The Pros and Cons of PowerPoint Presentations

Two postings, via Hot Links, that offer useful comments on best practices for PowerPoint presentations, as well as how and when to dispense with them in favor of simply talking directly to your audience:

  • “It has become commonplace to rail against the evils of PowerPoint talks; you know, those dull, boring never-ending ordeals where the speaker — or should I say “reader” — displays what appears to be a never-ending progression of slides, each with numerous bulleted points, sometimes coming on to the screen from unexpected directions in unexpected ways, each one being slowly read to the audience. PowerPoint should be banned, cries the crowd…I respectfully submit that all of this is nonsense…accompanied by poor understanding of speech making and of the difference between the requirements for a speech-giver, the speech-listener (the audience), and for the reader of a printed document. These are three different things.” [Link]
  • Creating Passionate Users: Stop your presentation before it kills again!

    • Related references:

  • The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint, Edward R. Tufte, 2003.
  • Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate, and Inspire, Cliff Atkinson, 2005.
  • Ten PowerPoint 2004 Tips to Beat Tight Deadlines

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