A good presentation could get your project approved, or
quickly dismissed if you don’t plan it right. For example, a presentation to a
client compared to a presentation for a group of architects is very different,
even if the project you need to communicate is the same.
As I usually have to give at least a couple presentations
per month, I have always tried to make them worth and not waste other people’s
time. A big help for that has been Garr Reynolds, the “Presentation Zen” from
which I haven taken some key points of which I will share with you in order to
make a good presentation, adapted to our profession.
1.Know you audience:
I think that this is the most crucial part no matter what
you need to communicate. In order to deliver your message you need to present
it according to whom you want to understand it. There are several terms and
concepts that we as architects can easily understand, but that our clients or a
general audience might not understand at first. Often we even invent or misuse
words, misleading our audience. Program, urban fabric, etc.
2.Keep it simple:
The same as we do with our projects, a presentation should
be simple. We should strip out anything that is unnecessary. Think of it as a
Mies building on which everything is there for a reason and nothing can be
removed. This is often the most difficult part, as we have to reduce it to its
essentials. As an exercise Garr suggest that you outline the three things you
want your audience to remember from your presentation. “Less is more”.
3. Relevance:
Related to the previous point (and also to the 1st). Put
yourself in the shoes of your audiences and ask “so what?” You might have
several interesting stories or concepts to tell the audience, but if they don’t
add to what you want to communicate – just take them out.
4. Structure:
You start with the foundation, follow with the structure,
then move on to the skin and the interiors. This is a crystal clear process
that you already know. Do the same for your presentation.
It also makes your audience follow you and focus on the
presentation. When I have to make a long presentation I always start with an
index, and as we move forward I keep reminding the audiences where we are in
the presentation, therefore they can follow along, stay focused, and recall
what comes next.
5. The elevator pitch:
Say the speaker before you exceeded on their time, or the
client was late and is short on time. You always need to have a short version
of the presentation, or at least know which parts you can skip in order to make
it on time.
The exercise is usually called “the elevator pitch”, under
the idea that you should be able to sell your idea in the time span of an
elevator ride, meaning in a maximum of 30 seconds and in 130 words or fewer.
6. Storytelling:
Regarding the previous point, it reminded me of Frank Lloyd
Wright drafting the Fallingwater House only 2 hours before his meeting with
Kaufmann, all that in one sitting at his drafting table. As you can see, this
story was appealing to you as an architect, and you immediately understood my
point. Stories can connect you with your audience, and engage them. You can
think about your project as a story, and develop the whole presentation as if
you are the story teller. Just keep in mind the previous points, as an
irrelevant story can do more harm than help.
7. Confidence:
Even after almost a hundred presentations, I’m still nervous
before giving them. If you are nervous, your audience will notice it, and will
focus on that instead of your project.
Mies may have suggested a glass of scotch, but the best is
to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse. If you know your presentation backwards and
forwards it will flow naturally, and will also keep you prepared for any
unexpected event during the presentation.
And “picture the audience nude” always comes handy. I hope
these tips can help you with your future presentations.
By David Basulto
Courtesy: ArchDaily.com
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