Powerpoint vs Presentation

Filed under Work, Writing | 15 July 2008 | No comments yet

Day in and day out, no matter what function or department you work with, you will encounter the need to deliver a presentation on a topic of significance.  And that means creating a “PPT” from scratch, and often, presenting it yourself.

Now, I’ve spent more than a decade working with Powerpoint.  And know, first hand, that it’s not nearly as easy as it seems.  Yes, any one with a mouse and a copy of Microsoft’s PowerPoint software can start “building slides”.  But, creating a presentation of Quality – that’s a different matter altogether.

Some argue that addressing an audience is an art, not a science.  That you need charisma to make an impact.  That leaders and speakers are born, not made.  Others argue that they have, in fact, benefitted from the countless resources on the Web (and in the real world) that offer the promise of making you a better speaker.

Be that as it may, this post is about helping you with the first half of the problem – How to make a good Powerpoint?

First of all, you need to realize that there is no substitute for “clarity of thought“.  Just as knowledge of Photoshop does not make you a Van Gogh, knowing how to make PowerPoint work does not necessarily result in an impactful presentation.   So take the time to study the material before you, and jot down your thoughts (preferably on paper) on what you want to share with your audience.  Then, read PresentationZen’s Top 10 Slide Tips before you even double-click on the PowerPoint icon!

If you think you know all there is to know about PPTs as you’ve made dozens of them already, take the time to go through Nancy Duarte’s enlightening webinar (now stored as a video feed) on Creating Powerful Presentations.  Trust me, you’ll learn some thing there.

If you’re the sort who tells himself that you’re not the creative type or that “Design” is for designers, you need to read Garr Reynolds’ piece on Why Design Matters.  Go on, now.  Don’t be afraid to discover that it really does matter…  If you’re convinced already, improve your design quotient by reading Reynolds’ excellent essay on Design Basics.

Last but not the least, bookmark AllTop’s rich resource on all things related to communication, here.

Related post : 1-2-3 of Presentations

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