FACING WICKED PROBLEMS Wicked problems are complex issues that involve a myriad of facets, calling on an array of fields of expertise, and are extremely difficult to solve. These grand challenges are exactly what PPRI aims to face and provide viable alternatives. Of particular interest to PRRI are those grand challenges that fall into the strategic focus areas of Discovery Park. PPRI’s holistic approach is precisely what is needed to help the world face wicked problems. Drawing from Purdue’s strengths in the STEM, humanities, and social science disciplines, PPRI builds and strengthens interdisciplinary teams. Zeroing in on what matters most to stakeholders, ideally in the beginning of a project, is key to getting at the heart of all the parts of complex issues and aiming research questions at uncovering the facts that inform policy to make real impact. PPRI offers a variety of options to achieve multiple levels of communication in a range of ways and opportunities for experts, stakeholders, and policymakers to connect. The next few pages discuss some of them.
SCIENCE NEEDS AN ELEVATOR PITCH! Why Those First Moments Are Crucial
There is a human element to science that often gets overlooked when a presentation is prepared. A short attention span can derail a proposal just as fast, if not faster, than bad science. Robert Sadler of Sadler Consulting explains how scientists can better prepare for a strong showing and why they should. Journalists know they have to hold the reader within the first seven lines of a column inch. Film makers know they have to hold the viewers’ attention very fast as well. Advertisers make a living on messages that are less than 90 seconds and they know the drivers. Neuroscientists also know that decisions to fund, buy, subscribe, vote for, and support are made within a couple of minutes of a presentation. In those first 90 seconds an audience is moved to support or not support by the presenter’s physical appearance (about 40%), authenticity/likability (about 30%), narrative (about 20%), and a strong scientific idea (10%).
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In my experience, most (not all) scientists and engineers ignore that reality. They would prefer to prepare a proposal as if decisions were driven by strong scientific ideas alone. So, they’ll spend 100% of their time building a slide deck and a paper that lays out the scientific case. They end up using the slide deck as a teleprompter because they haven’t rehearsed the delivery. There’s no thought given to the story that makes the new idea move decision makers to fund an idea. There’s no thought given to making sure that the person making the pitch comes off as authentic and likable. There’s no thought given to the physical appearance of the presenter. You probably think you don’t have time to develop a 90 second elevator pitch, but having a good pitch is just plain good discipline. In 90 seconds we need to tell a story, present the idea, say it in a way that draws the listener in… through appearance, authenticity and likability, and triggers a “yes”. It’s hard work, but it’s critical to winning proposals.
Originally posted on the PPRI blog and written by blog contributors Robert Sandler and Emily Temple WHY IS A 90 SECOND PITCH CRITICAL?
It may be needed to win the opportunity to get a longer meeting with the right decision makers. It becomes the outline for the 20-minute pitch you need to make to win the work. It’s a sanity check. If you can’t write and deliver a great 90 second elevator pitch, you may want to reconsider making a proposal until you have a stronger idea or the timing is better.
Mark Twain said it best… “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
