The American storyteller Ira Glass has said that good storytelling includes, among other things, having the courage to cut the crap. As Ira said in his YouTube video two years ago, "Not enough gets said about the importance of abandoning crap." (See this post on Ira Glass and the art of Storytelling which includes his video. Sample slide below.)
Above: Japan has some of the best design of all kinds in the world, and Japan also has a lot of crap (the ubiquitous pachinko parlor comes to mind). Yesterday I snapped this photo of a worker cleaning up after a street fair. The crap on his T-shirt looks pretty good in Helvetica (you gotta love Helvetica — it makes even crap look good).
C-R-A-P: Four simple graphic design concepts In the Non-Designer's Design Book, author Robin Williams introduces four fundamental graphic design principles which every professional should understand. The four are Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity (or CRAP). My buddy Dan Pink reviews these four fundamental principles in the design section of his New York Times best-seller A Whole New Mind, and in Chapter 6 of Presentation Zen (the biggest chapter by far) I also give a quick review of these principles. Rather than outline them here, I have instead included the last 12 pages of Chapter 6 from my book which contains the four concepts and example slides. Click on the image below to download the pages in PDF in spread form (about 500k).
And now for a non-sequitur
In completely unrelated news, my buddy Shawn turned me on to Posterous this week which is a great way to upload photos (videos, etc.) from your phone. I have a Posterous blog which I am using only for uploading photos on the fly from my iPhone. The cool thing about Posterous is that it remembers my iPhone address (so it's very simple and quick) and it automatically puts the photo (or whatever) in my Posterous blog along with any text I write in my email and (this is the cool part) it sends the post with a short url back to my Posterous blog to my Twitter page. So anytime I put a photo up, the link and description appears as a tweet on my Twitter page. Posterous can do more than that, but I'm just keeping it simple. Here's my Posterous page and my Twitter page. You can see that my tweets this weekend have all been from my iPhone when I am out and about. Feel free to subscribe -- who knows, maybe I'll even tweet (upload) something interesting one day.
Michael in Los Angels, a finance expert who arranges structured finance transactions for real estate developers, sent me the link to this Slideshare below that was created seven months ago. "It's very simplistic but it does a good job of giving a pretty good flavor for what went down," wrote Michael in a recent email. "Everyone knew this was going to eventually fold, although I don’t believe anyone really knew that the credit markets would get to this point." Michael even used one of the slides in a recent presentation and he said the entire auditorium got it. "It was amazing how powerful just showing one slide was." A few finance professionals have sent me the Slideshare link this week; it's a good followup to the whiteboard presentation in the previous post. Visually this Slideshare is simplified to the point of being quite crude, and yet as a sort of tongue-in-cheek overview of at least part of the financial crisis this works. The downside of this Slideshare is that you'll have to view it at "Full Screen" to read the text. Warning: some of the language may be too crude for some (you've been warned), but given what took place in the market this week, I heard much worse in the Tokyo pubs.)
Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) are investment instruments that are partially to blame for the mortgage crisis. What, you say you don't know what CDOs are or why they matter? Don't worry, almost no one does (maybe that's part of the problem). But not to worry, Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch goes analog to simplify and visualize the problem at the whiteboard in a 6-minute presentation he calls Financial Crisis 101: CDOs explained. I should have paid more attention in my finance class a million years ago; I had to watch this presentation twice, but you'll surely get it the first time. Nothing simplifies and illuminates like a good teacher at the whiteboard (and you don't even have to be an artist). I love whiteboards.Checkout the presentation below. For more information and more simplification of what CDOs are, listen to the Marketplace Radio broadcast and see the transcripts here. Enjoy.
Here's the money quote at the end after a good (albeit very simple) explanation at the whiteboard: "The fact is, we're in a mess of our own making." Indeed.
This week I received Bert Decker's revised edition of his best-selling You've got to be believed to be heard. I haven't finished the book yet but I have seen enough to recommend it (take a look inside the book here). In chapter one, Bert (who's one of the most gracious and charismatic guys you'll ever meet) talks about the idea of Old Communicators vs. New Communicators. "Old Communicators fail," says Bert. "New Communicators succeed." Here's what he means:
"An Old Communicator uses the spoken word to dispense information. A New Communicator uses not only the spoken word, but personal energy, enthusiasm, eye communication, gestures, and more to make an emotional connection with the listener." — Bert Decker
Richard Trumka on racism and Obama Yesterday, while doing research on unions in the US (for my Japanese labor management class), I stumbled upon a great example of a speaker who is not fancy or slick, but uses personal energy in a big way to make an emotional connection with his audience. This clip from a speech by Richard Trumka (AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer), delivered July 1, 2008, rose from obscurity in a single day while being Dugg over 4000 times yesterday. Trumka has a gritty style at the podium and he certainly exudes enthusiasm and passion while talking on a subject that is sensitive (to say the least). You may not like what he says, but it's a good example of a guy connecting with an audience (sans slides) by using examples and stories... and emotion.
In this clip above the intensity level starts off low and gradually builds to a loud climax (with the crowd on its feet), but that's not the end. Just like a good film (or any story for the matter), there is a time for resolution after the climax. In this short clip, Trumka sets tone and the context (exposition) at the beginning and then builds on that with examples (conflict), ending big with the climax and a resolution which in his case also has a high intensity level. I know this kind of speech is not for everyone, but some of you will be glad you watched it.
Update: The clip above has been getting a lot of attention since it hit Digg a few days ago. It's good for the reasons I mentioned above, but as many people are saying, it's also remarkable because the speaker dared (i.e., had the courage) to openly talk about the proverbial elephant in the room. If you liked the clip above in terms of content (and not just delivery, etc.), then you may enjoy this clip too from a different part of the same speech that I found on YouTube. This speech was delivered a few months ago, yet given what's been going on in Washington concerning the troubled US economy the last two weeks, I found this statement by the impassioned Richard Trumka to be slide-worthy. You can hear this quote in the slide below early in the clip.
Although I live in Japan, the ubiquity of media including the internet(s) and 200-channel cable TV etc. means that I'm able to be fully immersed in Japanese culture but still stay in tune to what's happening back in North America and around the world. Yet, some things still get past me. Flight of the Conchords is one of those things. I never heard of them until my friend Deryn, an expatriate from Christchurch, said he thought I'd like this talented duo from Wellington (New Zealand) since I often talk about how ordinary professionals can learn much about presentation from great comedians, musicians, and other stage performers. He was right — I get a huge kick out of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, the young pair who make up Flight of the Conchords. I'm not sure how to describe what they do: Their act is sort of like a Kiwi mix of Seinfeld meets the Smothers Brothers if they were folk/hip-hop musicians... Actually, they defy description, but they are simply brilliant without fancifulness, pretense or gimmickery. In their own words, Flight of the Conchords bill themselves as "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo a-capella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo." They have had great success over the past few years especially; their TV show in the States has been picked up for a 2nd year on HBO. But it is their simple, live, analog performances that I find so compelling and fresh. These two guys have stumbled on to something special; it's raw and real and quite odd (but odd in a good way—we need more "odd" and more "weird").They are a delight.
Going analog and the art of storytelling Humor is an odd duck, so you may not find them funny or remakable at all, but millions of people around the world do, including me. In the clips below what stands out is their naturalness, their self-deprecating nature, their body language, and their ability to simply and without complication make a connection with their audience as they paint pictures with their lyrics and subtle humor and use their guitars and wit to make visceral connections.
A story about a simple conversation People are attracted to story. Watch Jemaine and Bret below keep an audience engaged and following their words even when it's a story "about nothing" at all really.
Biz time Business Time below was made into a slicker music video, but this simple analog version is better. The facial expressions are priceless and go along way toward amplifying the message. It's also a good example of why sometimes visuals are not needed — going completely naked sans slides forces you to use just your words, your nonverbal language, and in this case the music. In a sense, then, *they* are the visuals. To me at least, this duo live is one of the best things I've seen on stage in a long time. It's no wonder they are having such success; it's well deserved.
Talkin' about the issues OK, this one below is a bit weird and perhaps not "politically correct" for some folks, but if you liked the first two clips (and were not offended) you may find this song enjoyable as well. The absurdity of the lyrics are an evocative juxtaposition to the light, upbeat pop riff underlying their words. I just love the simplicity and subtlety of their off-beat and slightly awkward humor and I envy their ability to connect with a live audience.
Flight of the Conchords - A Texan Odyssey Part 1 If you are now a fan of Flight of the Conchords then you may be interested in this 10-minute clip from a New Zealand TV show that chronicled the duo's trip to the SXSW Music Festival in Austin a couple of years ago.
You can sample songs off their new album on Amazon here,
but personally it is their slightly awkward stage presence and
chemistry that I find most appealing. The DVD of the first year of
their HBO TV series is out now out as well (I've heard nothing but goods things about this show — can't wait to get my DVD).
Paul Newman, one of the greatest American actors of all time, died yesterday at the age of 83. Newman was not only an absolute legend as an actor, but a great humanitarian and philanthropist as well (his Newman's Own food label, for example, donated all profits and royalties to charity, about $250 million so far). Newman always seemed like a truly nice guy who was unspoiled by his Hollywood-superstar status. I can't help but feel a sense of loss; certainly America has lost an icon today, but an icon and a symbol that shall long be remembered. I've seen most of Newman's films, but to me there are two that stick out: The Verdict (1982) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). Here are a couple of clips below.
This is the case: a lesson in focus In The Verdict Newman plays a struggling, down-on-his-luck lawyer who, facing impossible odds, repeats to himself the mantra "This is the case, there is no other case" as a way of getting himself to focus on the urgency of now — not his past successes and not his recent and numerous failures — as he fights to persevere and prepare his case. Even 25 years ago when I first saw the film this line stuck with me. Even if you are not a trial lawyer, there is an important lesson here for professionals of all kinds, and it is simply this: There is no future, there is no past — there is only this moment, there is only this case (or project or mission, etc.). The scene below is not about this mantra, but it's a great bit of acting and a reminder that pacing and the silent pause (eye contact, etc.) are a powerful part of your message no matter what kind of presentation or speech you are making. Sometimes silence is far more powerful than verbosity. (Note: turn up the volume on your computer to hear this scene.)
A dynamic duo Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a film I first saw as a nine-year-old (with my mother). This clip below features one of the most memorable scenes with a nice piece of subtle humor. Newman and Redford had great chemistry in this film (in 2002 I got to say hello to Robert Redford as we shared the elevator in building one of 1 Infinite Loop up to the 4th floor; Redford was on his way to meet with Steve Jobs).
This week the good people at TED put up a good presentation on things to keep in mind when pitching your ideas to a VC (what's that?) for funding. The presenter is David S. Rose, a business-savvy, fast-talking New Yorker who has been called a "world conquering entrepreneur" by NewsWeek Magazine and has been dubbed The Pitch Coach for his many years of helping entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to to potential investors. (Here's a longer post I wrote back in February on David S. Rose). Checkout the TED University talk below. Some of the material may seem obvious to you, but coming from a business leader who has successfully pitched for millions of dollars and helped others pitch for millions more, David is a very credible source. In this TED University talk, David is talking specifically about "the pitch" to a VC, which is different from a 45-minute talk at a technical conference, but there is much in there that can be applied to other types of presentations as well. More than anything else, David is stressing that the presentation to investors is all about you. The top ten characteristics you're conveying, says David, are personal. You are asking people to invest in you, not just the idea.
A David S. Rose remix The slides below are a remix of tips and advice from David S. Rose's presentations on how to pitch to a VC for money. These slides are not designed to be a stand-alone presentation. The design of the slides is experimental and are not the actual slides used by David S. Rose in his presentations to entrepreneurs (though content is essentially the same). Do not adjust your computer — the display type (Carbontype) is suppose to look that way (whether that is good or bad — effective or lame — is another issue all together). I used this deck to review key points with a business class after we watched the TED video. In that context, the visuals worked well (there was also a handout...of course). See the slides below or on Slideshare.
Explaining what your company is all about in under three minutes Among many other things (when does this guy sleep?), David is the founder and CEO of Angelsoft. This short slide-like presentation below does a very good job of answering the question: What the heck is Angelsoft and why should I care? The video appears at the top of the Angelsoft website.
Below is a nice little Ignite presentation by Matthew Harding, the "Matt" behind the Where the Hell is Matt video presentations that have been an internet phenomenon. This Ignite-style presentation took place last month in Seattle at Gnomedex 08. The Ignite method limits presentations to five minutes: 20 slides, 15 seconds for each slide which are advanced automatically (yeah, a method kind of like Pecha Kucha, except easier to pronounce). Matt does a good job for his first time, and I love the final seconds of the clip (after the abrupt ending). What is it about that song and groups of people dancing. I am so there for next year's Gnomedex — looks like a blast (hope someone invites me...). How the Hell Did Matt Get People to Dance With Him?
In case you have not seen Matt's "Where the Hell is Matt" simple and evocative videos, you can check them out below. And even if you have seen them before, they're worth a look again.
Where the Hell is Matt (2008) Below is the third version of the WTHIM video presentation. The difference — and what makes it another notch better — is that he does not dance alone. (Even better in HD.)
Where the Hell is Matt (2006) Below is the second WTHIM video. This time he got sponsorship. This went up in 2006.
Where the Hell is Matt (2005) Below is the original which was made in 2003-2004 and posted, without any expectation of fame, in 2005.
Download these videos free on the Stride Gum website. The HD video looks fantastic! Download it to your hard disk and put on some headphones. No matter what kind of day you are having, this 4:28 video presentation will make you smile. Very well done.
British reporter Riz Khan put together a nice 20 minute interview last week with Sir Ken Robinson, our favorite creativity and education expert (and famous TED presenter). Even if you've seen Sir Ken's 2006 TED presentation, you'll find this interview an entertaining and thought-provoking refresher. Rizwan Khan is a veteran of the BBC and CNN; he currently hosts the Riz Khan Show on Al Jazeera English.
Part 1 In part one Riz shows a clip from Dr. Robinson's 2006 TED talk. Sir Ken starts out his conversation with the host by suggesting that our education systems (around the world) are outdated and mainly designed to meet the needs of industrialization. Sir Ken makes many good points — some you may not agree with — but he certainly is not saying that math and science should be taught or studied less, rather that music and the arts and creativity in general should be pursued more.
Part 2 In part two Sir Ken tells a couple of interesting stories and makes the point that talent is often buried quite deep within a student and it does not surface until the conditions are right. His new book The Element deals with exploring the conditions that help students find their own "element."
I hope you can take 20 minutes today and watch this interview above. If nothing else, it'll make you think about your own education or the education of your children, etc. When I look back at my own K-12 education, it's really all a blur. How about you? If I could do it all over again, I would study the arts far more deeply and from an earlier age. But I also would take far more science and math classes too. I do not know what an ideal education is, but I think Sir Ken is right when he says we need to transform formal education not just reform it.
I really admire the K-12 teachers of the world, they have the toughest and most important jobs in the world. I never had the talent or courage to be a teacher, but I appreciate the work they do and the challenges they face. Does anyone even have a clue what formal education will look like in the future?
When you are trying to spread an idea virus across the world, it's difficult to do if your ideas are confined to a single language. Obviously, most people in the world do not speak English. Unfortunately, my native language of English is the only one in which I feel comfortable enough to write a book (or blog). But all hail the translators of the world! At this writing I'm happy to report that the original English version of the Presentation Zen book will be translated into at least thirteen other languages. Many are already on the shelves or will be later in the year or early in 2009. Here's the list so far: Czech, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Below are covers from four of the translations (Korean, Italian, Chinese, and German).
Reaching a wider audience Culture,
context, and perspectives matter, so sometimes I wonder how well the
simple ideas in the book can be translated into another language. I
wonder if some ideas will be taken too seriously and others not
seriously enough. Translation is not an easy task, in fact it's very
hard, but the translators and designers have done a fantastic job with
the original book. Last week the book was published in French (cover shown right). I am very happy that the book will have a much wider audience now in places like France, Belgium, Quebec, etc. You can download the foreword and chapter one on the Pearson France website. Here's a link to the French version on amazon.fr. (and a comment to readers in France here). The approach Every week I get several emails from PZ readers from around the world who share their success stories about making presentations in the "Presentation Zen style." Today I heard from a graduate student in Beijing, a student in Holland, and from author Roger C. Parker who talked about the experience on his blog. Some people send me pictures of themselves with the PZ book from around the world. I love these photos. I have not updated the flickr page in a while, but if you have a photo of yourself with the book please send it in an email or send the link and I'll put it up on this page. Love to hear from you.
