Preparing a Presentationfor Futurists: A Workshop

Presented to The Minnesota Futurists

By David KeenanJuly 24, 2010

Agenda• Choose your subject• Do your research• Develop your main points• Prepare your talk• Schedule your talk• Refine your talk• Promote your talk• Presentation• Follow up

MN Futurists Speaker Guidelineshttp://minnesotafuturists.pbworks.com/

http://minnesotafuturists.pbworks.com/Sig-Presentation-Guidelines

Key points:

• Professional excellence• Novel and significant ideas • Incorporate one of the Future Studies methods • Facilitate discussion – avoid pure lecture• Remain calm and courteous

MN Futurists Speaker Guidelines

Choose Your Subject

• Focus on a topic you are interested in • Develop a Futures viewpoint• Consider alternative futures• Consider one or more scenarios• Consider drawing a scene or telling a story

Subject Exercise

• Brainstorm – Everyone write a brief topic idea – Once around the room

Do Your Research

• The process of research teaches you• Apply your Futures Tools to develop new

and interesting insight.• Earl’s method

– Internet search on “future of topic”– Read or scan top 10-20 hits– Copy and save the best links– Augment with articles, books, videos, etc.

Research Exercise

• Google or Bing – live trial• Save good links to a document file or

bookmark folder • Scan themes for possible BIG IDEAS• Scan for discussion starters

Develop Your Main Points

• Which few BIG IDEAS do you want the audience to take away?

• Clear and concise

BIG IDEA Exercise

• From the previous exercise, propose and refine one to two BIG IDEAS

• Write in full• Simplify• Rewrite• Review – is this the message viewers

should remember from your talk

Prepare Your Talk

• My method– Select material to reinforce 2 – 4 BIG IDEAS– Skimp on history– Limit material on current state– Expand futures view point– Augment with images– Capture video to your desktop (avoid live links)– Footnote your sources thoroughly

Prepare Your Talk

My goal timeline 1 minute – Agenda 4 minutes – Futures Method 5 minutes – Background and History10 minutes – Current State 45 minutes – Future Focused20 minutes – Discussion (only a portion in above) 5 minutes – Recap and Summary===90 Total Time

Preparation Exercise

• Powerpoint slides (this example with links)– Of course alternates – open office, etc.

• Word format (starters alternative) DOC • Pure discussion

– White board, easel

Schedule Your Talk

• Contact SIG coordinators for a date– Future Studies – George Kubik– Economy and Finance – Roger Rydberg– Technology – Hank Lederer– Futures Workshops – David Keenan– Peace – Dick Saunders– Special Presentations – David Keenan

• Prepare an abstract – few sentences• Check – abstract posted correctly

Schedule Exercise

• Who you gonna call?• Plan the date• Draft an abstract - exercise• Post the abstract - exercise• Check the posting

Refine Your Talk

• Between original preparation and the scheduled date – keep reading, listening, exploring

• Review your talk for opportunities to fine tune, clean up, clear up, and most of all reinforce the BIG IDEAS

• Rehearse, to mirror, voice or video recorder, other people

Promote Your Talk

• Send a message to friends, colleagues, acquaintances

• Promote yourself as well as MN Futurists• Produce a short audio or video promo

– YouTube style – 1 to 3 minute teaser– Post it to the MN Futurists site

Promotion Exercise

• Laptop video• Mobile phone video

Presentation• Carry the projector gear• Prepare handouts • Arrive early• Relax• Record if possible• Establish ground rules, rely on moderator• Manage questions• Keep to your schedule as rehearsed• Emphasize the BIG IDEAS• Wrap up with discussion

Thank the Audience

• As a speaker, your goal is to inform the audience about your insight into the future.

• Take them through your process. Show how you reached this insight.

• Be appreciative.

Follow Up

• Post revised copy of your talk, with corrections, additions, any survey results, etc.

• Ask for discussion to continue via the website

• Ask for feedback from the audience

Summary

• Start preparation– a month in advance if new to presentation– 7 – 10 days if very skilled

• Focus on BIG IDEAS• Promote your talk• Give a solid, rehearsed presentation• Post your materials• Pick a new topic