PowerPoint
(pawr-point)
Radioactive
What is PowerPoint?
PowerPoint is a software tool produced by Microsoft that is used to display slides in the vast majority of professional presentations.
Other Common Names
Other common names for PowerPoint include:
- Slides
- Slide deck
- Google Slides
- Keynote
Key Properties
Consider the core properties of PowerPoint:
- Computer-based visual design tool
- Ubiquitous in meetings and educational sessions around the world, regardless of culture, language, nationality, or computer system.
Resources From The Train Like a Champion Blog
Some Slide-worthy Insights from Brian's book What's Your Formula?
- "PowerPoint is the software tool that has had arguably the biggest impact on business meetings, professional development sessions, and classroom instruction since, well, ever. It was unleashed on the world in 1987 primarily as a tool to design and generate overhead transparencies. Even though overhead projectors are now considered obsolete relics of pre-Y2K technology, the basic PowerPoint interface has not changed much since it first came to market (just Google “PowerPoint interface 1987” if you’d like to see how little the look and feel of PowerPoint has changed between then and now!)."
- "If you’re giving a TED Talk or introducing a new Apple product, then few or no words is the standard. If you’re giving an executive briefing, then you’re going to need some bullet points so that you can leave your document behind when the C-level group dismisses you before you’re finished the presentation."
- "Be sure to think about your overall PowerPoint strategy. I like to think of PowerPoint as a sort of co-facilitator—it should never overpower me or my message, but it can be a very handy assistant. While I have a lot of opinions on the appropriate use of PowerPoint, there are many who have come before me who have written some very smart things about how to more effectively use this radioactive element."
Elements that Bond Tightly with PowerPoint
Audience Response
Many audience polling applications integrate with PowerPoint so that you can mix audience responses into the flow of your slide presentation. Depending on the application, you can inject multiple-choice polls, open-ended responses, or responses that build word clouds into your visual display.
Lecture
While there are dangers in the PowerPoint/Lecture combination, a tight, well-crafted lecture can provide key insights about the imagery contained in a slide deck.
Video
Bringing appropriate video content into your session can offer an engaging departure from still imagery. The caution here is to ensure you follow copyright laws.
Screen Capture
The quality of the images you use in your slideshow matters, and screen capture software can make it easy to grab high-resolution images.
Visual Design
While PowerPoint has a lot of built-in tools to assist with your slide layout, having a basic understanding of visual design principles will help you put together more attractive and effective slides.
Games
Just because you’re using slides doesn’t mean that every slide needs to have talking points. Using the full power of animations and triggers in PowerPoint, you can add audience interaction and engagement by creating Jeopardy- or Family Feud–like games.
Elements that Can Be a Substitute for PowerPoint
To reduce your dependency on PowerPoint, try using:
Handouts
When I’ve been asked to re-imagine courses for clients, I’ve found one of the best ways to reduce the number of slides in existing PowerPoint presentations has been to move a lot of the detailed or technical content into a participant guide. Handouts or participant guides can be used as note pages or worksheets to enhance activities, and your learners can take these resources home and use them as job aids long after your presentation is over.
Flipchart
FlipchartOnce you advance a slide, it’s gone. If you hang a flipchart on the wall, it will be with you for the duration of your presentation. A flipchart can come in several different forms, including pre-crafted pages you design prior to a session and then reveal when the moment is right, and dynamic pages you or your learners can build upon during discussions and brainstorming segments.
Books To Improve Your PowerPoint
