Death to PowerPoint!

by Erin Banister

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

You walk into the meeting room, everyone is in their seats. You take a seat and pull out your notepad… this looks like it’s going to go well! Suddenly, before you realize it, the lights go out and a small square appears out of the darkness. This square, on the wall, with captivating text and a stunning display of creativity - was brilliant!!

This is idyllic, don’t you think?

Unfortunately, I’ve yet to see one to go this well. It is such a good premise, but it just never lives its potential. The ways PowerPoints are utilized in our presentations have completely bogged our potential as speakers and instructors. Why, you may ask?

It’s Dark and I’m Tired

Strictly speaking from the audience’s viewpoint, this isn’t the way to pay attention to anything. We sleep at night; we turn off all the lights and go to bed. Why would you dim the lights? Does it make the audience pay stricter attention? I don’t think so, personally, I find that I wander a little. Does quiet = attentive? I’ll go with no on this one. Turn on the lights, let your audience see you and what you’re talking about. You will keep them entertained, not your slides.

I Could Read This Myself

Now, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Powerpoint is a presentation utility, not a presentation in and of itself. I can - and do- read faster then you speak, so I will. Nothing personal, just a fact that I can’t help about myself.

Use your PowerPoint to illustrate your points, not make them. Create a chart, post some statistics - by all means, do not use your presentation software to present for you. I’m not captivated by snappy illustrations and sliding text. I’m captivated by you and what you are talking about - not what you’re reading about. The average adult attentention span is around 30 seconds, so every thirty seconds my mind will wander if not kept active.

Speak to me - not at me, or to the ground, or at the back wall. Invite my participation. Make me feel as though I am part of the process, not just an afterthought. Your PowerPoint should reflect the fact that your main concern is their attentiveness to you. You should speak to your audience, not read to them. We’ve already established the fact that they can read. Show them what you’re talking about.

PowerPoint, as it’s commonly used, is by far overutilized. I say Death To PowerPoint because, we need to see the use of it limited, at least. PowerPoint is not only hindering our presentations effectiveness, but it also keeps us ‘in the box’, and who wants to think in there anymore?

No tags for this post.