How to Present, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 16Using visual aids

Slides are an invaluable, powerful and exciting tool for creating visual aids that transform average speakers into masterful presenters. Or are they? Slides have become so dreadful and torturous that the phrase ‘death by PowerPoint' was coined. In fact, statistician and professor emeritus Edward Tufte is quoted as saying, ‘We've drifted into this presentation mode without realising the cost to the content and the audience in the process'. Let's make sure you don't cause death by PowerPoint when you present. Use your slides to set yourself up as the best (online or live) presenter you can be!

Take the test: will your slides be lethal?

Are you guilty of the ‘kid in a toy shop' syndrome, where your enthusiasm for your newfound slide mastery is clouding your judgement as a presenter? Have you thought enough about the need to concentrate more on your verbal and non-verbal communication than your visual aids?

Try the following test to assess your use of slides:

• Do you lack confidence as a presenter? Would you be horrified at the thought of presenting to an audience without slides?
• Are you guilty of using slides to take the focus off yourself?
• Do you use slides as convenient palm cards?
• Do you find yourself looking back at your slides to remember what to say?
• Do you use PowerPoint to write your presentation?
• Do you try to use the entire functionality of PowerPoint as a way of improving your presentation?
• Do you always use the standard deck that your ...