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Using PowerPoint is not an end, it is a means. You shouldn't be
designing your content around what PowerPoint can (or can't) do. Just
as with any other technical communication medium, you should figure out
what you want to say, what you want the audience to hear, and then how
you want to present the information.
The bells and whistles are nice. They can even be useful. But what is
important is whether you have practiced your presentation and can handle
what is going to come up.
Having said that, here are some tips that might make the end result
better:
1) Create an FAQ section at the end of your presentation. Place a slide
with the expected questions at the end of your presentation. Link each
question to a slide. When the question comes up, head to the last slide
and click the appropriate item.
2) Learn the shortcut keys for use during a presentation. B for Black
the screen, W for White the screen, P for Pause the show (useful for
animations and automations). But the most useful of all: Type the slide
number, press enter - Bingo instant slide change. (Oh and if you type
9999 then enter, you will go to that FAQ slide you made in (2).)
3) Make a cheat sheet of your slide titles (You did use slide titles,
didn't you?). On a note card, put the slide title and the slide number.
Now, when you need to jump ahead or back it is easy.
4) Always put a title on each slide. If you don't want it to show, drag
it off the slide. It will still get recognized, but won't show on the
slide.
5) Always use slide masters AND title masters. If your template doesn't
have a title master, add one (view the slide master, go to the insert
menu and add a title master).
6) (All others are useless without this one) PRACTICE - Practice -
Practice - then practice again in front of someone who doesn't know what
you mean to say.
Kathy is a trainer, writer, Girl Scout, parent, and whatever else there
is time for
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we
lived
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