In a conversation with a client the other day, the topic of presentation design challenges came up. The client revealed common struggles – the most prevalent being his attempts to cram a lifetime’s worth of knowledge into a 45-minute speech. Every aspect seems so important. But what may be important to you, may not be critical information to your audience. Tom Hulme’s TED Talk, “What can we learn from shortcuts?”, reminds presenters that the real human need must remain at the forefront of any presentation design project.
“When we’re designing new products, services, or businesses, the only time you’ll know if they’re any good, if the designs are good, is to see how they’re used in the real world, in context.” – Tom Hulme, “What can we learn from shortcuts?”
For presenters, the principle applies to the content they deliver, the design of the copy, and the way they share their stories. Oftentimes, presenters will begin writing their presentations with an objective that is entirely their own – completely uninformed by their audience. The result is a presentation that is decidedly distracting and forgettable.
Observing vs. Telling
Hulme advocates for an audience-controlled approach to design. Whether you are creating a software, constructing a building, or forming speaker’s notes for a presentation, every endeavor should solve an observed need. Presenting content you assume your audience wants to hear is like ordering a cupcake and receiving a carrot at your local bakery. It isn’t what you expected and you aren’t going to consume it.
“Often, the best way to learn what people really want is to launch your service. The answer is rarely inside the building. Get out there and see what people really want.” – Tom Hulme, “What can we learn from shortcuts?”
According to Hulme’s examples, humans are communicating their needs almost subconsciously. We are showing the world’s designers everything they need to know to produce their next solution. The way we demonstrate our needs is through what Hulme calls desire paths, or rather, the routes with least resistance. Hulme says desire paths are the intersection of user experience and design. For example, designers watch as users meander through a challenge. Then, designers notice patterns, step in, and simplify the challenge. It takes an enormous amount of empathy to pick up on desire paths and design around them.
Without empathy, designers and leaders alike won’t succeed in their missions to make an impact. A general concern for the human condition combined with a patient streak can mean the difference between making a splash in your industry and contributing a drop.
Presentation Design Techniques
Presentation designers can only show empathy if they immerse themselves in the problems and obstacles their target audiences face.
1. Monitor popular online forums, customer/client reviews, and other sources for audience thoughts before developing content for your slides.
2. Provide templates, worksheets, one-pagers, or another type of document for your presentation attendees. Any substance you can add to your message or opportunity to engage with your information will increase remembrance and recall of your content.
3. Gather feedback through short surveys after each presentation and take the comments into consideration as you move forward.
Release yourself from your own mind, have real conversations with your customers and clients, and start creating meaningful presentation design today. For more inspirational TED Talks, review the following resources.
Presentation Writing Lessons From Anne Lamott
The Productivity Decline: A TED Talk Review With Yves Morieux
The Progression of Points in a Recent TED Talk by Pope Francis
