Making-Original-Products-presentationzen

Pen and Paper
I spend a lot of time working outside my office
in coffee shops, in parks, and while riding on the
Japanese Bullet Train (Shinkansen) on my trips to
Tokyo. And although I have a MacBook Air or iPad
with me at virtually all times, it is pen and paper that
I use to privately brainstorm, explore ideas, make
lists, and generally sketch out my ideas. I could use
the computer, but I find—as many do—that the
act of holding a pen in my hand to sketch out ideas
seems to have a greater, more natural connection to
my right brain and allows for a more spontaneous flow
and rhythm for visualizing and recording ideas. Compared
to sitting at a keyboard, the act of using paper
and pen to explore ideas, and the visualization of those
ideas, seems far more powerful. It’s certainly simple.
Whiteboards
I often use a large whiteboard in my office to sketch
out my ideas. The whiteboard works for me because
I feel uninhibited and free to brainstorm and sketch
ideas on a bigger scale. I can also step back (literally)
and imagine how it might flow logically when slides
are added later. The advantage of a whiteboard (or
chalkboard) is that you can use it with small groups
to record concepts and directions. As I write down
key points and assemble an outline and structure,
I can draw quick ideas for visuals, such as charts
or photos that will later appear in the slides. I draw
sample images that I can use to support a particular
point, say, a pie chart here, a photo there, perhaps a
line graph in this section, and so on.
50 Presentation Zen