1. PowerPoint, not PowerPoint-less
12 Strategies for Effective PowerPoint

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 , 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 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

8. Notes

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. Bad Chart

15. Better Chart

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. Questions?
Terence Peak, M.Ed. Coordinator of Technology Training The University of the Incarnate Word (210)