1. The Worst Slide Deck Ever Joshua B. Gross, BA, MS PhD Candidate, Expected Graduation May, 2008 311B IST Building College of Information Sciences and Technology The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Phone: (814) 865-3859 Fax: (814) 863-1122 Email: jgross@ist.psu.edujgross@ist.psu.edu Web: http://hci.ist.psu.edu/~jgross Joshua B. Gross, BA, MS PhD Candidate, Expected Graduation May, 2008 311B IST Building College of Information Sciences and Technology The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Phone: (814) 865-3859 Fax: (814) 863-1122 Email: jgross@ist.psu.edujgross@ist.psu.edu Web: http://hci.ist.psu.edu/~jgross

2. An Inappropriate Talk Overview G Detailed explanation of some of my work G Some background, but no context G Lots and lots of data G If you cant do a good job, you can at least confuse people G Conclusions that do not follow from the work G Detailed explanation of some of my work G Some background, but no context G Lots and lots of data G If you cant do a good job, you can at least confuse people G Conclusions that do not follow from the work

3. Requisite Prior Knowledge for All CHI Attendees G In order to understand my talk, you must know about G Usability Engineering G Web Design G Ecological Psychology and Affordance Theory G Activity Theory from Vygotsky to present G Neurophysiology G Geldards homunculus G My prior work G My advisors prior work G Et cetera G I will not explain any of these G In order to understand my talk, you must know about G Usability Engineering G Web Design G Ecological Psychology and Affordance Theory G Activity Theory from Vygotsky to present G Neurophysiology G Geldards homunculus G My prior work G My advisors prior work G Et cetera G I will not explain any of these

4. Talk Overview Here Ill include my entire abstract: Research into presentations at CHI and other conferences indicates that some people do a much better job of presenting their paper than others. While the slide deck isnt the key to a great paper, a good slide deck is often the hallmark of a good paper. One of the most common mistakes is to put too much information on one slide. Now Ill say that I know you cant read this much information, but its really crucial to the rest of my presentation. Or Ill read the slide to you - thats fun for everyone! Here Ill include my entire abstract: Research into presentations at CHI and other conferences indicates that some people do a much better job of presenting their paper than others. While the slide deck isnt the key to a great paper, a good slide deck is often the hallmark of a good paper. One of the most common mistakes is to put too much information on one slide. Now Ill say that I know you cant read this much information, but its really crucial to the rest of my presentation. Or Ill read the slide to you - thats fun for everyone!

5. A Really Bad Chart Example

6. Whats Wrong? G Too much data G Unreadable G Poor chart choice G Legend doesnt help G Cant read the titles unless you use a white background G Isnt this a horrible background? G Too much data G Unreadable G Poor chart choice G Legend doesnt help G Cant read the titles unless you use a white background G Isnt this a horrible background?

7. One Point (and a Non Sequitor at That) G Participatory design is the only correct solution!

8. Latin and Other Foreign Languages G While the argument may seem, in this case, post hoc ergo propter hoc, in reality res ipsa loquitur G Latin phrases are another good way to confuse your audience G Probably safe exceptions: G Et al. G Per se G Etc. or et cetera G While the argument may seem, in this case, post hoc ergo propter hoc, in reality res ipsa loquitur G Latin phrases are another good way to confuse your audience G Probably safe exceptions: G Et al. G Per se G Etc. or et cetera

9. Questions?