A PowerPoint Isn't a Book

I was watching Powerpoint Extreme Makeover, a video by Dean Shareski and I had an "Ah-Ha" moment. He was talking about how many teachers put too much information on slides because they want to pass the presentation on to someone else. They build the presentation to stand on it's own so that anyone could take it and use it. In my mind I thought, "They want to create a reference book not a presentation." Book may not be the right word but it helped me process the concept in my own little pointy teacher head.

My worst presentations have been crowded with too much stuff. I put everything I've got in one place so I can easily find it when I need it again. I'd had more success if I made a folder for all that stuff and trimmed down my Powerpoint.

My best presentations have slides that support me. The pictures and text helped move my story along. The best piece of advice Shareski gave in the video was to start with a script. If you know what you are going to say, then you can craft your presentation around your words. Your script is the starting point and and everything refers back to that blueprint.

Keep your end purpose in mind. If you want to build a reference tool. A book. Then your product is going to look different than if you are going to be giving a presentation. If not, then maybe it should?







[Image: Book a photo at Morgue.com: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/?display=165771&; Modified in Photoshop.]