MAKING POWERPOINT
PRESENTATIONS
DON’T
THAT SUCK

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presentation.”
THINK: “powerpoint

NOT: “powerpoint presentation.”

The Process

“We are biologically incapable of
processing attention-rich inputs
simultaneously.”
--Dr. John Medina

“Multi-tasking is a myth.”

People who are interrupted:
Take 50% longer to complete a task.
Make 50% more errors.

“When you’re always online,
you’re always distracted.”

Yet, most powerpoints are put
together while doing other things . . .

Try “going analog” and focusing only
on the presentation in the prep stage.

First, look at the big picture.

Break it down into details.

Organize into subtopics and develop
them one at a time.

Text
Overload

Common PowerPoint Mistakes. Some
presenters like to put every single thing they
are going to say on their slides. Although this
means that you do not have to remember
what to say on your slides. This makes your
slides boring, text heavy and causes your
audience’s eyes to glaze over, the mobile
phones come out and the fidgeting begins.
They begin to wonder why they are even
listening to you as they have already used up
all their brain power reading ahead and
drawing their own conclusions. All this before
you even reach the bottom of your. . .

Common PowerPoint Mistakes (Continued):
. . . first slide.

Bullets

While You’re Busy Not Reading
This Bulleted List, You’re Not
Listening To Me Either.
Powerpoints
•
Don’t
•
Kill
•
People.
•
Bullets
•
Kill
•
People.
•

before

after

Visual Aid

“Powerpoints are meant to serve
as an illustrative visual aid—
not a speech replacement.”

“Would you rather look at this:”

“. . . or this:”

We are incredible at remembering pictures.

“Let’s hear from the experts

Compare and Contrast

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http://www.picsearch.com/

Charts and
Graphs

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Info Overload

Text

“Use
color
and
size
impo
pop
to
rtant
word
s.”

A Few Final
Tips

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FIN