PowerPoint: the good, the bad, and the ugly

1 powerpoint : the good , the bad , and the ugly Guiding principle: powerpoint is the tool, not the presenter nor the message. This is a handout that can be used as a planning template for designing a powerpoint Presentation. powerpoint the good .. when use of the tool aids in conveying a message clearly and simply 1. Designs, formats, and structure .. making the message easier to understand and read no matter where they re sitting How? (notes in your own words) Font size Formatting Color choice Designs and templates Graphics and special features 2. Managed Content.

2 Less is more; the less they have to process, the more they ll take away How? (notes in your own words) Key phrases # of Slides # of bullets # of words Punctuation 2 3. Thorough Planning .. professionalism = ensuring value for time, no matter what situations arise How? (notes in your own words) Equipment Venue Software, network, wifi Navigation Subject matter expert Rehearsal Plan B 3 Resources Keyboard Shortcuts for use in slideshow mode Key stroke Command Spacebar or Click the mouse move to the next slide or next animation A Number + Enter goes to the slide of that number ( 6 + Enter goes to slide 6) B pauses slideshow; displays black screen.

3 B again resumes the show W pauses slideshow; displays white screen. W again resumes the show N moves to next slide or animation P moves to previous slide or animation S stops show; S again restarts show Esc ends slideshow Tab goes to the next hyperlink in a slideshow Shift + Tab goes to the previous hyperlink in a slideshow 4 The Seven Deadly Sins of powerpoint Presentations By Dr. Joseph Sommerville It s not surprising powerpoint slideshows have become the norm for visuals in most business presentations. They are quick to produce, easy to update and effective to inject visual interest into the presentation.

4 However, they can also spell disaster even for experienced presenters. The key to success is to make certain your slide show is a visual aid and not a visual distraction. For the best results, avoid these common seven deadly sins of powerpoint presentations. 1. Slide Transitions And Sound Effects They become the focus of attention, which in turn distracts the audience. Worse yet, when a presentation containing several effects and transitions runs on a computer much slower than the one it was created on, the result is a sluggish, almost comical playback. Such gimmicks rarely enhance the message you re trying to communicate.

5 Unless you are presenting at a science fiction convention, leave out the laser-guided text! Leave the fade-ins, fade-outs, wipes, blinds, dissolves, checkerboards, cuts, covers and splits to Hollywood filmmakers. Even builds (lines of text appearing each time you click the mouse) can be distracting. Focus on your message, not the technology. 2. Standard Clipart Death to screen beans! powerpoint is now so widely used the clipart included with it has become a visual clich . It shows a lack of creativity and a tired adherence to a standard form. First, make certain that you need graphics to enhance your message.

6 If you do, use your own scanned photographs or better-quality graphics from companies such as PhotoDisc ( ) or Hemera s Photo Objects ( ). Screen captures can add realism when presenting information about a Website or computer program. Two popular screen capture programs are Snagit ( ) for Windows and Snapz Pro ( ) for Macintosh. Both are available as shareware. 3. Presentation Templates Another visual clich . Templates force you to fit your original ideas into someone else s pre-packaged mold. The templates often contain distracting backgrounds and poor color combinations. Pick up a good book on Web graphics and apply the same principles to your slides.

7 Create your own distinctive look or use your company logo in a corner of the screen. 4. Text-Heavy Slides Projected slides are a good medium for depicting an idea graphically or providing an overview. They are a poor medium for detail and reading. Avoid paragraphs, quotations and even complete sentences. Limit your slides to five lines of text and use words and phrases to make your points. The audience will be able to digest and retain key points more easily. Don t use your slides as speaker s notes or to simply project an outline of your presentation. 5 Web Resources Font tips: Graphic tips: Slide transition tips: Adding sound and narration: Standard formatting with Master Slide: Packaging a presentation: General presentation guidelines.