I want to briefly discuss the use of PowerPoint (or similar technologies) for giving presentations. To begin with, they are wonderful aids for helping to engage the audience and reinforce the ideas being presented. By engaging the audience I simply mean that presentations are more interesting to look at than someone standing and talking. And they reinforce the ideas by helping to make the information clear and by giving the audience another outlet (other than an oral type) for the transfer of the ideas. It has bee shown in studies that when people receive the same information in multiple ways (hearing it, reading it, and/or applying it), they are more likely to retain that information.

However, PowerPoint can also be a detriment to a presentation, often because people simply rely too much on the technology as the source of the presentation instead of themselves. Thus, the first guideline is to remember that you--not the presentation software--are giving the presentation. As I mention above, the software is simply there to reinforce what you're saying, or to help you make complicated information easier to understand.

In these two respects PowerPoint slides are more like graphics used in a technical document. You would never try to explain the facts and figures of last year's profits or losses. Instead you would give a visual displaying the information somehow. And you would never simply put the graphic on the page by itself. Instead you introduce it and tell readers why it is relevant to the discussion.

So use PowerPoint slides this way: let them help you break up complicated information, but it's up to you to explain the points on the slides.

Next, remember that the information on the slides are simply for talking points, not paragraphs of information. Often, people try to stick everything they're going to say on a slide. But this is just too much for an audience to either focus on or understand. Instead, put the main, concise point on the slide and use that as a platform to explain the idea the main point represents.

Also, limit the number of ideas you place on a slide. Once you get past 3-5 points, use another slide, because it will just be too much information otherwise.

If you are giving a presentation drawn from a document, like a proposal or research report, use the structure of the document to help you structure the presentation, but remember that the presentation is not the document. The presentation is meant to provide the main points, ideas and conclusions of a subject, not every little detail. Let the audience ask you questions if they are curious about something smaller than what you've explained, but don't try to give as fine-detailed points in the presentation.

Use an outline at the beginning to help audience understand what you are going to talk about, and use section headings and subheadings to help the audience understand where they are in that structure. This both reinforces the organization of the presentation and it helps audiences understand the relationships between the topics you are giving them. Further, it helps them locate themselves in the general topic.

Some other brief tips to consider are consistency, layout and grammar. With regards to consistency, make sure that all of your slides use the same design and include the same elements: from font color to placement. Scattered, inconsistent slides are not attractive or professional.

Remember to use an engaging and appealing layout, but one that help support the information being presented. Using graphics as decoration are distracting and get in the way of the message you are trying to present. Further, use a layout with the proper contrast between the background and the text. The important thing to see on a slide is the text, so make sure your audience can see it.

And finally, make sure you have no grammar or spelling problems in your presentation. There's nothing worse than giving a presentation and seeing on your own screen, at the same time as the audience, a glaring misspelling. Have someone check it before you give it.

PowerPoint (or a similar software) can be a powerful mechanism for helpig you convey information in a memorable, even entertaining way, but you must follow at least these tips on using it correctly.

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Last update: 27-03-2009 13:42