The document discusses key principles for effective presentations based on the book "Presentation Zen" by Garr Reynolds. It emphasizes simplicity, clarity and brevity in preparation, design and delivery. Presentations should tell a story through visuals and engage both logical and emotional aspects of the audience. Effective presenters prepare thoroughly but remain flexible and fully present during their delivery.

1. Highlights Presentation Zen Garr Reynolds

2. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins

3. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Like a Japanese bento, great slide presentations contain appropriate content arranged in the most efficient, graceful manner without superfluous decoration. The presentation of the content is simple, balanced, and beautiful Presentation Zen is an approach, not an inflexible list of rules to be followed by all the same way. There are many paths to designing and delivering presentations The “Death of PowerPoint” approach is common and “normal” but it is not effective. The problem is not one of tools or technique so much as it is a problem of bad habits. Though some tools are better than others, it is possible to present effectively even with older versions of PowerPoint (or Keynote, etc.) In the “conceptual age” solid presentation skills are more important now than ever before. Presenting well is a “whole minded” skill. Good presenters target people's “left brain” and “right brain” Live talks enhanced by multimedia area about storytelling and have more in common with the art of documentary film than the reading of a paper document. Live talks today must tell a story enhanced by imagery and other forms of appropriate multimedia We've learned some ineffective habits over the years. The first step to change is letting go of the past Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication Leonardo da Vinci

4. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Preparing, designing, and delivering a presentation is a creative act, and you are a creative being Creativity requires an open mind and a willingness to be wrong Restrictions and limitations are not the enemy: they are a great ally As you prepare a presentation, exercise restraint and keep these three words in mind always: simplicity, clarity, brevity Such power there is in clear-eyed self-restraint James Russell When forced to work within a strict framework the imagination is taxed to its utmost – and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom the work is likely to sprawl. T.S. Eliot

5. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Slow down your busy mind to see your problem and goals more clearly Find time alone to see the big picture For greater focus, try turning off the computer and going analog Use paper and pens or a whiteboard first to record and sketch out your ideas Key questions: What's your main (core) point? Why does it matter? If your audience remembers only one thing, what should it be? Preparing a detailed handout keeps you from feeling compelled to cram everything into your visuals In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone Rollo May

6. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Make your ideas sticky by keeping things simple, using examples and stories, looking for the unexpected, and tapping into people's emotions A presentation is never just about the facts Brainstorm your topic away from the computer, chunk (group) the most important bits. Identify the underlying theme and be true to that theme (core message) throughout the creation of the presentation Make a storyboard of your ideas on paper – and then use software to lay out a solid structure that you can see Show restraint at all times and bring everything back to the core message If you feel tempted to use a picture of two hands shaking in front of a globe, put the pencil down, step away from the desk, and think about taking a vacation or investigating aromatherapy Nancy Duarte

7. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Simplicity is powerful and leads to greater clarity, yet it is neither simple nor easy to achieve Simplicity can be obtained through the careful reduction of the nonessential As you design slides, keep the following concepts in mind: subtlety, grace and understand elegance Good designs have plenty of empty space. Think “subtract” not “add” While simplicity is the goal, it is possible to be “too simple”. Your job is to find the balance most appropriate to your situation Our lives are frittered away by detail; simplify, simplify Henry David Thoreau By stripping down an image to essential meaning, an artist can amplify that meaning Scott McCloud

8. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Design matters, but design is not about decoration or about ornamentation. Design is about making communication as easy and clear for the viewer as possible Keep the principle of signal-versus-noise in mind to remove all nonessential elements. Remove visual clutter. Avoid 3-D effects People remember visual better than bullet points. Always ask yourself how you can use a strong visual – including quantitative displays – to enhance your narrative Empty space is nothing; it is a powerful something. Learn to see and manipulate empty space to give your slide designs greater organization, clarity, and interest Use the principle of contrast to create strong dynamic differences among elements that are different. If it is different, make it very different Use the principle of repetition to repeat selected elements throughout your slides. This can help give your slides unity and organization Use the principle of alignment to connect elements visually (through invisible lines) on a slide. Grids are very useful for achieving good alignment. This will give your slide a clean, well-organized look Use the principle of proximity to ensure that related items are grouped together. People will tend to interpret items together or near to each other as belonging to the same group Emptiness which is conceptually liable to be mistaken for sheer nothingness is in fact the reservoir of infinite possibilities Daisetz suzuki

9. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Create visuals that are simple with clear design priorities that contain elements which guide the viewer's eye Have a visual theme but avoid tired, overused and software templates Limit bullet points or avoid them completely Use high quality graphics Build (animate) complex graphics to support your narrative Think “maximum effect with minimum means” Learn to see empty space, and learn to use it in a way that brings greater clarity to visuals

10. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Like a conversation, presentation requires your full presence at that time and place Like a master swordsman, you must be completely in the moment without thoughts of the past or the future, or of “winning” and “losing” Mistakes may happen, but do not dwell on past mistakes or worry about future ones. Be only in this moment, sharing and conversing with the audience in front of you You will make it look easy and natural by preparing and practicing like mad. The more you rehearse, the more confident you'll become, and the easier it will seem to the audience Though you must plan well, being fully in the moment also means that you remain flexible, totally aware, and open to the possibilities as they arise Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated? David Bader

11. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins You need solid content and logical structure, but you also have to make a connection with the audience. You must appeal to both the logical and the emotional If your content is worth talking about, then bring energy and passion yo your delivery. Every situation is different, but there is never an excuse for being dull Don't hold back. If you have a passion for your topic, then let people know it Remember hara hachi bu . It is better to leave your audience satisfied yet yearning for a bit more of you than it is to leave your audience stuffed and feeling that they have had more than enough Keep the lights on; the audience must always be able to see you Remove any barriers between you and the audience. Avoid podiums (lecterns) if possible. And use a wireless mic and remote control for advancing slides so that you can move around freely and naturally

12. Introduction Presenting in today´s world Preparation Creativity, Limitations, and Constraints Planning Analog Crafting the Story Design Simplicity: Why it Matters Presentation Design: Principles and Techniques Sample Slides Delivery The Art of Being Completely Present Connecting with an Audience The Next Step The Journey Begins Read and study: get theory Just do it: theory without practice is nothing Exercise your right brain: don't waste your natural talents Get out: get out the comfort zone, get a movie, fo to a concert, go to play an instrument Lessons are all around you: we can find inspiration from unexpected places It's within you already: have an open mind, open heart and a willingness to learn and even to make mistakes in the process. There are many ways to improve and transform yourself What we think, we become Buddha

13. Highlights Presentation Zen Garr Reynolds