Life & Style | Gadgets & Tech
The slidewinder
In five steps we show you how to create a cooler, smarter PowerPoint presentation.
- By Nitin Nair, senior features writer
- Published: 00:08 July 2, 2008
In five steps we show you how to create a cooler, smarter PowerPoint presentation
If you are the DIFC financial analyst mentioned in this magazine's ambitious mission statement, you know how soporific a dull PowerPoint (PPT) presentation can be.
But how can you make sure that every time you step up in your spiffy Armani suit, those around you are not already getting ready for a little power nap?
Now that you have continued reading, you could obviously use a little help in this department. So pay attention. Here are five easy steps to brighten up your presentations. Read this and no one will have to endure another agonising PPT presentation.
The 10-20-30 rule
Guy Kawasaki is a hotshot Silicon Valley venture capitalist, who has had to sit through a zillion PPT presentations by wannabe entrepreneurs trying to make an impression. He formulated the 10-20-30 rule on his website blog.guykawasaki.com.
He says, "A PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points."
Get there in time
You don't want to stumble into a meeting room full of people waiting for your presentation. And then fumble as you hook up the equipment. And, you haven't even started yet. So always get there well in time. It never hurts.
Don't ever read from the slide
Unless you got your flunkey/assistant/secretary to prepare your snazzy presentation, you should know what's gone into each slide and why it's gone in there.
If you do, then why do you need to read from the slide? Because when you read, you don't look too sure about what's going on.
Spend a little money
PC Magazine thinks Adobe's Ovation software can go a long way in sprucing up your PPT presentations. So if you are willing to spend a little money (approx. Dhs350), get this little software that can turn your PPT slides into dynamic 3D slides. But be warned, the review also warns of how this software can slow down your system.
Be cool
Stop being so stiff, use your hands, gesture, show some emotion. Don't let the audience know you are nervous. Say something funny. If nothing else, you'll impress the one person in the corner wearing a short skirt.
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