My job includes traveling around the world to educate people about the art of presentation. As you can imagine, the technology I use to present my lessons is very important. Last summer, InFocus invited me to their headquarters for a demonstration on their product line. I was blown away by their cool products that allow users to better share and collaborate with their audience. Since then, I have used these products in my own presentations. However, while the technology is vital, users must have an understanding of the art of presenting, whether they use technology or not. And that’s where I come in.

Presentation Zen

Presentation Zen is not a method, but an approach. Most people have developed ways of thinking about presentations, yet what I hope to do is encourage people to think differently about the design and delivery of their presentations by drawing on certain tenets from the Zen arts. At the heart of Zen is the need for personal awareness and the ability to see and discover. Being able to break free of our old habits, whether it is poor presenting, cluttered and ineffective slides, or lack of preparedness, is crucial in mastering the art of presentation and embracing the essence of a more “Zen” approach.

The purpose of a presentation is to communicate your message to an audience effectively and to create a change in that audience. This can be achieved by keeping three principles in mind: Restraint in preparation, simplicity in design, and naturalness in delivery.

Restraint in Preparation

Constraints and limitations are not your enemies, but your allies. Anyone can add more, but it takes discipline and strength of will to make difficult choices on what to include and what to exclude. As daily life becomes more complex, it is more important than ever to craft clear, concise messages for your audience that are communicated with simple designs. When you look at the slides in the InFocus “What NOT to Present Contest,” you are more than likely going to get overwhelmed from just looking at them, let alone understanding the main message.

This is why it is important to craft your message and story ahead of time. If your audience remembers one thing, what should it be? Limit yourself to ensure that your main message comes across clear and concise, not hidden amongst a slew of other things, including cluttered slides. This often means cutting things out of your presentations, which is hard for people, yet is vital to bring everything back to the core message.

Simplicity in Design

When it comes to clear design, less is more. Design is about making communication as easy and clear for the audience as possible. Most of the slides in the “What NOT to Present Contest” emphasize heavy ornamentation over simple and subdued decoration, trying to cram too much into a single slide. PowerPoint is a tool that can be used effectively, but only with appropriate design methods.

When designing your slides, don’t be afraid of empty space—it directs the eye and establishes clear design priorities. Empty space is crucial for obtaining clarity in your message. It is powerful and can give your slides greater organization, clearness and interest. Strong visuals can also enhance your narrative. However, be aware of the signal-to-noise ratio. Often this means designing with fewer elements and removing all non-essential items to make sure you obtain the strongest signal possible.

Naturalness in Presentation

The delivery is as crucial as any other component of the presentation. Most people know that when it comes to the delivery, it is important to be natural. Yet what does that mean? When you present, it should come across conversational, which means being fully present and connecting with the audience. The world of Zen stresses the art of mindfulness, in which a person is truly connected in the moment without worries or concerns of the past or future. This is true with presenting, as you must be able to clear your mind and be fully committed to the moment in order to connect with your audience and deliver an effective presentation.

Although I prefer to view presentation more as conversation than performance, practice is still necessary. As you prepare and practice, you will become more confident and natural when you present. Most importantly, you are able to internalize the material. To truly master the art of the presentation, you must obtain the proper state of mind, which is a mind where your head is not filled with worries and clutter, but is clear and focused on only your message and your audience.

Here are some other tips on delivery to help you connect with your audience:

• Never go over time (unless the audience insists). Show respect for your audience by respecting their time.
• Remove physical barriers from you and the audience. Consider using a remote or an interactive projector.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously. Being in the present means being flexible and allowing for mistakes.

Letting go of old habits is difficult, but today’s world requires you to think differently and more creatively about preparation, design and delivery. Using these three basic principles, presentations can be effective, and you can master the art form. For more information on Presentation Zen, visit my blog, or read one of my books: Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, Presentation Zen Design: Simple Design Principles and Techniques to Enhance Your Presentations, or The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations With or Without Slides.

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Garr Reynolds is the author of the best-selling book Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery with over 150,000 copies sold and translated into 17 languages. A leading authority on presentation design and delivery and sought-after speaker and consultant, his clients include many in the Fortune 500. A writer, designer, musician, and long-time student of the Zen arts, he is currently Associate Professor of Management at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan and Director of Design Matters Japan. Named in 2011 by Say Media of New York City as one of the "100 Most Influential Voices on the Net," Garr’s popular Web site - presentationzen.com - is the leading site on the topic of presentation design and delivery and creativity on the net.