Avoiding death by PowerPoint

We have all been there: Meetings with dull, over-detailed PowerPoints. Well, there are metods to avoid such presentations.

In the TEDx Talk "How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint" by David JP Phillips, he outlines five key design principles for creating effective PowerPoint presentations:

1. One Message Per Slide
   – Each slide should communicate only one clear idea to avoid cognitive overload.

2. Working Memory
   – Limit the amount of information on each slide to match the audience's working memory capacity. Avoid clutter to make comprehension easier.

3. Size Matters
   – Emphasize the most important element by making it the largest. Visual hierarchy helps guide the viewer’s attention.

4. Contrast
   – Use strong contrast between text and background to enhance readability. Poor contrast reduces clarity.

5. Objects
   – Keep the number of visual objects (text boxes, images, shapes, etc.) on a slide to a minimum—ideally no more than six—to avoid distraction.

These principles are grounded in cognitive psychology and aim to make presentations more engaging, memorable, and digestible.

Design Thinking and how it can be used to solve business problems

Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach centered on human needs and experiences. It is iterative, collaborative, and creative, focusing on understanding users deeply, redefining challenges, and exploring innovative solutions. This method emphasizes empathy, ideation, experimentation, and continuous learning.

These are the key phases in design thinking:

1. Empathize: Understand the needs, behaviors, and pain points of the people involved in or affected by the problem.

2. Define: Clearly articulate the problem based on insights gathered during the empathy phase.

3. Ideate: Generate a wide range of creative ideas and solutions.

4. Prototype: Develop quick, low-cost prototypes or models to visualize and test solutions.

5. Test: Experiment with prototypes in real-world scenarios to gather feedback and refine the solution.

Design thinking as methodology can be used to solve all sorts of problems. Here are some examples:

Optimizing Operations

• Challenge: Inefficiencies or bottlenecks in workflows.

• Design Thinking Application: Observing and empathizing with employees helps uncover operational challenges. Solutions can then be designed and tested to streamline processes.

Improving Employee Engagement

• Challenge: High turnover or low morale.

• Design Thinking Application: Engage employees to understand their experiences and define core issues, such as lack of growth opportunities or unclear goals. Prototype initiatives like flexible work policies or enhanced training programs.

Navigating Complex Decisions

• Challenge: Launching into a new market or pivoting business strategies.

• Design Thinking Application: Use iterative prototyping and testing to simulate various scenarios, reducing risks and uncovering unforeseen challenges.

Here is an informative video explaining Design Thinking:

Book: The creative act

"The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin explores the nature of creativity and the artistic process. Drawing on his extensive experience as a music producer, Rubin shares insights into how to harness creativity in various aspects of life. He emphasizes the importance of intuition, mindfulness, and personal expression, encouraging readers to embrace their unique perspectives. Through anecdotes, philosophical reflections, and practical advice, Rubin illustrates how creativity can be a transformative force, not just in art but in everyday living. The book serves as both a guide and an inspiration for anyone seeking to cultivate their creative potential.

Rick Rubin is a renowned music producer and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, known for his innovative approach to music across various genres. Born on March 10, 1963, in Long Beach, New York, Rubin first gained prominence in the 1980s, working with hip-hop artists like Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. He later expanded his repertoire to include rock, country, and folk, collaborating with legendary artists such as Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Adele.

Rick Rubin