Avoiding “Death by PowerPoint”

Avoiding “Death by PowerPoint” Creating Effective Presentations

Designing Effective Presentations Content 1st Consistent Tell a Story Progressive Big Clear Summarize Simple

The Golden Rules Content 1st PowerPoint 2nd Tell a Story!

Content 1st

Content 1st • Keep the focus on the content, story, and Presenter • PowerPoint is just the tool to tell the story • Don’t make PowerPoint the FOCUS

Tell a Story

Tell a Story • In order to engage your audience, they must understand the STORY you are telling: • Where are we now? • Beginning • Where do we want to end up? • End • How are we going to get there? • Middle

Telling a Story A Good Story A Bad Story

Make It Big

Make it Big • This is Arial 12 • This is Arial 18 • This is Arial 24 • This is Arial 28 • This is Arial 32 • This is Arial 36 • This is Arial 44

Make it Big Too Small • This is Arial 12 • This is Arial 18 • This is Arial 24 • This is Arial 28 • This is Arial 32 • This is Arial 36 • This is Arial 44

Make it Big • This is Arial 12 • This is Arial 18 • This is Arial 24 • This is Arial 28 • This is Arial 32 • This is Arial 36 • This is Arial 44 Too Big, except for Titles

Make it Big • This is Arial 12 • This is Arial 18 • This is Arial 24 • This is Arial 28 • This is Arial 32 • This is Arial 36 • This is Arial 44 Just Right for Content

2 m (6 ft) How to Estimate Size • You should be able to see it from 2m away

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple - Style • Too manydifferentcolours • TooManydifferentFontsandStyles • Too many differentsizes

Keep It Simple - Content Instructional Technology:A complex integrated process involving people, procedures, ideas, devices, and organization, for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems in situations in which learning is purposive and controlled(HMRS 5th ed.) Too detailed and wordy !

Keep It Simple - Content Instructional Technology: A complex process involving people, procedures & tools for analyzing problems & creating solutions in learning situations (HMRS 5th ed.) Much Simpler

Keep It Simple - Content Instructional Technology: • A complex process • Involves people, procedures & tools • Used for analyzing problems & creating solutions • Applies to learning situations • (HMRS 5th ed.) even Better!

The 6 x 7 Rule • The 6 x 7 rule • No more than 6 lines of Text per slide • No more than 7 words per line

Keep It Simple - Tables Falling Leaves Observed Too detailed !

Keep It Simple - Tables Falling Leaves Observed (in Millions) Much Simpler

Keep It Simple - Graphs Falling Leaves Observed Too Busy & detailed !

Keep It Simple - Graphs Falling Leaves Observed Much Simpler

Keep It Simple - Images • Images can distract your audience • Too many images detracts from your message • Pictures are NOT a substitute for Content

Keep it Simple - Images • Images MUST be relevant to the content Ex: The Research Process Not Relevant! Relevant!

Keep it Simple - Images • Images should be used to CLARIFY content

Keep It Simple - Sound • Sound effects can be very distracting and annoying • Use sound only when necessary!

Keep It Simple - Transitions • This transition is annoying, and distracting …. • Simple transitions, such as Appear and Disappear ,are effective and help you ... Tell Your Story

Keep It Simple - Animations • This animation is annoying, and distracting …. Too distracting ! 2 m

2m Keep It Simple- Animations • Simple animations can be effective and help you ...Tell your Story Simple & to the point

Make It Clear

Make It Clear - Capitals • WRITING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS IS TOO DIFFICULT TO READ • Regular Sentence Case with Upper and lower case letters is easier to read

Z Z Make It Clear - Fonts • Use Readable Fonts • Serif fonts have projecting “serifs” at the end of the strokes – they are harder to read • Sans-serif Fonts are simpler, and easier to read Sans-Serif Font Arial Serif Font Times busy clear

Make It Clear - Styles • Use colour, Bold,andSize to emphasize points NOT Distract • Italics are difficult to read on screen • Normal or bold fonts are clearer • BOLD font should be used sparingly, for emphasis ONLY • Underlining is confusing and should ONLY be used for hyperlinks

Make It Clear – Numbered Lists Use numbers for lists witha logical sequence For example: How to put an elephant into a fridge? 1. Open the door of the fridge 2. Put the elephant in • Close the door

Make It Clear – Numbered Lists How to put a giraffe into a fridge? 1. Open the door of the fridge 2. Take out the elephant 3. Put the giraffe in 4. Close the door

Make It Clear – Bulleted Lists Use Bullets to list points about a topic Use bullets to show a list without • Priority • Sequence • Hierarchy, …..

Make It Clear - Color • Use contrasting colours to help content stand out • Light on dark or dark on light • Use complementary colours

low contrast high contrast Make It Clear - Contrast • Use contrasting colours • Light on dark vs dark on light • Use complementary colours

Make It Clear - Contrast Use contrasting colours • Light on dark Use complementary colours Dark on light

Make It Clear - Contrast • Use contrasting colours • Light on dark vs dark on light • Use complementary colours These colours are NOT complementary

Make It Clear - Contrast • Use contrasting colours • Light on dark vs dark on light • Use complementary colours These colours are complementary

Make It Clear - Size • Size implies importance

Make It Clear – Focal Point • Focal points direct attention

Be Progressive

Be Progressive – Spoon Feed Individual Constructive Tools Social Constructive Tools Discovery Learning Informational Tools Guided Inquiry Mode of Instruction Individual Instructive Tools Social Communicative Tools Direct Instruction Individual Pair Group Too much at Once! Complexity of Interactions

Be Progressive – Spoon Feed Individual Constructive Tools Social Constructive Tools Discovery Learning Informational Tools Guided Inquiry Mode of Instruction Individual Instructive Tools Social Communicative Tools Direct Instruction Progressive & focused Individual Pair Group Complexity of Interactions

Avoiding “Death by PowerPoint”