Using PowerPoint: The Correct Approach
More and more, today's presenters are taking full advantage of the portable combination of laptop, multi-media projector and PowerPoint slide software. Too often, though they rely solely on this software to provide all of their presentation's creativity. Audiences, in turn are becoming uninspired by the ubiquitous look of a PowerPoint presentation. When used correctly, the new technology is an enhancement tool offering the support of attention-getting visual elements. It fails when the presenter hides behind and merely recites the words displayed on the electronic slides. There are good guidelines for employing these tools effectively.
Always add to your verbal presentation with the visual, remembering that your speech is the first thing that connects you on a human level to your audience. This sounds obvious, but it is easy to slip and let the PowerPoint presentation become an outline of your prepared points that are redundantly read. Shortened bullet points also fail, if they have nothing to add to the presentation other than being a guide for you to follow. Never create a presentation that contains all the words you intend to speak Use it primarily to present the graphs, diagrams and illustrations that will act to support your words and information that your audience can take notes on.
Don't distract from your flow by using it to display cute but unassociated cartoons or merely attention-getting gimmicks. If you want to keep the focus on your presentation, highlight your specific points and expand on them.
Prepare yourself as if your screen were blank. The slides shouldn't be a crutch for unprepared or poorly organized speech. By using presentation programs as a visual supplement to, rather than the main communication of an effective presentation, you insure yourself against the unexpected failure of almost any part of the presentation. Technology means technical difficulties and no presenter should be thrown with an unforeseen failure of their supplementing equipment.
It helps to educate yourself on the troubleshooting of both your equipment and the software that you run, in case you do have a failure. If there is a natural break in your flow and a correction can be quickly made, you stay in control of your own credibility. Be aware of intact cable connections, the difference between "slide view" and "slide creation view" while the program is running and comfortable with the architecture of your laptop's organization. Never be in the position of waiting helplessly for someone else's expertise.
Your success will be in delivering a memorable presentation that is only enhanced with presentation software. Avoid overwhelming your audience with a frenetic, image saturated or animated distraction. Use the technology wisely and build your program on the tried and true methods of the art of communication. Polished interaction effectively communicates important ideas and messages that people can relate to their own experience. Using presentation programs should add to, and not detract from that goal.
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