Nov 04 2008

The Golden Rule of PowerPoint Presentations

Among the many presentation guidelines and rules of thumb, there is only one Golden Rule of PowerPoint. (c)iStockphoto/Ayzek

PowerPoint users are constantly seeking ways to improve their presentations and frequently end up clinging to “rules” espoused by various PowerPoint presentation experts. These rules span many areas – from presentation design to delivery. You may have come across some of these rules before either in presentation books or in the form of secondhand advice from a co-worker or manager. Some of these following “rules” may sound familiar: Continue reading “The Golden Rule of PowerPoint Presentations”

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Oct 21 2008

Book Review: Presentation Zen

Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds

Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, written by Garr Reynolds, is an informative guide to presentation preparation, design, and delivery. If you’re not already familiar with the popular Presentation Zen blog, this book highlights many of his theories and techniques. If you’ve seen a presentation from famous presenters such as Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, or Steve Jobs, you’ll be familiar with the highly visual, stock-photo-heavy style that Reynolds advocates. Overall, I recommend this book (four of five stars) as a great resource for business presenters who want to improve their slides, not necessarily their PowerPoint skills. Continue reading “Book Review: Presentation Zen”

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Oct 06 2008

Death by (Bad) PowerPoint – Part II

In the Part One, I discussed the familiar epidemic of “death by PowerPoint”, and how we should be focusing blame on the presenters — not necessarily the software. I presented four factors that I feel contribute to bad PowerPoint presentations. After covering two of the factors — lack of preparation and lack of experience and knowledge — I’m going to focus on the remaining two factors of indifference and self-importance. Continue reading “Death by (Bad) PowerPoint – Part II”

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Oct 03 2008

Death by (Bad) PowerPoint – Part I

Rest in peace, Boris Toudeth (c)iStockPhoto/Arvid Emtegren

Has your life been threatened by bad PowerPoint presentations? Maybe a recent presentation stole 30-60 minutes of your life which you would like back. Unfortunately, too many of us have sat through an experience known as “death by PowerPoint” – a disinterested presenter, a series of disconnected slides, a merciless procession of bullet points, and a mishmash of overly complex clip art, charts, and tables. Sound painfully familiar? Continue reading “Death by (Bad) PowerPoint – Part I”

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