Across the almost 50 posts of Downrange Data, I’ve disparaged PowerPoint in over a third of them — and I’m honestly surprised that wasn’t higher. I started off early, laying out why...
1) While at HRC we used handout takeaways extensively. Our SF Branch presentation had a lot of information packet into just an hour, and people tended to only retain the parts that pertained to their rank. So, we developed a one-page handout summary they could review after, with just a paragraph per rank and the key take aways.
3) We briefed a lot of civilians and non-SOF DVs at the USASOC headquarters so we put a lot of work to making good products they could take back with them. This one was focused on informing visiting congressional staffers and similar DVs on ARSOF's role in high end conflict, since many kept pigeonholing us as 'Just a CT force'. The goal was not just a product that would remind them of what we covered, but was simple and readable enough they could pass it around to peers who'd also benefit but didn't necessarily have the time to come visit Fort Liberty: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7lzjw4jcl8uv8u21i2mpe/USASC-Tx-Narrative0424.pdf?rlkey=g4it5kxijke0wr6d1zwg0c4x2&st=zy1xcq34&dl=0
I get it now. These are great ideas, I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like this outside of something like AUSA. I could see classification being a challenge for an unclass take away depending on where you work.
It definitely can be, but one thing worth remembering is that takeaway has the potential to be seen by people who couldn't attend your brief. Taking the time to get it down to unclass can also be a way to entice more people to reach out, or even to visit and get the classified brief.
Little unclear on your idea of the post-presentation take away. Can you give an example?
I'll offer up three.
1) While at HRC we used handout takeaways extensively. Our SF Branch presentation had a lot of information packet into just an hour, and people tended to only retain the parts that pertained to their rank. So, we developed a one-page handout summary they could review after, with just a paragraph per rank and the key take aways.
As writing OERs isn't something we do every day, we also built OER how to guides for Captains OERs and Major OERs, as well as a general 'stop doing this' guide: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/nl0xdz3lq9w33n8oj3odc/ARSOF-PCC-OER-Common-Mistakes.pdf?rlkey=iy1rpcmzd7yyr9niugkmv4uxs&st=3lo7gsya&dl=0
2) While out in Oki, we struggled with family travel challenges because of COVID restrictions. The issue had some nuance to it, and just about everyone we talked to thought they had a simple solution, which we'd already run down. So we'd brief visiting DVs on our challenges, but give them this as something they could take with them to remind them why it resisted simple solutions: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/czk00q2p7aywb0ewbiqoz/Okinawa-Leave-Challenges.pdf?rlkey=g09q60zi4rhrv9plz6xl0m6nb&st=joa4df54&dl=0
3) We briefed a lot of civilians and non-SOF DVs at the USASOC headquarters so we put a lot of work to making good products they could take back with them. This one was focused on informing visiting congressional staffers and similar DVs on ARSOF's role in high end conflict, since many kept pigeonholing us as 'Just a CT force'. The goal was not just a product that would remind them of what we covered, but was simple and readable enough they could pass it around to peers who'd also benefit but didn't necessarily have the time to come visit Fort Liberty: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7lzjw4jcl8uv8u21i2mpe/USASC-Tx-Narrative0424.pdf?rlkey=g4it5kxijke0wr6d1zwg0c4x2&st=zy1xcq34&dl=0
I get it now. These are great ideas, I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like this outside of something like AUSA. I could see classification being a challenge for an unclass take away depending on where you work.
It definitely can be, but one thing worth remembering is that takeaway has the potential to be seen by people who couldn't attend your brief. Taking the time to get it down to unclass can also be a way to entice more people to reach out, or even to visit and get the classified brief.