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The use of computer created presentations has almost become the standard
method of communicating with an audience. Microsoft's PowerPoint
is probably the most popular software used for this purpose. Whether
or not you use PowerPoint or some other presentation software
package, here are some guidelines to considered when creating and making
presentations. Like any computer tool, garbage in, garbage out. Therefore
preparation and planning are most important to prevent the garbage from
going in. A failed presentation never convinces an audience.
Preparation
You should understand the mission target and purpose. Ask yourself...
- Who is the audience
- What do they need to know
- How can a presentation get the message across.
Target your presentation to concentrate on what three things you want the audience to remember.
A handy trick is to create the presentation starting with the end and working backwards.
Start with what you want to accomplish at the end and create slides that help lead up to the conclusion.
Before using the computer, plan your work using file cards or sticky notes.
- Make a card for each point or thought you may want to convey.
- Arrange them in a logic order.
- Eliminate what is not needed or does not add to the presentation.
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Slide Content
- Make sure each slide builds on the previous slide and that all slides have a logical progression.
- A visual graph or chart can be worth a thousand words. Include graphs
or charts to backup or emphasis the major issues. Studies show
that half of what an audience learns during a presentation are provided by the visuals.
- Keep the slides simple. Every slide should be understood within 7 seconds.
- If there is too much on a slide, split it in two.
- Use bullets to emphasis major points.
- A general rule is the 6-6-6 rule.
- No more than 6 words per item
- No more than 6 bullets per slide
- No more than 6 text slides in a row
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Special Effects
Use special effects with caution.
Presentation software will allow you to create different methods of transition from slide to slide.
- Only use one transition method. Using multiple transition methods
only distract from what you actually want to get across.
- Don't get carried away with animation, bouncing or moving text. Concentrate
more on what you want to convey to keep the audience focused.
Fonts
- Use easy to read fonts
- Don't use less than a size of 18 points
- Don't over use italics
- Don't use more than 2 fonts per slide
- Keep the fonts consistent
Colors
Keep the same color scheme through out and use colors to highlight or emphasize. In theory,
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Yellow represents confidence and knowledge |
| Brown is earthy |
| Red reflects passion |
| Blue reflects coldness |
| White can represent cleanliness or sterility |
| Black emits authority |
Length
- It is recommended that a presentation should run no longer than
20 minutes and no more than 15 slides. If more time is
absolutely required, give your audience a break every so often at
strategic breaking points.
- Make sure there is time at the end of the presentation to allow for questions and answers.
- Rehearsals will help you determine the length and to trim down the presentation if necessary.
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Presentation
- Avoid using laser pointers. Most of the time you can't hold the darn thing steady and it can distract
from what you are saying or displaying. If your slide is prepared correctly, you should not have to point to something.
- The use of a remote control to change slides is convenient and can make for a smoother presentation.
- Don't rely on battery power. Make sure you have your AC adapter connected
- Don't turn off all of the lights, unless you want to put the audience to sleep. The audience should
have enough light to be able to take notes.
- At the end of the presentation hand out printed copies of the slides. Don't hand them out before or you will only invite people
to try and match the handout with your actual presentation. You want to keep them focused on you and the screen, not on the handouts.
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So are you disappointed because there were no tips on the actual use of
PowerPoint? I hope not. The intent is that these tips
will steer and remind you of the right direction to enable you to take
better advantage of presentation software with the ultimate goal of
presenting a more powerful and convincing story to your audience.
Oops, almost forget. Keep in a mind that a PowerPoint presentation
can be put on a floppy, CD or downloaded from your web site. Your audience can then view the presentation at their leisure.
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