I have both good and bad memories of meetings that were centered on a speaker and his or her presentation. People from all walks of life use PowerPoint presentations because they are the best method of delivering information to a group of people. One must take the appropriate steps to develop a presentation that is interesting and to the point. Having this skill is crucial when a situation arises that requires this tool.
PowerPoint has been a favorite method of delivering information in boardrooms and schools for many years. If one is in school or has a job, the skill of developing one of these presentations will come in handy sooner or later. PowerPoint is often used in schools by teachers to deliver information to students. Also, there are times when a teacher will request that each student deliver a report or other information using one of these presentations. Most modern classrooms are equipped with a projector with this purpose in mind.
PowerPoint is used to deliver information in businesses of all sizes and the information that is delivered ranges from safety training to reviewing the quarterly numbers. Once developed, this skill will continue to be utilized throughout ones productive life, so we will describe the general process below, and it will serve as a guide to a successful presentation.
First, gather the material that is needed for producing the presentation. The information one presents is the most important part of the PowerPoint presentation; it can be gathered from many sources. The internet is a valuable resource for finding information. Searching for information, using an optimized search engine (such as Google) can provide numerous sources quickly. More great sources are books, magazines and newspapers. Gathering information from text sources can be quite time consuming, so it is crucial to start as soon as possible. Depending on the topic that is being presented, one may find what he or she needs at a local library. Another great source of information is people. When trying to determine what information is most critical, asking an expert about a particular subject can save time. After the information has been gathered, it is time to gather some images. The images help hold the attention of the people viewing the presentation. Gather images together in a folder on the computer (don’t forget to back up). Don’t worry about the images being just right. One doesn’t need to have a specific purpose in mind for each image. Most of them will not be used in the finished presentation. Keep the process to moving forward quickly. Don’t spend a lot of time thinking about each image or photo. Some clipart is included with Microsoft Office. Use the –HELP- feature found in the menu bar to learn how to access these images. Many images can be found on the internet. However, they may be copyrighted. If this is the case, one may be able to ask the owner of the image for permission to use it, but it is simpler to use images that are not copyrighted.
Next, assemble the information and images into the slides. Begin with the content (or information) that is to be delivered. Group relevant information together on a slide. Keep adding slides until all of the information has been included. Once the slides have been created, it is a good idea to go through and arrange them in an order that makes sense, however the order doesn’t need to be perfect. Having the basic structure of the presentation in place is helpful to prevent repeating information. Now, the presentation has its basic shape, and it is time to add the graphics. Images are very simple to add to a slide. Simply copy and paste images into the slides. It is important to add graphics that will emphasize the message of a particular slide. For example, if a particular slide is focused on sales, a dollar sign may be a suitable graphic. It also important to use graphics that are relevant, or the audience may get confused. Don’t inadvertently mislead the audience with an inappropriate image either. If a slide is intended to propose the solution to a problem, and it has a photo of an angry mob in the background, the solution may not be well received.
Finally, review the presentation, and practice speaking about what is on each slide. It is very important that the PowerPoint presentation assist the speaker in several ways. It should serve the purpose of: keeping the speaker on message, helping with time management, and ensuring that all of the important facts are presented. Also, special attention must be given to spelling and grammar. If the presentation is riddled with misspelled words and poor grammar, the audience may disregard the information. They may be so distracted by the errors that they lose focus on the message. Another key aspect of a great presentation is clarity. Fine tune the wording to ensure the meaning of each slide is clear. Next, check the message being conveyed. Is it to the point? Remove any extra information that does not contribute to the main point of the presentation. It is very embarrassing to be giving a presentation and find that the slides repeat information. Even worse, the presenter may get confused and say the same thing again and again. Take a trial run speaking about each slide. Anticipate what questions may arise about each topic. Write notes and keep track of what slide they are associated with. Make certain any relative facts and figures are close at hand. Many people (myself included) find it difficult to remember figures, especially when speaking in front of a large audience. Having facts and figures on hand will increase anyone’s confidence level.
In conclusion, it is likely that one will find a need to deliver a PowerPoint presentation to a group of people, because it is used so extensively in our society, so always remember to gather, assemble, and review for a successful presentation.
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