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Pecha Kucha presentations explained

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Anete Ezera January 24, 2024

We’ve all experienced those lengthy presentations that are overflowing with details, yet they’re so cluttered that we hardly absorb any of the information. When it’s your turn to present, you’ll want a method that captures your audience’s attention and communicates your message clearly. This is where the Pecha Kucha technique comes into play. When you combine this with Prezi for your presentation design , you’re setting yourself up for a successful delivery.

A women presenting a presentation with a school presentation theme

What is a Pecha Kucha presentation?

Many elements make a Pecha Kucha presentation different from conventional styles. Let’s look at what makes up a PechaKucha:

Basic concept: PechaKucha is a presentation style designed to be concise and fast-paced.
Slide count: It uses exactly 20 slides.
Timing: Each slide is displayed for 20 seconds.
Total duration: This means your entire presentation will last 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
Content approach: The idea is to make your points quickly and clearly. It’s more about the key ideas rather than lots of details.
Purpose: The Pecha Kucha format helps to avoid long and complicated presentations. It keeps things simple and engaging.
Common use: It’s popular in creative and professional settings. People often use it to share new ideas or projects.
Audience engagement: With its quick pace, it tends to hold the audience’s attention better than traditional presentation styles.

In summary, a Pecha Kucha presentation is all about brevity and clarity. You get just enough time to make your point, but not so much that your audience loses interest. It’s a great way to present if you want to leave a lasting impression without overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

A man presenting on stage, giving a Ted Talk presentation.

Where did this presentation style come from?

The Pecha Kucha presentation style originated in Tokyo back in 2003, created by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. They noticed a common problem at meetups where speakers, often overenthusiastic or poorly prepared, would go on for too long, causing the audience to lose interest. So, they came up with PechaKucha as a solution.

This style was created to keep presentations short and clear. It lets speakers share their ideas or work in a time-efficient and engaging way. The PechaKucha became popular quickly, as it became known for helping make presentations easier to understand.

The name ‘PechaKucha’ translates to ‘chit-chat’. A great reflection of the formats designed for simple, fast-paced presentations, where each speaker shares their ideas in a brief, conversational manner.

Growth in popularity

Since its start in 2003, Pecha Kucha presentations have really taken off. By 2019, it had spread to more than 1,142 cities, and over 3 million people had attended PechaKucha events . This shows just how well-received and adaptable this presentation style is across the globe, resonating with a wide range of audiences.

Who might use a Pecha Kucha presentation?

Pecha Kucha presentations are quite versatile, so they’re used by a wide range of people and industries. Let’s look at a few examples:

Educators and students: In schools and universities, teachers and students use Pecha Kucha for classroom presentations. It’s great for keeping lectures engaging and helping students learn to express their ideas concisely.
Designers and architects: This is where Pecha Kucha presentations started. Design professionals use it to showcase their projects or concepts in a format that’s quick and visually driven, perfect for highlighting design elements.
Business professionals: In the corporate world, from startups to large companies, Pecha Kucha helps in pitching ideas or presenting updates without dragging on. It’s effective for keeping meetings efficient and focused.
Marketing teams: Marketing professionals use it to brainstorm and present campaign ideas. The format forces them to boil down their concepts to the essentials, which is key in marketing.
Tech industry: In tech, where things change rapidly, Pecha Kucha allows professionals to share updates or innovations in a fast-paced, digestible manner, which is crucial for keeping up with the industry’s pace.
Creative artists: Artists, photographers, and writers use it to present their work or concepts in a narrative yet concise way, often to peers or potential clients.

Pecha Kucha presentations are popular in many fields because they emphasize being brief and clear. It pushes presenters to get straight to the point, which is vital in our fast-paced world. Also, its structured format brings in a creative aspect, making presentations more than just informative, but artistic too.

Pecha Kucha in the digital age

Today, where virtual settings are dominating in business and education, Pecha Kucha presentations stand out. This format’s concise nature is perfect for online meetings and webinars, where keeping the audience engaged is crucial. And with the Prezi Video functionality, you don’t need to settle for screen sharing – you can effectively showcase your slides right next to you on-screen, improving engagement.

It’s also a great tool in online education, helping to deliver compact lessons that are easy for students to digest. This blend of brevity and visual storytelling makes Pecha Kucha presentations an ideal choice for digital communication.

Tips for making the most of your virtual Pecha Kucha presentation

Test your tech: Ensure your microphone, camera, and internet connection are stable, and your Prezi Video is connected.
Engage your audience: Although uncommon in traditional Pecha Kucha presentations, in adapting Pecha Kucha for virtual settings, you can consider interactive elements like polls or Q&A to enhance engagement, especially in an environment where audience attention can be more fragmented.
Practice timing: Rehearse to keep each slide to 20 seconds. Online environments demand precise timing to hold attention.
Eye contact: Although virtual, try to look at the camera to create a sense of connection with your audience.

Challenges and tips for overcoming them in Pecha Kucha presentations

While Pecha Kucha presentations offer a unique and engaging way to convey information, they also come with their own set of challenges. Here are some common challenges that presenters may face and tips on how to overcome them:

Content selection

When it comes to picking what goes on each slide, it can be a bit tricky. The key here is to keep things focused. Stick to your main ideas and visuals that really back up what you’re saying. Avoid adding in extra stuff that doesn’t directly support your message.

Nervousness

Presenting in a fast-paced style like Pecha Kucha can make anyone feel a bit jittery. To tackle this , practice your presentation in front of friends or colleagues. Getting comfortable with your material and the timing can help ease those nerves.

Technical issues

Whether you’re presenting digitally or in person, tech problems can pop up unexpectedly. It’s a good idea to be ready for these hiccups by testing your equipment beforehand. Having a backup plan in case of any technical glitches will ensure your presentation stays smooth and professional.

Lack of detail

Pecha Kucha is all about brevity, but sometimes, you might worry about leaving out important details. To deal with this, consider offering extra resources or references for those who want to dive deeper into your topic after your presentation.

Slide design

Creating visually appealing slides that match your message can be a bit of a challenge. Don’t hesitate to use Prezi’s design tools to your advantage. And if you’re not sure about your presentation’s look, asking for feedback on its aesthetics can be really helpful.

By recognizing and getting ready for these challenges, you’ll be well-prepared to make sure your Pecha Kucha presentation delivers your message effectively.

Learn more about creating and delivering a Pecha Kucha presentation in the following video:

Prezi: the best platform to create your Pecha Kucha presentation

Prezi is well-suited for Pecha Kucha presentations for many reasons. First, its non-linear presentation style allows for creative storytelling , which aligns with the concise and impactful nature of Pecha Kucha. The zooming feature of Prezi helps to maintain audience engagement , a key aspect of Pecha Kucha. Also, Prezi’s visual-centric approach is perfect for Pecha Kucha’s emphasis on visuals over text. And finally, Prezi’s ease of use and flexibility in arranging content helps presenters focus on timing, crucial for the 20 seconds per slide format of Pecha Kucha.

How to create a Pecha Kucha using Prezi

Creating a Pecha Kucha presentation using Prezi involves a few key steps:

Start a new Prezi: Choose a blank presentation or a template or one that suits your topic.
Plan your content: Since Pecha Kucha requires 20 slides, each for 20 seconds, outline your main points to fit this format.
Choose a theme: Think about a theme such as colors and fonts that align with the message of your Pecha Kucha. You want to be consistent on every slide so be sure to use the same theme throughout the whole presentation.
Add slides: Create 20 slides in Prezi. Focus on using images and minimal text for each slide. This will help you attain your goal of sharp, concise content, which is crucial for a Pecha Kucha presentation.
Design your slides: Use Prezi’s tools to add visuals, keeping in mind the zoom and pan features that can make transitions more engaging.
Time for your presentation: Practice your speech to ensure each slide is presented for 20 seconds.
Rehearse: Run through your presentation multiple times to get the timing right.

Remember, Prezi’s strength is in creating visually appealing and non-linear presentations, which can add a dynamic element to your Pecha Kucha.

A young woman in a modern office space uses a laptop at a desk. Space for copy.

Presenting your Pecha Kucha

So, you’ve designed and created your Pecha Kucha, but what about presenting it successfully? Here’s some tips for presenting your Pecha Kucha in the most effective way:

Start strong: Open by saying something engaging to grab attention immediately. Your first slide sets the tone.
Confidence: Always use strong body language to make yourself appear confident, even if you’re not. Good posture, clear gestures, and a loud voice can make you seem self-assured despite nerves.
Storytelling: Weave your information into a fast-paced story. Stories are easier for audiences to follow and remember.
Visuals are key: Use strong, relevant images. Pecha Kucha is visually driven; let your pictures do the talking.
Minimize text: Avoid clutter. Use key phrases or words only, as visuals should lead the narrative.
Practice, practice, practice: Know your material well. This ensures smooth transitions and timing.
Keep to the point: Focus on your main message. Each slide should contribute clearly to your overall point. During the speech, choose your words wisely to stick to the punchy, attention-grabbing method of Pecha Kucha.
Engage with your audience: Make eye contact. Engaging with your audience creates a connection.
Use humor wisely: If appropriate, humor can make your presentation memorable. But keep it relevant.
Time management: Again, it’s important to stick to the 20-second rule per slide to maintain pace and structure.
End with impact: Conclude with a strong, memorable point or call to action. Leave your audience with something to think about.

Young businesswoman saying thank-you to audience after seminar. Happy businesswoman smiling and saying thank-you to her team in office.

It’s essential to understand that how you deliver your Pecha Kucha is as crucial as its design. A confident and clear presentation keeps the audience engaged and interested in your message. Preparation is key. Stick to your plan and avoid deviating or getting sidetracked, as this can disrupt the structure and purpose of your Pecha Kucha.

Final thoughts on Pecha Kucha presentations

Wrapping up, Pecha Kucha presentations are a great way to share ideas effectively, especially in the digital era. They are quick, focused, and keep audiences engaged. For creating these presentations, Prezi stands out as an ideal tool. Its features complement the Pecha Kucha style, helping your presentation make a stronger impact. If you’re planning your next presentation, give Prezi a try to bring your Pecha Kucha to life.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How to Create a Highly Effective Pecha Kucha Presentation

How to Create a Highly Effective Pecha Kucha Presentation

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Brevity is considered the soul of wit, but it can also be a powerful technique for effective communication. When you say more with less, you capture your audience’s attention and leave a lasting impression. This is precisely what Pecha Kucha is all about.

It’s a quick-fire format presentation where the speaker tells a story using photos within strict timing.

Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or just starting, Pecha Kucha has something to offer those who want to take their presentations to the next level. In this article, we’ll dive into its benefits as a presentation style and provide tips and strategies for creating effective Pecha Kucha presentations.

What Is Pecha Kucha Presentation?

The format of a Pecha Kucha, or 20×20 presentation, is simple: the presenter shows 20 slides containing an image, each displaying for exactly 20 seconds. The images will auto-forward, so there’s no way of going back to or skipping ahead of the slides. This means each presentation is exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds long.

This style is quite similar to lightning talk, where the speakers have five minutes to present a five-slide presentation, or the ignite talk, where presenters have 15 seconds to present each slide of a 20-slide presentation.

The challenge for presenters is to convey their idea with the combined use of images and concise, impactful statements within this tight time frame.

Pecha Kucha, which means “chit-chat” in Japanese, was created by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, who seek to encourage a fast-paced presentation style. Since then, it has become a worldwide phenomenon, used in settings ranging from academic conferences to business meetings and even informal gatherings.

The Benefits of Pecha Kucha

Pecha Kucha presentations are highly engaging. The timing of Pecha Kucha presentations adds an element of excitement. Each slide changes every 20 seconds, keeping the audience engaged, and this helps hold their attention and prevents them from becoming distracted or disengaged.

Pecha Kucha helps you focus on the main topic. The time limit helps presenters stay on track and avoid going off on tangents, which can be a problem in more traditional presentations. This can be a valuable skill in the corporate world, where time is often limited, and getting to the point quickly is crucial.

Pecha Kucha presentations are highly visual. Because Pecha Kucha presentations rely heavily on visual aids, they can effectively communicate complex or abstract ideas to an audience. This helps make presentations more memorable and impactful, as the brain processes visual information more quickly and effectively than written or spoken information.

Pecha Kucha promotes creative thinking and communication. The format challenges presenters to distill their ideas into a concise and visually engaging format. So instead of running around the bush and filling in their talk with non-essential information, they focus on the most important aspects of their message.

Furthermore, the challenge of syncing the message with images stimulates creativity by inspiring connections and associations between ideas.

How to Make a Pecha Kucha

1. define your main message.

Defining your main message, a.k.a thesis, is crucial in preparing a presentation or communication. When you can pinpoint the core message you want to convey during a presentation, it becomes easier to identify which information to include and which to eliminate.

To narrow down your presentation’s key message or idea, ask yourself the following questions.

What is the purpose of my presentation – to inform, to inspire, to convince?
What do I want my audience to know?
What do I want my audience to do after the presentation?

Your main message should be a direct answer to these questions and something your audience can easily grasp and remember.

Example: Let’s say you are giving a presentation on a new diet cereal bar product. A good thesis could be, “Diet cereal bars are a convenient and nutritious snack option that can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Defining your main message in Pecha Kucha presentations

From here, you can start outlining and structure your presentation. Let the main message lead the way.

So, in our example, you can cite studies showing the health benefits of eating a nutritious diet and present the nutritional value of cereal bars that can help achieve that goal.

2. Select the Best Visuals

You can identify the main message of your presentation and the points that go along with it. The second step would be turning them into visuals.

Many presentation guides will tell you how important visualizations are in a PowerPoint, but Pecha Kucha takes that even further. As mentioned, it emphasizes storytelling with the use of images.

You may still use text to provide context for visual elements, but use it sparingly and avoid paragraphs. Remember, you only have 20 seconds to present each slide, so your audience won’t have the time to read lengthy texts.

Instead, you should use high-quality images directly related to your message. This will help reinforce your message and ensure your visuals are not distracting or confusing.

It’s a hard rule to avoid cartoonish and clipart photos, especially in the business setting, as they make your slide look tacky. This might mean using more modern, minimalist images for a sleek, professional look or more vibrant, colorful images for a more playful and creative feel.

It’s also important to consider the overall aesthetic of your presentation template and choose images consistent with that theme. If you represent a brand, use slides with the look and feel you are known for.

Example: In our diet cereal bar example, you may choose images that showcase the bar’s ingredients, such as images of whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits. You could also use images of people engaging in healthy activities, such as jogging or hiking, to reinforce the idea that the cereal bar is a healthy snack option for people on the go.

3. Structure Your Presentation

Like other forms of presentation, a Pecha Kucha presentation should have a clear structure – no matter how short. You may need it more in this scenario to avoid losing any of your precious time going off on tangents.

Conversely, it will be easier for your audience to follow along and understand your message if you present it organized and coherently.

You can follow several presentation structures, but for something like Pecha Kucha, we recommend a more linear style. One that has an introduction, body, and conclusion.

The Pyramid Principle has all these elements and might work in a fast-paced presentation format. In this style, the main idea or conclusion is presented at the beginning, followed by a series of supporting points that are organized hierarchically. This approach can help your audience engage in critical thinking, as they are encouraged to consider how each piece of information relates to the larger message being presented.

Example: Let’s return to our diet cereal bar example to illustrate how the Pyramid Principle can be applied in a Pecha Kucha presentation.

Open your presentation by stating your main idea or message: “Our diet cereal bars are a convenient and nutritious snack option that can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Then, discuss the supporting points that further develop the main idea.

You may discuss the natural ingredients and X calories it contains, making it a healthy snack option.
You may talk about the range of delicious flavors that it comes with, establishing the idea that it’s a nutritious option that does not compromise on taste.
You may talk about the convenient packaging that makes it perfect for busy people on the go.

4. Practice, practice, practice

Pecha Kucha’s presentation is all about timing and mastery, so you must conduct a dry run to ensure that you’d feel comfortable with the flow of your presentation on the actual delivery.

Rehearse your presentation multiple times as if it’s the real thing. This means setting a strict timer for 20 seconds per slide to ensure that you are staying on track and not going over time. Google Slide and PowerPoint have an option that automatically advances slides within several seconds.

Although 20 seconds may feel very short, speak at a moderate pace to ensure you are not rushing through the presentation. But, also avoid lingering on any one slide for too long.

Tips and Tricks for an Effective Pecha Kucha Delivery

1. using engaging storytelling techniques.

Although we did say that you may state your main idea at the beginning of your presentation , you don’t just get to drop the bomb, or it will sound dry. Using an engaging story will help you do this with finesse.

People are naturally drawn to stories – they love journeys. Structure your presentation like a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Sharing personal experiences or anecdotes can help to humanize your presentation and make it more relatable for your audience.

Example: You can share a personal anecdote about your struggles with maintaining a healthy diet. You could talk about how you struggled to find healthy snack options while working long hours at your desk job.

Exposing a personal anecdote on a Pecha Kucha presentation

2. Connecting With Your Audience and Maintaining It

Sharing a story or a personal experience is one way to connect with your audience. Still, it isn’t just about getting their attention – keeping their attention on you is far more important.

It’s common advice for speakers to keep eye contact with the audience. We’d like to add something to this – look at your audience intently and respond to what you see. Knowing your audience’s nonverbal cues can help you connect with them and respond to their needs.

Speaking of nonverbal, you should be aware of your body language too. Use intentional hand gestures, but avoid excessive movements that may take the audience’s attention from you.

Finally, don’t forget to smile. Smiling helps convey a positive and approachable attitude and shows that you like your audience.

3. Handling Unexpected Challenges Or Technical Issues

With over six minutes to present your case, there should be no room for mistakes when making a Pecha Kucha presentation. The best advice is to have a backup plan for your backup plan.

No, we don’t mean carrying 2 laptops and 2 projectors around! But it’s best practice to have a USB drive with your presentation saved on it, just in case. You may also save your presentation on the cloud if you lose both copies on your device and external drive.

In the event of a complete technology failure, be ready to present without the slides. Remember, the slides are only a visual aid, and your delivery and message are the most important aspects of your presentation.

Pecha Kucha makes it possible to deliver a compelling presentation within minutes. Remember to keep your main message at the forefront when creating this type of presentation, choose high-quality visuals that reinforce your message, and practice your timing to ensure your presentation flows smoothly. With these tips, you can deliver a presentation that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

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Ten Easy Topics for Pecha Kucha

We have so many interactive and communicative visitors on Indezine.com. They get in touch via email, or the feedback forms, or via our chat applet, and even through our LinkedIn and Facebook communities. One question that has come up often is about topics for Pecha Kucha presentations. So I decided to do something about these questions by writing this post about easy topics for Pecha Kucha presentations.

See Also: 10 Tips for Pecha Kucha | Pecha Kucha Questions

Let’s start with wondering about why do readers ask for topic ideas? Why not choose something that’s close to their heart or something that inspires them? That’s because Pecha Kucha presentations are not your typical PowerPoint slide decks. In fact, there’s no rule in Pecha Kucha that dictates you must use PowerPoint. As long as you have twenty slides, it does not matter if you are using PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi, Google Slides, a PDF, or even a program that advances photographs. Just remember that these presentations are limited to twenty slides that show up for only twenty seconds each. And the presenter must speak all along, while the slides are showing and changing.

The second reason people ask for topic ideas is that this might be their first Pecha Kucha presentation, and they are not sure what will work, and what won’t.

Yes, it is a good idea to use a simple topic, and it helps if the topic is something you are excited about. The Pecha Kucha site says, “The key to a great presentation is to present something you love.”

But what are simple topics, that excite you, and are interesting to your audiences? Of course, if you already have a topic, you need not read further, but if you are still looking for ideas, here are ten easy topics that you can use for your Pecha Kucha presentations.

1. Share Travel Experiences

Did you get back from an around-the-world trip, or did you go to Antarctica? Or did you do something more simpler, like a sightseeing trip around your own town, or a little more amazing, like a visit to the Great Wall of China or the Taj Mahal in India? Yes, you can show photos, but more importantly, show photos about your experiences while traveling, and speak about those experiences.

Talk about your fears during your travels, and how you overcame them. Was there something surprising that happened–something you never imagined? Did you meet a close friend unexpectedly in a place halfway around the globe? See, any of these travel experiences will interest people, if they are accompanied by some great visuals. But make sure that you don’t get into too much detail because you only have twenty seconds for each slide. And audiences only want to see the larger picture–they don’t want to know about every small detail!

For slides, use pictures that you clicked on your vacation. If you are not the camera-happy type, you can try to get shareable pictures from sites such as Flickr. See our Searching Flickr for Creative Commons Pictures page to learn more.

2. Talk Food

If there’s something audiences love more than travel, it’s got to be food. Why? That’s because rather than traveling around the world, food can make the world travel to your table.

If you love to cook, you can share your favorites, and by favorites, this could be just names of your favorite foods with pictures. You want to share entire recipes? Wait, there may not be too much time to share entire recipes, unless you use all twenty slides for just one recipe–and that’s a great idea too. You can then talk about the ingredients, the preparation, the cooking, and the eating.

You can also talk about what recipes you like to cook, and why? Are the ingredients interesting? Or did you invent these recipes? Or are they family recipes handed down through generations?

If you identify yourself more as someone who enjoys eating more than cooking, then you can share a list of your favorite restaurants, and what you like to eat when you go there.

Of course, the food theme has so many more possibilities: you can take about making candy, your success with vegan meals, your discovery of Japanese cuisine, or the herbs you grow in a kitchen garden. As long as you are passionate about food in some way, you already have an amazing topic for your next Pecha Kucha presentation.

So what do you stay away from? Avoid talking too much about violent food, especially if you know your audience has a fair share of vegans and vegetarians. Never show pictures of killed animals, and if some food is not allowed as per customs of a particular religion, you may want to avoid that topic too.

Pictures for food are so easy to click, find, or discover. Just click what you eat at home, whatever you cook, or anything you order at a restaurant. Pictures clicked with your camera phone are usually good enough, as long as you present the food aesthetically.

3. Emotions, and Controlling Them

Does any one emotion scare you, or have you found a way to control that emotion? Which emotions? These could be something that you want to control such as fear, jealousy, anger, greed, or any number of other emotions. But then there are positive emotions too that you can talk about, such as caring, happiness, laughter, love (including parenting), and more. Of course, there’s no need to control the positive emotions as much.

With negative emotions, you can devote a few slides about how they come about in people, their disadvantages, and ways to control them.

With positive emotions, you can talk about why they are opposites of negative emotions, and how they can benefit others–and you too.

Clearly, each emotion has so much information available to be shared, that you will have to stop when you have content that is sufficient for twenty slides.

Also, it’s better to not go into too much detail about emotions, and also don’t fall into the trap of sharing too much about yourself in a Pecha Kucha presentation, because not everyone in the audience is your best friend.

Finding pictures about emotions can be the easiest, and also the most difficult! Why? That’s because it’s easy to find pictures about common emotions such as happiness or grief. But complex emotions such as anger or greed are different–how many pictures of angry people can you show? And greed is relative as a subject because one person’s necessity may be another’s indulgence. In such cases, you will have to weave a story and look at situations where these emotions show up. You can also use plain text, such as quotations for such slides, although you’ll have to restrict such quotations to just a few slides.

4. Looking at the Future

This is a fun topic, and you can let your imagination soar. What about how air travel will function forty years from now? Or how kitchen gadgets will change in the next hundred years?

Or how will changes in electricity, phones, make-up, books, or even security change the society in the next ten, twenty, or thirty years? This type of topic is great because you are only limited by your imagination–and audiences love to explore the future along with you.

You may have a tough time finding visuals that correspond to your imagination. You can therefore doodle on paper, and then scan or photograph your doodles, that can become slides for your Pecha Kucha presentation.

5. Explore Satire

OK, this is not everyone’s cup of tea. But if satire is close to your heart, it can be a great topic for a Pecha Kucha presentation. Make sure you identify that you are using satire right at the beginning, so that your audience can consume your content in the right spirit.

Try to make some fun of yourself too, rather than always poking fun at others–this approach will balance your content. Also, there’s no need to be overly mean or sarcastic. Keep your satire fairly simple. After all, how much complicated can you get in twenty seconds?

Visuals for satire slides can include photographs and cartoons, and you may want to source your visual content from copyright free resources such as Creative Commons or Public Domain repositories.

6. Explain What You Do

How many times have you delivered a presentation for business reasons that tells audiences about what you do, or what your company does? Now what if you were to spin those same slides, and make them a lot less formal? What if you were to remove anything that cannot be shared outside your business, and replace that with fun experiences and even mistakes that taught you lessons? Won’t that make a very interesting Pecha Kucha presentation?

So why not just follow this option, and create an unusual slide deck that explains what you do, but not to business partners or clients! Imagine you have to explain what you do to your ninety-year old grandmother and to a ten-year old nephew–both at the same time? Won’t such an audience give you an excuse to add more pictures? Well, that’s exactly what you need in a Pecha Kucha presentation.

You can click a bunch of selfies and use them here, and even use some of your old pictures. You can share pictures of locations where you worked as long as you are not breaking any copyright rules, and also use anything you please, as long as you believe that you would find these pictures interesting if you were a part of the audience?

7. Create a Picture Show About Your Hobby

Do you collect stamps or fruit boxes? Do you enjoy embroidery or video-gaming? Is astrology something you love, or maybe shopping is something you excel at? People have so many hobbies, and the stranger your hobby is, the more interested your audience will be to hear more about it. You can talk about what got you started, why you continued, and why you plan to follow along your hobby for years to come.

And then talk about whether your family loves your hobby or hates it, whether they encourage you or not, and share a funny story that involves your hobby.

The best part about doing a presentation about your hobby is that the content you want to show is right there with you–and you can often click pictures of your collectibles at home. If you have an outdoors hobby, make sure to take your camera along when you stepping out on hobby-time. And if your hobby is photography, then you already have enough visual content.

8. Talk about Pets

Everyone loves pets, because pet-owners want to know more about pets of other people. And those who are not pet-owners want to know what make you so passionate about your pet. Either way, this is a very successful topic because it’s easy to share simple experiences with your pets in a few words, that fits within a single slide; and you can also share a longer experiences across multiple slides.

While talking about dogs and cats can be interesting, talking about uncommon pets may be more interesting for audiences because everyone wants to hear about something they have never experienced, and audiences want to relive those experiences, along with you.

If you have pets, you most certainly have many pictures of them.

9. Ten, Fifteen, or Twenty

If you find everything difficult, the easiest answer is to create a list of “ten, fifteen, or twenty” best or worst of anything and use that info to create a Pecha Kucha presentation. What about ten favorite songs, twenty favorite movies, or something more exotic like fifteen poisonous plants?

If your list has ten items, you can dedicate two slides per item. If you choose fifteen, you can use the extra five slides to add an intro and conclusion. If your list has twenty items, you get one slide per item.

Such lists can also include inspirational quotes about a particular topic.

For visuals, use anything you like such as pictures, doodles, newspaper clippings, quotes, charts, tables, and even maps–or combine them all together as long as you respect copyrights. Learn more in our Picture Copyrights page.

10. Talk About What Not to Do

OK, here’s your chance to hand out to wisdom to unsuspecting folks. Show your most intelligent facial expression, and share wisdom. Really? Is that even a real suggestion on this list? Yes indeed, but that’s only half the story. Here’s the other half we never told you about: the key to success in such presentations is to show your human self and admit that you have made many mistakes in your life, but you learned from those mistakes, and will now share your wisdom with others.

Every human is different, and is also a subject-matter expert in some sphere. To attain that expertise, you must have made mistakes and must have used those mistakes as stepping stones to success. Talk about those stepping stones, and tell your audience about the mistakes they can avoid.

Visuals for such presentations need to be calm and not overly colorful. Use scenery that shows dawn or dusk.

Topics To Stay Away From

As with anything else, stay away from religion, sex, and politics because almost anyone can attend a Pecha Kucha presentation. You should therefore stay away from any topic that could be minutely controversial.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

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What Is a Pecha Kucha Presentation?

Hrideep barot.

Presentation , Public Speaking , Speech Topics , Uncategorized

If you are searching for some unique way to grab the attention of your crowd and don’t want to make it tedious. I have got three words for you, Pecha Kucha Presentation.

Pecha Kucha is a very visual style of presentation and is gaining popularity every hot minute. Pecha Kucha is a brief presentation style which it takes up to 6 minutes and 40 seconds in total. It entitles 20 slides, each displayed for preciously 20 seconds before it proceeds to the next. Mostly, it’s opted that the slide automatically shifts to the subsequent one. The speaker has to correspond their dialect with the moving slides. This not only showcases your art of being precise and apt but also it’s a creative way to stop a fast talker from wandering off the topic.

Why is it called Pecha Kucha Presentation?

Let me start from the very beginning. Pecha Kucha is a Japanese word that literally translates as ‘chit-chat’ or ‘the sound of the conversation’. This style of presentation was coined by two architects from Tokyo named Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. They intended to create a space where not only them but also others in their company could come together and share their experience. So as quoted by them “artist’s talk too much” and so not to dwell into it, they came up with a simple set of rules which was ‘20 slides 20 seconds’. Hence, on 20th February 2003, they officially came up with Pecha Kucha also famous by the name ‘20×20’.

How to make Pecha Kucha Presentation?

The first thing that one should know when preparing a Pecha Kucha Presentation is ‘Keep It Simple’. Since you have only 20 seconds to speak about one slide you want to keep it simple.

STEP 1: Choose a simple topic.

When you only have 6 minutes and 40 seconds, choose a topic which doesn’t leave your audience hanging. Select a topic that is simple to show and easy to explain. Think of it as a trailer for the movie. You want to give them something but not give away the farm. For instance, if you are telling about a product you only tell them about its features or how to use. But they can only experience it when they buy it.

Check out this video to help you navigate how to choose a topic:

STEP 2: Sketch it out.

Firstly, create a story-line. Divide your story into three introductions, body, and ending. Use a cue card, post-its, Pinterest board, a journal basically anything that you are used to and divide your story into 20 different subtopics.

Every subtopic should not have more than 3 lines of explanation. These 3 lines should be the gist of per slide and should be self-explanatory.

STEP 3: Try to fix it within 20 slides.

This step requires more visual aid. Create a 20-slide presentation. Visualise a theme and find pictures parallel to your theme as well as your narrative. Over here the Pinterest board that you created in the previous step will help you a lot.

Also, don’t be rigid about where you get your pictures. Explore as many options as you can such as Canva images, Wix , Desygner and many more.

STEP 4: Tweak it, if needed.

This stage is to reflect on what you have done till now. See if everything is falling into place or not. If not then go back to steps 2 and 3 to see what needs to be fixed and mend it. If not then you are all set and ready to fix it with final touches.

Just focus on filling in the gaps in your presentation now.

STEP 5: Practice the poetry.

Many people tend to miss this very important step which is practice. When you are on the clock try and make every second count. Your thought and speech should flow like poetry. Your speech can either make it or break it and it all lies down on just one thing, practice.

Practice your lines and see if makes sense with pictures. Your timing should be absolutely spot on and in sync with your presentation. Lastly, remember that both your speech and slides are two different sides of the same weight. When they are balanced properly, only then they will make an impact on the crowd.

To learn how to speak and rehearse your presentation check out this article “ 13 Tips For Rehearsing A Presentation ” that may prove helpful to you.

STEP 6: Enjoy.

Pecha Kucha is a very offbeat and non-traditional style of presentation. The framework may be rigid but the way to express and present could be enjoyed like none other.

Tips or Dos and don’ts to keep in Mind as you make a Pecha Kucha Presentation

Story telling form.

Storytelling is a very unique art in public speaking. This will help you a lot when giving a Pecha Kucha Presentation as it has all the necessary elements which are needed. It has an introduction and suspense, a strong body, and a climax with a satisfying ending.

This format has a mystery , well not in traditional sense. Over here mystery stands for curiosity, as to what he presentation entitles. The second thing the story telling must have a lovable and relatable character . In this “Netflix and chill” era we might have been felt relatable with some or the other fictional character. Now, while giving a speech what you can do is ‘Detail to create empathy’. Make the character relatable. Give them a story and a purpose, as to why they are important in your presentation. Last but not the least, give them a take away . Try to conclude it with the take away of your story, like a souvenir.

This short story format will instantly grab your audience’s attention and will make sure they are hooked. Waiting to want more of what you have to say.

To know more about story telling in presentation watch this:

No starting over, no turning back

This is one of the many reasons why I suggest a storytelling format as you don’t have a lot of control over the timing of the slides. It is one of Pecha Kucha’s rigid rules that you cannot start over or go back a slide. So make sure you come prepared with all your verses.

Try not to use videos

When you only have 20 seconds per slide, too many videos can spoil the broth. If your video comes with audio with it then it will be an instant turn-off. As you yourself are not interacting with people. In case your video is too long it will take up your time of presentation.

If at all you want to add a video demonstration of your work make sure it is of 20 seconds. It should be very clear and corresponding with your explanation that to without any audio. Also, if you add a GIF in it, again make sure it’s within the 20-second time limit. Your visual aids shouldn’t be distracting but comforting. It must add to your presentation and not other way around.

Minimal usage of words

To keep things crisp, try not to add any words to your slide. It is very hard to focus for a person to read what is on your slide at the same moment listen to what you are saying, that to just in 20 seconds. By the time you move on to the following slide, your audience has already missed out on the story.

If you still feel to add some words, do not exceed more than 5 to 6 words. Think of it like you are writing the subject of an email.

Pro tip: Make it SHORT & SWEET.

How many words to speak?

Two to three lines per slide should be your main target. For the same, your words can range from 30 to 60 words. Depending on the clarity and pace of how you speak.

Examples of Pecha Kucha

Initially Pecha Kucha style of Presentation was used by the architects and designers. Later, when it gained popularity many people from various different streams used this style of presenting. For instance areas such as Food & Drinks, Culture & Humanity, Health & Wellbeing and many more have been using Pecha Kucha for presenting.

Take a look at their official Pecha Kucha site for more fun topics.

Pecha Kucha presentation for students

Students need a structure at the same time their creativity should be unhindered. Pecha Kucha is one of the great solutions that you can implement. The time constrains helps to sweep through the class full of students quickly, without being partial to one. Although, time limit may seem proactive to students but the results to the audience is uncanny. Speaking for the other side of the room, the presentation seemed much more structured and focused.

Funny Pecha Kucha Ideas

There are a few ways to make your Pecha Kucha funny. First and foremost, add funny or recreational images to your slides. It can be memes that correlate to your speech or pictures of confused monkey that you can enact. For instance, when you describe yourself that you thought you will look cool just to pose with guitar but instead you looked like this monkey.

Second, which is somewhere in the same horizons is to write and practice your speech with funny one liner. Use your body and facial expression to your power. When you look at comedians like Kevin Hart, he not only modulates his voice but also this body to express.

Latest, be unpredictable. Choose a topic that will crack up the audience. You can make it a part in your presentation or your entire theme of presentation. For instance, how’s this for topic “All my embarrassing falls”, each slide containing a picture of your fall or embarrassing moments.

Pecha Kucha Presentation about Yourself

Pecha Kucha presentations can also be used as a quick way to introduce you. You can tell about your background, hobbies & interest, your goal for future and much more. It can also be your fun icebreaker session. That way your audience will not only get to know you but also warm up to you.

Here’s a beautiful example of Pecha Kucha about ‘Pecha Kucha Presentation.

Pecha Kucha photography

Take for instance you are a travel photographer and you want to tell about your trip. Pecha Kucha will not only help your tale but also help others visualize through your clicks. Well, it’s just one way of putting it. You have a lot of room for creativity when it comes to Pecha Kucha and photography. Like explaining the narrative of what is your process of clicking pictures, you field trip project, wedding toasts and many more.

Here’s a small example of how a photographer describes her book reading journey through photography.

Where to make Pecha Kucha presentation?

There are different sources where you can make a Pecha Kucha Presentation or what others call it Pecha Kucha Makers.

Here’s a list of Pecha Kucha makers:

Power Point Presentation
Google Slides
Official site of Pecha Kucha
Others: Slide show, Adobe, Key note are few of many tools that may help you to make a slide show.

TIP: Try not to use PDF because it does not have a inbuilt timer setting in it. You may have to operate it manually which in the end defeats the purpose of Pecha Kucha presentation.

Check out why 13 Reasons Why Presentations Matter (For Students & For Professionals) .

How to download one?

Mostly all the tools where you can make a slide show do have option of downloading in a MP3 video format.

Why to choose this style to present?

Like any other, Pecha Kucha presentation has its own pros and cons. These characteristics may work for some than the others.

When Pecha Kucha did gain popularity?

The infamous Pecha Kucha Nights is the sole reason for its gaining popularity worldwide. It’s not just a presentation style anymore it’s more like a wholesome community event. The event takes place in more than 140 plus countries. The current Pecha Kucha Night community count is 1,286. A community comes together in a common space and hosts the Pecha Kucha night. To host Pecha Kucha Nights local organisers are required an annual Handshake agreement with Pecha Kucha HQ. Only then it will be called as a relevant event. Pecha Kucha nights is a unique way to unleash your creativity.

Pecha Kucha events provide people an opportunity to be creative and express themselves. It’s a very inclusive event where people can talk about any sphere of their life it may be a story about their pet or their favourite restaurant. For instance, check out these Pecha Kucha events that took place in Mumbai.

Pecha Kucha Nights has adopted itself in various different forms. Be it themed or open mike, formals or cultured, contemporary or artistic. It’s a place where everyone is involved and choses to tell their own fable. On 15 th September 2016, Pecha Kucha Night held an event in Manchester had this amazing idea of having a live Art Battle Event. People from variety of occupations such as local artist, photographers, community pub creators, graphic designers, theater managers came and shared their ideas. The wide range of ideas flew through the event.

Another unique event took place in Jakarta on 4 th June 2015, titled ‘Globetrotter’. This night was dedicated to curious travelers, their beautiful destination and everything in between. Their aim was to create a symphony like feeling between their audience and travel, to inspire them to start a journey of their own.

There are many more such events that you can find and be a part of the Pecha Kucha community on their official site.

Some other similar styles like Pecha Kucha

PowerPoint Karaoke

It is an improv game where you give a presentation from a slide show you’ve never seen. It is also called PowerPoint Roulette or Battledecks. If you are well versed with the topic and confident in your skills then this is a piece of cake for you. This game will of course test your skills, get people laughing, and keep everyone on their toes as to what will happen next.

Ignite Talk

Ignite talk is just as similar as Pecha Kucha. It’s a fast-talking presentation of 20 slides with one key idea per slide, minimum text and more visual effects, just like Pecha Kucha. The only difference is instead of 20 seconds, each slide holds for 5 seconds less than Pecha Kucha which is 15 seconds per slide.

Lightning Talk

Lightning Talk in general is not more than 5 minutes long, it’s not like your usual panel or conference. Although other aspects of this form of presentation are pretty much simple. For instance, you don’t need to pre-time your slides.

Elevator pitch

Elevator Pitch is a short description of your idea or product which clarifies and gives an impression to the listener. All within the time span of 20-30 seconds hence called Elevator Pitch.

Speed Geeking

Speed Geeking is a method for multiple presenter groups to showcase their presentation with many others in a specific gap of time.

If you want to know more about other types of presentation check out this article ‘The 6 Types of Presentation (And Why You Need Them)’.

Pecha Kucha is not your usual style of presentation. It’s creative, innovative and unique, where “Delivery is more important than content”. If you stick to all the dos and don’ts and rules of Pecha Kucha there is no way that you won’t give a killer impression of yourself.

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Guide to Making a Pecha Kucha Presentation: Overview

History of pecha kucha.

Pecha Kucha , the Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit chat”) began in Tokyo, back in 2003. Conceived by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham , their original goal was to create a space where designers could share their ideas/passions with others.

However, knowing how dangerous it is to give a designer a microphone… they decided to put some checks in place. In order to prevent speakers from droning on and on, the Pecha Kucha format has restrictions: namely, 20 slides, on display for 20 seconds each. Because of this constraint every single Pecha Kucha presentation, regardless of speaker or topic, is exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds in length.

Since its inception, the Pecha Kucha format has spread to multiple cities around the world. As of June, 2009, more than 200 cities hold their own Pecha Kucha events, where people across multiple disciplines and fields of study share the things that interest and invigorate them. Visit pecha-kucha.org for more info, and to find an event near where you are.

About This Guide

My name is Felix Jung, and I gave my first talk at Pecha Kucha Chicago, Volume 9 . I thoroughly enjoyed the event and had a fantastic time preparing for my talk. On looking back, I wanted to write up a summary of my process, and to share any tips or hints to others who are planning (or considering) participating in their first Pecha Kucha event.

A few caveats: I’m no professional speaker, nor do I profess to have any kind of secret insider knowledge. I’m a guy who gave a talk, and maybe my notes will be of help. The suggestions I make here are just that – suggestions. Take them or leave them, as what worked for me might not necessarily work for you.

Like design or poetry or cooking, there’s no one way to do this right (and anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something).

When I was first doing my prep, I spent time looking around on YouTube for examples of Pecha Kucha talks . I wanted to see what others had done, and wanted some basis for comparison.

To that end, I’m posting up my slides and videos of my talk in the hopes that they might be of some help to you. There are two videos of my talk: one that shows the event live, and another that has audio from the evening superimposed over my slides.

Additionally, if you want a closer look at the slides themselves… check out the downloads section for .zip files of both the individual slides, as well as the main .PSD.

Again, I want to stress that I’m not suggesting you copy what I did. Completely the opposite, in fact. I encourage you to come up with your own style, your own approach.

When I was working on my own presentation, I wanted specific examples of how others set up their talks. In that spirit, I hope these pages provide a good starting point. Good luck in your prep, and if this was a useful resource… I’d love to hear about it (and I’d love to see your presentation too, if it’s online). Break a leg!

Next: Getting Started

This Post Has 5 Comments

It’s so great you’ve prepared such a guide because it encourages people to take part in Pecha Kucha and makes it easier for them to, one day, prepare a presentation themselves. I am a big fan of Pecha Nights and love to share my passion as well. I’ve recently wrote an article: 20 Reasons Why Pecha Kucha is Great for You , drop in and let me know what you think. All best from Oslo.

I have a question about the total presentation time. Does it have to strictly follow 6.6 minutes? Because my professor deducted 5 points off my grade for “not following Pecha Kucha guidelines” because my total time was 5:43. I would appreciate any advise and I can use some references that shows Pecha Kucha CANNOT fall below 6.6 minutes. I need help because we will be doing more of this sort of assignment.

Hi Dedes – There aren’t a lot of specific rules to Pecha Kucha, but the one thing that seems a constant is the overall time for each presentation. If you look at the official PechaKucha website , they oftentimes refer to the format as “PechaKucha 20×20.” Meaning: 20 slides, 20 seconds each.

At public performances, no one is really holding a stopwatch to each presenter. But the general expectation is that all presentations , regardless of content, will fall around 6 minutes, 40 seconds in length. Hope this helps, and good luck with your future presentations!

Hello, I followed your tips for my recent Pecha Kucha in Barcelona (Design Museum of Barcelona auditorium with 320 people). I just wanted to say thank you for all your tips and ideas. I really enjoyed your Pecha Kucha too!!! This is mine. I speak in catalan but I have added english subtitles. I would like to hear a comment from you. Thanks

https://youtu.be/zQdtxdlKs3Y

I think Pecha Kucha is the bomb! I recently had to give a presentation and chose the pecha kuccha format because it allowed me to be myself and convey the contents of my heart without the pressures of slide to slide combat.

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What is a Pecha Kucha presentation

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Discover the influential Pecha Kucha presentation style, featuring concise, focused presentations with 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each. Learn its impact, benefits, and tips for creating compelling Pecha Kucha presentations. Embrace brevity and captivate… ... read more Discover the influential Pecha Kucha presentation style, featuring concise, focused presentations with 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each. Learn its impact, benefits, and tips for creating compelling Pecha Kucha presentations. Embrace brevity and captivate your audience. close

Among the many presentation styles available, the Pecha Kucha format stands out for its influential impact. This unique format focuses on creating a crisp, laser-focused presentation contained within 20 slides. Pecha Kucha inspires presenters to distill their main ideas succinctly without dilly-dallying, evolving from a format into a phenomenon.

What is a Pecha Kucha presentation?

Originating in the minds of Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, Pecha Kucha is a presentation format that originated in Tokyo in 2003. The name Pecha Kucha means “chit-chat” or “small talk” in Japanese, which appropriately reflects the succinct nature of these types of presentations.

Pecha Kucha is defined by its 20-slide format, with each slide automatically switching over after 20 seconds. This prompts the presenters to be brief and concise, focusing on the crux of their presentation’s message and eliminating any fluff.

Exploring the influence of Pecha Kucha on presentation styles

Pecha Kucha’s unique format has significantly impacted the world of presentations, encouraging many presenters to reevaluate their storytelling and communication techniques . This approach has helped foster more engaged audiences and create memorable experiences.

Since the first Pecha Kucha Night was hosted by the founders in 2003, many cities have followed suit and hosted their own events. Pecha Kucha Nights invite anyone to present and share their ideas about any subject they like within the Pecha Kucha style. They are a free space for creative minds to network and interact in person.

Pecha Kucha works particularly well in the digital age, where attention spans are becoming shorter and the demand for concise, engaging content is growing. The brief, visual-heavy style fits perfectly within online platforms, making it a popular format for virtual presentations.

The Pecha Kucha presentation format

The Pecha Kucha format holds advantages for both the audience and the presenter. The presenter is challenged to refine their presentation to focus on the key elements, producing more memorable content. Meanwhile, the audience enjoys the refreshing brevity and directness of this engaging format.

Understanding the 20×20 rule

At the heart of a Pecha Kucha presentation lies the 20×20 rule: 20 slides, displayed for 20 seconds each. With the entire presentation lasting only 6 minutes and 40 seconds, speakers are encouraged to use their time efficiently and stick to their central idea.

Benefits of the format

Pecha Kucha’s widespread appeal signifies its effectiveness; you can find the format used in different industries such as business, academia, and artistic spaces. The compact format prompts the speakers to use creative thinking to deliver a brisk, energized presentation performance, capturing and maintaining the audience’s attention.

Creating a compelling Pecha Kucha presentation

Ready to experiment with the Pecha Kucha format? Here are some tips for creating a compelling Pecha Kucha presentation:

Choosing a focused and engaging topic

Choose a captivating, focused topic that genuinely interests you; audiences can sense when a presenter lacks interest in their presentation’s subject. Also, it is a great motivation to talk about a subject that you’re curious about; when a speaker’s passion is palpable, audiences become more intrigued.

Crafting a concise and impactful storyline

With the limited time frame, the storyline needs to be impactful. The Pecha Kucha presentation should follow a clear trajectory that includes a beginning, middle, and end. Every slide should build on the one before it and move the story forward. Considering that there are only 20 slides, there is no room for any extraneous content that doesn’t directly serve the story.

Practicing and timing the presentation for smooth delivery

The success of a presentation largely depends on the rehearsal efforts to ensure a smooth delivery. To be able to present with confidence and self-assurance, set aside the time to practice and recite your presentation. By practicing and timing your presentation, you can confidently align your pacing with the Pecha Kucha time limit of 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

Designing impactful Pecha Kucha slides

When designing the slides for a Pecha Kucha presentation, one thing to keep in mind is that it is a visual-heavy format. Furthermore, the slides need to complement the speaker and make an impression in the short screen time they have. To design eye-catching Pecha Kucha slides, think about the following:

Simplifying slide design for maximum impact

A Pecha Kucha slide should be clean and simple. Since the slides will be displayed for 20 seconds each, the design should be straightforward, the text simple, and not cluttered with too much information. The audience should be able to quickly grasp the content of each slide and connect it to the overall message.

Effective use of visual elements

Since the Pecha Kucha slides switch quickly and automatically, this format of presentation relies heavily on their visuals, meaning every visual needs to pack a punch. The slides should enhance and reinforce the overall message, which is why the visuals should typically be a single image or text that is relevant, irresistible, and aligned with your ideas. Think of the text, images, shapes, and other visual elements as the puzzle pieces needed to add a whole other layer of brilliance to your presentation.

Consistency and coherence

To avoid audience distraction, your presentation should be unified, given the brevity of the format. One way to do so is by creating consistency across slides through text, color, visuals, ideas, and any other element used. This will help maintain the audience’s attention and give an overall impression of your credibility and competence as a speaker.

Pecha Kucha stands out as an innovative presentation style, challenging presenters to bring out the best of their ideas within a strict time constraint. Its simplicity and brevity serve as perfect antidotes to drawn-out, lengthy presentations, transforming them into dynamic and engaging experiences. Embrace the Pecha Kucha format in your next presentation, letting your ideas take center stage without unnecessary frills.

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Tips For Giving Your First PechaKucha Presentation

The average human attention span is eight seconds. That’s shorter than the average attention span of a goldfish, and probably less time than it would take to introduce yourself on stage. In a survey, 4 out of 5 professionals claimed that they shift their focus away from the presenter during any given presentation they’re watching. If you’re going to lose your audience before you even really begin, what’s the point? In an effort to be more successful, presenters are constantly testing new formats to package their message in a way that both resonates with their audience, and keeps them engaged from slide to slide.

Basically, we’re all trying to solve the infamous “death by PowerPoint”? The solution: Beautiful.ai meets PechaKucha.

PechaKucha is a presentation format that has been adopted by many. From PechaKucha nights with friends, to new curriculum standards at universities, PechaKucha has changed the way people present. But what is it, exactly?

What is PechaKucha?

Not to be confused with Pikachu (any Pokémon fans out there?), PechaKucha— which is Japanese for chit-chat— is a particular presentation style. In 2003, architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo’s Klein Dytham architecture invented PechaKucha in an effort to bring “More show. Less tell,” to life in presentations. Essentially, the duo wanted to streamline the process and delivery of long design presentations to make them more digestible to audiences. The format follows a simple 20x20 rule in which each presentation is 20 slides, and each slide is shown for only 20 seconds each. Think of it as a speed presentation, where the presenter has to make their point— beginning to end— in 7 minutes total.

The PechaKucha format is used among friends for PechaKucha nights (similar to the TikTok-famous PowerPoint nights ), in business, and at schools. It’s an elevator pitch for your topic. The short-form presentations keep distractions to a minimum, and engagement at a maximum. Specifically, teachers have found the format to be extremely useful when trying to engage students and encourage critical thinking in the classroom. “This presentation style was designed to help people tell a story instead of lecturing to others,” Jim Ave, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Fresno Pacific University said in an interview . “This keeps students engaged. It’s another tool to use in class to foster learning.”

Tips for giving your first PechaKucha presentation

Now that you have a little bit of background on the ever-popular PechaKucha, here's how to nail your first 20x20 presentation .

Be passionate about your topic

Because of the nature of a PechaKucha presentation, presenters have to be quick on their toes. Providing commentary for each slide in under 20 seconds is no small feat, and in order to do it well presenters need to be knowledgeable in the topic. It’s considerably easier to make your point quicker when you’re passionate about the topic. If you’re planning a PechaKucha presentation, choose something that genuinely interests you and that you can speak on with little-to-no effort.

Know your story

As with any presentation, you should know your story before you even think about designing a slide. But this is especially true when you’re trying to scramble to hit your point in under 20 seconds. With a firm stance on your positioning, it will be easier to structure your story and touch on all key points. If you’re going through each slide like you’re telling a story to your best friend, it will be more seamless and you’ll be a lot less likely to slip up on your words or get stuck mid-slide.

Let your slides do the talking

When you’re on a time-crunch, your slides have to pull more weight. Let them say what you can’t in 20 seconds. Images are your friend here. Nobody wants to attempt to read (and comprehend) a big block of text in 20 seconds before it’s gone, so lean into visual storytelling. In fact, most PechaKucha presentations don’t include any text at all and simply use images for each slide. Your image should be relevant to the point you are trying to make, and have an obvious connection to your topic. Beautiful.ai’s free image library boasts an impressive collection of hundreds of thousands of quality photos and icons. Regardless of your PechaKucha topic, there is truly something for everyone.

Keep your takeaways to a minimum

Obviously with such limited time, you have to be intentional about your key takeaways. At its core, PechaKucha forces you to say more with less. Keep your main points to a minimum so you can easily zip through each slide in the allotted 20 seconds. You should be able to make your point easily and quickly, and then be ready to move on to the next one. In order to do so without giving your audience whiplash, make sure you structure your presentation in a way that flows and makes sense. Your story should be easy to follow, even if it’s fast.

Timing is everything

A PechaKucha presentation is all about timing— obviously, that’s the whole basis of the format. To make sure you’re prepared to run (literally, run, don’t walk) through your presentation in less than 7 minutes, you’ll need to practice. And then practice again. We recommend going through your presentation a minimum of three times to ensure you can stay on track with the 20-second per slide limit.