How to create a stunning presentation in 20 easy steps
PechaKucha, from Japan to the world
Everyone might agree that presenting in public is not an easy task. Besides the pressure of having many people staring at you, being able to deliver your message and engage the crowd at the same time is a mission for few. But, no matter if you were born with the soul of a presenter or if you are a person with difficulties to talk in public, maybe you should know, or at least try a PechaKucha one day.
This unfamiliar name that might sound like a tongue twister comes from Japanese, the second language with the biggest number of words on the planet. The word “pechakucha” is an onomatopoeia used to describe a “chit-chat”, a “straightforward” conversation. That was how the architects Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein decided to name this format they created in Tokyo more than ten years ago. Following that, they also started organizing events just for those PechaKucha presentations. The inspiration for such creation is usually explained by them, “like a way to offer a practical and concise tool for architects making their presentations since they tend to talk too much.”
In short, PechaKucha is a presentation format with which the presenter has to tell a story by using no more than twenty slides containing only images. Besides that, the slides advance automatically every twenty seconds.
Back in Tokyo, what started as a night of presentations among architects quickly became bigger, turning into a whole platform where storytellers, artists and professionals could share their projects and passions. Normally, there is no theme for a PechaKucha. If the presenter respects the format, the slides simply become a canvas where the story happens.
Three years ago, thinking of trying the format, we decided to hold our first “powered by PechaKucha night” in our office. We invited members of our team as also some guest presenters to share their ideas, hobbies and projects. The experience couldn’t be greater. We had a night where we got to learn new things, we laughed with funny presentations and at the same time, it felt nice to be able to offer an interesting event for our friends, business partners and community.
Last month, already in our new office, we hosted our third event powered by PechaKucha. With more space, we were able to have an event for a bigger crowd and also offer a more complete experience to the attendees. However, regardless of where it takes place the magic of PechaKucha needs just one thing to happen: stories. And yes! We had great ones. The public encountered all sort of subjects spread out on presentations that covered the creative process of a fashion designer who lives on a farm up to thoughts on money and politics. And even those who self-declared themselves as being a bad public speaker were able to deeply engage the public with an impeccable storytelling. And that is probably where the biggest benefit of the PechaKucha format lies: while there are virtues in a completely free creative process, building a narrative on top of a predetermined format helps in the creation of a good presentation and also allows the presenter to understand better their own content.
Usually, those who try a PechaKucha for the first time tend to say that altogether the process of defining your subject, the creation of a storyline and the selection of images to illustrate the presentation helps in the composition of a good storytelling. Within a concise format, selecting what is relevant for your speech and how to arrange this content along the narrative allow you to understand better your approach towards that story that has probably always seemed obvious to you.
What about creating your own PechaKucha presentation? In order to use the format with the name PechaKucha in public events, an authorisation from the PechaKucha headquarters in Tokyo is required. However, you can freely try the format for private purposes like project presentations, self-introductions or group activities. Regardless of what the format will be used, a PechaKucha can support you in the creation of a concise and compelling presentation while the process itself helps you understanding better the paths that you can follow in your story. Try it!
Meanwhile, we are already planning our next powered by PechaKucha night and also thinking to open the stage for guest speakers who wish to share their stories with us and our network. Stay tuned in our social media channels and start thinking about your presentation if you would like to present. Just keep in mind the basic formula of 20X20: twenty slides that advance automatically every twenty seconds.
by Mateus Bagatini
