Using PowerPoint For Mediation Presentations
Tips to make the “old school” tool look new again
Presented by: C. Todd Smith
Why does good slide design matter to lawyers?
Death by PowerPoint
Boredom“PowerPoint hell” is the tedium some people report on sitting through PowerPoint visual presentations that are too long and complex, making excessive use of the software’s features and when the presenter just reads from the slides. Source: Wikipedia
Things to avoid
Beware of the template trap
BULLETSAREFOR GUNSNOTFOR PRESENTATIONS
Memberships and Affiliations Admitted to The Florida Bar 1994 United States District Court, Middle
District of Florida Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers American Trial Lawyer Association Central Florida Trial Lawyers
Association Orange County Bar Association Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer, Orlando
Legal Aid Society
Cutting and Pasting Trap On June 24, 2010, Plaintiff, JANE DOE, was
the operator of a motor vehicle in Seminole County, Florida that was struck from behind by a vehicle being operated by John Smith, who was at fault for the motor vehicle accident.
At all material times, including June 24, 2010, John Smith was insured by United Services Automobile Association, who tendered the limits of his bodily injury liability coverage on or about March 17, 2011.
SOUTHERN-OWNERS insured Plaintiff under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy, including underinsured and/or uninsured motorist coverage.
UNNECESSARY SLIDE TRANSITIONS
THE “SHRED” EFFECT
(If you were watching this in PowerPoint you would love this awesome looking, but totally useless, transition effect.)
THE “CHECKERBOARD” EFFECT
(If you were watching this in PowerPoint you would love this even more awesome looking, but totally useless, transition effect.)
THE “HONEYCOMB” EFFECT
(If you were watching this in PowerPoint this transition effect would simply blow your mind.)
POOR COLOR CHOICES
Wrong Font and Too much Text
“The majority of the presentations that I see have text in a ten point font. As much text as possible is jammed into the slide, and then the presenter reads it. However, as soon as the audience figures out that you’re reading the text, it reads ahead of you because it can read faster than you can speak. The result is that you and the audience are out of synch.
The reason people use a small font is twofold: first, that they don’t know their material well enough; second, they think that more text is more convincing. Total bozosity. Force yourself to use no font smaller than thirty points. I guarantee it will make your presentations better because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well. If “thirty points,” is too dogmatic, the I offer you an algorithm: find out the age of the oldest person in your audience and divide it by two. That’s your optimal font size.” - Guy Kawasaki
Read more: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.html#ixzz1dKyrGkCe
BAD CLIP ART AND ANIMATIONS
tips
Less is more. Start your design with a blank slide.
Telling the story
WHEN TELLING YOUR CLIENT’S STORY AT MEDIATION:
Don’t use the slides as a crutch – you still have to persuasively tell your client’s story.
What you have to say is more interesting than your slides.
Don’t watch your slideshow and don’t read from the screen which takes the focus away from you
YOU CONTROL THE SLIDES, DON’T LET THE SLIDES CONTROL YOU.
Act I begins a story by setting up all of the key story elements, including the setting, the main character, a conflict, and the desired outcome.
Act II drives the story forward by picking up on the conflict in Act I and developing it through the actions and reactions of the main character in response to changing conditions.
Act III ends the story by framing a climax and a decision that the main character must face to resolve the situation.
Source: Cliff Atkinson, Sociable Media
Structuring the Story
Use Pictures
Accident
location
“Barn”
RentalUnits
Accident Location – Not on the Rental Property
WARNING!DO NOT OPERATE UNLESS YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL
FORKLIFT TRAINING & SAFETY MANUAL
Remember that you are responsible for not only your safety, but that of your fellow workers.
Know the limitations of the machine you are using. Never attempt any job that the machine is not equipped to perform.
11/25/08 - A ratio of three staff for 18 children is required.
History Of Violations
0 STAFF FOR 18 CHILDREN OBSERVED
tipsTECH
Get to know the ribbon in Office 2010
Office.com
AlwaysBePrepared
Know your room where you will be conducting the mediation.
Make sure the facility has what you need for your presentation.
Always arrive early to set up.
Always be prepared for the worst case scenario – no presentation (bulb issue, computer issue, etc.)
Don’t be boring.
Shortcuts:http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/powerpoint-help/keyboard-shortcuts-for-use-while-creating-a-presentation-in-powerpoint-2010-HP010336519.aspx
Death by PowerPoint: http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/684871/Death-By-Powerpoint.htm
Really bad PowerPoint – Seth Godin http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/really_bad_powe.html
Tips: http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/powerpoint_tips.htmlhttp://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/
Portability – Office web apps: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/web-apps?WT.mc_id=PPT_WebApp
C. Todd Smithwww.ctoddsmith.com
Download this presentation at:Slideshare.net/ctoddsmith
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