It’s not a powerpoint, it’s a presentation

When we talk of hoovering the lounge or of closing a package with selotape we are (frequently) using the generic name instead of the specific product;  it might be a vacuum cleaner made by Dyson or the ubiquitous “sticky backed plastic” of Blue Peter fame. Other presentation software is available.

Importantly it is not the software that leads to poor presentation rather the poor construct of the whole. A tagline frequently used is “death by powerpoint” and whilst this is apposite, the demise would be just as certain if the presenter had used any other available format. I am frequently asked if prezi isn’t the new hope or if changing to keynote would enliven. No, and neither does it mean that great presentations can’t be delivered using these media either. The problem lies in the construction of the presentation directly into bulletpoints with little care for the audience, no appreciation of an arc of a story and the delivery constrained and restrained by this whole.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.