The director of Unicef used to carry a small bag containing eight teaspoons of sugar and one of salt, which he presented to prime ministers and heads of state, saying: “The contents of this bag cost less than a cup of tea, but mixed with one litre of water can save a child’s life.”
This story is from Chip and Dan Heath’s book Made to Stick about communicating ideas in a way that makes them engaging and unforgettable. Using plenty of examples, the authors advocate that the most powerful messages are either simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional or told through stories.
Made to Stick clearly provides lessons for museum interpretation. The Heath brothers demonstrate again and again that good communication is about understanding your audience and shaping your storytelling accordingly.
Being focused doesn’t mean that your story has to lack subtlety and nuance but if you know what you’re trying to say and why you’re trying to say it, then other people have a better chance of understanding you.
When I worked as a BBC radio producer, we summarised programme and series ideas in 30 words. It’s a great test of whether your thinking is clear enough.
The tone of this book can tend towards classic American pop psychology and management manuals but the stories are interesting and relevant.
Lucy Harland is the director of Lucidity Media and Scotland’s national representative for the Museums Association
This story is from Chip and Dan Heath’s book Made to Stick about communicating ideas in a way that makes them engaging and unforgettable. Using plenty of examples, the authors advocate that the most powerful messages are either simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional or told through stories.
Made to Stick clearly provides lessons for museum interpretation. The Heath brothers demonstrate again and again that good communication is about understanding your audience and shaping your storytelling accordingly.
Being focused doesn’t mean that your story has to lack subtlety and nuance but if you know what you’re trying to say and why you’re trying to say it, then other people have a better chance of understanding you.
When I worked as a BBC radio producer, we summarised programme and series ideas in 30 words. It’s a great test of whether your thinking is clear enough.
The tone of this book can tend towards classic American pop psychology and management manuals but the stories are interesting and relevant.
Lucy Harland is the director of Lucidity Media and Scotland’s national representative for the Museums Association
