Use technology's potential to make presentations compelling

Patrick Cataldo

We have all been there. You’re in a meeting; you look around the room to catch a glimpse of heavy eyelids slowly closing. Heads of participants are bobbing from boredom and as you glance at your watch you can’t believe there’s still plenty of time to go. You wonder if you’re going to make it.

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It’s possible that at that moment, you are suffering from the dreaded boredom of meeting paralysis.

Nothing beats a great presentation, filled with energy, useful information and graphic interest. The new presentational technologies are great if you know how to make the most of their capabilities. I was at a company seminar recently that served as a grim reminder how far we have come in technology and just how far we still have to go in using it. During the break, I overheard one of the employees comment, “Looks like another morning of death by PowerPoint.”

The ability to give a compelling opening statement, match that with meaningful content, and enhance the talk with graphics that add significant value hasn’t changed. What has changed is the expertise required to do it most effectively.

Today, while there are still experts in organizations or in marketing, communications and public relations departments that produce presentations, many are now produced by the speakers themselves. While this change has provided more freedom and flexibility, it hasn’t necessarily improved the quality. It has put a greater demand on presenters to understand the skills of audience analysis, how people learn, brain dominance, and the effective use of color, layout, word length, graphics and pictures to accentuate the points.

Audiences just might be more receptive to listening if these basic rules for effective PowerPoint presentations are followed:

• Limit the number of words per slide — six words per line, no more than six bullets per slide

• Choose a readable font — Arial, Garamond or Times New Roman work best

• Select type sizes that are easily seen (44 point on titles, at least 24-30 on bullets)

• Avoid using only standard clip art — Google images can provide good photographs

• Use colors for high impact — black letters on a yellow background are easiest on the eyes

• No sentences (unless quotes) — use only “trigger” words

• Use sufficient white space and good layouts

• Selectively use animation — don’t overdo it

• Make the presentation template distinctively yours

• A consistent look and feel for slides makes them easier to follow

The field today of what’s possible is very exciting but it takes more preparation, more work, more thought and more risk to try new things by every presenter.

In a survey by Dave Paradi, the co-author of “Guide to PowerPoint,” of nearly 700 people who regularly see PowerPoint presentations, the most annoying items included:

• The speaker read the slides (62 percent)

• Text was so small it couldn’t be read from the back of the room (46.9 percent)

• Slides were hard to see due to colors chosen (42.6 percent)

• Full sentences used instead of bullet points (39.1 percent)

• Moving/flying text or graphics (24.8 percent)

• Overly complex financial charts or diagrams (22.2 percent)

The next time you are at an association, community or business meeting, judge the speaker and his or her slide materials using the above criteria and when they meet or exceed your expectations, make sure you spend the time to “thank them” to reinforce their planning and delivery efforts.

Join me on my blog, “Thinking Ahead in Business” where the discussion of developing and delivering exceptional presentations will continue.