Posted on 08/19/2009 9:03:04 AM PDT by JoeProBono
If you have worked in an office in the Western world in the past 25 years, you will probably have sat through a PowerPoint presentation. But there's a problem. They're often boring, writes presentation expert Max Atkinson. In the past 25 years, I've asked hundreds of people how many PowerPoint presentations they've seen that came across as really inspiring and enthusiastic. Most struggle to come up with a single example, and the most optimistic answer I've heard was "two". So what are the main problems?
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
DoD still uses power point a lot. It’s easy, nd secretaries can whip out stuff in a hurry with it.
The problem is not PowerPoint. The problem is the presenter and the material. In the corporate world, of all the meetings that are held, probably 90% could be done away with. It’s these 90% of wasted meetings that people use PowerPoint to fluff up some worthless material.
Bring back Harvard Graphics, that’ll solve the problem.
Now look at here Larry...
That’s a keeper.
I noticed a second phenomena 25 years ago in our software development organization at Honeywell. Prior to personal PC’s, drafts were hand written and copied for distribution. Final documents were given to the secretaries to be typed. Any typed document crossing my desk could automatically be presumed to have some status.
Once everybody in the office had Word, then everything distributed was laser printed and type-set. I lost the ability to perform simple first level filtering of documents by virtue of their format. Stuff that was in the initial stages of thought physically appeared the same as finished documents.
All my presentations are black letters on a white background. No bells no whistles.
As few words as possible - bullets only. When folks have to read your slide they are not listening to you. If you want them to listen then have painfully few words and SIMPLE charts or illustrations.
Ok I use photos of penguins when transitioning between ideas - everyone seems to like penguins.
The real problem with it, though, is that folks tend to use it to replace detailed discussion -- something that in written form can only be done in a memo or report.
I can't figure out if PowerPoint the cause or the effect of engineers being unable to write ... but I've seen far too many folks try to substitute PowerPoint slides for detailed arguments.
The problem with PowerPoint is that 99% of all PP presentations shouldn’t even exist. Unless you actually have visual data that MUST be part of the presentation don’t do it. Most of the time you should just stand up there and say your stuff.
If those are your PP’s you should just turn the projector off. People don’t need bullet points on a screen to pay attention to pay attention to what you’re saying, in fact without junk on the screen they’ll ACTUALLY pay attention to what you’re saying.
You mean you had to read stuff that was presented to you?
Maybe for you.
All of my presentations are controversial as my hypotheses universally go against established dogma. I usually have a hostile audience of folks with a lot of letters behind their names. There is a need to show a progression to the message. As one lays out the data its always the case where i need to roll things back and show folks that we have already settled things prior to the point being made.
We are in agreement that one wants the audience to listen. But there is a reason for blackboards, chartboards, overhead projectors, and digital beamers.
It’s not you or what you’re talking about. It’s human nature, just like the article says. Give people shiny lights to look at and they turn on the eyes and turn off the ears. If all you’ve got is bullet points on your powerpoint then you’ve got no actual information in the slides and yet because there’s slides that’s what they’re paying attention to.
Oops- Sorry I missed this post!
* ROSES
* BLUE
* VIOLETS
* YOU
Teleprompter for the business class. In my experience, it is common for presenters to spend 2 hours on content, and 20 hours preparing the PowerPoint slides....
hh
When I started my current postition, the entire employee procedure manual was done in powerpoint. Some one had conned the owners of the company into thinking that was a good thing. I have spent several years converting everything to Word. (procedures are low on the totem pole)
I still shake my head out it. No visual data, just boring procedures.
I remember that, although we had to type draft docs as well...I was the only one in the office who could read one Research Scientist's handwriting, LOL! We used to pull "all nighters" during proposals {ugh}. Now the scientists type their own text and I just format for final production...much easier!
Stuff that was in the initial stages of thought physically appeared the same as finished documents.
I always time/date stamp each document in the upper right hand corner until the final production. I also put the date and/or a revision number in each file name so I always know which is the latest version. I have been trying to get my scientists to do that as well, but it is like herding cats. So...I ask them to send me the draft versions as they are completed and I do it myself.
We do the majority of our work for the DoD, they love PowerPoint.
And the 10% of worthwhile meeting could be over in half the time if everyone had to stand.
Not sure I understand your premise. Could you prepare a presentation on it for this Friday, around 4?
This is a great thread especially Gettysburg, worth more than a bump, a bookmark!
thanks
Melissa
My wife had a similar experience, and then, in the early 80s they upgraded her to a Xerox MemoryWriter- WOW!!
hh
LOL! That is awesome!
It's hard to believe but there was a time in America when those transition slides were of semi-nude topless women. sigh
They probably even had a meeting where people had to sit through that entire PP too. A painfully boring meeting that involved at least 2 attempted suicides. And then somebody added a slide about not killing yourself on company time.
Now that’s a slide I can respect.
I've sat through hundreds and none has ever failed to make my eyelids heavier than the stuff at the center of a neutron star.
Great for insomnia. Bad while in training class.
"Penguins? Love 'em. Especially with cole slaw."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.