Use PowerPoint/Keynote/slides properly

Qualities of a good PowerPoint slide

by Andrew Lightheart

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So.

PowerPoint.

A deeply flawed tool, as far as I can see. (You should probably read this first…)

And yet, for now, it’s likely to be expected of you.  And with technical topics, sometimes you really need some visual aids.

So here are some guidelines for how to make the best PowerPoint slide deck you can…

Qualities of a good PowerPoint slide

A good slide helps your listeners

Check each slide moves your listeners in the direction you are recommending. If they don’t need it to track what you’re saying (i.e. they wouldn’t need it in conversation) reconsider if it’s a good idea.

Also make sure that you’re not using the slides as your notes. Notes are notes (just like handouts are handouts).

Slides are for the people you are talking to, not for you. [click to continue…]

The problem(s) with PowerPoint

by Andrew Lightheart

Post image for The problem(s) with PowerPoint

I am one of the lucky ones: I never use PowerPoint.

It’s just not my style.

However, after over a decade of teaching communication skills in the corporate world, I understand that in the corporate world? It’s used a lot. It’s expected. And, yes, sometimes it makes life easier and, ok, yes, can actually be useful.

But..

But… but… but… I see PowerPoint being used so painfully-badly so often that if you must use slides, I’d like to offer you some opinionated advice about how to use PowerPoint well.

But first…

Before you boot up the beast, I think we need to start with the problem(s) with PowerPoint. [click to continue…]