Pecha Kucha - Don't you know how to do it yet?

By Annie Waite, North American Editor of the Internal Comms Hub, Melcrum

"A good Pecha Kucha presentation is like getting shot by a skilled marksman – you get the ideas instantly.”

Pronounced "puh-check-ka-chuh" in a staccato burst, Pecha Kucha is a Japanese phrase that describes the sound of conversation.

Having read Sona's article at the end of April about the recent Pecha Kucha Communicators' Network meeting in the UK, when I spotted an advert in Chicago's Time Out for a "Pecha Kucha Vol.5" event at a rock venue here, I figured it'd be worth a peek to see what all the fuss is about.

80 cities now run Pecha Kucha events
Pecha Kucha Night Chicago is a "unique forum that gives designers, foodies and other creative types of that ilk 20 images, 20 seconds each, with which to make a presentation."

Think about it in this way – Justin Carlton on the "Hello Beautiful" Chicago Public Radio podcast asks "Quick quiz - what's the best part of a lecture? Learning? Well, then, what's the worst part? Length."

This global movement has taken hold all over the world, but how can you use it as a communications professional? Well, here are 3 suggestions:

1. Grabbing – and sustaining - the attention of younger employees (generally regarded as having shorter attention spans due to the nature of their most-used communication and information-gathering methods - texting, internet articles, social networking, blogs...

2. Presenting your case to the (often time-starved members of the) board.

3. Marketing - pitch your products or services to clients who don't wish to be deluged with detail early on.

Mischief making
But it doesn't have to be all work, work, work. At last night's event I was inspired by some of the potentially groundbreaking ideas some of the presenters put across.

Architect Michael Wilkinson, took a more political approach towards Pecha Kucha. He decided that the forum should be used for – in his words – "mischief," and to take a "stance against mediocrity."

He likened his intention for Pecha Kucha to be like the opening scene from 1984, the film based on George Orwell's book. At first you see a passive audience, but by the end of their subjection to the propaganda reel they're fired up, inspired.

Monte, a local food critic and innovative comedian took his chance to recommend the best Puerto Rican grub you can find in Chicago (see pic, left).

Artist Barbara Koenen revealed the reactions she and others have to art in a time of peace and subsequently war. Her accounts of the historic significance and recreations of Afghani war rugs are well worth investigating.

Forcing focus
About Pecha Kucha, Time Out Chicago's Jake Malooley quotes local architect Scott Rappe:

“It’s like the difference between being hung and being shot,” Rappe says, explaining how listening to normal, long-winded lectures compares to experiencing the lightning-fast lectures that typify Pecha Kucha events.

“With hanging, you wonder how long it will take, but...a good Pecha Kucha presentation is like getting shot by a skilled marksman – you get the ideas instantly,” says Rappe.

Read more about last night's event and how to use Pecha Kucha at your organisation.

And let us know if you've used Pecha Kucha yet - how did it go down? What were people's reactions? Do you think it'll catch on within organisations or do you reckon it's just a fad? Having witnessed it last night in a semi-professional guise I'd say it'll soon be, for most things, our presentation style of choice.

Soundtrack to the blog: "Turning Japanese" by The Vapours