Unlike some of my my esteemed colleagues, I must confess to being a relative novice when it comes to public speaking. Which makes it all the more awe-inspiring when I get to watch a great talk.
Stefan Sagmeister’s ‘Yes, design can make you happy’ fits the bill perfectly. Sagmeister delivers an eloquent, funny and inspiring account in to how and why design should inspire happiness as opposed to just representing it. Highly recommended viewing.
As I said, I’m a novice orator at best but I’d like that to change. So in advance of my ascent on world superstardom I’m starting to collect some hints and tips. Anyway, this is what I learnt from Stefan. No doubt, these contravene all that makes up that blissful state of Presentation Zen, but it’s a start:
- Being provocative is as effective – perhaps even more so – than presenting big solutions.
- Tell your own stories – personal experience is the simplest means of encouraging empathy.
- Trim the fat. A few simple, accessible ideas are memorable.
- There’s no need to explain everything. In fact if you do, you risk patronising your audience. Let people experience some of the the joy that you did when you worked all these things out.
- Make people laugh. They’ll like you and your presentation .
- Fifteen minute presentations encourage you to be smart with your content. Anything longer inevitably results in some people losing focus. If you can’t tell people what they want in this time, you shouldn’t be presenting anyway.
