be effective to just talk.

2. Command over Language: I totally agree. I don't mean that a presenter cannot falter; s/he can. We all do. I mean that a presenter should be able to mould his/her language and communication style to suit the audience. Just as an instructional designer would mould treatment style to suit the target learners. The analogy is deliberate.

~This includes an ability to convey the complex in simple words.
~This necessitates a knowledge of the audience, their purpose for attending the presentation and what is it that they intend to take away.
~This implies an ability to view the topic from different perspectives and address the ones that matter to the current audience.


3. Control over Time: I personally feel I can control time better if I don't have the pressure of 30 slides to cover, and I can also address points that will interest the audience. (Of course, without deviating from the overall purpose of the presentation.) This way, one would also be showing respect for the audience's time and a willingness to address their need/queries/fears.

This kind of presentation can be enriched if supported with powerful graphics or quotes that reinforce the main points. I remember a particularly vivid graphic from Garr Reynold's PresentationZen that showed a shark and had this caption below it: "Blogs are like Sharks."

"If they don't keep moving, they will die."

The remaining explanatory points came later. But the sheer vivid and startling analogy made the point stick. This was also a perfect utilization of time because with one image and a caption, the point had been driven home in an unforgettable manner.

4. Audience Contribution: This is probably the most effective measure of a successful presentation. As Vasan says, if the audience can be drawn to interact, the purpose is half served. A few key questions or quickly sketched diagrams can be good ways to make the audience a part of "it". An empathetic presenter and an interactive audience is the recipe for success.


5. Analogies and Stories: Stories are probably the most effective way of concertizing the abstract. All good presenters know this--whether they are presenting a business case or conducting a church service. You've got to have a story to make your message stick.

Watch Dan Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, in this presentation that exemplifies all the key aspects discussed here. He is talking to the audience and telling them a story, a story so powerful and enthralling, there is no chance that the audience will be distracted. And he is completely in command. You can see the TED talk here:



An Anecdote:

I had recently been to Providence, Rhode Island to visit my friend and had attended the Sunday morning church service with her. The Pastor may not have read M2S, but he knew how to reach out. His analogies are still fresh in my mind. And I remember the messages because of the stories that he quoted with so much heartfelt passion, sincerity and honesty. He had no PowerPoint or bulleted lists to support him; but he never once deviated from his talk, drove home his point to a very mixed congregation and left everyone with something to think about.

Point to be noted: His stories were not spiritual; they were drawn from everyday experience but each one encoded a powerful message.

One analogy stuck in my mind because of its simplicity: he spoke of each person being a "salt-shaker" and adding value in simple ways to others' lives just as salt adds the right taste to food.

The post has meandered a bit from the original response. But for me these are all points related to a good presentation.

Reflection Point:

Do you do this?



Just for laughs!



Watch this space for some thoughts on using mind maps to deliver powerful presentations.