venerdì 17 febbraio 2012

Trust Tip Video: Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken


Trust Tip Video: Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken

We all spend an awful lot of time, money and effort trying to convince others of our attributes. We want them to see us as we imagine that we want to be seen.

We underestimate the power of doing exactly the opposite – letting people see us just as we are.

That's what this week's Trust Tip video is about.

For more on the general subject of authenticity and honesty, look at Trust, Honesty and Authenticity, a blogpost from two years ago.

If you like the Trust Tip Video series, and you like our occasional eBooks, why not subscribe to make sure you get both? Every 2-4 weeks we'll send you selected high-quality content. To subscribe, click here, or go to http://bit.ly/trust-subscribe

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Many Trusted Advisor programs now offer CPE credits.  Please call Tracey DelCamp for more information at 856-981-5268–or drop us a note @ info@trustedadvisor.com.

This post was written by Charles H. Green
Charles H. Green is founder and CEO of Trusted Advisor Associates LLC; read more about Charlie at http://trustedadvisor.com/cgreen/You can follow him on twitter @CharlesHGreen


Original Page: http://trustedadvisor.com/?p=5269



Inviato da iPad

A comparison of mind mapping apps for the iPad


A comparison of mind mapping apps for the iPad

A comparison of mind mapping apps for the iPad

How do the mind mapping apps for the iPad compare with each other? Here is a visual analysis, in the form of a chart, which compares price vs. functionality, and what that translates into in terms of potential value to you. The larger the circle, the greater the program's value. Please click on the image to view a larger version of this chart.

Ideally, you want a low-cost (or free) app with lots of functionality. That yields a lot of value. But don't discount the higher-priced mind mapping apps in this chart, because even the highest-priced one is only US$15.99 – still a bargain!

What can we learn from this chart? First, there are many developers fighting for the lowest end of the market – low-cost apps that do just basic topics connected by lines, and not much more. If they don't at least offer text notes and hypertext links, they're not worth your time, in my opinion.

Next, there is a cluster of apps in the mid-range of functionality, in the price range of US6-8.They offer a bit more functionality, at a slightly higher price than the low-end programs.

Finally, at the high end of the market are apps like iThoughtsHD, iBlueSky, MindMeister and DropMind, which provide an excellent level of functionality for a reasonable price. Mindjet stands alone as a supplier of a fully-featured mind mapping app that is giving it away for free – part of its mission to spread visual mapping to a much larger audience of users, who may some day purchase its MindManager desktop mind mapping program and Connect online workspace service.

What do you think of this analysis? Is this something I should repeat for other segments of the mind mapping software market?


Original Page: http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/a-comparison-of-mind-mapping-apps-for-the-ipad/



Inviato da iPad

martedì 14 febbraio 2012

Back-to-Basics: 1 - What is a Presentation?


Back-to-Basics: 1 - What is a Presentation?

Back-to-Basics is a series of posts where I am going to revisit the basics of making a presentation. The outcome of this series is a step by step guide of making any presentation.


What is a Presentation?
At first I felt weird asking such a question. Then I realised it was not a bad place to start. When you talk of basics, this a great place to begin. So what is a presentation? Think for a while...A presentation is a person talking to a group of people? A presentation is a bunch of slides?


In my view, "a presentation is a communication with an objective." Note the following in my definition: 1. There is no mention of slides. A presentation can be made with or without slides. 2. Presentation is a form of communication. This basically means a presentation is an exchange of information (communication) between two sides. 3. There has to be an objective. Any exchange of information is not a presentation.


A teacher taking a class is a presentation. Giving a speech is a presentation. Pitching to a venture capitalist in the boardroom is also a presentation. Every form of communication wherein two sides are involved and there is a purpose is a 'presentation'.


Are all Presentations similar?
All kinds of presentations are similar. Their goals may differ, their settings might differ but there is a common DNA which runs through every presentation. I had mentioned about it sometime before on the blog. Here is a new and revised version of the same.


There are 7 elements of every presentation. 
  1. You (the presenter)
  2. You have a goal (for example, you want to sell a flat to prospective customers)
  3. To achieve the goal you go to your audience (customers)
  4. You give them what they want/expect. You solve a problem or address an issue.
  5. You want the audience to do something (action). In the first meeting you want them to get interested in the project. In the second or third meeting, your goal can be to get them give you the money.
  6. In order to achieve the goal, you need to say something to your audience. This is your content. You talk about the great location and a reputed builder. Not to forget the lake view from the balcony.
  7. How you say is the style. Do you use slides or not? Do you personally go and talk or just email the slides? How do you take the audience through the content? Do you share a handout? This is called the design (slide design) and delivery stage.
That's about it. Every presentation you come across will need you to look at these 7 elements. Spend time figuring each of these out and you will do a better job of the presentation. To summarise, you have to answer these questions before you start preparing for any presentation.
  1. Who is the presenter?
  2. What is your goal?
  3. Who is your audience? (understand them in detail)
  4. What does your audience want? What problem are you solving?
  5. What do you want the audience to do after your presentation?
  6. What will you say to the audience? (so that they do what you want them to do)*
  7. How will you say what you want to say?**
* This is your content and ** this is your design (slide design) and delivery

I call this THE CONTEXT of a presentation.


Since this concept is new I will cover it in a bit more detail. Go back to your last presentation and figure out the 7 elements. My last presentation was a workshop I conducted for under-graduate students. Let me present to you the 7 elements:

  1. Who is the presenter? Vivek Singh, the presentations blogger. I was there because I am a presentations expert. I was not there as a marketing manager (which is my full time role). I had only one image to portray to the audience.
  2. What is your goal? My goal was very simple. First, make students realise the importance of presentations in their career. Second, teach them a step-by-step guide to making any presentation and also share with them common mistakes which most presenters make.
  3. Who is your audience? My audience was under-graduate students who are studying commerce and management. I spent a lot of time understanding how many presentations the students make. I even interacted with their teacher to find out how good they are at making presentations and what mistakes they commit. What to say and how to say depends on who your audience is.
  4. What does the audience want/expect? What problem are you solving? I knew that every student wanted to become better at presentations but most of them do not have the time or interest to research and study on their own. So I taught them something useful and easy to apply within two and a half hours.
  5. What do you want the audience to do after your presentation? They must feel motivated to use the techniques taught in the workshop. They must use the checklist I gave them (as a handout) and apply it to the next presentation they make. I gave the handout because it makes their job of remembering and applying what I taught easier.
  6. What will you say to the audience? (Content) I was clear on what my goal was. I understood what my audience needs were; "give us useful stuff but do not bore us." It should be easy to remember and easy to apply. This helped me shape the content. What to say and what to ignore. Since I wanted to teach less and make my content memorable and understandable, I chose to use lots of examples. I also kept summarizing as I went along.
  7. How will you say? (Design and Delivery) I decided to use slides as I needed to show them examples of good and bad slides. I also decided to give a handout. The handout captures the basic lesson of the entire workshop. They can use it the next time they present. I also rehearsed many times so that I feel confident and finish my content well within the time allocated.

In the next post, I will discuss why these 7 elements make you a better presenter. Why you must spend time and figure out answers to these 7 questions and then jump onto the computer and start making your slides. As of now, just remember one thing. The first step to making your presentation is to answer these 7 questions.

Original Page: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AllAboutPresentations/~3/951d9kJ2UFc/back-to-basics-1-what-is-presentation.html



Inviato da iPad

The Visual Thinking Revolution is Here!


The Visual Thinking Revolution is Here!

We are in the midst of a "Visual Thinking Revolution" and leaders in all types of organizations are embracing visual thinking as a literacy of the future.

Source: MBA Career Service Professionals (click to enlarge)

This revolution's "tipping point" came earlier this year at the International Forum for Visual Practitioners annual conference, which drew 100 visual practitioners from across the globe. The panel I moderated with Business Models Inc. CEO Patrick van der Pijl and Doodle Revolution's Sunni Brown kicked off the conference with an expansive discussion on the future of visual thinking. Captured by three different graphic recorders in real time, we explored 10 significant external forces that are fueling the Visual Thinking Revolution:

  1. We live in an increasingly VUCA world. Vulnerable, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. Each day we're bombarded with too much noise and not enough signal. Visual thinking helps us break down complex problems into simple pictures (Thank you, Dan Roam for showing us the way to make ideas come alive on the back of a napkin!)
  2. Advances in neuroscience and fMRI technology demonstrate that our brains are more creative and imaginative when operating under reward vs. threat conditions. If you want to create reward conditions that encourage participation, use simple, welcoming, hand-drawn pictures that everyone can understand. Want to create threat conditions? Hefty text-driven, data-filled, bullet-pointed PowerPoint presentations should get you there in no time.
  3. Best selling authors are codifying their "magic". Thanks to Nancy Duarte's bestselling Slide:ology and Resonate, Dan Roam's Back of the Napkin books and Blah, Blah, Blah, and Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur's Business Model Generation we're creating a whole new leadership discipline around visual storytelling and visual modeling in service of business and innovation.
  4. Technology gives us exciting new tools. Wide adoption of touch screen tablets and accompanying apps enable easy, real-time, visual capture and sharing of ideas. Some app recommendations include: Adobe Ideas, Sketchbook Pro, Bamboo Paper, Penultimate, Art Set.
  5. Viral channels spread the word—and pictures. Millions of animated RSA videos were watched and shared in 2011, with the TED talks by Sir Ken Robinson and Dan Pink on creativity and innovation converting even the most left-brained thinkers to the power of visual communication.
  6. Mainstream media catches on. Beyond traditional supporters like Fast Company, 2011 saw coverage in mainstream journalism, with stories on visual thinking featured in Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post and CNN.
  7. New sources of talent and training proliferate. Sensing a growing demand for visual skills, new kinds of training are popping up, ranging from one-day workshops, such as "Introduction to Graphic Recording" to online seminars and virtual learning.
  8. "Design Mania" becomes a movement. With no end in site for the excitement surrounding design as a strategic competence, visual thinking is riding the coattails of IDEO and Stanford's d. school, which have pimped the value of Sharpies and post-its.
  9. New investors and incubators emerge. Design-based angel funds and start-up incubators are catching the visual-thinking fever, realizing that superb customer experience may trump over-hyped technology. It's no secret that a napkin sketch is the ultimate low-res prototype.
  10. New audiences arise. Perhaps most significant, is the demand and excitement expressed by new audiences. Visual thinking is NOT just for artists. It's for business people, entrepreneurs, NGOs, government leaders, teachers, kids. Nor is it just a Western phenomena; visual thinking is going global, from Asia to Africa to South America. Wherever you find good ideas and stories to tell, you'll find visual thinking.

If you're still not convinced that the Visual Thinking Revolution has arrived, what could be better proof than the Saturday Night Live parody of the visual thinking-inspired UPS commercial.

Looking forward, we can expect that each of these emerging trends will only get stronger. The world will be more complex and overwhelming. Adaption of new technologies will accelerate. Companies will continue to chase growth in the midst of new competitors and customer demands. People will seek out communicative leaders who can help us feel safe, grounded, understood and inspired in the midst of all of this noise and uncertainty. The question is who among us will be the first to embrace the full potential of visual thinking as individual and organizational catalysts for leading innovation and change, helping make our work more meaningful and productive.

At this time of year when we when we have made promises to do things differently— eat healthier, hit the gym more— how about also resolving to wield a marker in service of communicating new ideas and possibilities? It doesn't matter if you think you "can't draw;" visual thinking isn't about artistic ability, but about passion for innovation and change. The revolution is calling: pick up your pen and change the world!

Lisa Kay Solomon is a guest contributor to the Duarte Blog. Lisa is an adjunct professor for the California College of the Art's new MBA in Design Strategy. She teaches visual thinking as a mandatory literacy for innovation leaders of the future as part of her Innovation Studio course.


Original Page: http://blog.duarte.com/?p=8011



Inviato da iPad

Nick Morgan Explains How To Give A Presentation That Changes The World


Nick Morgan Explains How To Give A Presentation That Changes The World

Episode #292 of Six Pixels of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to.

When I got my first offer to speak in front of a large audience, I wasn't sure where to turn for more professional public speaking and presentation skills training. Many names of individuals and organizations were fed my way, but one name that kept rising to the top was Nick Morgan. I immediately purchased his book, Give Your Speech, Change The World, and it did - in fact - change my world and perception of what a presentation is really all about. I eagerly bought his other book, Trust Me, and have become not only a fan of his every move (which isn't as creepy as it sounds), but also of his Blog, Public Words. In the marketing world, the best ideas don't always win. One of the main reasons is because they're not presented well (in essence, a poor presentation can kill the best of ideas). Being a great presenter is a core capability of some of the most respected business leaders and marketing professionals we've seen to date. Nick Morgan knows how to get you there. Just take a listen. Enjoy the conversation...

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast #292.

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Original Page: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TwistImage/~3/TBZFkOG8bbc/



Inviato da iPad

How to be Confident on Stage


How to be Confident on Stage

Confidence is key. We've heard that phrase over and over again, and there's certainly truth in it. A lack of confidence will sink your presentation before it's even begun. Listening to someone give a presentation with no confidence is awkward, and feeling embarrassed for someone else is uncomfortable. Don't make your audience squirm. Be confident, even if underneath your callused outer shell you're as fragile as an egg. Fake it until you make it, and until you do, use these tips to help you be confident on stage.

To begin with, show up early and dressed in your Sunday best. There's nothing worse than being late or nearly late to an important appointment. Give yourself time to arrive to the venue, sit down, breathe and relax before you start. If you don't consciously set aside time to get there early, you're going to be speeding around in traffic, swearing to yourself, sweating profusely, increasing your heart rate, and stressing yourself out to the max. Avoid this. There's no legitimate reason you can't be on time, so be on time. Also, dressing in your Sunday best is a surefire way to boost your confidence. You know when you look good and you feel good about yourself when you do. Even if you're scared and nervous and feel like you're about to have a panic attack, you'll still feel great about yourself because you look great.

Remember the first rule of Boy Scouts: Be prepared! Absolutely the easiest way to ensure confidence on stage is to be prepared for your presentation. It sounds simple enough, but it's equally as simple to convince yourself that you're much more prepared than you really are. Be honest with yourself. Should you practice one more time? Do you know the presentation like the back of your hand? The more you practice, the more prepared you're going to feel. We recommend practicing at least eight times before the day of your presentation. More is better. Be so comfortable with every aspect of your speech that it feels like it's spilling out of your brain. An excellent point from our CEO and founder Scott Schwertly's book How to be a Presentation God is that "an 100-member audience attending an hour-long presentation is giving up 100 collective hours." Your audience is going to get out of your presentation what you put into it. Make it worth their while.

When you finally feel adequately prepared, relax. Breathe. Set down your presentation and do something else. Don't look at it again except for a quick run-through before the presentation. Don't obsess over it. Again, be sure you are prepared, then relax. Don't fret up until the final moment about some cumbersome detail. Let it rest. If you feel completely prepared the day of the presentation, you will look and appear relaxed. Of course, there will always be butterflies flying around your stomach, but no one will be able to tell except you. And those butterflies are a good thing– they'll keep you in line and remind you to be on your toes and receptive to whatever comes your way, but your demeanor will be entirely relaxed because you're ready.

So remember: arrive early, dress your best, be prepared and relax. Your audience will be excited and ready to hear what you have to say. You'll smile, feel grounded in your confidence, and give the best presentation of your life.


Original Page: http://www.ethos3.com/2012/02/how-to-be-confident-on-stage/



Inviato da iPad

Why User Experience Is Critical To Customer Relationships


Why User Experience Is Critical To Customer Relationships

User experience is a priority that should, in some way, find a home within the design of any new-media strategy.

This is part one of a limited series on the need for brands to employ UX in new-media strategies to improve customer experiences and engagement.

With the explosion of social media and smart devices, customers are becoming incredibly sophisticated, elusive, and empowered. As a result, the dynamics that govern the relationship between brands and customers is evolving.

But even in this era of engagement and "two-way" conversations, the reality is that the relationship businesses hope to have with customers through these new devices, applications, or networks and their true state are not one in the same. In fact, it is woefully one-sided, and usually not to the advantage of customers, which for all intents and purposes still affects businesses. 

Rather than examine the role new technologies and platforms can play in improving customer relationships and experiences, many businesses invest in "attendance" strategies where a brand is present in both trendy and established channels, but not defining meaningful experiences or outcomes. Simply stated, businesses are underestimating the significance of customer experiences.

Some of the biggest trends today--mobile, geoloco, social, real-time--are changing how consumers discover and share information and connect with one another. Technology aside, consumers are driving the rapid adoption of technology because of the capabilities that are unlocked through each device. From self-expression and validation to communication and connections to knowledge and collaboration, new opportunities unfold with each new device and platform.  

As smart and connected technology matures beyond a luxury into everyday commodities, consumer expectations only inflate. As a result, functionality, connectedness, and experiences emerge as the lures for attention. For brands to compete for attention now takes something greater than mere presences in the right channels or support for the most popular devices. User experience (UX) is now becoming a critical point in customer engagement in order to compete for attention now and in the future. For without thoughtful UX, consumers meander without direction, reward, or utility. And their attention, and ultimately loyalty, follows. 

The CrUX of Engagement Is Intention and Purpose

Brands as a whole suffer from medium-alism, where inordinate value and weight is placed on the technology of any medium rather than amplifying platform strengths and ideas to deliver desired and beneficial experiences and outcomes. Said another way, businesses are designing for the sake of designing, without regard for how someone feels, thinks, or acts as a result. 

Thankfully, there's a cure for medium-alism. UX is the new Rx for most new media deployments. From social networks to mobile apps to commerce to digital, experiential strategies form the bridge where intentions meet outcomes. By starting with the end in mind, UX packages efficiency and enchantment to deliver more meaningful, engaging, and rewarding consumer journeys.

It's easier said than done, however.  

UX is an art and science, and it is all but ignored in the development of new media channels where customers control their own fate. If the appeal of an app diminishes, it's removed from the device. If a brand page in a social or mobile network no longer delivers value, a customer can effortlessly unlike, unfollow, or unsubscribe. If the rewards for taking action on behalf of a brand--think check-in, QR, barcode scans, or augmented reality plays--are intangible, or gimmicky without intent, customers will simply power off. And, if a consumer cannot take action in your favor, within their channel of relevance, with ease and elegance, value or ROI will forever escape your grasp.

Agencies, brand managers, developers, consultants, and anyone responsible for any element of customer engagement can learn from the art and science of UX. To that end, UX is a role that should, in some way, shape or form, find a home within the design of any new media strategy today. So I ask:  

Who's your mobile design expert?Who understands the engagement dynamics of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other new networks?Who on your team is a master of the psychology to better understand engagement, behavior, and expectations?

Often, creative strategies are driven by a clever idea and not necessarily an idea supported by an engaging design or experience. At the same time, many campaigns are developed for a medium or an event where the platform takes precedence over sentiment or desired results. Of course, when considered, the formula of experiences and outcomes is incredibly potent. But when deployed without directions, everything that results is left to happenstance. Why risk it when you can design for it?

The Experience RedUX

Certainly many brands are guilty of deploying technology strategies without designing a holistic experience. It's the reason the result of a QR scan is a web page that's--unsurprisingly--not optimized for mobile devices or the enthusiasm that precedes an AR activation is usually met with an unimpressive digital diorama, only to dwindle in disappointment or novelty.  

Intent or desired outcomes are often thwarted by their very design or lack thereof. 

The primary function of UX is the development of an architecture that creates a delightful, emotional, and sensory experience. This is why it's vital to customer experiences and engagement. UX is, among many things, designed to be experiential, affective, useful, productive, and entertaining. And, most importantly, it's devised with an end in mind where the means to that end is efficient and optimized for each channel.

Let's take a look at the point of origin for the moment. Your smartphone, computer screen, and tablet open a window to a new experience that is unique to that device. It's a looking glass into your world that goes beyond usability. Successful UX evokes engagement or purpose, affects sentiment, and influences behavior. And this is why UX is so important. 

As Marshall McLuhan once said, "The medium is the message." Now, the medium is not only the message, the medium is the experience. And that is why we cannot simply design for the medium, we must design the experience where the medium becomes an enabler to the journey and the end as devised.  

Two words come to mind here: mission, and purpose. Jesse James Garrett, author The Elements of User Experience, once observed, "An information architect makes information work for people."  If we use his perspective as a springboard for new media, what businesses need now are new CEOs--Chief Experience Officers. But in all seriousness, brands must employ experience architects, as it is they who will carry the responsibility of designing the customer journey so that it is engaging, worthy of sharing, and unified regardless of platform.

Engagement is not a campaign, it's a continuum where technology is merely an enabler for a greater vision, mission, and purpose. And as such, the attention, engagement, and outcomes that result are indeed reflective of what is both earned and deserved.

Next up…the principles and pillars of UX.

Follow author Brian Solis @briansolis. For more leadership coverage, follow Fast Company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

[Image: Flickr user Berenger Zyla]


Original Page: http://www.fastcompany.com/1815756/the-importance-of-ux-in-customer-engagement?partner=rss



Inviato da iPad