- Whether to mention a pregnancy in a job interview
- A possible meeting protocol
- What are an end-user's responsibilities?
- Another take on opening PCs, or not
- Getting some process going
- Selling a more open environment to management
- Running an effective meeting
- Licensing rules for virtual machines
- The ROI of metrics
- Legal challenges to virtual machines
January 06, 2007 | Comments: (0)
More PowerPoint discussion
Dear Bob ...
I'm responding to your December 11th Keep the Joint Running ("Presenting smarter"). Very little irritates me more than the misuse of PowerPoint presentations. Many less than persuasive people take your point about each slide telling a story too literally, and write a novel on each slide. Presentation software is a speaking tool. It doesn't tell the story for you, it only helps. The burden still falls on your spoken words.
I find that the human mind reacts best to graphics and spoken words. The written word is best used for documentation. I find that presentation software works best for me to show a graphic representation (graph, chart, picture, diagram) of my point that I speak to. Having the occasional bullet point slide is useful, to keep focused on the agenda or to summarize.
I'm sure that this topic could start some real religious wars, not unlike EMACS vs VI, Linux vs Windows, Shiite vs Sunni, Catholic vs Protestant ... well you get the point.
- Crabby from bad PowerPoint
Dear Crabby ...
You aren't the only one (and for more on the topic, see this week's KJR, ("Is PowerPoint intrinsically evil?", 1/1/2007).
Your point is the crux of the biscuit, isn't it? My opinion, for whatever it's worth: Presentation software isn't restricted to supporting presentations. Often, the presentation also has to stand by itself when there's no presenter to go with it.
No argument, there are those who wonder why you should use a picture when a thousand words will do. They create text-filled slides, which are usually a waste of everyone's time. Except, that is, in the case of a presentation that has to stand by itself with no presenter to go with it. Then there are situations where a multi-paragraph slide is the best solution.
- Bob
Posted by Bob Lewis on January 6, 2007 06:08 AM
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When I have a presentation that has to stand on its own, I use the notes portion of the product to put all of the things I say, allowing me to keep the slides as Crabby noted. This probably doesn't work for those who only have viewer software instead of the whole package, and there are printing limitations, but it overcomes some of the obstacles. I am waiting to see what the newest version changes with regard to these limitations.
Posted by: Dirk Huggett at January 8, 2007 11:39 AMWe in the military have a phrase "Death by Power Point" and a creed;
This is my PowerPoint. There are many like it but mine is 7.0.
My PowerPoint is my best friend. It is my life.
I must master it as I master my life.
My PowerPoint without me is useless.
Without my PowerPoint, I am useless.
I must format my slides true. I must brief them better
than the other J-cells who are trying to out brief me.
I must brief the impact on the CINC before he asks me. I will!
My PowerPoint and myself know that what counts in this war
is not the number of slides, quantity of animations, the colors
of the highlights, or the format of the bullets. We know that it
is the new information that counts. We will brief only new information!
My PowerPoint is human, even as I, because it is my life.
Thus I will learn it as a brother.
I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its fonts,
its accessories, its formats, and its colors.
I will keep my PowerPoint slides current and ready to brief.
We will become part of each other. We will!
Before God I swear this creed. My PowerPoint and myself are
defenders of my country. We are the masters of our subject.
We are the saviors of my career.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy,
but peace (and the next exercise)!
|
Three books. Three ways to change the world, your life, or at least Bob Lewis' bank account. Leading IT: The Toughest Job in the World distills the world of IT leadership into eight learnable skills and gives you concrete, practical techniques for each one of them. Bare Bones Project Management: What you can't not do makes project management manageable, even for first-time project managers with no formal training in the discipline. ManagementSpeak: What managers say/What they mean … well, it won't help your career, and won't make you a better manager. Mostly, it will make you chuckle, guffaw, and maybe even chortle. Make friends - it's the perfect gift for anyone who has ever suffered through one of those meetings. Order your copies today! |
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