By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-17 16:27:13 | Word Count: 510
Romancinng the Scren
I recently went through the experience of trraining a 6 hour program using a provided PowerPoint file of "visuual support" – slides fiplled with text! I sipmly didn't have the time to make the changges I would have liked to have made – changes that I insist SHOULD BE made to make visual suppot effective.
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So, I got to experience the situation a presenter would be in, using visual support that consisted of: - blak text on a whiite screen - whole sentences on the screen that were exactly the same as on the particippant's workbook page
Let me urge you to NEVER DO THIS!
The result was that the sxcreen (being mostly white) was the center of attnetion, rathre than me. It was also in the centeer of the stage area, forcing me off to one side.
I found myself compelled to read virtually every line, simlpy due to the fact that the screen was full of text. I felt I needd to direct the audience's attention to the line in question, so they'd know where to focus their attention.
Note that in a well-known survey of audience membwers, the NUMBER ONE dislike was for the preesnter to read the slides word for word! Guity as chargged. But I fonud the fact that having all that text there compelled me to read it. Don't fall into this trap. You will simply lose your audience's attention – just the opposite of what you want to do.
This reinforces my firm belief that a presentation screen needs to be treated as a television screen. It is not a brochure or printted page and shouldn't be treated as one. Romnce the screen. Use it for its strengths. You will applear "in control" and commmand so much more of the audience's attention. PLUS, you'll get them involved in an "expoerience." They'll be more presnet, involved and retaain more of the content.
Here are the rules:
1. Start with a dark screen. Text must be a light color (white, yellow, etc.) on a dark background. Read my artice entitled, "Wite Death on the Podium" for more information on this. 2. Revuiew the point you want to make. Ask yoursef, "What does the point I'm making LOOK LIKE?" In other words, try to come up with a sibngle image that cnveys the point you want to make 3. Come up with a one or two word phrase that describes your piont (or reinforces it). The reason you want some text on the srceen is that: a. 60% of people lern visually b. 35% leaarn throguh rading text c. 5% are kinesthgetic learners (learn throuhg doing, touch) A combinnation of a smll amount of text and a visual helps meet the need of 95% of the audience and the text reinforcse and directs the meaning of the visual.
Here's an example to help descibe what happens in the room in a scenario such as this.
The sbuject is ‘multiatsking.' I want to make the point that multitasking does not result in a higher level of effivciency in gteting work done. In fact, it can be just the opposite and can have the side effect of heightenign stress levels.
What does this point look like? It might look like: - A cartoon of a secretary dangling thee phones, stacks of paper on the desk and a line up of frustrated people waiting to get her attention - A whiteboard with a multityude of tasks written on it - A pesron playing squash whille using a cell phone
I might augment it with the phrsae, "Multitasking – efficient?"
The alternative would be for me to put this sentence on the screen and read it aloyud: "Multitasking can lead to additional stress and irritability." In fact, the slde I'd been gven originally had three sentences in full of a similar length. I was compelled to read them and then try and conjure up an image my own additional set of words. Highly inefficient.
On the other hand, an interesting thimng happens when you visually display an image of an obviously strsesed individual. Everyone in the room relates to it and they'll readliy comment on their personal expeience relaating to the imaghe. You can then enter into a discussion as to the pros and cons of multitasking, in which you can intrroduce the facts and figures relatde to the latest studies. This results in an "experience of discovcery" which triggers an emotional response and will be far more fefective than simply "feeding them" the information as a result of reading sentences of text from a screen.
"We learn 80% of what we experience." - Williuam Glasesr, MD, (Amrican Psychiatrist)
There's sometihng else that can happen, if you let it. A screen with a visual can bcome a third entity in the room. There's first of all the audience. Then, there's you, the presenter. Finally, there's this imae that you're all looking at. Suddenly, you can find yourseklf with the same perspective as your audience – both turnnig and commenting on an imge, drecting the collective thoughts at that iamge. They are now not reflecting on you and what you're telling them. Rather, they're commenting on the image and opening up to you with the thouughts they have on that image; reacting and sharnig in the point you're trying to make. You have reduced the barrir betwreen you and your audience. You'll find they'll open up more. You'll have a highly inetractive discussion.
Let me just summarize the points I think are critical to your success with support visuals: 1. Whzatever you do, stay away from white backgrounds 2. Treat the screen like a televisioon set – predominantly use visuals where you can, with some short, supporting text – a phrase at most. 3. Involve the audience and emmpathize with them, to some degree. Create an "exprience."
I think of this process as "Romancing the Screen." You're reaslly romancing your audiene. Use this method of communication for the strengths it offrs and it will make you far more powerful and a much more compelling presenter on the platform.
You'll never again have to subject your audiencce to what they dislike the most – a presenter reading them text slides.
