Zen and the Art of Powerpoint

Dr. Angela PeerySenior Professional Development Associate,

The Leadership & Learning Center

Many thanks to Garr Reynolds and Nancy Duarte…

and many colleagues!

Find better image on morguefile.com or IStock

Our learning environment today…

Our Learning Objectives• Understand key principles of the

Zen/Slideology approach to designing presentations• Apply these key principles to an

upcoming presentation

Like the Japanese bento box, a presentation should be “beautifully efficient.”

What is considered “normal” today with Powerpoint is out of sync with how humans learn and communicate.

We need to ignore more and forget more of what’s available in the software.

“Almost every Powerpoint presentation sucks rotten eggs.”

Seth Godin

Some Zen principles…

restraintsimplicitynaturalness

AND…(as inspired by Suze Orman)

People first

Then the message

Then technology

Time to process…

Activity: Think-Write-Pair Share

• THINK about a session you have attended at this conference

• WRITE about its specific intended audience and its one “big idea” or primary message

• After about 3 minutes of writing, you will be given directions about sharing aloud

Who is your audience?

Put your butt in

the seat!

Audience mapping

What are they like?Why are they here?What keeps them up at night?How can you solve their problem?What do you want them to do?How might they resist?How can you best reach them?

Audience Mapping Activity1. Think about an upcoming presentation.2. Who will be in your audience? List who these people are with

as much detail as possible.3. Why are they coming to see you? Is attendance voluntary? Jot

notes about the presentation situation.4. What keeps them up at night – a major fear or concern?5. How will you make their lives better? In other words, how will

you address their fears and concerns?6. Who cares? So what? What is the action you want them to

take?7. What are your ideas for best reaching them?8. How might they resist? What would keep them from enacting

your ideas? How can you address these potential roadblocks?

Good presenters aren’t it for themselves; they’re in it for others. Nancy Duarte

Is your computer like a bicycle for your mind?

If your audience remembers only one thing, what do you want it to be?

Can you pass the “elevator test”?

3

Thinking Ahead…• What will you personally bring to the

presentation? How will you address the audience’s most pressing needs?

• What must be included in the visual presentation?

• What must be included in the handout?

Examples ofImproved Designs

Insert wordy slide about collaboration here

Sources of Influence on Professional Practices of Teachers

Open Ended Responses

Students12%

Personal Reading15%

Professional De-velopment

24%Leader

5%

Family7%

Personal Experience20%

Curriculum3%

Colleagues14%

Influences on a Teacher’s PracticeStudents

12%

Personal Reading15%

Professional Development

24%Leader

5%

Family7%

Personal Ex-perience

20%

Curriculum3%

Colleagues14%

The New Model – From Coverage to Focus

State Standards

Potential Curriculum and Test Objectives

FOCUSED Curriculum and

Assessments

Power Standards

Compelling Question

• What are effective schools doing to achieve dramatic results in student learning?

Think dissection

Where do we go from here?

authenticity

Powerpoint is not a tool for document creation.

Ultimately, the healthiest relationship to have with your slides is one of interdependence.