Revisiting Resonate

Just revisited Nancy Duarte's transformational book Resonate (2010) as I am including it as a required read in the Presentation Design and Delivery course I am developing for the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design.

In examining the story elements infused in great presentations, Duarte suggests we shift our paradigm to centering the audience as the hero. As presenters, this requires us to get to know the audience, what they care about, and to focus our message to meet their needs and desires. It is only from this knowingness that we can call them to action.

In mapping the journey of the audience, Duarte reminds us that as presenters we are asking the audience to change in some way, to move away from one way of being toward something different. This requires empathy and acknowledgement that change is hard, requires sacrifice, and may be risky.

Duarte synthesizes several key points about the unique opportunity that presentations provide to change people’s minds and behaviors. This is particularly powerful as educators when we consider the impact of lectures in our classrooms and begin to look at our students as heroes.