Pecha Kucha? What is that you say?

Pecha Kucha!  Sound like you’re speaking a foreign language?  You are. 

Pecha Kucha is Japanese meaning “sound of conversation or chatter”.  Pecha Kucha was  invented by two Tokyo-based architects as a way for architects to share their work in a quick and informal fashion.  Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of recognition before the next presenter. This maintains interest and offers more chances for others to make their presentations – all brief and concise.

Pecha Kucha Night, was initially devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. Jeff De Cagna, chief strategist and founder of association consulting firm Principled Innovation LLC, says Pecha Kucha can be effective for various business applications as well. De Cagna and Maddie Grant, CAE & chief social media strategist for SocialFish, used it as a way to wrap up ASAE & The Center's 2008 Annual Meeting and to spark discussion on key learnings. "Pecha Kucha is a good format in any situation where what you're looking to do is inspire people to think at a higher level, dig deeper, and reach out for a new idea," says De Cagna. "It's also a way to include multiple participants without actually having to do a panel, because you could literally have five people do their own set of 20 slides in 30-some-odd minutes, which leaves plenty of time for dialogue with the audience. It's very flexible and offers a lot of different options."
The Future of Pecha Kucha /Pecha Kucha Nights

The flexibility of Pecha Kucha-style events is rapidly scanning the conference (or un-conference) arena.  In March, 51 official Pecha Kucha Nights were held encompassing 10,000+ attendees. Pecha Kucha Nights have been held in cities from Amsterdam and Auckland to Venice and Vienna. Checkout the main Pecha Kucha Web site to find info on the Pecha Kucha night near you. It might be a good idea to attend a local gathering to really see how the event is managed and decide whether it works for you or your Association.