Designing a Power Point Presentation

1. Designing a Power Point Presentation Part 0 Before you turn on your computer.

2. Know your PAGMF • Know your Purpose • Know your Audience • Know your Goals • Know your Message • Know your Format

3. The Purpose • What is the purpose of your presentation? • Are you presenting an idea or concept? • Are you selling a product? • Are you reporting research?

4. You want to capture the audience’s attention • You want your information or concept to be understood • You want to impress your audience.

5. The Audience • Who are they? • How many are there? • Where will you meet with them? • What do they want or expect? • Audience Analysis--TAMU Writing Center

6. Who are they? • You will present differently to a group of grade school children than to corporate managers. • Knowing your audience will help you set the tone for the presentation. • Don’t insult your audience by being “over their heads” or by being too simplistic.

7. How many are there? • If you have a small group, presentation on a single monitor (or large screen TV) may be sufficient. • Electronic projectors work well with groups from 10-200 in a room which can be darkened. • Large groups are harder to reach than smaller ones.

8. Where will you meet with them? • Will the setting be formal or informal? • What kind of seating will be available? • Can the room be darkened sufficiently? • Will the equipment and programs you need be available? • Know the location of a back door or escape route .

9. What do they want? • Does your audience want facts? • Are they looking to be entertained? • Are they there of their own accord? • Will the group be receptive or hostile to your ideas?

10. The Goals • Relative to your purpose, what do you want your audience to gain from your presentation? • Set goals for your audience, then devise strategies to reach them.

11. The Message • K I S S (Acronym: Keep It Simple, Stupid) • Put one major concept per slide. • Hit the highlights! (Say the rest) • Short lines (5-8 words) are best. • Three to five lines per slide are enough. • Repeat important concepts.

12. Choose your Format • K I S S (again!) • Choose a pleasing and harmonious balance among colors, fonts, and background designs.

13. Next, a few guidelines • Selecting Colors • Selecting Fonts • Selecting Graphics • Transitions and Backgrounds

14. Colors • Don’toverdoit! • Choose readable color combinations. • Generally, use light text on a dark background (except for overheads where you want dark text on a light background). • Use high contrast, bright colors sparingly and only for important points.

15. Text • DO NOT USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS BECAUSE THE RESULTING TEXT IS HARD TO READ. • Make your titles bold, the text lighter. • Just because you have a large selection of different fonts does not mean that you have to use all of them.

16. Graphics • KISS (again!) • Use to illustrate the main points only. • Improper use of graphics can be distracting from the message. • Graphics should be appropriate to the audience.

17. Custom Animation • Avoid long effects or “builds” which are difficult to read (such as this one called “Swivel”). • This breaks the flow of the presentation and causes the audience to lose interest.

18. Backgrounds • You can select a graphics background, but it should not be so busy that it distracts from the message. • The graphic should be pertinent to your topic • Also, the font and color chosen should be such that it can be read against the background.

19. Animation • You can plan to use animations to simulate action or movement.

20. …or you can add animated pictures These two have transparent backgrounds.

21. Or you can add an animated clip (a video clip) to the slide • This clip is about a “Killer Whale” • The video clip must be in the same location as the presentation file.

22. The End Power Point 0