On his blog yesterday, marketing maven Seth Godin talks about his dream application for the iPad. He calls this talking pad “an interactive presentation tool for smart people.” He goes on to talk about a non-linear interface that would allow the “presenter” to jump around easily, access different types of media (documents, slides, web pages, video, audio) in presenting.
The iPad becomes a storytelling device and the presenter isn’t confined to a script. This is exactly what I had in mind a few days ago (though unsurprisingly, Seth’s description is much better) when I talked about being able to assemble and play “packages” of information on the iPad.
With an integrated file storage on board, I envision pdf, spreadsheets, photos, videos, text docs, presentation slides, etc. being assembled together into folders or containers of related information. I’d love to see a universal “player” application like QuickLook, perhaps with a CoverFlow style interface, to allow easy movement between, and display of, different file types.
The device gets out of the way and there is nothing between the presenter and the audience but the content and the story being told. In the legal context, I see lots of applications:
- Advocate. Trials, arbitrations and mediations aren’t linear. Surprises happen. Good advocacy requires the ability to respond to surprises with arguments and evidence in context. With a tool like this, the lawyer can display the key elements of a case in a dynamic and flexible fashion: Play the 911 recording, display the key phrase from the document, run the security video, compare the competing marks, visibly calculate damages, etc. The lawyer becomes a storyteller.
- Inform. Part of most any lawyer’s practice (certainly mine) involves explaining sometimes confusing (and dull) principles or consequences to clients and helping them make business decisions based on that information. Typical presentations often fail to aid client understanding because while the principles in these cases are often the same, the client’s needs and facts never are. A talking table would enable the lawyer to dynamically address client’s needs and questions in a visual and compelling way.
- Market. When pitching to new clients, I’ve found nothing more genuine and meaningful than simply showing them how you work. Fill a marketing “package” with examples, highlights and comparable information so you can show and not simply tell a client how you will help them succeed or solve their problem.
- Manage. I’m the leader of the business practice group at my firm. At our meetings, we cover a wide range of topics, big and small. I look forward to supplementing these meetings with a package of visual information corresponding to the content we cover: new cases, continuing education opportunities of interest, client materials, administrative notes, websites of interest and the like. At the end, I’d hope I can also zip the package into a pdf and e-mail it off to those interested in receiving the materials.
How could you use a visual storytelling device in your practice? Have ideas, go post them at the wiki that Seth set up about this conceptware and put your $.02 in. Maybe soon you’ll be holding it in your hands.
Comments are closed.