20x20 presentation technique

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Pecha Kucha or the 20×20 presentation technique

15/05/2017 by Mike Morrison 24 Comments

Pecha Kucha or how to get your point across in less than seven minutes?

Pecha Kucha (pronounced peh-cha ku-cha) is a presentation technique especially for those that love PowerPoint, and this method ensures it is fun, fast and interesting. The approach limits the presentation to 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide – a maximum of 6 minutes 20 seconds. A unique structure for a presentation. Challenging for any event where one person is facilitating the whole event – but great for conferences and multiple speaker events.

Why Pecha Kucha?

At a time when every person in the world can use PowerPoint – badly, and we are increasingly exposed to more and more presentations it is time to look at what we inflict on other people.

Pecha Kucha is a brilliantly simple technique to ensue that a presentation is not word bound. Is not boring and irrelevant (well it helps) and is focused on the key issues the presenter wants and needs to communicate to their audience.

The concept of Pecha Kucha was originally developed for the world of “creatives” in architecture as a way of encouraging individuals to share their creativity and maintain the passion by all parties, without boring people to death!

In the context of these events the format works well, but the format has a wonderful role in the training and development of presentations skills of business and school based presentations.

Pecha Kucha Nights

What is a Pecha Kucha Night?

Pecha Kucha Nights were originally devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. But as we all know, give a microphone and stage to a designer (especially an architect) and you’ll be trapped for hours. The key to an effective Pecha Kucha Night is its patented system for avoiding this fate. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

Pecha Kucha (which is Japanese for the sound of conversation or chatter) has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor. This is a demand that seems to be global – as Pecha Kucha Night, without any pushing, has spread virally to over 100 cities across the world.

If you are interested in starting a Pecha Kucha Night in your city, please contact : [email protected] Paragraph taken from

Application of Pecha Kucha

While originally developed for open style events the approach is valid for all forms of presentations, training, business pitches and staff communications.

This approach does require considerable discipline and some practise (yes a good presentation does need a run through or two first!) it is a freeing and powerful approach to presentations in a multimedia age. It encourages presenters to break out of the PowerPoint template.

I am not convinced that you could or should run any full event or meeting using this strategy – it is a powerful approach for introductions or for summarising events and workshops.

Practical applications of Pecha Kucha?

If nothing else, the basic aproach of Pecha Kucha is good training and good practice for anyone involved in delivering to others.

Everyone should try Pecha Kucha at some time or another; it’s a great exercise for getting your story down even if you do not use the method exactly for your live talk in your work.

Unless attending a Pecha Kucha Night it does not matter whether or not you can implement the Pecha Kucha “20×20 6:40” method exactly in your own organization, but the spirit behind it and the concept of “restrictions as liberators” can be applied to most any presentation situation.

Using this approach makes going into detail difficult. The key is to have a good discussion after a Pecha Kucha type of presentation and then it may work well in every situation

I can see trainees or students give this kind of presentation about their assignments or work followed by discussion and questioning and probing by tutors, facilitators and the class.

This approach would be more challenging for a student and a better indication of their knowledge and skills than a traditional 30-40 minute presentations

See an example of Pecha Kucha:

Rules of pecha kucha – 20×20 6:40.

Here is the simple yet powerful framework to deliver your own Pecha Kucha format presentation:

• Use powerpoint to build 20 slides
• Set the timing on each slide to 20 seconds
• Use only simple words or a picture on each slide
• Use the slides as a storyboard
• Practice.. practice.. practice

Pecha Kucha is a great way of introducing a longer session or to summarise learning or material covered. If you have any good examples please link to them in the comments with an outline of what your Pecha Kucha presentation is about.

Other formats of presentation skills techniques:

Lightning Talk – less structured approach usually without slides and of a variable length (1-10 mins)

Ignite an almost identical format but created later by another media company

About Mike Morrison

Mike is a consultant and change agent specialising in developing skills in senior people to increase organizational performance. Mike is also founder & director of RapidBI, an organizational effectiveness consultancy. Check out his linkedin profile MikeMorrison LinkedIn Profile

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What is the Pecha Kucha 20×20 Presentation Technique?

February 13, 2012 / Blog audience, presentation, presentation technique, Rick Enrico, Salt Lake City, San Jose, SlideGenius

Founded by Tokyo-based architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003 and stylized as PechaKucha 20×20 , this simple presentation technique lets you show 20 images for 20 seconds each, for a running time of about 7 minutes in total.

Pecha Kucha lasts longer than an elevator pitch, which is supposed to be delivered for as long as an elevator ride, and runs shorter than the time Guy Kawasaki suggests in his 10/20/30 rule.

This presentation technique is recommended for more informal gatherings.

The official Pecha Kucha events held around the globe are meant to serve as a social gathering of creative minds and talents. In these gatherings, anyone can pitch their ideas at the event about any topic.

But we’re not suggesting that you talk about random topics during your pitch. Rather, you can utilize the presentation’s unique format to benefit your deck.

Graphic Intensive Pitch

The key difference between Pecha Kucha, an elevator pitch, and the 10/20/30 rule are its limitations.

It’s a time-bound format where you let your presentation play automatically, with each slide running for 20 seconds each.

This means that you can’t go back or skip to the next slide. Compared to an elevator pitch and the 10/20/30 rule, it’s restricted to a self-presenting deck or a time limit per slide.

While the 10/20/30 rule also advocates a limit of 10 slides in 30 minutes, Pecha Kucha runs 20 slide images in 7 minutes.

This means that the latter goes through more slides in a fraction of the time, making Pecha Kucha an image-intensive presentation.

Pecha Kucha 20×20 has been described as a business meeting meets poetic poetry slam, which aren’t far from each other in a way. Both utilize imagery, structure, and analogies to convey their message.

Find the Middle Ground

Pecha Kucha or PechaKucha is perfect if you find elevator pitches too short, and Guy Kawasaki’s 20-minute recommended running time too long.

It’s a completely different challenge to deliver a 20-slide deck for 20 seconds each. You need to rehearse your speech per slide to last exactly for 20 seconds.

Any more and you’ll rush your delivery, any less and you’ll have dead air in your already barebones 7-minute presentation.

Some previous experience in giving presentations and a lot of rehearsals may be required to pull off this style without a hitch.

In addition, using a conversational tone is necessary in order to foster the relaxed atmosphere that this movement started.

A conversational tone lets your audience follow a jargon-free pitch much faster and easier.

Passion is Key to Success

The word pecha – kucha comes from the Japanese word for “chatter”.

The early stages of the gatherings were coined after the conversational atmosphere this type of presentation attracted. The laid back and social aspect of Pecha Kucha events has been the key to its success.

You can translate this to your pitch by showing your enthusiasm through your presentation. Tell your audience that you’re about to do something different today and introduce the Pecha Kucha technique.

Choose powerful images that support the message of your pitch while still remembering to stay within your time limit. Master your topic and engage your audience using a relaxed, conversational tone.

This presentation style develops your ability to be concise with your speech so that you can get straight to the point and improves your rapport with the audience because of its informality.

A Pitch That’s Just Right

Change up your presentation habits and incorporate PechaKucha 20×20 into your pitch. Informal gatherings can benefit from this fun presentation style.

Challenge yourself and entertain your audience by showing them what you can do with 20 slides for 20 seconds each.

Since this is an image-intensive pitch, make sure to pick visuals that stand out. Support your message with your image by providing the right amount of words to say.

Rehearse your words carefully so that you don’t exceed the time limit.

But most of all, have fun while you’re at it. People’s attention gravitate towards speakers who are clearly passionate in what they have to say.

“Frequently Asked Questions.” PechaKucha 20×20 . Accessed December 22, 2015. www.pechakucha.org/faq “Guy Kawasaki – The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint.” Guy Kawasaki . December 30, 2005. Accessed December 22, 2015. http://guykawasaki.com/the_102030_rule Pink, Daniel H. “Pecha Kucha: Get to the PowerPoint in 20 Slides Then Sit the Hell Down.” Wired.com . August 21, 2007. Accessed December 22, 2015. www.wired.com/2007/08/st-pechakucha

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Pecha Kucha

A learning and presentation technique for sharing ideas

For a group to create together a series of visual images that tell their story quickly and in relevant detail

Instructions

Setting:  One or more laptops, beamer; and a digital camera can also be a help

Number of participants:  26-50

Time needed:  3 hours

Ideal conditions:  A team who has a story to tell about which they are enthusiastic

Pre-Work Required:  none

Facilitator personality fit:  Some degree of enthusiasm to encourage the group to try it out

  During

Title: Pecha Kucha or 20 X 20 Introduction: Too often a team given the assignment to "give the group a 5 minute summary on a topic may have had a rich and productive discussion in preparation, but then find it difficult to summarize the fullness of their concepts, opinions and concerns in the time allotted. Pecha Kucha or 20 X 20 is a simple presentation format where you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images forward automatically and you talk along to the images. It can be used by any group to report on for example, their discussion, what their department does, how their project is going so far, whatever. Intent: To allow a group to report their thinking about an issue in a rapid but comprehensive and visually stimulating fashion. This presentation technique works well both at the start of a longer session to enable groups to introduce themselves, but also at the close of a program, to summarize what happened and what was achieved. Procedures: 1. Divide the participants into teams, probably not larger than 10 people each. 2. Have blank paper, tape, markers, a digital camera and a laptop connected to the internet for each team. 3. Explain to the participants what the topic is on which they are reporting. 4. Describe the Pecha Kucha rules: a. Your presentation may have no more and no less than 20 slides, with each showing for 20 seconds. b. Each slide must have an image: photo, drawing, design,etc. c. Organise the team and its script so that each participant has a role in the presentation. 5. Caution teams that the best way to do this work is to tape 20 sheets of blank paper on the wall, and work together to fill out this "story board". Then they can proceed to photograph, create or find the images to fill out their report. 6. Give teams at least one hour to do this work; longer if you can afford it. 7. Facilitators keep time and may assist teams with PowerPoint and photo technology. Ensure that presentations follow the 20 X 20 rules precisely. 8. Enjoy the presentations and celebrate!

Usual or Expected Outcomes:  The team creating the presentation is pleased because they have been able to tell their story well. The rest of the group is pleased because they have understood well what the team was reporting. Both are delighted that it took place is a short time.

Potential pitfalls:  The short reports require at least one hour to prepare.

How success is evaluated:  To what degree is the presentation useful beyond the day of the workshop?

Examples of successes and failures:  Subgroups of a large public organisation were able to explain their work to one another very well using this method.

Source: Imaginal Training

Derived from:  Pecha Kucha by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture, Tokyo

Recognizable components:  Determining a theme Creating the points of the story and sequencing them Finding images for each story point Determining who will report what

References:  Determining a theme Creating the points of the story and sequencling them Finding images for each story point Determining who will report what

Alternative names:  20 X 20

Comments ( 2 )   ( 5.0 avg / 1 ratings )

Fern levine.

The Pecha Kucha presentation is also and excellent and fun way for class participants to introduce themselves in a training workshop setting. Provide the instructions ahead of time so they come to the workshop with their presentations ready. They can talk about anything - personal background, family, hobbies, work experience, what led them to this workshop, etc. I experienced this in my LEAD (Leadership for Environment and Development https://www.lead.org/ ) training with participants from all walks of life and from various parts of the country. It was a fantastic way to get to know everyone, and no one can talk for more than 6min40sec. :) We had Q's and A's if people had questions for the presenters. We did a debrief on the exercise and talked about what kinds of topics participants thought were important for them to include when presenting themselves to the group. This kind of in-depth introduction was important because our workshop was the first of 3 multi-day training experiences with our cohort and we would be working in teams during the training.

Parthiv Mehta

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Tips For Giving Your First PechaKucha Presentation

The average human attention span is eight seconds. That’s shorter than the average attention span of a goldfish, and probably less time than it would take to introduce yourself on stage. In a survey, 4 out of 5 professionals claimed that they shift their focus away from the presenter during any given presentation they’re watching. If you’re going to lose your audience before you even really begin, what’s the point? In an effort to be more successful, presenters are constantly testing new formats to package their message in a way that both resonates with their audience, and keeps them engaged from slide to slide.

Basically, we’re all trying to solve the infamous “death by PowerPoint”? The solution: Beautiful.ai meets PechaKucha.

PechaKucha is a presentation format that has been adopted by many. From PechaKucha nights with friends, to new curriculum standards at universities, PechaKucha has changed the way people present. But what is it, exactly?

What is PechaKucha?

Not to be confused with Pikachu (any Pokémon fans out there?), PechaKucha— which is Japanese for chit-chat— is a particular presentation style. In 2003, architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo’s Klein Dytham architecture invented PechaKucha in an effort to bring “More show. Less tell,” to life in presentations. Essentially, the duo wanted to streamline the process and delivery of long design presentations to make them more digestible to audiences. The format follows a simple 20x20 rule in which each presentation is 20 slides, and each slide is shown for only 20 seconds each. Think of it as a speed presentation, where the presenter has to make their point— beginning to end— in 7 minutes total. 

The PechaKucha format is used among friends for PechaKucha nights (similar to the TikTok-famous PowerPoint nights ), in business, and at schools. It’s an elevator pitch for your topic. The short-form presentations keep distractions to a minimum, and engagement at a maximum. Specifically, teachers have found the format to be extremely useful when trying to engage students and encourage critical thinking in the classroom. “This presentation style was designed to help people tell a story instead of lecturing to others,” Jim Ave, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Fresno Pacific University said in an interview . “This keeps students engaged. It’s another tool to use in class to foster learning.”

Tips for giving your first PechaKucha presentation

Now that you have a little bit of background on the ever-popular PechaKucha, here's how to nail your first 20x20 presentation .

Be passionate about your topic

Because of the nature of a PechaKucha presentation, presenters have to be quick on their toes. Providing commentary for each slide in under 20 seconds is no small feat, and in order to do it well presenters need to be knowledgeable in the topic. It’s considerably easier to make your point quicker when you’re passionate about the topic. If you’re planning a PechaKucha presentation, choose something that genuinely interests you and that you can speak on with little-to-no effort. 

Know your story

As with any presentation, you should know your story before you even think about designing a slide. But this is especially true when you’re trying to scramble to hit your point in under 20 seconds. With a firm stance on your positioning, it will be easier to structure your story and touch on all key points. If you’re going through each slide like you’re telling a story to your best friend, it will be more seamless and you’ll be a lot less likely to slip up on your words or get stuck mid-slide. 

Let your slides do the talking

When you’re on a time-crunch, your slides have to pull more weight. Let them say what you can’t in 20 seconds. Images are your friend here. Nobody wants to attempt to read (and comprehend) a big block of text in 20 seconds before it’s gone, so lean into visual storytelling. In fact, most PechaKucha presentations don’t include any text at all and simply use images for each slide. Your image should be relevant to the point you are trying to make, and have an obvious connection to your topic. Beautiful.ai’s free image library boasts an impressive collection of hundreds of thousands of quality photos and icons. Regardless of your PechaKucha topic, there is truly something for everyone. 

Keep your takeaways to a minimum

Obviously with such limited time, you have to be intentional about your key takeaways. At its core, PechaKucha forces you to say more with less. Keep your main points to a minimum so you can easily zip through each slide in the allotted 20 seconds. You should be able to make your point easily and quickly, and then be ready to move on to the next one. In order to do so without giving your audience whiplash, make sure you structure your presentation in a way that flows and makes sense. Your story should be easy to follow, even if it’s fast. 

Timing is everything

A PechaKucha presentation is all about timing— obviously, that’s the whole basis of the format. To make sure you’re prepared to run (literally, run, don’t walk) through your presentation in less than 7 minutes, you’ll need to practice. And then practice again. We recommend going through your presentation a minimum of three times to ensure you can stay on track with the 20-second per slide limit. 

Jordan Turner

Jordan is a Bay Area writer, social media manager, and content strategist.

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Millions are using this Japanese-inspired technique to radically improve their presentations—here's how it works

Too many slides, the wrong kinds of slides, rambling and a lack of direction. These are just a few of the most common PowerPoint sins.

But a Japanese-inspired presentation technique has become increasingly popular in the past few years. The PechaKucha (which means "chit-chat" in Japanese) technique was created in 2003 by Tokyo-based architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham .

Since then, it has been used by millions of people all across the world, according to the creators . The message of PechaKucha is simple: The less you say, the more valuable your presentation becomes. And it's not just for business purposes — speakers, elementary schools and universities also use PechaKucha as an educational tool.

The format forces you to speak more concisely and clearly by allowing just 20 slides and just 20 seconds to present each slide. That won't be easy, but the technique forces a new way of thinking that eliminates the excess and leads to shorter, more creative and highly polished presentations.

What's your presentation style?

The best presentations have a clear style. Before you start, determine what your presentation style is.

Are you a Data Scientist (you use facts and analytics)? Are you a Storyteller (you create emotional connections)? Are you a Closer (you cut to the chase and deliver the bottom line)? Or, are you a Director (you only stick to the script)?

It's also important to consider your audience and the nature of what you're presenting. For a deeper understanding of the presentation style that best fits you, take the quiz here .

The 5 rules of PechaKucha

1. You only get 20 slides. That's it.

For each slide, ask yourself, "What will the audience learn from this slide? What questions might they ask? Is this topic relevant to the main objective of the presentation?"

If you can't fill in the blanks for a given topic or slide, don't include it.

2. You only get 20 seconds of commentary for each slide.

You don't have to speak for all 20 seconds. For some slides, you can simply leave it on display and allow the audience time to digest.

If you have trouble cutting down the script, try describing the slide in 30 seconds. Then, turn it into a single sentence, and then down to three words.

Finding your objective can be the hardest part of preparing a presentation. By not putting time and effort into this, you're almost guaranteed to wander off course and lose your audience.

3. Your words should be visual.

As you develop the language you'll use in your presentation, choose words with high imagery value. Forget about corporate gobbledygook, and don't fall for the misguided notion that the more abstractly you speak, the smarter you'll sound.

When your audience actually understands what you're talking about, both you and your presentation will appear absolutely brilliant.

4. No complex diagrams and text-heavy bullet points.

Overdoing it with the text and complex diagrams will cause your presentation to wander off course, and your audience will lose interest. Keep text to a minimum and give every image or graphic a discernible "holy mackerel" point that's easy to digest.

A good rule of thumb is to use words and visuals that complement, not mirror each other. You want your audience to think, I get exactly what this person is talking about.

5. Practice until you get it right.

Finally, it's important to practice getting to your point in 20 seconds while speaking with ease and flow. Practice in front of a makeshift audience and ask them what they learned.

Mark Murphy is a NYT best-selling author and founder of Leadership IQ . He has been ranked as a Top 30 Leadership Guru and his work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, Forbes and Bloomberg. He has also appeared on CNN, NPR and CBS News Sunday Morning. Follow him on Twitter here.

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I’ve used the PK 20X20 format in a university setting with Japanese English as a foreign language (EFL) students. The results have been overwhelmingly positive: improved skills, increased confidence, engaged audiences, and heightened community satisfaction. Here is a student 20×20 presentation.

As an EFL teacher doing a lot of content-based instruction, I’m mostly concerned with teaching language skills. If there’s time and energy remaining, I’ll work on critical thinking skills. I sometimes ask my students to do reflective discussions and/or journaling for feedback. Sometimes I’ll ask students to prepare questions for post-presentation discussions. All these are concerned with language skills primarily. I use 20X20 because it meets so many needs while being an entertaining, engaging experience.

Why it works for me

• The slides are highly visual and low on text. Presenters tend to talk about the ideas illustrated by the visuals instead of reading the screen to the audience.
• The time factor helps the teacher manage things on presentation days. When you know it’s going to be 400 seconds exactly, you can easily plan how many presentations to work into a class period.
• Nobody dies of boredom . If it’s bad, it comes to a merciful end at 6’40”.
• The time factor makes practice do-able. Practice is the single most important issue determining whether a presentation succeeds or fails. A presenter can practice one of these eight or nine times in one hour. Supervised practice can be part of classroom work. And with increased practice, presenters tend to do better in areas of voice inflection, gestures, posture, movement, and eye contact—all vital parts of a successful presentation.
• The time factor also forces presenters to work within strict boundaries to create something compelling. As one of my students put it, it reminded her of haiku . What she meant is: it’s compact, it follows rules, and in doing so, the meaning somehow overflows the boundaries.
• And yet it’s flexible. It’s possible to work it out in teams with say, two or three people working on one 20X20 presentation together. Or doing mini PKs of ten slides.
• Try it out with your students, your colleagues or at your next meeting; attend a PechaKuchaNight ; or, create a 20×20 and present it yourself. It’s fun, easy to use and helpful.

What ideas do you already have about how you could integrate PechaKucha into your Dialogue Education approach?  If you have experience using PechaKucha, what tips can you share with the rest of us? 

For a fuller understanding of PechaKucha and the 20×20 presentation tool, read the article “Helping Students Develop Skills for Better Presentations: Using the 20×20 Format for Presentation Training” by Mark Christianson and Sylvan Payne (Language Research Bulletin, 26, ICU, Tokyo).

Sylvan Payne [email protected] teaches academic English skills in the PACE Program at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.

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12 tips for a 20×20

Last week I presented at the 8 th annual Information Science Doctoral Colloquium (iDocQ) . The presentation was in the form of a PechaKucha , also known as a “20×20”. These presentations can be quite fun and exciting, especially if you are a confident and experienced communicator. However, if you are neither of those things, the idea of presenting 20 slides for 20 seconds each (for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds) might be a bit daunting.

This presentation style seems to be quite popular in the academic world – at least here in the UK. However, there seems to be a lot of confusion over what a 20×20 is (as well as what a 20×20 isn’t ). And that’s where this post comes in.

OK, then. What is a 20×20? In the original form, they should be delivered as 20 images , on 20 slides, that each run for 20 seconds.

However, it seems that the image  part has been overlooked by many in academia. That means that you see a fair amount of 20×20 slides that are filled with text. Lots and lots of text. Of course, that is not always the presenter’s fault. Oftentimes, the person organising the talks doesn’t know what a 20×20 is meant to be (or has decided that they don’t care) so the only instructions presenters have is that they must have 20 slides over the course of a 6-minute, 40-second talk. Some organisers might insist that the slides automatically forward every 20 seconds and others might not realise that little rule.

Ideally, 20×20 slides should be image-based no text. However, this can be a bit challenging for academics who are accustomed to developing text-heavy presentations. (But don’t do that. Really. Less is more!) Slides should not have any animation or transitions. Slides should also be set to advance automatically.

But why? It’s because the slides should be there to add visual stimulation to your intellectually stimulating words. They should not  require your audience to read and should never include information that is vital to your talk. So, skip the detailed graphs and tables. (A 20×20 talk should be able to be presented without slides and still be just as informative.)

Heck, even for those of us who enjoy presentations, the idea of such a restrictive format can be a challenge. And with my habit of ad-libbing and going on wee rambles about a sub-point, it’s even more of a challenge! But I have learned a few tricks to make 20×20 presentations a bit easier to plan, prepare, and present.

Before you start putting slides together, have a think about what you’re going to say.

• Prepare your spoken words before you prepare your slides (talk it out and time it as close to 6:40 as possible). Think very clearly about the theme of your presentation and start to build out your presentation. Your talk might be a single, descriptive storyline (Mary had a little lamb) or it might be a series of interconnected points (research questions, methods, findings, and conclusion). Either way, you are sharing a narrative that must flow together with ease.
• Break your spoken words into 20-second segments (based on ideas or themes) then practise those segments. Think of your talk as sections or chapters and put breaks into the talk as those sections come along. Don’t forget to include pauses in each segment. Those pauses will give you time to breathe whilst your audience has time to process the information you’ve just shared with them.
• Give each point or idea the time it needs! You can use more than 20 seconds for a point, but all points should fit with multiples of 20 seconds. If you need a full minute to make a point, take a full minute! But give some thought to how you’re delivering those 60 seconds so that you can switch up the slide image to reflect the point every 20 seconds. For example, if your point is about social networking sites, you might change the image to reflect a different aspect of social networking sites every 20 seconds, as it relates to the point. (You cannot use the same slide twice; each slide must be different.)
• Make a note of non-vital sentences that can be dropped if you start to fall behind. This will allow you to catch up a bit, even if it takes 2-3 slides to get back in synch. A few seconds’ lag-time is hard to avoid for beginners, but it is better to drop sentences in the middle so that you finish on time. That way, you still have time to deliver your punchy, vital concluding sentences – and maybe even take a theatrical bow!

Now that you’ve got your talk ready, you can begin to illustrate it. Yes, this is the point when you can start working on your visuals.

• Think of your talk as a visual storyboard. What one  image illustrates each 20-second segment? If you’re talking about Facebook, there are lots of obvious options. But if you’re talking about something a bit vaguer, this is your chance to get creative and whimsical. For example, if you’re talking about the history of modern beer production, you might use a photo of hops growing on a trestle.
• Find image inspiration on Google or Flickr. If you don’t know how to illustrate a point, enter some of your keywords into a Google image search to see what comes up. This can help you to see how others visualise your concepts, which might also help you to think more creatively about how you present your work in the future.
• Mind your copyrights! It is easy to just swipe images from the Internet, but be mindful of copyright infringement. Wherever possible, use images that have a Creative Commons copyright (or get really creative and take photos of your own!). Also, pop a wee copyright attribution on the slide. If done correctly, these do not need to detract from the presentation. (You can see examples of how I’ve done copyright attributions on my SlideShare presentations .)
• Practise, practise, and practise some more! Ideally, you can do this in front of an audience that will provide you with practical, constructive feedback to help you improve your delivery. But if that is not possible, consider recording yourself so that you can see how well you do. Or, ideally, do both! It can be awkward watching yourself present, but it can also be a great tool for improving your presentation skills.

Right. Presentation day is here now, and you should be ready to go. Here are four more tips to get you through the day.

• Dress for success on presentation day! For me, that means I wear smart, professional clothes and shoes that I am comfortable in. (And never new stuff. I like to test-run my important clothes!) I realise that some research students present in their everyday clothes (which might be tattered jeans and a t-shirt) and that is considered acceptable in modern society. However, I personally feel that presenting your research is also an opportunity to present yourself to potential future colleagues or employers. So, put on your Sunday best (or similar) and strut your stuff! (Yes, I realise that sounds a bit snobby. Sorry.)
• Remember to pause and remember that you have specifically built in drop-sentences that you can ditch if you start to get backed up on your 20-second intervals. If you find that you’ve talked faster than your slide changes, just take a big breath and let the slides catch up to you. And if you’ve talked really fast and need more than one big breath, shrug it off and make a joke (practise those ahead of time, too).
• Step away from the podium. Unless you need to be near the microphone, step away from the podium and stand where your audience can see you. (But don’t block your slides!) You have practised this talk. You know your subject. And your slides are all images that will automatically advance every 20 seconds. So there is no need for you to stand by the computer. Be brave; come out and engage with the audience!
• Have fun! Presentations can be quite stressful, especially if you don’t have much experience. However, 20×20 presentations are an opportunity to have fun whilst challenging yourself in a laid-back atmosphere. It’s quick and punchy, and it can be a chance to show that you can have a sense of humour when things go wrong.

During my time as a PhD student, I have relaxed my rigid ways so that I can be more in line with how others present 20x20s. That means that I will sometimes use a bit of text (only a bit!). I have also started to use simple diagrams and paired photos on some slides. However, I have decided that I am going to return to the basics with my next 20×20.

Of course, I will also need to revisit my tips above because, as you can see, I didn’t do any planning or practising for my last go. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great. So, if you want to know what a 20×20 looks like when you haven’t prepared, here you go!

Photo credit: Alicja Pawluczuk and iDocQ Video production and editing credit: Dr Bruce Ryan (no relation)

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• Presenting techniques

Presenting is a craft that requires a thoughtful approach. There’s a lot of stuff to include in the good presentation. From quality visuals to a compelling speech, everything matters. Doing a presentation on your own may be quite a challenge especially if it’s your first time experience with the presentations. What can really help though, are the effective presentation techniques. In essence, they are the blueprint for your presentation, that helps you to hit all the right spots. Let’s look into some of those techniques.

Presentation Methods

Before you start thinking of a technique, let’s first understand the presentation methods and how they relate to the audience and the content of your presentation. Among the different presentation methods, the main ones are formal and formal. Their difference is mainly in the style of your delivery and the data presentation methods. The formal presentation is best suited for the business meetings or college level, scientific presentations. The informal methods of presentation can best be used during the smaller meetings with your team to discuss business subjects or, for example, at a Ted-like speech event.

Method 1: Keeping Everything Simple

This is a rather basic technique. Just strip your presentation of all the unnecessary information, leaving only the core statements that you want to address. Simplicity not only helps your audience to understand your points better but even more, this data presentation method lowers the risk of making a mistake, forgetting — and saves you and your audience quite a lot of time! There are different definitions of simplicity — sometimes just a few words are enough, while in other cases several bullet points on the slide may be sufficient. Choose what suits your topic best.

Method 2: Good Start 

This method of presentation is all about attention-grabbing. Starting your presentation with a powerful statement, unusual fact or an interesting question will make the audience engage in your presentation instantly. Another great way to start is a joke, though humor can be quite a landmine, especially when you’re presenting in front of strangers, and you are not sure whether your joke would be fun or actually offensive.  So, try to think of something neutral, yet funny.

Method 3: Use  Visuals in your Presentation

Visuals are a must for any presentation and are able not only to support your speech but also to tell and contribute to the stuff you’re telling about. The pictures, graphs, infographics, and even short videos especially when done by presentation design services are what truly make the presentation, and help you to connect with your audience. A carefully selected visual connects both with your speech and the slide content, making your presentation methods work in complete harmony. What is more, visuals can serve as a great way to help you recall your speech in case you suddenly forgot some of it during the presentation.

Method 4:   Rehearse

Don’t rush to tell your presentation just once you’ve made it. Instead, try to first rehearse your presentation in front of a mirror. This presentation technique allows you to spot the mistakes and downfalls in your speech and visual part and improve powerpoint presentation . What is more, it can also make you more confident, as with each time you rehearse you’ll memorize your stuff better and better. Bonus points for starting rehearsing from the random spots in your presentation — using this presentation technique will allow you to become completely familiar with your information.

Method 5:   10/20/30 Presentation Rule

While it may not be applied to all of the presentations, the ones that you are usually dealing with can really benefit from it. 10 20 30 rule is about the time and size of your presentation: 

• Your presentation should have no more than 10 slides
• The time needed for the presentation should be no more than 20 minutes
• The font you are using for presentation text (if there is any on slides) is no less than 30 point

Method 6:  Storytelling

Telling a story is a powerful presentation technique for keeping the audience interested. In general, people get bored from being fed just straight-up facts and numbers for a long time. However, an interesting story, connected to the subject of your presentation gives that personal touch to it, engaging the audience into what you are talking about. What is more, a good story in the context of the presentation will actually resonate with the audience, causing more approval to you as an expert.

• Tell a personal  story .
• Create suspense.
• Bring characters to life.
• Build up to S.T.A.R moment.

Method 7:   Presentate with your Voice

Speech is the most common method of presentation . When you are presenting, it’s important not only WHAT you say, but also HOW do you say it. Creating a proper voice for presentations is actually one of the things you need rehearsal for. Your goal is to sound confident and interested in the subject you are telling about. What is more, it is important to not make unnecessary pauses and avoid the “ummm”, “oh” and other similar stuff that slows down your presentation and may put off the audience.

Method 8:   Know your Audience

Make sure that the data presentation methods you are using make your data  relevant to your audience. The research of your audience is needed to craft a relatable story, as well as to understand what approach in presenting you may want to take. After you’ve done the research, you can just tell the audience what it wants and expects to hear. Such an approach would result in the satisfied and interested audience enjoying your presentation. And in this case your presentation would surely and up being a huge success!

Method 9:   Back up plan

Even though you may plan everything in advance, something can always go wrong. The strange ability of the hardware to malfunction right in the middle of your presentation is probably one of the most known presentation-related memes. So, plan at least some of the bad scenarios. For example, have a printed set of slides with you during your presentation. Check everything right before you’ll start presenting. A good idea also is to have your script written out so that in case you have completely forgotten some of its parts, you can easily and quickly look into it and goon with the presentation.

Method 10:   Relax

This one is not only a presentation technique , but a great life technique as well. Actually, the most common reason for the mistakes during presentations are the nerves and fear a lot of people feel while presenting. It’s absolutely normal to be a little worried about the presentation, but you have to instill confidence in your knowledge and expertise with the subject among the audience, and it’s hard to do if you feel fear. Try to reason with yourself — you have rehearsed, prepared great visuals, learned about the audience and even have a plan B in case the situation gets worse. There’s nothing to worry about — you have all the right presentation techniques !

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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