review · Knowledge Sharing, Communication · 30–120 min · 10-300 people · medium energy

PechaKucha

Each presenter shows twenty images for twenty seconds each, advancing automatically, for a total of six minutes and forty seconds. The fixed timing keeps talks short, visual and paced, and a session of eight to fourteen presenters fits into an evening.

When to use PechaKucha

Use at an offsite or conference evening when many people have something worth showing, such as projects, journeys or passions, and you want everyone to get a turn without the session dragging.

What it solves

Show-and-tell sessions run over because each presenter takes 'just five more minutes' and the last three never get to speak.

How to run PechaKucha, step by step

  1. Invite presenters and send the rules: twenty images, twenty seconds each, auto-advance, no video clips (before the event).
  2. Collect slide files in advance and set every deck to advance automatically every twenty seconds (before the event).
  3. Open the session, explain the format and the order of presenters (5 min).
  4. Run the talks back to back, about seven minutes each including the changeover (7 min per presenter).
  5. Break after every four or five talks for conversation and drinks (10-15 min).
  6. Close by inviting people to find the presenters they want to talk with (5 min).

Materials needed

  • Projector and screen
  • Presenter decks set to auto-advance
  • Microphone
  • A host to introduce speakers

Facilitator tips

  • Do the auto-advance setup yourself. Presenters who click manually always run over.
  • Encourage images over text. A slide of bullet points cannot be read in twenty seconds.
  • Suggest presenters rehearse with the timer at least twice.

Common pitfalls

  • Too many presenters in a row without breaks; the room stops listening after about five.
  • Presenters use it to pitch, not to tell a story, and the evening feels like sales.

Variations

  • Ignite: twenty slides at fifteen seconds each, five minutes in total.

Running it online or hybrid

Slides auto-advance in screen share; presenters can talk from anywhere.

What it produces

A set of short visual talks, easy to record and share after the event.

Origin

Created in Tokyo in February 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham architecture. PechaKucha is a registered trademark of PechaKucha Inc. — source

Build a session around PechaKucha

METODIC places PechaKucha inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

Generate a session with PechaKucha · Try METODIC free