PechaKucha: the dream of any audience
A world without boring PowerPoint presentations? It may sometimes feel like less of a struggle combatting climate change, than teaching speakers to give strong presentations.
Fortunately there is a method that is almost guaranteed to produce powerful presentations. Its name: PechaKucha. Click on the video below to see me demonstrate this.
In Venice, I had the opportunity to prepare 21 researchers from all over the world to give a PechaKucha presentation. Each of them had signed up to take part in the PhD Academy ‘The Global Society – The Importance of Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Tackle Societal Challenges’. Just a few days later they would each be using PechaKucha to present their very own project.
What is PechaKucha?
PechaKucha is a presentation formula that allows you 20 slides, and just 20 seconds per slide. Every 20 seconds, automatically, your next slide will appear. Every presentation lasts exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Forget about speakers going past their time. Plus, the visual element prevails: more images, less text.
Why PechaKucha?
Because PechaKucha leads to solid presentations. Why, you ask?
- PechaKucha is short and dynamic (less than 7 minutes per presentation)
- The visual element prevails (thus sparking concrete examples and compelling stories)
- Speakers are well-prepared (without practice you are doomed to fail)
Naturally, audiences love PechaKucha presentations. Speakers are usually less keen as this form of presenting requires more preparation on their end. But this is usually quickly forgotten, once they see their audience’s enthusiasm afterwards.
How to begin?
You will usually give a PechaKucha presentation as part of a PechaKucha afternoon session or night. The audience will get to see around 10 presentations, back to back. You can make your presentation in PowerPoint or Keynote, by setting your slide transitions to 20 seconds.
Want to see PechaKucha in action?
You can attend regular PechaKucha Nights in Brussels, but also in other cities worldwide. Or organize your own PechaKucha event.
PechaKucha workshop
Do you want to learn how to impress your audience with PechaKucha? Follow our PechaKucha workshop.
Because life is too short for bad presentations 😉
Hans provided good examples, discussed open-minded the advantages and disadvantages of the presentation format with the participants, gave excellent hands-on tips and tricks and finally motivated all participants to improve their scientific communication in the future. – Sarah Garré, professor at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech