The Attention-Getting Device (AGD)
The first fifteen seconds of a speech determine whether the audience leans in or checks out, and that job belongs to the AGD. You'll learn several reliable AGD techniques and how to match one to your topic.
Common AGD Types
Effective AGDs include a surprising statistic, a vivid short story or scenario, a provocative question, or a brief demonstration using the visual aid itself. The best AGDs relate directly to the topic's core surprise rather than being a generic attention grab unrelated to the content.
Matching the AGD to the Topic's Hook
If your topic's hook is a surprising statistic, lead with that statistic rather than burying it later. If your hook is a relatable scenario, open with a short, vivid narrative that puts the audience inside that scenario before naming the topic.
The Aid-Integrated AGD
An advanced technique opens the speech by silently gesturing to or briefly revealing part of the visual aid before speaking a word, creating visual curiosity that primes the audience for the verbal AGD that follows — this works especially well when the aid itself contains a striking image.
A speaker on marine cloud brightening is choosing between AGD styles.
Statistic version: 'Scientists say spraying seawater into clouds could cool the planet by a full degree Celsius — using nothing but boats and saltwater.' Scenario version: 'Picture a fleet of ships, not delivering cargo, but spraying fine mist into the sky to fight climate change.' She picks the scenario version because it's more vivid and sets up her visual aid, a diagram of the ship-spraying process.
1. What makes an AGD effective for an Info speech?
2. True or False?
"A generic attention-grabbing joke unrelated to the topic is generally a strong AGD choice."
Answer all 2 to check.
Choose an AGD style that matches your topic's actual hook, whether that's a statistic, scenario, question, or demonstration.