The Hidden Edge

I couldn’t possibly do any better justice to the don’ts of PowerPoint than Don McMillan in his 5 minute comedy After Death by PowerPoint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLpjrHzgSRM 

However, sometimes I think we learn more from what is done well rather than what is done badly. 

I guess you can use PowerPoint for lots of different reasons and so for the purpose of this Blog I am referencing its use as a prop to support a presentation.  I am, of course, using the term ‘prop’ in a theatrical sense rather than a staff or crutch.  Anyone who needs to use PowerPoint as an autocue should, perhaps, not be presenting at all. 

Presentations are story telling for a purpose.  Without wishing to generalise too much, the purpose tends to be about communicating a message which needs to be understood by the audience.   

We prefer to learn in different ways:  audio, visual and kinaesthetic; tell me, show me, let me think about it!  The presentation in itself neatly caters for the auditory learners; visual learners can be nicely stimulated by visual connections if properly supported with PowerPoint graphics.  If you are really clever you can integrate exploratory ideas in the slides that will engage the kinaesthetic learner too.  These learners like to explore, reflect, and internally debate a point.  The key factor is that it is you who is pivotal to the presentation and PowerPoint really needs to be supporting what you are saying.  So you must only let it do what you can’t do with the spoken word. 

Top tips to consider when compiling your first draft! 

• Do not use a Microsoft template.  It is too tempting to fill the slides with words.
• Plan not to use bullet points at all!  Instead illustrate what you would say with a picture but not clip art.  Pah!
• Check out Google Images or Flickr – there are stacks of pictures that are copyright free to help you illustrate your points.
• People buy into emotion and justify with fact – choose images that convey emotions.
• If you must use words in a presentation then consider the five words per line and five lines per slide rule.
• Use the largest font size you can and make it bold – the smallest font size should be no less than 18.
• If you are scanning images in from another source please bear in mind the point above.  What you can see on your computer screen is not how it will look once projected.
• Use the deepest contrast of colours.  It is easier to read dark words on a light background than it is the other way around.
• Use different fonts according to the subject matter, each font can convey its own message (kinaesthetic learners will love you!)
• You can frame text for emphasis and/or readability.
• As a rule of thumb use no more than 30 slides per hour of presentation.  That equates to two minutes of explanation per slide.
• The above can be extended for those who have humorous slides that need no explanation and are there to break a sequence.
• Keep to one concept only per slide.
• Use graphs, organisational charts, graphics, pie charts but keep them simple.
• You can also include blank slides when the emphasis of the presentation requires the audience to focus on you the speaker.
• Use animation and sound sparingly – the attention should be on you, the presenter.
• In the West we read left to right; top to bottom so if you use slide animation consider that.  It is easier to assimilate if you follow the same format.
• You may wish to refer to a video to illustrate a point – YouTube can be fab for that. 

Here’s how you can embed one into your PowerPoint presentation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yzUxNbi1h4

When you have put together your PowerPoint slides, ruthlessly edit by asking yourself what the audience will learn from each slide and whether it adds anything to the value of your presentation.  If it does add value leave it in – if it doesn’t scrap that slide. 

PS extra top tips! 

• Design is important and critical in terms of getting the message across.
• If you need to use a script then use the notes section available.
• When you move onto the next slide give the audience a moment to assimilate the new material – if you speak at the same time you will be competing with your prop.  Give the audience time for their curiosity to be satisfied with the concept of the new material.  The amount of time you need to give depends on the complexity of the material on the slide.  I say keep it simple; one concept per slide!
• Actively collaborate with the PowerPoint presentation using pointer options: 

Please do add your own top tips on how to make good use of PowerPoint during presentations.

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 31st, 2007 at 2:24 pm and is filed under Making your words work, Communication Tools. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.