Transcript The Art and Psychology of Effective Presentations

The Art and Psychology of
Effective Presentations
Daina Paupe Henry
College of William and Mary
VAMAP 2007
VAMAP 2007
2
VAMAP 2007
3
Effective Presentations
“Effective” – having the power to
produce an effect or effects;
“Presentations” – that which is
presented – could be a reading of a
poem, a video clip on tv, a recipe, a
PowerPoint, a written document, a
speech.
VAMAP 2007
4
Goal for this session:
To provide 7 key ideas for effectively
communicating information – whether
it is written, oral or visual (in other
words an Executive Summary, a
verbal presentation to a Board, or a
PowerPoint presentation for class or a
conference.)
VAMAP 2007
5
7 key concepts
KISS
The Magic Number 7 and its corollaries of
Primacy and Recency
The Power of 3 (or the hamburger method
of presentation)
Synchronicity and left/right brain
Humor (LOL)
Timing
Urgent Does Not Equal Important
VAMAP 2007
6
KISS
VAMAP 2007
7
KISS
Keep it Simple Sam
Einstein could explain relativity to his
grandmother.
Hawking can explain the theory of
everything and 16 dimensional space
in a book of less than 200 pages.
“Stay on target” – Star Wars A New
Hope
VAMAP 2007
8
KISS
In writing, keep it to one page – front
and back if you have to. Never give a
40 page document to anyone without
a summary or abstract. It could be
earth shattering, but no one will read
it.
VAMAP 2007
9
KISS
Oral presentations and meetings
should last no more than an hour.
The average attention span of
children is 5 minutes; teens is 25
minutes; adults 50 minutes.
And this may be decreasing with new
technology that encourages sound
bytes, 15 second commercials, text
messaging etc.
VAMAP 2007
10
KISS PowerPoint
Less is better.
Not too many colors.
Not too much animation.
Don’t distract from the main point.
Don’t introduce anything that can
distract the audience from your
message – if they can get distracted,
they will get distracted.
VAMAP 2007
11
Bad graph
The Content of the Report
100%
Overview/Appendix
90%
Consortia/Contracts
Athletics
80%
Advancement
70%
Computers
Graduate Studies
60%
Special Activities
50%
Research
Physical Plant
40%
Student Life
30%
The Faculty
The Library
20%
Educational Program
10%
Admin Organization
Financial Resources
0%
1964
1974
1984
1994
VAMAP 2007
Purposes and Aims
12
Good graph
Contact Hrs Per Week
16
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1954
1964
1974
Hours
VAMAP 2007
1984
Research $ in Millions
Faculty Teaching and Research
1994
Dollars
13
Don’t make your audience search
for the answer
VAMAP 2007
14
The Magic Number Seven (7)
VAMAP 2007
15
The Magic Number 7
Psychological research has shown
that our brains max out with more
than 7 bits of information in a short
period of time.
Organize your presentation to only 7
points. Or better yet, fewer. KISS.
VAMAP 2007
16
The following facts are vital:
Mary had a little lamb.
Joe only wore socks on Tuesday.
Hannah ate only American cheese.
Harry’s soccer team practices at 5.
Molly had braces.
Jill went up the hill.
Happy was grumpy.
Dale’s shoes don’t fit.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Wednesday’s child is full of woe.
VAMAP 2007
17
What do you remember?
VAMAP 2007
18
The Magic Number 7
When writing or speaking, organize
your points so that there are only 7 or
less.
If there are two points that are similar,
group them. For example, “There
was an increase in headcount in Art,
History and Philosophy.” Parallel
construction of grammar helps
organize points.
VAMAP 2007
19
The Magic Number 7
Primacy and recency are
psychological terms.
In a long list of items, a person tends
to remember the items in the
beginning of the list (primacy) and the
end of the list (recency) and are less
likely to remember the middle items.
VAMAP 2007
20
Primacy and Recency
Therefore, put the most important
things in a list either FIRST or LAST.
This goes for written, oral or
PowerPoint.
Start or finish a meeting with the
important things.
VAMAP 2007
21
The Power of 3
VAMAP 2007
22
Say it 3(three) times
Tell them what your going to tell them.
Tell them.
Tell them what you just told them.
VAMAP 2007
23
VAMAP 2007
24
Hamburger method of
communication
Writing and speaking is like a
hamburger.
Introductory bottom bun prepares the
audience for what comes next.
The main points – the meat of the
hamburger are placed on top one at a
time.
The conclusion or summary top bun
finishes off the hamburger.
VAMAP 2007
25
Hamburger Method
This applies to dissertations,
Executive Summaries, newspaper
articles, PowerPoints, class lectures
and meetings.
All good meetings have an agenda,
cover a select few points, and the
minutes are written up.
VAMAP 2007
26
The power of 3(three)
Don’t repeat yourself.
An introduction sets the stage and
focuses the audience.
The main points provide more detail.
The conclusion or summary needs to
put the details in perspective – “and
this is important because….”
VAMAP 2007
27
Synchronizing messages
VAMAP 2007
28
Synchronicity
Be consistent in your message.
When talking about headcount, don’t
have a write up about FTE.
Everything that is in your graph
should also be in your write up or in
your speech.
Don’t introduce loose ends.
VAMAP 2007
29
Multi Medium
Go after all the senses – visual graph,
oral presentation and written words.
Let your audience hear the choir, feel
the brick of the new sidewalk, taste
the soggy French Fries, smell the
locker room.
VAMAP 2007
30
Left versus Right Brain
Left brain deals with words.
Right brain deals with art, music,
colors, pictures etc.
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
VAMAP 2007
31
1 picture = 1000 words
VAMAP 2007
32
Left and Right
People are more likely to remember
and react to information that is
presented to both halves of the brain.
Words (left) and pictures/graphs
(right) together are more effective
than either separately.
VAMAP 2007
33
Humor (LOL)
VAMAP 2007
34
Humor
Avoid it, if the presentation is just in
writing, because as everyone
knows…”timing is everything”. What
could be funny out loud, can be
misread by a reader.
However, every good speech or oral
presentation starts with humor or a
story….
VAMAP 2007
35
Do you want his job?
VAMAP 2007
36
Humor
Humor is a right brain kind of thing. It
jump starts that part of the brain.
The very best speakers have not only
a really good message, but are also
entertaining…
Learning and life does not have to be
boring.
VAMAP 2007
37
Timing is Everything
VAMAP 2007
38
VAMAP 2007
39
Timing – Know Your Audience
Timing requires perspective –
knowing your audience and what is
happening.
Don’t make a call for a new program
in Tiddlywinks, when department
budgets have been cut.
Friday 4pm is not a good time for
anything, except cleaning the desk.
VAMAP 2007
40
Timing
Summer is a bad time to propose
anything.
Be first or last on the agenda (primacy
and recency).
VAMAP 2007
41
Timing and Importance
Good Idea
Bad Timing
Good Idea
Good Timing
Bad Idea
Bad Timing
Bad Idea
Good Timing
VAMAP 2007
42
Timing
Consider not only calendar year, but
day of the month, day of the week,
and time of day.
This is true for meetings, oral
presentations, emails, and memos.
VAMAP 2007
43
Urgent Does Not Equal Important
NOW+NOW+NOW < important
VAMAP 2007
44
The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf
VAMAP 2007
45
Urgent vs Important
This requires perspective.
Important issues, even ones with bad
timing, will re-emerge.
Pareto’s Principle of 80 to 20 is true.
Of 100 items, 20 will be important.
Don’t write 100 emails about the 100
items.
VAMAP 2007
46
A pile of beans….
VAMAP 2007
47
In summary…
NOW !!! < IMPORTANT
VAMAP 2007
48
7 key concepts
KISS
The Magic Number 7 and its corollaries of
Primacy and Recency
The Power of 3 (or the hamburger method
of presentation)
Synchronicity and left/right brain
Humor (LOL)
Timing
Urgent Does Not Equal Important
VAMAP 2007
49
And this is important because…
IR folk have lots of data, that they
spend an enormous amount of time
converting into information.
Effective presentations allow us to
share our information and make
change.
VAMAP 2007
50
Thank YOU !!!
Any questions?
[email protected]
VAMAP 2007
51