PowerPoint, not PowerPoint-less 12 Strategies for Effective PowerPoint

Plan Success requires good planning Use a story board to determine content, font, graphics, and design Content makes PowerPoint PowerFul Success in any project requires good planning to organize the presentation. Use a story board to determine content, font, graphics, and the overall design of the presentation.

Story Board Slide # Slide Layout Image or Graphics Text Title Slide Slide Design (Entire Presentation) Font Style (Entire Presentation) Transition (Entire Presentation) Image or Graphic

2. Contrast: Seeing is Believing Preview the facility Contrast a dark room with a light or white background and dark text Use a dark background with mauve text in if there is abundant natural light. Use the shadow feature Take a moment to preview the lighting conditions in the room where you will make your presentation. Contrast a darkened room, such as an auditorium, with a light-colored or white background and dark text colors such as blue or black. Conversely, use a dark background and white or mauve text in a brightly lit room. Use the shadow feature to make the text stand out.

3. The 6X6 Rule Keep it simple 6 bullets per slide, 6 words per bullet PowerPoint is a visual outline Audience listens, rather than reads Text is a reference point A PowerPoint is a visual aide, not your report. Use the information on each slide to inform your audience about a point you are trying to make. Keep the text simple, no more than 6 bullet points per slide, and 6 words or less per bullet point. The text will serve as a reference point for your audience. You want your audience to listen to you present your information, rather than read the screen.

4. Rules are Made to be Broken Sometimes quotes and complete sentences are necessary to make your point Content matters! The 6x6 rule - misapplied Rules are Made to be Broken The six by six (6x6) rule (six words per bullet point and six bullet points per slide) is considered the standard for the quantity of text placed on a slide. However, there are times when complete sentences are necessary to make your point. Examples include quotes or explanations of scientific data.

5. Remember the Audience Quality, not quantity Images, charts & tables with clear explanations Provide handouts BEFORE presentation Provide non-attendees with the same documentation Use the Notes section PowerPoint is the presentation, not Documentation Important documentation, quotes, charts or tables should accompany the presentation in the form of handouts. If the presentation is going to be posted on the Internet or sent by email, Send all the documentation, and create a Word document that contains all of the information in the PowerPoint in complete sentences. Use as much detail as possible. Remember, those receiving the email may not have been at your lecture, and they need all of the information that was presented. Provide non-attendees with the same information as the attending audience format that allows them to understand the substance of the lecture. The Notes section of your PowerPoint is a great place to store documentation related to the PowerPoint. You can print both the notes and the slides in one page. Provide text, charts or tables in the form of handouts BEFORE presentation Customize bullets and template colors to match corporate image, or determine if the decision maker has a favorite color scheme

Notes

6. Keep it Professional 1 Show, 1 Background, 1 Transition Use the same template on every slide Use transitions to move from slide to slide Reveal all of the slide at transition Use Images to help tell the story Use the audience's “corporate” image One Slide Show, One Background, One Transition. Whether you use a design template or a colored background, use the same background on every slide. When you make many changes in the background elements of a show, the audience will focus on the change of background, not the presentation. Use transitions only as a means to move from slide to slide-if at all. Using a transition to reveal individual bullet points or (Gasp!) individual letters dilutes the importance of what you have to say. The audience is not listening, because they are being entertained. Reveal all of the information on each slide at transition.

7. Less is More “Phluff allows speakers to pretend that they are giving a great talk, and the audience to pretend they are listening” Avoid PHLUFF Animated GIFs Unnecessary sound effects Excessive transitions Poor color choices Overwhelming text and graphics While PowerPoint does allow users to place sound effects, clip art, and animated GIFs, they are rarely necessary. Unless your presentation requires a significant amount of graphics to make its point, use graphics, such as clip art sparingly. A good rule of thumb for clip art is one clip art for every three slides. As for sound effects, the only person making any noise is the presenter. Sound effects take away from the effectiveness of a presentation and diminish its quality. (The applause you will receive when you finish your presentation is the best sound effect). Edward Tufte http://www.edwardtufte.com

Phluff Avoid non-essential Clip Art, sound, graphics, transitions Use transitions to move from slide Use the same background on every slide. Noise!!!! Effects are rarely necessary. One clip art for every three slides. The only sound should come from the presenter.

8. A Word About Fonts Fashion History Education Mathematics Chemistry Title fonts convey “Mood” History Education Mathematics Chemistry Physical Education Fashion Use sans-serif fonts (Arial, Geneva, or Verdana) in body Remember to load the font on the presentation computer Set the mood of a presentation by using a unique font style in the title. For example; Old English to convey a sense of history Gothic font for a math of science presentation Stylish script font for a presentation about art or fashion Use sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Geneva, or Verdana in the main body of the slide. If you use an unusual font, remember to load the font on the computer that you will use for the presentation

9. Tables and Charts Avoid Chart Wizard, as Data is easily compromised Print the chart, give it to the audience Reference chart as you speak You can add a table or a chart to a PowerPoint. However, do not use the Chart Wizard program unless you know exactly how to set up the table to represent your information. Data in tables is easily compromised using a “one size fits all” chart-making program. It is better to print the chart out and give it to the audience. As you make your presentation, provide reference points on the slide that relate to the information in the table or chart. This will keep your audience focused on your interpretation of the chart.

Bad Chart http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0000Jr&topic_id=1&topic=Ask%20E%2eT%2e

Better Chart http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetchmsg?msg_id=0000Jr&topic_id=1&topic=Ask%20E%2eT%2e

10. Hierarchy Keep the hierarchy simple. Essential points only. Use a two-tiered approach for each slide. Each slide should contain a topic. Bullet points reinforce the topic. Essential points only. Keep slides to a minimum. Hierarchy Keep the hierarchy simple. Instead of a multi-tiered approach, use a two-tiered approach for each subject. Bullet points should step down only once. Each slide should contain a topic, with bullet points that reinforce the topic. Facts and information that are essential to your presentation should be on each slide.

What is Important on this Slide? The statistic in the box “1920 cuin vs 3 cuin” means that the previous testing showed that the wing could withstand damage from a tested hole 3 cubic inches in size The hole made by the foam was 1920 cubic inches. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C13FB38590C7B8EDDA00894DB404482&incamp=archive:search

11. Use Synonyms when Possible Adjectives can have the same meaning but different context Use synonyms when possible Use the built-in Thesaurus Use Synonyms when Possible! You have found the perfect adjective. Do not repeat it several times in a slide. One word may have several meanings, depending upon the context in which it is used. Use synonyms. If you need a synonym, PowerPoint contains both a dictionary and a thesaurus. Any time a word is used to define fact set parameters to establish what the word means.

Thesaurus Right-click on a word Mouse over Synonyms Click the word that fits your needs. Highlight your adjective; click Tools and Thesaurus to use a (Shift + F7) thesaurus. Click Tools, then Research (Alt+ Click) on the menu bar, and you will find a dictionary.

12. Rehearse Do not read directly from slide Practice, practice, practice! Add depth, comfort, authority Focus & emphasis or re-organize Have someone listen. Rehearse There is an old joke that goes: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!” While your PowerPoint may never get to Carnegie, your audience will be impressed if you rehearse. Rehearsal keeps you from reading directly from the slide, which is the Cardinal Sin of PowerPoint, confers an impression that you are not prepared, or don’t know what you are talking about. PowerPoint serves as an outline of your lecture. Information on the slide serves to keep your audience informed as to where you are in the talk, if they get lost. When you rehearse, you add depth and inflection to speech, develop comfort presenting the topic and imparts to the audience the impression that you are an authority on your topic In addition, you stay focused on the topic, remember to emphasize facts, and organize the flow of information during the presentation Once you are satisfied with the finished product, ask a colleague or classmate to listen to your presentation. Reflect with your colleagues on ways to improve the content, flow and quality of the lecture.

Questions? Terence Peak, M.Ed. Coordinator of Technology Training The University of the Incarnate Word (210) 829-3920 tpeak@uiwtx.edu