How to create the perfect Pecha Kucha?

So what is a Pecha Kucha?

“A Pecha Kucha is a presentation format that last exactly six minutes and forty seconds” according to (Rouse, 2016). A Pecha Kucha consists of 20 slides which last for exactly 20 seconds and can be sometimes referred to as a 20×20 presentation according to (Rouse, 2016).

Pecha Kucha stands for “the sounds of conversation” the slides will progress automatically with the presenter providing a voiceover the slides that are automatically turning according to (Rouse, 2016). Pecha Kucha’s should be fluid and run very smoothly without hesitation or people trying to go back to previous slide. They should be short and sharp and keep the audience engaged.

Tips for creating a good Pecha Kucha

Try and use images for words

By using images instead of words it helps the delivery of the presentation also makes it easier for the presenter to explain points. With only 20 seconds to deliver each slide it means that if you have lots of sentences once you have mentioned these your time could be up.

Make your presentation visually pleasing

It is really important that you make sure that your Pecha Kucha is visually pleasing and easy on the eye. It means that you will have to lose some of the more popular options like bullet points and long strings of text. Instead include some fancy text boxes and images like I said above to boost the impact of your presentation.

Please see below an example of a visually pleasing Pecha Kucha;

As you can see by the example above no words were used, only pictures. Pictures can speak a thousand words. This is why Pecha Kucha’s can be so effective if created properly and effectively!

The above video was taken from PechaKucha.org this is a great place to understand the power of Pecha Kucha.

Practice, Practice, Practice

It is essential that your Pecha Kucha flows properly and this can only happen if you know your presentation inside out. You have to know what is coming up on the next slide and practice many times before you have to present it. The best Pecha Kucha’s rarely have many words and only images so these need to be enough to prompt you as with no words there is nothing else to help you out. It needs to be like a script, practiced in this way too. You should know what to say without looking at the slides.

Timing

You only have 20 seconds per slide your timing has to be perfect as you cannot pause the slide progression or go back to slide if you haven’t quite finished this is why my point above is so important, to practice. I would recommend that you give yourself 16 seconds per slide to give you a bit of room for error or thinking encase you get stuck on a slide. If you do it could ruin your Pecha Kucha.

What software to use to create Pecha Kucha?

PowerPoint

The best way to create a Pecha Kucha is by using PowerPoint. The following steps to take to create a template can be seen below;

You can also download a template from this website by clicking here!

Prezi

This is another website that can be used to make a Pecha Kucha. According to (prezi.com, 2016) it uses “infinite canvas, unlike slides, Prezi uses an open canvas, allowing you to freely move in and out of ideas”. Prezi presentation are much more appealing on the eye than your usual PowerPoint. So if you want something different which will engage your audience Prezi is the one for you.

References

Rouse, M. (2016). What is PechaKucha (Pecha Kucha)? – Definition from WhatIs.com. [online] WhatIs.com. Available at: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/PechaKucha-pecha-kucha [Accessed 2 May 2016].

prezi.com. (2016). Why Prezi is Better | Visual Storytelling | Features | Prezi. [online] Available at: https://prezi.com/features/ [Accessed 2 May 2016].