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Pecha Kucha

image I had a blast at the Chicago Pecka Kucha event.

What is it?  An evening of presentations by artists, designers, etc. in a very specific format:

Each speaker gets exactly 20 slides, which display for exactly 20 seconds.  The slides move ahead automatically.  The presentations are very short (6 min, 40 sec), very visual (20 slides is a lot), and a ton of fun.

More from Presentation Zen.

Here’s an example by Wired’s Daniel Pink:

 

As a professional speaker, I went as much to learn the technique as to enjoy the content. My observations:

  • You can say everything in 6 min.  It’s plenty of time if you’re organized. (Any high school debate team can tell you this.) 
  • 6 min is forever if you’re not prepared. 
  • Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. 
  • Don’t complain next time you get only 15 min on a panel at some conference.  That’s plenty of time to wow the crowd. 
  • Good speakers are good, bad speakers are bad. Format doesn’t matter.

I will definitely be looking for a way to work this format into the next conference I produce.

Here’s the official web site — plan on going to the next one in your town. You definitely have to see it.

(Thanks to Peter Exley for organizing the Chicago event.)

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