One of the articles I listed in my previous post on designing stories in PowerPoint prompted this further comment. MSNBC: Complex Story Shells Deliver Flexible Interactions describes how journalism on the Web has evolved to take advantage of the interactivity of digital media. In a sidebar, the article explains how small teams are formed to create these interactive "reference" or "narative" content segments.
As more lawyers employ digital presentation tools in courtrooms and elsewhere, the methodology for creating the content becomes a critical skill for lawyers and firms. In larger law firms, there may be a media support staff and a strong temptation for lawyers to leave the creation of presentations and visual aids to those "experts."
Override the temptation.
At MSNBC.com, interactive media stories are created by a standard four person team: a multimedia person, a designer, a content subject expert, and producer. For legal presentations, I suggest that a lawyer must fill at least the role of the subject expert. Creating the presentation should be viewed as part of the legal thinking process in which - just as in the process of writing a memorandum - the lawyer's theory of the case, choice of points to argue, or judgment about the best advice, will evolve and sharpen into the version finally presented, whether in court or the boardroom.
When there are neither staff nor budget for separate roles, the lawyer must fill the others as well. Acquiring the skills needed to perform those roles should become as critical a priority as learning to speak or write always have been. Effective communication is a core skill for lawyers and digital media are fast becoming an essential tool in all areas.
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