1. PowerPoint Psychology
Tips for AMAZING PowerPoint Presentations
Have audience write down:
The name of a presentation they have to give (or gave)
What is the real goal of their presentation?
What do you want the audience to DO or KNOW based on your presentation?
Be honest & reasonable. What do you really want them to do or know?
Announce:
Handouts will be given out at end of class, including:
Extensive Notes
Step-by-step guides.
They don’t have to memorize!

2. IDEAS PRESENTING Standard delivery problems: Audience isn’t interested
Audience has to figure out where you’re “going with this”
Lengthy delivery loses the audience
Audience doesn’t know what to take from the presentation.

3. STEP 1 Why should they care? (what’s in it for them?)
Fact: People are more likely to make a motivation decision to avoid a problem.
Motivate BEFORE your title slide/introduction.
STEP 1: Tell the audience what BAD things happen if they don’t get your message.
Make it personal. Include bad things that happen to THEM. (not just the company)
Mention how those bad things feel.
**STEP 1 is a quick conversation, and normally doesn’t get a slide. (show the class how to blank out the presentation)
Exercise: Have the audience write the bad things that happen if their audience isn’t fully present. Share with a neighbor.

4. STEP 2 Announce the topic!
Motivate BEFORE announcing the topic or agenda.
People “reset” their prior judgments when you first start talking
When presented with a problem, and then a topic, people see the topic as the “solution”
Announce the topic with a title slide.
What are all the GOOD things you’ll get from the topic? (turn the audience toward positive motivation.)
How does that feel?
Give a Basic overview of the topic or an addenda

5. Complicated? Repeat steps 1 & 2
Discuss Details
Complicated? Repeat steps 1 & 2
Indicate direction
Signpost
STEP 3
Average attention span is 7-14 minutes
However, undivided attention span is measured in seconds
Around 5-7 minutes, re-set the audience by quickly repeating what we’re doing and why)
Don’t forget to signpost.
Where we’ve been.
Where we’re going.
How much time is left (to next milestone)

6. STEP 4? INFORMATION GO HERE
Why are you giving a presentation? You have a goal, right?
You want them to leave with a task or information in their head, right?
(Step 4 is in next series of slides)

7. TELL

8. THEM

9. WHAT

10. TO

11. remember Don’t review! Tell your audience what to remember!
“So, the important part is…”
“So, what you need to remember is…” “So, the take-away’s are…”
Side Note: People can not read and listen at the same time. If you show your audience words, expect that the won’t be listening to you while they read.

12. IDEAS PRESENTING Why should they care? Announce the topic.
Give the details.
Tell them what to remember!
Ask: Which step are you most likely to forget?
Ask: Which step is most important?
Say: “You don’t need to memorize the 4 steps. Just remember that there ARE steps. You can look them up in your notes!”
(the above is the REAL step 4)
Exercise: Have students discuss in groups how employing these steps would impact their presentations.

13. Reporting? What’s the best way to report?
You don’t need to go through the presentation cycle if you’re just “reporting back”

14. S.T.A.R.R. Situation: The situation was…”
Task: “So, I was tasked with…”
Action: “So, I took these actions…
Results: “Here are the results…”
Recommendation: “So, I recommend…”
The STARR technique quickly communicates an update.
Exercise: Leave this on the screen, and have students report on a current project to each other.
Note: The recommendation does not have to be a big deal. “So, feel free to use that data.” is a fine recommendation. The recommendation is about closure.

15. BAD POWERPOINT
To make something good, we need to first recognize what is bad.
Discuss: What annoying things do people do with PowerPoint?
Why do you think they do those things?
Note: These “bad slides” help to set an expected agenda for the day.

16. Too much text
We will learn: how much is too much and what goes on a slide.

17. High end designers don’t always know what they’re doing when it comes to PowerPoint.
We will learn: design guidelines for clean and clear design

18. Let’s Talk About All This
People can only think about one thing at a time.
You love seeing lots of bullets, right?
What was that first point again?
You read faster than I talk,
That’s why you’ve already read this.
People quickly read all of your bullets and wait for you to finish talking.
We will learn: Bullet Point guidelines: when and how best to use them.

19. Learn iT!
As a Microsoft Gold Partner, we understand the dynamic nature of the IT world. We offer training and certification programs.
Since 1995 we have been offering hands on training by some of the best trainers in the industry.
Our clients tell us that Soft Skills training is a powerful way to increase their team's production and focus.
Reading the slide to people – UGH!
Do you watch movies in English with subtitles?
We will learn: ways to avoid “reading the slide to them”

20. Recycle Program! Why do people do “Funny” Animations?
Why does it hurt the presentation?
Humor helps, but only if it is used to prove a point. Otherwise, it takes away from the message.
Rhymes are one of the best uses of humor to prove a point. “If the glove don’t fit…”

21. Actually, it is you. PowerPoint, It’s not you. It’s me.
PowerPoint is bad at some of the things people use it for.
How can we accomplish those goals in a different way?
Actually, it is you.

22. BORED I read faster than you talk…
PowerPoint is bad at: Being Notes INSTEAD OF READING SLIDES TO PEOPLE:
USE PRESENTER VIEW (freedom!)
Plug into another monitor or projector
Extend your monitor display (windows key + P)
In ppt >> click “slide show” tab >> Use presenter view
Can’t use Presenter View for some reason? PRINT NOTES.

23. ARE GOOD PowerPoint HANDOUTS! is not a good handout
PowerPoint is bad at: Being a Handout
A good PowerPoint is a bad handout, and a good handout is a horrible PowerPoint.
Good handouts are notes you take for your audience.
Every meeting should have handouts.
Tell your audience that you will pass out handouts at the end, AND tell them when you mention something on the handout.
If someone requests that you “send them the PowerPoint” ahead of time: Add slides at the end of the presentation, and paste in your handout.
How to make a handout:
Outline your presentation (you’re doing this anyway, right?)
Add your speaker notes to the outline
Add extended information, data, and tables, to your outline. Now you have your handout! Whoop!

24. WHAT ABOUT DATA?
Data-heavy presentations are often THE WORST.

25. TELL

26. THEM

27. WHAT

28. TO

29. remember Don’t review! Tell your audience what to remember!
“So, the important part is…”
“So, what you need to remember is…” “So, the take-away’s are…”
Side Note: People can not read and listen at the same time. If you show your audience words, expect that the won’t be listening to you while they read.

30. IDEAS PRESENTING Why should they care? Announce the topic.
Give the details.
Tell them what to remember!
Ask: Which step are you most likely to forget?
Ask: Which step is most important?
Say: “You don’t need to memorize the 4 steps. Just remember that there ARE steps. You can look them up in your notes!”
(the above is the REAL step 4)
Exercise: Have students discuss in groups how employing these steps would impact their presentations.

31. Reporting? What’s the best way to report?
You don’t need to go through the presentation cycle if you’re just “reporting back”

32. S.T.A.R.R. Situation: The situation was…”
Task: “So, I was tasked with…”
Action: “So, I took these actions…
Results: “Here are the results…”
Recommendation: “So, I recommend…”
The STARR technique quickly communicates an update.
Exercise: Leave this on the screen, and have students report on a current project to each other.
Note: The recommendation does not have to be a big deal. “So, feel free to use that data.” is a fine recommendation. The recommendation is about closure.

33. BAD POWERPOINT
To make something good, we need to first recognize what is bad.
Discuss: What annoying things do people do with PowerPoint?
Why do you think they do those things?
Note: These “bad slides” help to set an expected agenda for the day.

34. Too much text
We will learn: how much is too much and what goes on a slide.

35. High end designers don’t always know what they’re doing when it comes to PowerPoint.
We will learn: design guidelines for clean and clear design

36. Let’s Talk About All This
People can only think about one thing at a time.
You love seeing lots of bullets, right?
What was that first point again?
You read faster than I talk,
That’s why you’ve already read this.
People quickly read all of your bullets and wait for you to finish talking.
We will learn: Bullet Point guidelines: when and how best to use them.

37. Learn iT!
As a Microsoft Gold Partner, we understand the dynamic nature of the IT world. We offer training and certification programs.
Since 1995 we have been offering hands on training by some of the best trainers in the industry.
Our clients tell us that Soft Skills training is a powerful way to increase their team's production and focus.
Reading the slide to people – UGH!
Do you watch movies in English with subtitles?
We will learn: ways to avoid “reading the slide to them”

38. Recycle Program! Why do people do “Funny” Animations?
Why does it hurt the presentation?
Humor helps, but only if it is used to prove a point. Otherwise, it takes away from the message.
Rhymes are one of the best uses of humor to prove a point. “If the glove don’t fit…”

39. Actually, it is you. PowerPoint, It’s not you. It’s me.
PowerPoint is bad at some of the things people use it for.
How can we accomplish those goals in a different way?
Actually, it is you.

40. BORED I read faster than you talk…
PowerPoint is bad at: Being Notes INSTEAD OF READING SLIDES TO PEOPLE:
USE PRESENTER VIEW (freedom!)
Plug into another monitor or projector
Extend your monitor display (windows key + P)
In ppt >> click “slide show” tab >> Use presenter view
Can’t use Presenter View for some reason? PRINT NOTES.

41. ARE GOOD PowerPoint HANDOUTS! is not a good handout
PowerPoint is bad at: Being a Handout
A good PowerPoint is a bad handout, and a good handout is a horrible PowerPoint.
Good handouts are notes you take for your audience.
Every meeting should have handouts.
Tell your audience that you will pass out handouts at the end, AND tell them when you mention something on the handout.
If someone requests that you “send them the PowerPoint” ahead of time: Add slides at the end of the presentation, and paste in your handout.
How to make a handout:
Outline your presentation (you’re doing this anyway, right?)
Add your speaker notes to the outline
Add extended information, data, and tables, to your outline. Now you have your handout! Whoop!

42. WHAT ABOUT DATA?
Data-heavy presentations are often THE WORST.

43. SALES FIGURES, JULY 2010
If we’re discussing sales person total sales for July 2010,
Why is this a bad slide?
What problems are caused by a data-heavy slide?
Hard to understand
Easy to get pulled off topic.

44. SALES FIGURES, JULY 2010 James: 36,245 Dunn: 31,475 Carrie: 33,427
Smith: 39,795
O’Brian: 35,359
Only show the data you’re specifically talking about right now.
Why is this a better choice?
NOTE: Data-driven audiences will not relax until you must show them the data exists.
Show them a slide with the full table. Tell them it’s in their handout if they want to analyze.
Proceed to “important data” slide. This contains ONLY the data you’re focusing on.
Optional: return to full table slide to discuss in detail.

45. SALES PROJECTION FIGURES, 2013
CURRENT MONTHLY SALES: $176,031
PROJECTED INCREASE: 8.5%
PROJECTED MONTHLY SALES: $190,993
When walking through data, bring up data as you talk about it.
DON’T have it all on the slide at the beginning.
PROJECTED YEARLY SALES: $2,291,923

46. SALES FIGURES, JULY 2010 A chart should tell a story.
What story does this chart tell?
Note: A chart should NOT be used to communicate data. Note that this chart doesn’t even have sales numbers.
Tip: Remove everything a chart doesn’t really need.

47. STRENGTHS OF POWERPOINT?
So, what is PowerPoint good for?

48. 90%
90% of communicated information is forgotten within min (talk about study)
REMEMBER: What is your goal?: To have the audience remember your main points.
Everyone will remember 90% at the end of class, right?
What is PowerPoint best for: (quickly move through next slides) PowerPoint is best used to help people to remember.

49. HELP

50. PEOPLE

51. remember
PowerPoint is best used to help people to remember.

52. This slide was on the screen for 10 minutes
This slide was on the screen for 10 minutes. Each topic was talked about individually.
A multi-tasking study showed that people don’t really think about more than one thing at a time.
The best people who try to multi-task are still 60% less efficient than when they focus on 1 topic at a time.

53. Which is better, this slide or the previous? Why?
Which will the audience remember? Why?
Note: This slide is using a design trick (using an image instead of a title)

54. ONE
TOPIC
PER SLIDE
Exercise: Students can use the file “exercise- one topic per slide.pptx”
Multi-tasking is 60% less efficient than one thing at a time.
Physically, we CAN’T multi-task.
Studies prove that the more you show, the less people remember.
Focus on one topic per slide. 2 topics? 2 slides!
Bullets can still be used, but only for certain circumstances (coming up)

55. What content should go on the slide?
Remember, there are 3 delivery methods:
PowerPoint
Handout
Out loud (speaker notes)

56. WHERE CAN ALL THIS CONTENT GO?
TOO MUCH TEXT?
PowerPoint is not the presenter, you are.
The audience didn’t come to read your slides.
When used correctly, PowerPoint Provides something to remember, or help the audience understand your topic.
Is this too much?
Where else could some of this information gone!
WHERE CAN ALL THIS CONTENT GO?

57. TOO MUCH? SUBTITLING DOESN’T HELP!
We are all trained to communicate verbally.
We are not trained to communicate visually.
That’s why people write too much in PowerPoint.
Is this too much?
Where else could some of this information gone!
SUBTITLING DOESN’T HELP!

58. WHAT GOES ON THE SLIDE? Does the content help them understand?
Do they need to remember the content?
Content should ONLY go on the slide if it satisfies one of these two criteria!
Otherwise, in speaker notes or on handout!
Exercise: Have students edit a slide they have or create a basic presentation.
Teacher: You will have to walk around and help! This is the hardest part for students.

59. I hope you ain’t trying to take my bullets, partner.
If each slide should have ONE idea,
And more is less…
are bullets always bad?

60. WHEN BULLETS WORK: A list of accepted data or points. Review.
BULLETS KILL (a presentation)
Useful when:
presenting an accepted list of data
review
If you talk for each one for more than 30 seconds, it needs its own slide or just verbal narration.

61. USING BULLETS: Don‘t be ANNOYING! One by One.
Bring them up at the END!
“People read all of your bullets and wait for you to finish: ANNOYING.” (bring up first bullet)
“The way to not be annoying? Bring them up” (reveal second bullet) “one-by-one…”
PowerPoint is good for telling people what to remember, right?
You tell people what to remember at the END
Bullet points are best used as “remember this”. Bring them up at the end.

62. IDEAS POWERPOINT Don’t read to them! Help them remember.
What goes on a slide?
Bullets for lists only! (and review)

63. PowerPoint, Written How big can paragraphs be? Other Tips:
People will not read text heavy slide. People start skipping when they see more than two lines.
Other Tips:
No more than two paragraphs. Always use titles. Write no higher than 7th grade level.
3 lines lose 30% more users. Four lines loses 70%.
PowerPoint should not be used for written communication, but it often is.
Use reveal animation to prove point about how much text is too much.
Minimum font size for “absorption reading”: 28pt
MS Word can be set to test for Grade Point Level (FILE >> OPTIONS >> PROOFING >> SHOW READABILITY STATISTICS)
TIP: if you really want people to read your document, send it to them in a PDF and suggest they print it.

64. Images & Understanding
Do not show a picture just to show a picture.
Images can be used to assist in getting your goal accomplished!
There are 3 strategies to use for images:
Image Strategy # 1: show a picture to assist in understanding. (like in this slide)
Only use this strategy when necessary. Example: Do NOT automatically show pictures of doctors when discussing health care. Your user doesn’t need it to understand. Use a different strategy.
Anytime Book Sales

65. MAKE THEM FEEL
Image Strategy # 2: Emotionally manipulate your audience (heh, heh)).
Images can make people feel (emotive transfer)
Heightened emotions increase retention & motivation
You can emotionally manipulate your audience to help your presentation!
Technique: Search for feelings, not things
INSERT >> CLIPART >> INCLUDE OFFICE.COM CONTENT

66. CEOs, lawyers, scientists, and accountants all have feelings, too.
Just keep it classy.
Worried about being more “button-up” professional?:
Use smaller images.
As a last resort, use images without people

67. UP! NUMBERS ARE Compare with the following slide
Notice how the one with the bigger face denotes emotion?
Zoom in on faces!

68. UP! NUMBERS ARE Compare with the PREVIOUS slide
Notice how the one with the bigger face denotes emotion?
ZOOM IN ON FACES!
The best images have their backgrounds removed, and are slid halfway off the slide.

69. Corporate review is coming Emotion helps you remember “big idea” slide
Sales are way down
Corporate review is coming
Emotion helps you remember
“big idea” slide
Create 4 slides, with these titles.
Find a “white-background” image for each slide.
Slide the image part way off the screen.

70. MONKEY SEE. MONKEY CAN’T HELP BUT DO. (your audience)
Humans are built to do what they see people around them doing.
Want the audience to think? Show them someone thinking.
Want the audience to decide? Show them someone deciding.
(your audience)

71. someone Think of you want to Influence… Notice that she is thinking.
It kind of makes you think, doesn’t it?

72. STEERING COMMITTEE About a thing Highlighted here Important Points
These people are thinking about the future.

73. STEERING COMMITTEE About a thing Highlighted here Important Points
People looking left to right are looking to the future.
Right to left, the past.
These people are thinking about the past.

74. Think of a green initiative Imagine a better system Remember last year
Be concerned about this
Choose 2 of these topics and make slides.
Find a “white-background” image for each slide.
Slide the image part way off the screen.

75. USE HARD EDGE IMAGE? A REALISTIC EFFECT!
Images help us to imaginatively connect with the presentation. The more real an image looks, the more we imagine.
So, the best effects, are effects that mimic real life, like reflections, postcards, ect…

76. USE HARD EDGE IMAGE? A REALISTIC EFFECT!
Click the image and apply an effect on the “Format” tab.

77. USE HARD EDGE IMAGE? A REALISTIC EFFECT!
Click the image and apply an effect on the “Format” tab.

78. How do lots of fancy animations affect a presentation?
Transitions:
Use Fade, or Fade through Black when changing subjects
Only use fancy transitions for TA-DA! or funny/thematic moments

79. SLIDE CONTENT TAKE-AWAYS:
One topic per slide.
Does the content help them understand?
Do they need to remember the content?
Images: emotionally influence!
Have the audience make a presentation or tweak one they have. (20 minutes)

80. WHO DO YOU HIRE? Clean and neat matters!
People judge you on the way you and your presentation look.
You don’t need pretty, you need clean.

81. design guidelines Clean just means easy for the brain.
Clean design follows RULES.
Why did I choose this picture?
Does he represent the topic?
How does he make you feel?
What is he doing? Does he make you do that?

82. CLEAN DESIGN Affect your impression Make your message stand out
Make millions of dollars
Picture of classy guy used to remind users to “keep it classy” 

83. CLEAN DESIGN Affect your impression Make your message stand out
Make millions of dollars
Use a template.
Most templates can easily be created with a simple background graphic or gradient, and a bar at the bottom.
Less is more!

84. CLEAN DESIGN Affect your impression Make your message stand out
Make millions of dollars
Don’t cram!
#1 Beginner mistake !
Different elements should be separated by space.
Beginners tend to cram images near things. Look at everything!

85. CLEAN DESIGN Affect your impression Make your message stand out
Make millions of dollars
Bigger Means More Important:
Humans’ primary importance measurement is size
Technique: Go to each element in a slide & ask: is this part more important? If so, make it bigger!
Font Size:
Minimum body/content size for absorption reading: 36pt.
Heading size: WAY BIGGER (must be immediately noticeable)
We measure importance with size.

86. CLEAN DESIGN Affect your impression Make your message stand out
Make millions of dollars
Neatness means alignment
Technique: Align Everything!
Our brains like patterns.
Obsess!
(compare this slide to the first in this series)

87. Design Guidelines Bigger is more important Align EVERYTHING!
Don’t cram: create space.
Other design tips:
Don’t have more than 4 elements on a slide (and four is pushing it!)
Don’t use more than 4 bullet points.
We can only keep 4-7 things in mind at the same time.
So, People get nervous when they see more than 4 bullets.

88. NON-DESIGNERS DESIGN BOOK
GET IT.

89. IMPORTANT: Follow “slide content” rules. Use images to create emotion.
Bullets? One by One.
Follow design guidelines!

90. PowerPoint Psychology
Evaluation:
Learnit.com/evaluation
Files:
Learnit.com/files