Preparing Effective Presentations

by Dr Surinder Kumar

Small changes have major consequencesImage: The wanderer's eye at flickr.com

30 million presentations made each day

30 million presentations made each day

95% sucks

50% are unbearable

Curse the darkness

Show the way

Preparing Effective Presentations

1. Create a story

Image: Mike Haufe at flickr.com

2. Simplify

Keep background neat and basic

Use standard fonts

Use standard fontsSans Serif fonts are easy on eyes

Serif fonts are a little difficult

Script type fonts are difficult to readFunky fonts, a big no

Use large fonts

• Arial 12

• Arial 18

• Arial 24

• Arial 32• Arial 36

• Arial 44

•Arial 66

•Arial 88

Use

large fonts

• Arial 12

• Arial 18

• Arial 24

• Arial 32• Arial 36

• Arial 44

•Arial 66

•Arial 88

Use

large fonts

Use sentence caseIT IS DIFFICULT TO READ A TEXT WHEN WRITTEN IN ALL CAPITALS.

It is easier and faster to read, if written in sentence case.

Use color and contrast carefully

Color and ContrastUse contrasting colors for fonts and background.

Dark background and a light font is good for dark rooms.

Light background and a dark font is good for bright rooms.

Minimizecolors, fonts and styles

Fancy slide-transitions, animations and sound-effects distract

Limit text

The cost of a poor PowerPoint presentation is staggering. Ian Parker in The New Yorker magazine states that according to Microsoft estimates, there are more than 30 million PowerPoint presentations made each day. If we assume some relatively conservative meeting parameters of four people per presentation, a half-hour presentation on average and the wasted time due to a poor presentation is one-quarter of the presentation time, we arrive at a waste of 15 million person hours per day. At an average salary of $35,000 per year for those attending the meeting, the cost of that wasted time is a staggering $252 million and change each day.

•30 million PowerPoint presentations

•Poor presentations cost 15 million person hours per day

•Cost of that wasted time is a staggering $252 million

Limit text

30 million presentations made each day

30 million presentations made each day

25 % are bad

30 million presentations made each day

Cost $252 million

Make Slides

Progressive

3 Say it with a

picture

X

Death is certain, but how and when it will come is uncertain.

Death is certain, but how and when it will come is uncertain.

Death is certain, but how and when it will come is uncertain.

Death is certain, but how and when it will come is uncertain.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Albert Einstein

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”Leonardo Da Vinci

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”Leonardo Da Vinci

Thank YouTo download transcript, visit www.surinderkumar.com

References and further reading

Some good presentations on this topic:

1. http://www.slideshare.net/satyajeet_02/how-to-make-effective-presentation

2. http://www.slideshare.net/tbisaacs/influencing-change-through-presentations

3. http://www.slideshare.net/cvgallo/the-presentation-secrets-of-steve-jobs-2609477

Image Credits• Cleopatra and Ceasar painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme : Wikimedia commons• Chick: The Wanderer’s eye at http://www.flickr.com/photos/8997331@N04/4494147652/• Curse the darkness: dnb-nOise at deviantart.com• Bear : vipdictionary.com• Lighthouse: Osezaki_lighthouse-Wikimedia Commons• Projector on palm: Ever Win EWP1000• Taj Mahal – Yann at Wikimedia Commons• Story: Still from movie Avatar• Big size fruits: Avenue at Wikimedia Creative commons• Color wheel: Wikimedia Creative Commons• Colorful pottery - Karol M at Wikimedia Commons• Magic show: By Funny Magic Creepy Show at Wikimedia Commons• Sad girl: By Ed Yourdon at Wikimedia Commons• Bat eat frog: imooi 2001, photobucket.com• Snake eating bird: Free wallpaper from http://www.wallpaperfun.net• Light tunnel: John M at Wikimedia Commons• Flower: Free wallpaer from marketwallpapers.com