Presentation Zen

Jamie Oliver calls for all-out assault on our ignorance of food

This brand new talk by Jamie Oliver ("The Naked Chef") at TED 2010 is one I highly recommend you watch. This topic is very dear to my own heart as chronic poor eating habits were a strong contributing factor in my father's premature death when I was a child. You may have noticed that a few slides I have used in my books and seminars feature OECD data on obesity rates across the globe. In developed countries, the increasing rates in obesity has been dramatic. Japan has a relatively low obesity rate compared to the USA, but it is unfortunately growing as younger generations have developed a taste for fast foods and refined, packaged meals. I agree with Oliver: we need an all-out assault on our ignorance of food. Watch the 20-minute talk below or on the TED site.



Delivery
I liked this talk because the message is vitally important. I tend to give people a break for little imperfections in delivery style so long as their points are clear and their passion evident and sincere. Ideally, I would liked to have seen more visual displays of data to back up a few of the claims he made, and it would have been better if he did not pace as much or turn his back on the audience as much to look at the visual behind him. These are things you and I need to be concerned with in our talks, but given his celebrity and the venue, I think his talk was overall quite effective. I was fired up and inspired after this talk, but with me he's speaking to the choir. Still, there's nothing wrong with preaching to the choir from time to time. You can't change the world by yourself; you need the choir to go out there and fight the battles too.


Oliver shows the amount of sugar one child will have just from school milk in five years of elementary school — a wheelbarrow full of sugar cubes.

One thing I liked is that Oliver made a strong point with the aid of a simple bar chart at the beginning. We spend our lives being paranoid about things like murder, says, Oliver "...it's on the front page of every paper, CNN — [yet] look at "homicide" — at the bottom, for God's sake!" This was a strong point that surely made some people pause. We worry about the well-being of our kids — Are the streets safe? Are there enough police on the streets? and so on — all the while our youth are munching on Turkey Twizzlers and downing cans of sugary beverages.

Some may say that Oliver's delivery was a bit over the top or a little disjointed, but I think this was a great, raw, naked presentation. He got people's attention, he stated the problem, and he offered some solutions all while engaging his audience.

The wish
“I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.” — Jamie Oliver

Related
• 6-min TED talk by Dean Ornish on the world's killer diet
• Presenting a case for healthy food (PZ post)

Presentation Zen Design (the book)

The Presentation Zen Design book has been available from online retailers for about 5-6 weeks now, and the book is just now starting to show up on the shelves of book stores. A big note of gratitude and appreciation to those of you who purchased the book, especially those of you who took the time to write a review or write me a personal note. Thank you. It's been lovely to hear from so many people around the world. I realize money is tight these days, so the fact that you would spend cash on a book that I wrote and designed is quite humbling indeed. 本当にありがとうございます! The PZD book has a few more pages than the PZ book and focuses on basic graphic design principles and techniques that students and professionals can incorporate into their own work. The context is the design of slides, but the lessons can be applied to other forms of visual communication such as web design, etc. You can see the table of contents here on the Safari site, and a free chapter is available here on the publisher's website (under "sample content").


This is a pic of the covers as prepared in InDesign before going to print. Another endorsement from a remarkable cool cat will appear on the cover (above the title) in the 2nd printing of the book.

A lot of great people made wonderful contributions to the book including Stephen Few, Maureen Stone, John McWade, Scott Kelby, Nancy Duarte, and many others including the amazing pros at Peach Pit Press in Berkeley, California back in the USA. Below is a video message from my friend Nancy Duarte (who is busy at TED this week) singing the praises for the new PZD book (literally). This video appeared about a month ago on the Slideology blog.



PZD around the world
The Presentation Zen Design book has already been picked up for translation in eight languages other than English. The work on German, Korean, and Japanese versions is well underway. I'll let you know about other versions as details emerge.

You may ask why write books, especially traditional paper books? It's a good question. But this note I received from on Facebook from Julia Myslina in Russia speaks to why paper books still matter:

Dear Garr,
I've recently read Presentation Zen and would like to thank you for such a beautiful, inspiring and deep book. I used to read presentation zen blog from time to time, but the books in paper format always bring totally different experience, much more powerful. I'm very happy to know more and more like-minded people who bring beauty and meaning to this world. People like you. With big respect from snowy Russia. - Julia

The Naked Presenter
I've just begun work on another book for Peach Pit Press which focuses on delivery called The Naked Presenter. The key concept in delivery is naturalness and transparency. One of the key questions I will wrestle with is how we can best present with visuals and various forms of multimedia and yet do so in a visceral, human, and natural way that engages people both emotionally and intellectually. (Here's a post on the naked idea from five years ago.)

Arigatou!
Right, that's enough talking about my books. Now I can get back to doing what I love to do most, which is researching and sharing information with you for free on presentationzen.com. My life is going to change drastically in 3-4 weeks from now (in a good way I hope), but I vow to once again share as much information as I can on a regular basis. Thanks again for all of your help and support and doing your part to change the world in your own way. Your work is greatly appreciated.

Note: I am not attending TED in Long Beach this week so that I can be closer to home here in Japan, for reasons I think Nancy alludes to in her post on the book. Looking forward to an incredible TEDxTokyo in May, however.

Presentation: 9 ways to live better, longer, happier

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope 2010 is a healthy and meaningful one for you all. The new year is a time of new beginnings and promises to ourselves to be better in our personal and professional lives (It's also a time to visit the local shrine here in Japan). So the first presentation I point to this year is one that has a message that is important no matter who you are or what kind of work you're engaged in. In this TEDx talk below, National Geographic writer and explorer Dan Buettner shares what the world's longest-lived peoples have in common. Buettner condensed the findings into nine easy-to-remember lifestyle habits. The presentation is good in terms of content and delivery; Buettner is an engaging figure. Visually, the presentation would be even better if he ditched that typical PowerPoint template in favor of slides with a dark background that fit the feel of his other visuals. However, except for that I really like the way he effortlessly mixes in high quality images and video to augment his narrative. You are starting to see more and more people now mix in full-screen video clips (with the audio removed) with other images while they tell their stories or share their evidence.

Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+

  
I'm not crazy about the typical PowerPoint template used in a few of the slides, but most of the time the screen was filled with full-screen images (Left) or video clips (Right) that were a good complement to the talk.

In Sum
What are the common denominators running through the different cultures they studied? If you do not have time to watch the video, I summarized them below in my own words. You can go to the Blue Zones website to get all the details.

Move Naturally
(1) You don't need a formal, rigorous exercise plan. We're talking here a change in lifestyle that is fundamentally active. We're designed to move. We've not meant to drive 100 meters in a car to pick up chips at the local store. Walk, do yard work, whatever. Do exercises/activities that you enjoy.

Have Right Outlook
(2) Slow down. When you're constantly in a hurry and stressed out, this has a negative impact on your health. Limiting negative stress is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.
(3) Have a clear purpose. The Japanese call it "ikigai" 生き甲斐 (lit: life + value, be worth while). You must have a passion, a calling, a purpose. There's got to be a reason to get out of bed every day.

Eat Wisely
(4) Drink a little (wine) everyday.
(5) Eat mainly plant-based foods. Small amounts of meat and fish are OK.
(6) Hara Hachi Bu: Eat until 80% full. Do not eat eat until you're stuffed. (I've talked about this many time before in the context of presentation.)

Be Connected with others
(7) Put family, loved ones first.
(8) Belong to a community. Many in his study belonged to faith-based communities.
(9) Belong to the right tribe. That is, hang out with people with healthy habits, physical and emotional ones.

How to live a long, healthy life in one slide
Even nine recommendations can be hard to remember, so I simplified the advice down to five in this Keynote slide that capture the essence of the tips from Dan Buettner's good TEDx talk.


(Click on image of slide for a larger size.)

10 non-PowerPoint books that can help you create better presentations

To learn how to design and deliver better presentations, we need to pull from many educational sources. Books are good, but which ones? I don't usually suggest PowerPoint or Keynote "how-to" books, but instead recommend reading books from various design and communication fields to stretch your knowledge and perspective. Slide:ology by Nancy Duarte is great, of course, and there are many others that I've suggested over the years. Below are ten additional books I can highly recommend; three of them I have recommended before.

PRESENTATIONS & SPEAKING

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo.
Since I began this website in 2005, I've talked about the presentation style of Steve Jobs ad nauseam (for example: here, here, here, here, here, and many more). Carmine Gallo does a great job of summarizing all the many good things that Jobs does in his famous Apple keynotes, and he provides concrete takeaways. The point is not to present like Steve Jobs — each case after all is very different — but there are many lessons to be learned by careful observation of the Steve Jobs keynote. A very nice read that just may change the way you present. (Amazon link.)

Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun.
I met Scott Berkun in Sweden this year and spent some time with him in Denmark discussing public speaking and what it takes to be an effective presenter. Scott, a former Microsoft manager, is a great guy and he's a very experienced presenter. If you do a lot of public speaking, you'll get a kick out of Scott's stories. And if you are thinking about starting a speaking career, Scott provides a lot of interesting tips and lessons. Teachers — who speak in front of people every day — may also find the book useful. (Amazon link.)


PHOTOGRAPHY

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set (Volumes 1, 2, and 3) by Scott Kelby.
I have almost all of Scott Kelby's photography books. He writes in a very informal, engaging style and there's a reason he's the #1 computer book author for five straight years: his books help people learn. I love Scott's work so much, I asked him to contribute tips for the Presentation Zen Design book (he offers 10 tips for taking better photos). These Digital Photography books are colorful, instructive, and aimed at the novice photographer who wants to get a lot better. I found them very useful (especially for the price). You can buy the books individually or as a set. (Amazon link.)

VISUALIZATION OF DATA

Now You See It: Simple Visualization Techniques for Quantitative Analysis by Stephen Few.
I have all of Stephen Few's books — he's the Zen Master of presenting data as far as I am concerned. I saw Stephen present in Seattle this summer at the Tableau Conference and we had a chance to spend some time together before the event. He's a fantastic presenter on stage and he's a very down-to-earth guy who knows how to visualize data and how to help others get better at displaying quantitative information more clearly. This is a big hardcover book with some really good lessons. (Amazon link.)

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Visual Language for Designers: Principles for Creating Graphics that People Understand by Connie Malamed.
This is a really large book that begins with a section on how we process visual information and then goes on to introduce principles and techniques that help you understand how to organize for perception, how to direct the eye, clarify complexity, and simplify visuals. This hardcover book has many excellent examples. Beginners will benefit tremendously from the book, but I think many designers will also find the book a good addition to their library. Connie Malamed's website.  (Amazon link.)

Before & After: How to Design Cool Stuff by John McWade.
John McWade — known to many as "the world’s first desktop publisher" — is the founder and creative director of Before & After and the author of numerous books on graphic design (this is his latest). John was kind enough to contribute his tips for making better slides for the PZD book. I've been a big fan of John's for a long time and this latest book is his best one yet. Loads of simple, practical, visual lessons. Check out the Before & After website. (Amazon link.)

Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual by Timothy Samara.
This is a really good book that I have mentioned before which both beginners and experienced designers may enjoy. The book does an excellent job at covering the fundamentals but also goes into some depth with many good examples. I like how Samara starts out the book by discussing just what graphic design is and what designers do. I especially like his "20 Basic Rules of Good Design." (Amazon link.)

A  Field Guide to Digital Color by Maureen Stone.
There are many books on color, but this one focuses on digital color and provides a great deal of depth. This is not really a book for novices, but it's an excellent book for designers of all types. I met Maureen Stone in Seattle this summer and saw one of her presentations. She's an excellent presenter and teacher. Maureen spent twenty years working at Xerox PARC on color printing, digital color, interactive computer graphics, illustration and design systems. She knows her stuff. (She was also kind enough to contribute a nice callout section for the color chapter in the PZD book.) This is an excellent book. (Amazon link.)

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (2nd Edition) by Steve Krug.
You might think a book on web usability design has little to do with presentations, but the lessons in this simple book have applications beyond the web. If you have even just a small interest in how to design websites that minimizes cognitive strain and make information clearer, you may find this book helpful. This classic is only about 200 pages and is a quick read with many good lessons that will make you a better judge of what works and what doesn't in a website. Steve Krug's website. (Amazon link.)

CREATIVITY

If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit by Breda Ueland.
I have mentioned this book before, but it's a must-read. This is not only a book about writing. In fact, it's much more a book about the imagination, spirit, and creativity. We need more art and creativity in our personal and professional lives; this book gets you thinking. A lot of people, including myself, have found this simple book to be quite inspirational. It was first published in 1938 and it's still a very relevant book today. (Amazon link.)

Presentation at Apple Store Ginza (Tokyo) Dec 15, 7:00 pm

On Tuesday (December 15), I will be presenting (in English) in the theatre at the Apple Store Ginza beginning at 7:00 pm. I'll be sharing some simple visual principles and design lessons from the world around us that can be applied to presentation design and beyond. I'll talk a bit about the contents of the new book — presentation zen design — which went to press last week and we'll have some copies of the first book in English and Japanese to give away (PZD will not be available until about Dec 27). If you are in Tokyo this Tuesday, it would be great to meet you at the Apple Store. If you can't be there, I hope you will pass on this announcement to your friends in Tokyo. 本当にありがとう！

Update
About 130 people showed up in Ginza for the presentation. There are only 84 seats in the theatre so many sat on the floor or stood in the back. Great audience. We gave away a lot of books and loads of iStockphoto image credits. Presentation was done in about an hour and we took another hour meeting people and signing books, etc. Alex Fung from Hong Kong took some snaps here. Hiroaki Yamane took this photo of me taking a photo of him in Ginza. A big ありがとう！ to everyone who attended. Fantastic group!