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Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery [Voices That Matter Series] by Garr Reynolds, Guy Kawasaki (Foreword by)

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Synopsis

FOREWORD BY GUY KAWASAKI

Presentation designer and internationally acclaimed communications expert Garr Reynolds, creator of the most popular Web site on presentation design and delivery on the net - presentationzen.com - shares his experience in a provocative mix of illumination, inspiration, education, and guidance that will change the way you think about making presentations with PowerPoint or Keynote. Presentation Zen challenges the conventional wisdom of making "slide presentations" in today's world and encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations. Garr shares lessons and perspectives that draw upon practical advice from the fields of communication and business. Combining solid principles of design with the tenets of Zen simplicity, this book will help you along the path to simpler, more effective presentations.

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Biography

Garr Reynolds is a leading authority on presentation design and delivery. A soughtafter speaker and consultant, his clients include many in the Fortune 500. A writer, designer, and musician, he currently holds the position of Associate Professor of Management at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan. Garr is a former corporate trainer for Sumitomo Electric, and once worked in Cupertino, California as the Manager for Worldwide User Group Relations at Apple, Inc. A longtime student of the Zen arts and resident of Japan, he currently lives in Osaka where he is Director of Design Matters Japan.

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Presentation myths busted!by Anonymous

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October 06, 2008: Garr Reynolds has succinctly grasped a pernicious nettle and dislodged a few hoary myths about effective communication in his new book presentationzen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. Realising '... that something needed to be done to end the scourge of bad PowerPoint slides and the lifeless narration that accompanies them.' 'p. 6', he sets out to illustrate a simpler and more effective approach to communication through presentations. Mindful that the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation is not always the appropriate adjunct to effective communication, the book is nevertheless about presentations where multimedia is a good fit with what, how and to whom you are communicating. Long-time Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki has provided a characteristically pithy foreword to the book and Reynolds himself once worked as the Manager for Worldwide User Group Relations at Apple, Inc. Keep in mind that the whole thing is about communication: what you need to do and, perhaps more importantly, not do, to make communication effective. The ten chapters are logically grouped into five areas - introduction, preparation, design, delivery and the next step. Depending on your philosophical leanings, don't get too caught up or distracted by the 'Zen' context in which he sets out his ideas - look instead at the key ideas themselves. In the context of planning a presentation I liked his idea of what he called 'going analog' 'p. 45'. Get away from your computer to think about the bigger context in which your presentation is to be made, to identify your key messages and generally tease out your ideas. One of his key points with which I heartily agree is the need to avoid inadvertently becoming a slave to the software you are using 'especially PowerPoint' with its own inherent structural and process constraints. In discussing at length presentation design 'comprising some 20% of the book', Reynolds provides an extensive set of before/after examples to illustrate the key points about the use of text, images, graphics, the interaction between text and images, use of white space, balance, grids and the rule of thirds. The latter will be familiar to readers who are photographers. A particularly helpful feature comprising Chapter 7: Sample Slides, are examples used by real world presenters , including links to relevant websites. A couple at which I have had a quick look were very worthwhile. The only downside I struck occurred in the delivery phase of the book where I thought the extensive Zen references and context tended to dominate the key messages he was trying to get across. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has to present something to an audience. It is peppered with pertinent interesting examples throughout Reynolds practices what he preaches. Masterfully he offers a series of guidelines rather than prescriptions for success. Other important pluses are a useful comprehensive index and a helpful summary at the end of each chapter. Excellent accompanying photos and graphics are included and the layout and typography is very clean. The effectiveness of his use of Zen concepts throughout the book will depend a lot on the reader's philosophical bent it worked for me, but others may find it less appealing. I can't do better than reiterate Reynolds' own advice - enjoy the journey! Reviewed by Greg Davies The Apple Users' Society of Melbourne 'AUSOM'

A MUST read for anyone who presents ANYTHINGby Anonymous

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February 28, 2008: This book is a MUST read for ANYONE who presents ANYTHING!!!!! It reads easy and fast. Garr is very clear and understandable in his writing. This book changed the way I I conduct my presentations and create my slides before I even hit page 100!! Great book!!! I cant say it enough. I do business presentations and also use presentations during training sessions. I spend a lot of time on them both in front of the computer and behind the podium, This book has made both of those place much more enjoyable!