How People Listen and see

“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.”

— Robertson Davies

The school in my town just built an auditorium. Before the auditorium was built, I had logged years of attending many performances in the gymnasium. They would lift up the basketball hoop, put out metal folding chairs, hook up an inexpensive and not very good sound system, and put on a play. They did their best, and it was good theater despite the issues with the room, seating, and sound. Now that we have a nice auditorium with good lights, better sound, and comfortable seats, it seems like the performance has improved.

Presentations are performances. When you get up to speak to a group, whether 2 people or 2000, you are performing. In addition to your great content, you have to make sure that you are taking the human eye and ear into account. You have to make sure that people can see the information you are showing them, and that they can literally hear what you have to say.