how to make great powerpoint presentations

how to make great powerpoint presentations

The Art of Crafting Engaging and Effective PowerPoint Presentations

1. Introduction to PowerPoint Presentations

From schools to organizations across the globe, PowerPoint presentations have become an indispensable tool for communication and learning. The name itself is heavily associated with any presentation that is conducted, with most people referring to it as ‘slide shows’. PowerPoint does more than just display neatly structured bullet points or discuss any lecture content using images, unlike overhead projectors with transparencies. It serves as the prime channel of communication for a presenter. As a form of visual aid, PowerPoint presentations can help presenters express their message and are said to improve audience understanding, retention, and engagement. This essay shall begin by discussing the fundamental layouts and appearance of PowerPoint presentations that grasp the attention of an audience. The latter part of this essay explores the rhetorical elements and principles of engaging presentations when engaging people with the use of PowerPoint presentations.

By using PowerPoint, presenters can control the flow of their presentation and enhance the learning experience. In the process of creating a PowerPoint presentation, it is essential that the visual cues and verbal content are not the same and argues that the verbal content of spoken words is the prime reason for the utilization of PowerPoint. This entails that PowerPoint should be seen as an entity of proficiency rather than being entirely implicative of the message a presenter is trying to deliver. Hence, as we know that PowerPoint presentations could establish very powerful communication messages to an audience, it is necessary for the visual part of the presentation to have some sort of appealing effect.

2. Design Principles for Visual Impact

One key aspect to bear in mind when crafting your PowerPoint presentations is the layout and design of your slides. Slide layout and design can carry a significant impact in terms of how engaged the audience is. Visual appeal is important; boring or uninteresting visuals make it much more likely that your audience will reach for their smartphone or even fall asleep. It is crucial to make sure your PowerPoint slides offer visual support for your main point – they are not intended to be the focal point of the presentation. The following offers some design principles for your slides because they make your presentations more effective.

• Use of Images: Do not force the audience to read a lot of text – they either end up reading or listening, but rarely both at the same time. Use relevant images to represent your content; after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

• Words and phrases: Use key words and phrases that only mention the most important points. Short, clear, and to-the-point bullets tend to stick in the receiver’s mind far longer than long and wordy slides. Arial, Tahoma or Calibri tend to be the most readable for much of the room.

• Colors: High color contrasts between the content and the background work best for legibility. If a black or dark color is used to mark critical points, they should stand out clearly. Dark backgrounds and small print do not mix. Keep in mind that different colors can elicit different types of emotion in your audience – these are called “color theories.” “Cool” colors (e.g., blue) can be soothing and establish trust, while “warm” colors (e.g., orange or red) are more active and can evoke feelings of excitement and passion.

• Cleanliness: A closed, clean slide design tends to be more beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Avoid clutter. The number of slides demanded is usually, but not always, more concise than the speaker’s outline.

3. Content Structure and Organization

Just as vital it is to jazz up the visual appeal, it is important to ensure as well that the content area is taken care of. Now, how to go about chalking down the content requires a clear understanding of what we are about to showcase. Begin with formatting the content. It has to be organized in such a manner that it holds relevance to the subject being touched upon. A coherent organization is what usually makes the audience or the onlooker “get the drift”. At times it also seems wise to move backward. Such strategies simply add in to make the session a memorable one for the onlooker. If the demo centers on an introduction to a software, we may adopt a pattern wherein slide 01 immediately shows how the software interface looks and then keeping them wondering about “what is this, what is that, hey, what do they do?” we then go on to answer the questions through the series of trial slides.

While arranging the slides though, let us ensure that the flow is logical in nature. As such, we may classify the content on the slide as “Primary”, “Secondary” or “Tertiary” and employ a differentiation across levels to give them a professional demeanor. Avoid verbosity. Keeping it short and simple is the hallmark to a great presentation. Developing point forms and bullets makes the message noticeable as well as it makes it concise. The font size chosen has to be such that it is not too small; it becomes hard for the audience to read neither should it be too much to make them feel you’re bellowing at them. The artistic pattern of opening up or disclosing one point at a time creates that spark and gap between you and your audience. Every idea comes in as a surprise making it interesting and keeps the audience under your thumb.

4. Engaging Your Audience Through Interaction

Always keep in mind that PowerPoint is an interactive medium. To connect viewers to the information you want to convey, it is essential to make your presentation interactive. In this section, we present some different kinds of interactive activities where the focus of the interaction is within the slide. All these exercises can provide an opportunity for students to participate rather than just passively listen or take notes. Many times, PowerPoint presentations become boring to students because they do not offer opportunities for them to participate or interact with the information in them. Many of the examples presented below are taken from my own experience as a trained Countdown teacher and from my teaching at university. The classification (Talk Time, Reading and Writing) by no means limits the type of activities associated with the different time parts. For example, Reading and Writing activities can be developed during the Talk Time part of the presentations, and interactive writing activities can be developed while the students are listening to you speaking about a given topic.

As already mentioned, easy-to-read and understand are what characterize PowerPoint presentations. Less information in more slides is an effective way to present your PPT. Sometimes the design of your exposé in PPT format is not merely a simple enumeration of data. In this sense, consider how you can play with the arrangement of its elements (for example, with different positions of the bullet points) or with the size and characteristics of the font. The order of certain vital elements (titles, bullet points) should be structured in such a way that the sequence will be very easy for your audience to follow and comprehend. In other words, you should create a smooth transition between and among your slides, which can be done in order to engage your audience. The integration between the slides should be as smooth as it can be.

5. Tips for Delivery and Presentation Skills

For more professional logs, as we have already mentioned, it is always better to practice using the big three communication rules – talk, write, say. For six minutes every day, center yourself and practice your materials, so the slides are closed on some days and others are open. Remember to recapture and use the strongest deliveries you have on these days. First, double your hand, and then add the other. If you choose a voice, an explanation, and a slide, add in every aspect of your presentations – documents, speeches, presses, and new projection walls.

The body and facial expression practice is part of our function as speakers. Change your voice to make sure it’s heard. Tons of color, blend, and opposite notes, like ups and downs, will support the listener to understand better and to share some passion ideas. Don’t be afraid to discuss the add-ins of anything when you speak about prejudice, enthusiasms, and jerks, for instance, use your tone as auditory. Don’t be robotic, either, when there is a mandatory voice. Put an optimism in your presentations. The degree of politeness and formal style varies in ease and kind of content. If a one-hour debate were set at a passion or joy club, your voice. Your face and view are other valuable resources. Your facial features should turn the lights on until you’re on. Use grins, laughs, and imagine shivering – the crowded, exhilarating room will only make the elevator glance. Keep your mind open. Use your whole body useful. Use the ground you speak. Walk from right to left, if so, or pace over the drawing surface when you’re in the woods.