Friday 17 February 2006

Presentations

Mousely posted a link to "Coding Horror" blog and I found it fascinating. My favourite post is about presentations and how to avoid Death by PowerPoint. Thanks Mouse - this is a real treasure.

4 careful considerations:

bluefluff said...

That was good - thanks Nog & Mouse! I followed up the link to Lessig's presentation on Google Print - great use of slides & a valuable topic, too.

kat said...

I haven't got round to watching this but will do so after the weekend.

I'm not a PowerPoint lover and hate the flying text. The presenters press the button and the text comes whizzing in one line at a time to the sound of gun shots or breaking glass- They are so pleased with themselves and smile as if to say "Look at me and what I did." I have to grit my teeth. It is mental torture and one of these days I am going to get up and walk out. I haven't learnt or remembered a single thing from slide shows made in this way. It shouldn't be about the presenters showing off their 'skills'. I've noticed a lot of animated gifs hopping all over slides too. They detract from the content - Especially when half the audience start giggling at them. I don't mind a bit of a laugh but these things are not funny - They're bloody annoying.

Nogbad said...

Kat - I give presentations on how to give presentations (money and old rope I hear people cry!) but you're right. In with "Buzz word bingo", "PowerPoint Bingo" is a great game - count the transitions and animations to win big prizes :-)

I think the bit most people miss is that a PowerPoint presentation won't hide poor content or make up for lack of personality!

I rely on rubbish content and my zombie personality to put people to sleep so that I can give it large down the backs but it won't work for everyone!

Echomouse said...

Oh goody! See, what y'all needed was a programmer idiot like me who reads people who are smarter than I am ;)
LOL

Glad I could help. NOW I have a purpose!! Yeah!