I finished reading the book Presentation Zen this morning, by Garr Reynolds. Garr, is the blogger who runs presentationzen.com, a site I frequent and subscribe to. Garr’s book compiles much of the tips, tricks, styles, and suggestions you’ll find reading though the many posts on his blog. It’s an easy read, concise, picturesque, and informative.

As an interaction designer, I find myself presenting more and more. One reason, is that the company I work for doesn’t have design and usability fully integrated into the development process of our products. Bringing in new ideas, concepts, and work flows is best done via presentation and discussion.

There is a lot that can be learned, as an Interaction Designer, from presenting. It forces you to think objectively about how to engage and audience. It teaches you voice, pace, and concentration. It allows you instant feedback from your audience, as you watch their body language and hear their questions. It’s also an exercise in flow, story, and simplifying complex ideas into simple forms.

We should all learn to present, and Garr’s book is a wonderful first step.