Advice that’s true and valuable, while illustrating its own points beautifully.
Enjoy!
Discussion
6 Thoughts on "A Concise Guide to Giving a Great PowerPoint Presentation"
I think you meant to put this one up didn’t you?
🙂
Oh now that is amusing – first time I loaded the page, a blank slide showed up. A refresh upon commenting and the real thing appears now with an additional 50odd slides.
You probably remember my post about this slide. It’s actually a great systems dynamics diagram, and while the New York Times missed that fact, the comments on their misguided story revealed that their audience is smarter than their reporters.
Kent –
The prep time is SOOOO true. I think some people believe you just show up for these things and talk off the top of your head with slides that you reuse all the time.
That is not true. Even when you reuse some slides and when the topic is similar often the audience is not, or new information has occurred that requires you to change how you speak to the slide.
The 30 hour time estimate is really on target!
Ann
I completely agree. Once, early in my career, I got cocky, and decided that since I was using a deck I knew, the audience was like any other, and so forth, I didn’t prepare, rehearse, or get butterflies beforehand. Needless to say, the nerves hit right as I took the stage, the deck crumbled away from my grasp, and the presentation was horrifyingly mundane. Every time I’ve been tempted to skate by with a little less preparation or a little less rehearsal, I remember this, and dig in again. It’s a reminder of the power of prevention, at the very least.
Giving a bad presentation is a terrible experience that can be avoided by a little hard work.
There is an un-written rule #6 which I’ve heard often: “Keep your presentations under 20 slides.” I must admit that when I saw there were 51 slides in this preso, I almost skipped it altogether and would have if not for my deepest respect for the magnificent SK.
