Photo by {link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/gonzalobaeza/}gonzalo baeza{/link}.

There can be tremendous value to viewing your next presentation on an iPhone or other portable device, even if you have no intention of others viewing it that way. The small screen on a handheld is a simple way to replicate sitting in the last row during a keynote presentation. It will be immediately obvious if too much information is included on a slide or your fonts are too small.

The first image below is a graph of three questions from a school satisfaction survey with little consideration given to color, font size, or those in the back of the room. Spreading this information across multiple slides, as in the second sample,  provides a way to let the audience process smaller chunks of data  while focusing on the speaker. Colors were chosen to highlight the overall positive results of the survey and a clean, large font was used throughout the presentation. Be kind to your nearsighted friends. Of course the iPad changes everything, or does it?

Photo by {link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/}kevindooley{/link}.

Following Chicago’s “embarrassing” first-round exit from the voting for the 2016 Olympics, reports quote at least one International Olympic Committee (IOC) member as placing part of the blame on an anemic presentation from the Windy City. The presentations are held behind closed doors, but apparently Rio de Janeiro made quite a splash with a presentation led by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Da Silvia is said to be a charismatic leader who focused attention repeatedly on a single core message during his presentation, “it is South America’s time to host the Olympics.” Before you fire up PowerPoint or other slideware, take the time to develop and understand ONE core message which is central to your presentation. It might just save the presentation from being anemic, even when the President of the United States can not.

Photo by {link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/24707395@N02/}Caitlyn Willows{/link}.

In his 1990 book, The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, Peter Senge defines the learning organization as an organization “where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to learn together.”

So What, LLC is a design firm which empowers social entrepreneurs working in the nonprofit, private, and government sectors with the tools necessary to present their extraordinary ideas. The team is small (currently one) and the location is remote (Wyoming, USA). However, current technology provides the means to overcome these barriers to continually learning together with others across the globe. This blog was created with the goal of being one tool used to connect learners with collective aspirations.

I started thisventure with open eyes and a child’s mind. So What, LLC will take things one step at a time and not be afraid to get up after stumbling or falling down. I invite you to join me on this new adventure.