Enhancing Efficiency and Engagement at Conferences: Implementing the PechaKucha Format

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Scientific Communication
• Conference Management

Background:

• Traditional conference presentations often struggle with audience engagement, especially in virtual or extended formats.
• The PechaKucha presentation style, featuring 20 slides with 20-second auto-advances, was adopted to enhance engagement.
• This study assessed the impact of PechaKucha on engagement, presenter experience, and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the PechaKucha presentation format in a nursing conference setting.
• To measure attendee engagement and satisfaction with the PechaKucha format.
• To assess presenter experience and the logistical efficiency of implementing PechaKucha.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project piloting PechaKucha presentations at an annual nursing conference.
• Training provided to presenters on the PechaKucha format (20 slides, 20 seconds each).
• Post-conference surveys for attendees and presenters to assess engagement, satisfaction, and experience; thematic analysis and descriptive statistics used for evaluation.

Main Results:

• Attendees reported high engagement, with 68% rating the format as outstanding.
• Presenters experienced challenges with the strict timing but generally enjoyed the format.
• The PechaKucha format allowed for more presentations within the conference schedule while sustaining attendee engagement.

Conclusions:

• PechaKucha effectively enhances engagement and logistical efficiency in scientific conferences.
• Recommendations include increasing preparation resources and offering more timing flexibility for presenters.
• The PechaKucha format offers a viable alternative for dynamic and efficient scientific presentations.