p2

The supportive media (p2) is everything that adds to the story (p1) in its delivery (p3) whether as a presentation or visual aids. It should illustrate the message, not seek to annotate it. If you have visited the site looking for tips on using powerpoint, you will be disappointed. The discussion is around design concepts, use of text in slides, images and data slides used to illustrate and support the message. It is the least important part of a presentation. Some presentations may even be better without slides! Most importantly, the .ppt file is not your presentation.

the supportive media of a presentation should illustrate the message, not attempt to annotate it.

Cornerstone posts include.

p2 posts

a pile of mobile phones

Mobile phones

Mobile phones are a part of our existence. They have real value but can significantly affect presentations. Be aware of these issues in the planning and delivery of presentations. Mobile…

volataire and his famous quote

A quotation

A quotation often serves an elegant and memorable purpose in a presentation. If well know, it strikes with resonance into the memory. If, unknown, its humanity can speak with clarity...

a qr code that if scanned will take the viewer to the p cubed website

QR code

A QR code is a valuable tool in transferring complex data. It is easily constructed. It should be displayed at the end of a presentation when the audience will not…

a made up conference template that is frankly horrible with bad colours and icons

Conference template

Scientific organisations frequently prescribe a specific conference template. Do not use templates. Templates steal real estate in slides, they are visually distracting and unnecessary. If requested, use the template for…

Pictures of slides

Pictures of slides are intended by the photographer to be used for later data retrieval. Few actually review the images, even fewer retrieve any data. Constructing a slide for this…

Roadmaps are for roads

Roadmaps are for roads, not presentations. Setting out the plan of the presentation does not engage the audience, it may in fact disengage them. It simply wastes time. Keep roadmaps…

please don't do this

Please don’t do this

Please don’t do this in presentations. It forces the audience to read the text and this will be done in preference to listening. The data is not retained. The highlighting…

Images should explain themselves

Images should explain themselves with clarity being added by the speaker or an additional word but principally achieved in composition. There should never be the need for a laser pointer,…

  • Design for function

    Good design is about function, not decoration. The…

  • Don’t use clip art

    that is the blog post. don’t use clip…

  • I know

    In the Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes…

  • Why do you have slides?

    Why do you have slides in your presentation?…

  • Schrodinger’s slides

    Schrodinger’s slides are both there and not there…

  • Dance on the radio

    Dance is a beautiful medium conveying story, emotion,…

  • Font choice matters

    Font choice matters; they change the impact and…

  • Screens are not books

    Screens are not books. Reading from a screen…

  • Mobile phones

    Mobile phones are a part of our existence….

  • A quotation

    A quotation often serves an elegant and memorable…