Telling your story in seven slides . . . or less!!!

So, how do we create resonance and communicate powerful ideas?

Make a Compelling Case

STORIES!When you design your presentation as a story, people

will be more likely to be convinced. You are not “presenting,” you are TELLING A STORY!

PLATFORM

A New Platform for Presenting Proposals

STORY

DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE 7-SLIDE STORY

1. Think of each slide as a scene: build on previous, transition to next, leave an impression

2. Develop a premise and then prove it

3. Conflict is interesting; facts usually are not

4. Stories are only satisfying when conflict is resolved

How to Develop a Successful Scene

1.Plant a Question (beginning)

2.Evoke a specific emotion (middle)

3.Answer the question (end)

4.Move the story forward (transition)

The Role of the Seven Slides

Slide 1 – EngagementSlide 2 – BackstorySlide 3 – Build TensionSlide 4 – Bring it to a Boil!Slide 5 – Offer ChoicesSlide 6 – Provide ResolutionSlide 7 – Set up the “sequel”

Slide 1 – EngagementBuilds desire to see what comes next

Slide 2 – BackstoryContext; how we got here

Slide 3 – Build TensionConsequences & implications for not

taking action or moving forward

The Role of the Seven Slides

Slide 4 – Bring it to a Boil!What do we do?

Slide 5 – Offer ChoicesA way out!

Slide 6 – Provide Resolution“Have cake, eat it too!”

Slide 7 – Set up the “sequel”Go deeper; take action

The Role of the Seven Slides

Leave Them Happy . . .

ENDEARLY!

POINTERS

1.Use the real estate of each slide: plan your space; don’t explain everything; make the scene rich; display each slide at least 3 minutes

2.Plant a question in their minds: a claim, concept, theory, hypothesis, challenge, proposition, or truth

3.No peek-a-boo!

4.Consider the following use of slide real estate:

PLANT THE QUESTION

Compare or Contrast(the core conflict)

EXPLORATION

EMOTIONALRESONANCE

COMMENTARY

Answer the question and move the story forward

Project based learning will increase student performance

A growing body of academic research supports the use of

project-based learning in schools

“If schoolchildren are given the gift of exploration, society

will be the beneficiary.”

Make learning fun again for both students and

teachers!

A Day in the Life of PBL (video)

Example Slides

Slide One: Engagement –

Demonstrate theCore Problem

Our Challenge: Increase Student Performance

Student tests scores fell by 11%

If this trend continues, we will not meet AYP next

year

School choice is out there, folks!

To maintain the quality of our school and the trust of our community we must solve this problem!

2005 2006

Example Slides

Slide One: Engagement –

State thePremise

Project based learning will increase student performance

A growing body of academic research supports the use of

project-based learning in schools

“If schoolchildren are given the gift of exploration, society

will be the beneficiary.”

Make learning fun again for both students and

teachers!

A Day in the Life of PBL (video)

Principles of Slide 1

1.Engage the audience emotionally and intellectually

2.Set the best tone

3.Turn browsers into an audience

4. Introduce the core conflict

Example Slides

Slide TWO: Backstory –History or

Methodology and Key Data

How We Got Here . . .

AYP is threatened

Principles of Slide 2

1. If not needed, don’t include the backstory

2.Don’t tell another story

3.Don’t get bogged down

4.Know your audience

Example Slides

Slide Three: Tension –

“Insistence vs. Resistance”

Action to date has had little effect upon performance

Enrichment programs Target students didn’t come

Home room focus Social issues became focus

Teacher inservice Inneffective

Change in textbooks Minimal increase

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Example Slides

Slide Three: Tension –

“It’s worse than you think” or

“Drill down”

Principles of Slide 3

1.Return the audience from the backstory to the main story

2.Explore the consequences of resolving and not resolving the core conflict

3.Present the consequences in order of emotional impact

4.Create a sense of urgency

Example Slides

Slide Four: Bring It To A Boil –“The summary ofconsequences” or“The killer statistic”

Example Slides

Slide Four: Bring It To A Boil –

“No escape—orIs there?”

C- Negative publicityDifficulty passing bondsNo new buildingsNo salary gainsRecruiting problemsRetention problems. . .

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

-Albert Einstein

Principles of Slide 4

1.Raise the tension—but not too much

2.Create more emotional resonance than any other slide

3.Suppress the urge to provide resolution

Example Slides

Slide Five: Offer Choices–

“Fork in the Road” or “Multiple Choice”

Example Slides

Slide Five: Offer Choices–

“Emotional Appeal”

What Kind of School Do We Want to Be?

Behind the TimesFailingState-

controlledEmbarrassed

InnovativeLeader

Outstanding

Successful

WANTED: Faculty and Staff who are committed to innovative, continuous improvement

Principles of Slide 5

1.Bring the decision to your advantage

2.Offer one choice—status quo or change

3.Don’t offer resolution

4. Appeal to the emotions

Example Slides

Slide Six: Provide Resolution–

“Mirror the Engagement Slide”

Example Slides

Slide Six: Provide Resolution–“Happily Ever After”

or “Q & A”

Project based learning will increase student performance

A growing body of academic research supports the use of

project-based learning in schools

“If schoolchildren are given the gift of exploration, society

will be the beneficiary.”

Make learning fun again for both students and

teachers!

A Day in the Life of PBL (video)

Principles of Slide 6

1.Resolve the core conflict

2.Answer questions the story raised

3.Focus on “what,” let them ask “how.”

4. Show, don’t tell

Example Slides

Slide Seven: Set up the Sequel–“Put the Lid on the

Can of Worms”

Decision Support Tools

Action Plan/Time Line

Methodology

Sources andReferences

Costs/Productivity Calculations

Likely Stakeholder Responses

Best/Worst Case Scenarios

Forecasts/Projections

Principles of Slide 7

1.Let the audience drive the story by choosing topics to explore further

2. Influence the way people think about your story by offering answers to questions before they are asked

3.Answer each anticipated question with a story (premise, conflict, tension, turning point, resolution)

4. If you don’t need slide 7, don’t use it