Why are you still using PowerPoint? :: Geoffrey James

by Volker Weber

Geoffrey James for Inc.:

Everybody hates PowerPoint. Nobody, anywhere, anytime, has ever thought: "Hooray! He's starting his PowerPoint presentation!" That, in itself, doesn't necessarily mean that PowerPoint is useless. After all, dental drills are useful, but nobody has ever thought: "Hooray! He's starting his dental drill."

PowerPoint, however, is much less than a necessary evil. It's a tool that, even when used as intended, does not fulfill its primary purpose, which is to help you communicate more effectively with your audience.

I think you are using it for the same reason you are wearing a tie. You are just fitting in.

More >

PS: Look at this and find a way to communicate better.

Comments

Powerpoint selbst ist doch ein super Programm. Nur sind die meisten Präsentationen ein Graus weil sich kaum einer die Mühe macht eine ansprechende Präsentation zu basteln.

Sven Tiburg, 2020-02-06

While for PP, as for any other tool the GiGo principle applies, there is a good point in the above criticism: PP (and the like) encourages people to oversimplify potentially complex issues, basically by reducing stuff to a list of bullet points. That's what, referring to experience the US army made with the use of PP in briefings, this article from a few years ago states: https://www.computerworld.com/article/2468895/u-s--army-discovers-powerpoint-makes-you-stupid.html

I tend to agree to this assessment.

The best presentations I see at conferences, but also in internal meetings, use PP in a way where you could just as well use the preview program your respective OS provides: show a picture, maybe even a chart, talk about it for a while, switch to the next.

No effects, nothing spectacular. Make your audience listen to you rather than get distracted by text exploding, clipart sliding in etc.

As long as what you've said made sense and was well structured, everybody will go home happy.

Martin Dietze, 2020-02-06

Who's wearing a tie these days to fit in?

Sebastian Kurme, 2020-02-06

Somewhat related: https://twitter.com/planetexpress69/status/1217154846190686209

Martin Kautz, 2020-02-06

Simple Answer: Screen Estate!

We have massively increased The use of online meetings. In most cases there are just shared screens.

I use it for status reports or other meetings simply because it helps me to better control the shared screen - similar to a whiteboard. PowerPoint matches in these cases better than Word or Excel. Indeed that needs some pereparation.

Dominique Roller, 2020-02-06

Dominique, indeed, developing your slides in online meetings with others and then share them as meeting minutes is a very satisfying approach. PP works well for me in the use case, but it requires some practicing regarding your working style. PP is not the problem here.

Peter Meuser, 2020-02-06

re the “Army Slide” well ... PP was merely the vehicle for a Mind Map drawing ;o)
Lesson learned: All tools are double-edged swords - so use diligently!

Uffe Sorensen, 2020-02-07

Old vowe.net archive pages

I explain difficult concepts in simple ways. For free, and for money. Clue procurement and bullshit detection.

vowe

Paypal vowe