slide:ology

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In 1987 my wife, Nancy, was pleading with me to send

out my resume and get a “real” job. She wasn’t too

convinced that my business idea of creating graphics

on my brand new MacPlus 512k personal computer

would ever take off. But much to our surprise it did.

Up to this point business presentations were delivered

in 35mm format and created by specialized profes-

sional designers. Presentation software was developed

intentionally to cut the designer out of the process

so presentations could be created by anyone with a

computer. Including us.

The software was indeed a great invention. But elimi-

nating design from the mix was a mistake. Like Thoreau

said, “We’ve become the tool of our tools.”

My daughter Rachel created the story to the right to

help articulate in pictures what the problem is with

presentations today. This fabulous story breaks down

into dry bullet points that risk losing the listener in the

woods, just like Red Riding Hood. Somehow the ability

to tell a good story is lost when presentation software

is added into the mix.

Foreword

The tool isn’t going away and the corporate stories that

need telling today are some of the most innovative and

inspiring in history. Yet these stories get buried in a pre-

sentation framework that challenges patience instead of

stimulating creativity.

For this cause, Nancy has put her heart and soul for over

two years into writing this book ...