2 Effective PowerPoint Presentations Aruna Viswadoss, Ph.D. ITC Acknowledgements: Ellen Ramsey, ITC, and Sue Ellen Breeden, ITC Much of the content and formatting of this presentation are from the original presentation by Ellen Ramsey at the Office Technology Conference, 2000.

3 PowerPoint Basics What can you create: Term: each page in a presentation is a “slide” Possible to have many slides in one file On-screen presentations Web pages/presentations Speaker notes Audience handouts 35 mm slides Color and B&W overheads Paper printouts

4 To Use or Not to Use PowerPoint

5 PowerPoint Is Useful Powerful features Spike up dry subject matter Appeal to different learning styles Multimedia file friendly Web access to absentees Paperless; reuse with modification Move slide order, outline

6 PowerPoint Is Not That Useful Some subject areas Pedagogy issues –Demo, hands-on, small group work Technology issues Time crunch * Need to make last minute changes/additions If features not relevant to needs

7 Additional Uses PowerPoint provides a framework: For organizing lecture materials For organizing images and sounds For building lecture outlines For creating custom lectures for different groups based on one lecture Lecture related notes / handouts Ability to link URLs, Office applications, from within

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9 Design

10 Text Layout Legible, large fonts No underlining Bold, color, italics 6 lines, 6 words Key points Recommended fonts Serif vs. Sans Serif

11 Color Choose colors wisely Stick to a theme Darker backgrounds Lighter text and graphics Know your lighting conditions

12 Color Don’ts: Examples Green on RedRed on Green Brown on GreenGreen on Brown Blue on BlackBlack on Blue Blue on PurplePurple on Blue or Blue-green MulticolorsMulticolorsMulticolorsMulticolors Animation, esp. pointless

13 Graphics Images should be: –Meaningful –Clear and professional –Limited in number –Subdued if background Animation –For emphasis

14 Beware of file sizes [compressed (.jpg,.gif) vs. uncompressed image files (.bmp)] –Ensure transportability Photos –Bitmap in background or foreground –Resolution affects file size, transition speed Lower resolution = smaller file size More Graphics The Holsinger Studio Collection, X8276B, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library (

15 Graphics Resources Image Repositories at UVa –Digital Media Center –Electronic Text Center –Holsinger Studio Collection –ITC Photo Repository

16 Templates Slide templates should be: –Relevant to subject matter –Darker in color –Clear and professional –Sparing with animation –Office 2000 defaults provide many choices Web searches provide alternatives Choices will grow as product ages

17 Presentation: 4 P’s 1. Planning 2. Preparation 3. Practice 4. Presentation

18 Planning: What, How, Who, Where Consider your message Pick the best tools Know your audience Know your environment

19 Preparation Use slides as emphasis for key points –Don’t read off the screen –Use outlines, flowcharts, graphs, and cue slides to emphasize main points –Use slides as prompts, outlines, or conversation points, not cue cards Use handouts to reinforce your presentation –Make sure the sequence of printed slides and supplemental materials matches the sequence of your presentation –Introduce information in handouts that has not been covered during presentation People won’t look at appendices, etc. unless you point them out Hand out additional materials at the end of your presentation, otherwise people will read them while you are speaking

20 Preparation Effective slides –Emphasis, prompts, or outlines –Well edited Effective handouts –Reinforce points –Match sequence –Supplemental materials EastWest Nort h South

21 Practice Know your content! Test everything –Timing and narration –Equipment –Room, lighting Backups –On hard drive –Non-electronic –Murphy’s law

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23 Presenting Acknowledge distractions/mistakes Major changes? Follow up questions Keep on track Prioritize content Evaluate for next time Speaker space / physical location

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25 DesignPresentation Plan Prepare Practice Present