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Monday, June 29, 2009
The Creepiest PowerPoint Design Trend of 2009
architecture.
revolutionary.
relationships.
re-contextualize.
Those were four words on four slides in a 15 minute PowerPoint presentation I witnessed last month. The remaining 700 slides in the presentation each had one word on them, as well.
OK, I'm exaggerating. There couldn't have been 700 slides in that presentation.
But it seemed like it.
In the presentation I saw, random buzzwords that the speaker used in his narrative kept fading in-an-out of the PowerPoint slides projected behind him. Oh-so-slowly.
After a few minutes, I blinked, shook my head, and looked away. I was getting too mesmerized by the slow word parade.
I was looking for meaning in those words. I was looking for context. There wasn't any.
After looking off to the right for a few moments, I focused on merely listening to the speaker while I stared at a blank wall. The presenter was telling a story about a problem his customers had, and how his product helped solve it.
It wasn't a half-bad story, so I turned to look at the speaker.
Then, I saw it.
synergy?
I grimaced. I had to look away again.
Since this presentation, I've seen a few other slow-word-parade style presentations. I suspect presenters create this style as something of a mood board to set the tone for the presentation. It can be easier and cheaper to toss word salad at people than to craft a story and work on polishing the delivery.
Personally, I find this word-mood board style of presentation design distracting and disturbing. It was hard for me to focus on connecting with the speaker or his story. I found myself thinking that he would have been much more effective with absolutely nothing in the background.
I've seen this technique a number of times this year. Let's hope this a trend that will, uh -- fade quickly!
What are better ways to set the mood for your presentation?
architecture.
revolutionary.
relationships.
re-contextualize.
Those were four words on four slides in a 15 minute PowerPoint presentation I witnessed last month. The remaining 700 slides in the presentation each had one word on them, as well.
OK, I'm exaggerating. There couldn't have been 700 slides in that presentation.
But it seemed like it.
In the presentation I saw, random buzzwords that the speaker used in his narrative kept fading in-an-out of the PowerPoint slides projected behind him. Oh-so-slowly.
After a few minutes, I blinked, shook my head, and looked away. I was getting too mesmerized by the slow word parade.
I was looking for meaning in those words. I was looking for context. There wasn't any.
After looking off to the right for a few moments, I focused on merely listening to the speaker while I stared at a blank wall. The presenter was telling a story about a problem his customers had, and how his product helped solve it.
It wasn't a half-bad story, so I turned to look at the speaker.
Then, I saw it.
synergy?
I grimaced. I had to look away again.
Since this presentation, I've seen a few other slow-word-parade style presentations. I suspect presenters create this style as something of a mood board to set the tone for the presentation. It can be easier and cheaper to toss word salad at people than to craft a story and work on polishing the delivery.
Personally, I find this word-mood board style of presentation design distracting and disturbing. It was hard for me to focus on connecting with the speaker or his story. I found myself thinking that he would have been much more effective with absolutely nothing in the background.
I've seen this technique a number of times this year. Let's hope this a trend that will, uh -- fade quickly!
What are better ways to set the mood for your presentation?
Labels: design, PowerPoint Presentation
¶ 6/29/2009 03:32:00 PM 4 Comments Links to this post
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Stop! In the Name of Acronyms!
"Stop! Police!"
That's what I'd yell if I was a police officer chasing a suspect. And apparently, I'd be wrong.
A buddy was watching a crime drama a while ago. I came in late. As I settled on the couch, a police officer was chasing a suspect.
"Stop! NYPD!" shouted the policeman. The bad guy kept running.
"What's NYPD?" I asked my chum.
"This story is set in New York. NYPD is New York Police Department. Everyone knows that."
"Really?" I asked. "If I was visiting New York, and some nut with a gun was chasing me screaming out alphabet soup. I'd run faster."
Of course, screaming out the acronym NYPD is ludicrous. If I was in Chicago, would police officers scream, "Stop! CPD!"? And if the Ontario Provincial Police yelled, "Stop! OPP!" -- suspects would probably break out in laughter.
It doesn't take any longer to say "New York" than it does "NY". Same number of syllables. So it's not a matter of speaking an acronym for speed. And it's not a department that's chasing a bad guy -- it's a solitary officer. Even weirder -- why say the name of the city at all? Isn't that redundant? After all, the suspect probably knows what city he's in!
I asked my crime-show loving friend all of these questions. He seemed annoyed.
"Because it's TV. I'm sure they say, "Stop, Police" in real life. Now can we please watch the show?"
I stopped talking, but I kept thinking about it. In real life, people can get a little acronym happy. The police officer became so accustomed to interdepartmental and collegial jargon -- he forgot that anyone outside his circle wouldn't know what the heck he's yelling about.
It's not just television show detectives that have acronym issues. As a consultant who gets brought into larger organizations, one of my first tasks is usually to crack the acronym and jargon code that insiders use among each other. This can actually be kind of fun -- like a puzzle. Or learning a new tribal language. It also helps keep my wits sharp for when adolescents and young people start talking in Instant Messaging Lingo (IM, for short!) --"OMG! POS - TTYL."
So when it comes to crafting presentations or communication pieces for an external audience, consider hiring a writer or editor -- if for no other reason than to have an outside set of ears and eyes experience the communication piece. You won't believe the alphabet soup I've often encountered in external marketing presentations. It often slips by, unnoticed to ears that have grown tone-deaf to the buzz of interdepartmental acronyms.
It's really that ubiquitous. Don't believe me?
For a fun little exercise, open up any one of your recent corporate or organizational PowerPoint presentations. Do an acronym count -- it's quite likely that you'll find at least one.
And before you think, "Yeah, but everyone knows THAT acronym..." please think about how little work it might take to change it. You can make yourself more clear by actually speaking the words -- instead of chanting the letters that represent the words.
This one simple act may keep your suspects -- er, prospects -- from running away!
"Stop! Police!"
That's what I'd yell if I was a police officer chasing a suspect. And apparently, I'd be wrong.
A buddy was watching a crime drama a while ago. I came in late. As I settled on the couch, a police officer was chasing a suspect.
"Stop! NYPD!" shouted the policeman. The bad guy kept running.
"What's NYPD?" I asked my chum.
"This story is set in New York. NYPD is New York Police Department. Everyone knows that."
"Really?" I asked. "If I was visiting New York, and some nut with a gun was chasing me screaming out alphabet soup. I'd run faster."
Of course, screaming out the acronym NYPD is ludicrous. If I was in Chicago, would police officers scream, "Stop! CPD!"? And if the Ontario Provincial Police yelled, "Stop! OPP!" -- suspects would probably break out in laughter.
It doesn't take any longer to say "New York" than it does "NY". Same number of syllables. So it's not a matter of speaking an acronym for speed. And it's not a department that's chasing a bad guy -- it's a solitary officer. Even weirder -- why say the name of the city at all? Isn't that redundant? After all, the suspect probably knows what city he's in!
I asked my crime-show loving friend all of these questions. He seemed annoyed.
"Because it's TV. I'm sure they say, "Stop, Police" in real life. Now can we please watch the show?"
I stopped talking, but I kept thinking about it. In real life, people can get a little acronym happy. The police officer became so accustomed to interdepartmental and collegial jargon -- he forgot that anyone outside his circle wouldn't know what the heck he's yelling about.
It's not just television show detectives that have acronym issues. As a consultant who gets brought into larger organizations, one of my first tasks is usually to crack the acronym and jargon code that insiders use among each other. This can actually be kind of fun -- like a puzzle. Or learning a new tribal language. It also helps keep my wits sharp for when adolescents and young people start talking in Instant Messaging Lingo (IM, for short!) --"OMG! POS - TTYL."
So when it comes to crafting presentations or communication pieces for an external audience, consider hiring a writer or editor -- if for no other reason than to have an outside set of ears and eyes experience the communication piece. You won't believe the alphabet soup I've often encountered in external marketing presentations. It often slips by, unnoticed to ears that have grown tone-deaf to the buzz of interdepartmental acronyms.
It's really that ubiquitous. Don't believe me?
For a fun little exercise, open up any one of your recent corporate or organizational PowerPoint presentations. Do an acronym count -- it's quite likely that you'll find at least one.
And before you think, "Yeah, but everyone knows THAT acronym..." please think about how little work it might take to change it. You can make yourself more clear by actually speaking the words -- instead of chanting the letters that represent the words.
This one simple act may keep your suspects -- er, prospects -- from running away!
Labels: PowerPoint Presentation
¶ 6/04/2009 01:38:00 PM 3 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Presentation Diet Plan - Or Superstition?
I get a little asparagus happy this time of year. Honestly, Michigan asparagus is at its absolute prime between Mother's Day and Father's Day. So for one month, I cannot seem to get enough of this fresh, local, delicious vegetable. I eat it at least once a day.
After Father's Day, I'm pretty much over it. Until next year, that is!
But between the Michigan asparagus seasons, I eat a much more varied diet. Unless it's the day of a major presentation -- then, I rely on a somewhat ritualized food quirk.
The Presentation Diet Plan. You see, I can't just eat ANYTHING on the day of a major presentation. I need to keep my energy up, so protein and carbs need to be on the menu. And I cannot afford a fit of, em, gastronomic distress during a presentation, so greasy, fatty, spicy, and carbonated items are definitely OFF the menu. And as much as I love a glass of wine with a big carby meal, that combo can leave me prone to sleepiness or drunken rambling -- both highly undesirable to audience members.
My presentation diet? An organic, no-sugar peanut butter sandwich. On whole grain bread. And water. That's it. That's my pre-presentation meal: and has been for years. It gives me energy. It sticks to my ribs. No blood sugar crashing -- and no burping. It also packs easily -- put a few peanut butter sandwiches in a zip lock bag, and they can survive a mean day of travel.
Diet...or Superstition? As much as I'd like to tell you that my presentation diet is a sensible solution to keeping my energy high while avoiding discourteous gastronomical fits and unpleasant metabolism side effects, I now have my suspicions. It seems that performers and presenters are a superstitious lot -- we get into habits that have nothing to do with reason.
Many actors say "break a leg" instead of "good luck" before a performance. Whistling behind the stage or uttering the name of a certain Shakespeare play? This is also supposed to bring bad luck. And let's not forget the good side of luck and performance: athletes and actors are famous for carrying good luck talismans or undergoing quirky little rituals before performing.
So...is my peanut butter sandwich + water pre-presentation diet plan practical and sensible -- or have I veered off into the land of the supernatural?
And what's your presentation diet plan? What foods do you avoid -- or are absolute musts on the day of a performance?
Even if it's not food-related -- what's the oddest ritual or habit you've heard of someone routinely undertaking before a performance?
I get a little asparagus happy this time of year. Honestly, Michigan asparagus is at its absolute prime between Mother's Day and Father's Day. So for one month, I cannot seem to get enough of this fresh, local, delicious vegetable. I eat it at least once a day.
After Father's Day, I'm pretty much over it. Until next year, that is!
But between the Michigan asparagus seasons, I eat a much more varied diet. Unless it's the day of a major presentation -- then, I rely on a somewhat ritualized food quirk.
The Presentation Diet Plan. You see, I can't just eat ANYTHING on the day of a major presentation. I need to keep my energy up, so protein and carbs need to be on the menu. And I cannot afford a fit of, em, gastronomic distress during a presentation, so greasy, fatty, spicy, and carbonated items are definitely OFF the menu. And as much as I love a glass of wine with a big carby meal, that combo can leave me prone to sleepiness or drunken rambling -- both highly undesirable to audience members.
My presentation diet? An organic, no-sugar peanut butter sandwich. On whole grain bread. And water. That's it. That's my pre-presentation meal: and has been for years. It gives me energy. It sticks to my ribs. No blood sugar crashing -- and no burping. It also packs easily -- put a few peanut butter sandwiches in a zip lock bag, and they can survive a mean day of travel.
Diet...or Superstition? As much as I'd like to tell you that my presentation diet is a sensible solution to keeping my energy high while avoiding discourteous gastronomical fits and unpleasant metabolism side effects, I now have my suspicions. It seems that performers and presenters are a superstitious lot -- we get into habits that have nothing to do with reason.
Many actors say "break a leg" instead of "good luck" before a performance. Whistling behind the stage or uttering the name of a certain Shakespeare play? This is also supposed to bring bad luck. And let's not forget the good side of luck and performance: athletes and actors are famous for carrying good luck talismans or undergoing quirky little rituals before performing.
So...is my peanut butter sandwich + water pre-presentation diet plan practical and sensible -- or have I veered off into the land of the supernatural?
And what's your presentation diet plan? What foods do you avoid -- or are absolute musts on the day of a performance?
Even if it's not food-related -- what's the oddest ritual or habit you've heard of someone routinely undertaking before a performance?
Labels: Presentation
¶ 5/20/2009 12:25:00 PM 5 Comments Links to this post
Friday, May 08, 2009
The 4 Most Important Elephants of Presentation
In grad school, a marketing professor insisted on an oral report. One student in class did not speak English as her first language.
When she gave her report, she began talking about "The Most Important Elephants of International Marketing". We all thought, of course, that she mispronounced "elements". After the first time, most audience members, including myself, merely smiled.
But after a few minutes, it became clear that she was going to repeat the word "elephants" -- multiple times -- for the remainder of her presentation! So our professor interrupted the speaker.
"Excuse me," he said kindly. "I hate to interrupt you. Your speech content, so far, is very good. But one small thing is unclear."
He explained that an elephant was a huge animal with a trunk, tusks, and floppy ears. The speaker looked bewildered.
So the professor pantomimed the trunk and made a strange elephant noise. The professor suggested that perhaps the word she wanted was "element".
The speaker looked embarrassed. She blushed and stammered. Trying to recover, she asked the laughing audience:
"So elephants are very big, powerful animals, yes?"
Of course, we all agreed with her.
"My ideas are big, powerful ideas. Just like elephants. So please continue to think of my elements as elephants."
For the remainder of her report, she would say the word "elephant", then excuse herself and carefully say "element".
It became clear to me that she had rehearsed her report, and used the word "elephant" in rehearsal . For her speech, the wrong word was ingrained in her brain. It wasn't going away any time soon! Nonetheless, she recovered nicely. She delivered a wonderful presentation, elephants and all!
I learned four unintended lessons from her talk:
- Practice doesn't make perfect. If you're rehearsing incorrectly, you can count on faulty delivery. Rehearsing alone is fine - but not forever. Get feedback.
- Mistakes can be endearing. No one thought the speaker was an idiot for making a mistake. The audience empathized with her, and found her mistake charming.
- Preparation pays. Even though the speaker bobbled one word, it was clear she knew her material. She recovered, and delivered a report that likely earned her an "A".
- The unexpected can rivet attention. Because of one mispronounced word, I remember a 15 minute speech -- 20 years later. Why not use a homophone -- or other unexpected technique! -- to make your next presentation more memorable?
What's your most important elephant when you deliver a presentation? Or rather, what unexpected technique do you like to employ to make your presentation content stick?
:)
Labels: Presentation
¶ 5/08/2009 10:05:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Your PowerPoint Is Not Your Presentation
I often want to, but I don't! Instead, I usually say,
If you like my presentation, I'm flattered. Really.
But my PowerPoint slides are usually props for my speech.
Would you go up to a juggler and ask, "Neat act! May I have your balls?"
OK, maybe you would!
But if you've been paying attention and taking notes during a speech or presentation, you won't need the PowerPoint presentation. Really.
So don't ask!
In fact, I often design stand-up presentations so that they are complete gibberish if someone looks at the slides only. Without my narrative and personality, the PowerPoint presentation usually won't make much sense. It won't help the viewer in any possible way.
I suspect that most people ask because they like the presentation. I also suspect they have personal or psychological problems! Like pack rats, they like to collect useless things. Or that they want to get all CSI on how I might have programmed an animation. Or they might be lazy and want to rip off a graph -- or cut, copy, paste a factoid or graphic -- instead of re-create it themselves.
But know this: to a presenter, it's not one bit flattering when an audience member asks for a hard copy of the presentation. It signals they weren't paying attention.
Instead, a thoughtful, polite audience member might ask, "Could you please show us the slide with X on it again? There were a few numbers on it that I'd like to reference..." or something that's slightly less offensive than asking for the entire presentation.
Really, if you're a happy audience member, find another way to show appreciation. Applause is always appreciated.
Also: be a presenter with balls. If someone asks for your presentation, learn to tell them no.
Maybe then, well-intentioned audience members will learn to quit asking!
(PS -- How do you tactfully tell an audience member, "NO!")
"May I have a copy of your PowerPoint presentation?" asks an audience member.OK, I don't actually say that last bit.
"What for?" I ask.
"So that I can look at it later."
"Is there something I said that isn't clear? Do we need to go back?" I ask.
"No, no. Great presentation. I just want a hard copy."
"Well, no," I answer. "My PowerPoint slides are my props. They're not my presentation."
I often want to, but I don't! Instead, I usually say,
"I'm glad you liked the presentation. But public speaking is a part of my livelihood, and I give this presentation multiple times, in multiple venues. I don't want the presentation floating around the internet. I'm sure you understand. But tell you what, after about six months or so, I'll probably be done giving this presentation, so if you want to leave me your card..."Seriously. Be a polite audience member. Never, ever ask a presenter for his or her presentation. (Not unless the presenter offers it to the audience as a download or CD or print out first. I sometimes do this after a 6 month run.)
If you like my presentation, I'm flattered. Really.
But my PowerPoint slides are usually props for my speech.
Would you go up to a juggler and ask, "Neat act! May I have your balls?"
OK, maybe you would!
But if you've been paying attention and taking notes during a speech or presentation, you won't need the PowerPoint presentation. Really.
So don't ask!
In fact, I often design stand-up presentations so that they are complete gibberish if someone looks at the slides only. Without my narrative and personality, the PowerPoint presentation usually won't make much sense. It won't help the viewer in any possible way.
I suspect that most people ask because they like the presentation. I also suspect they have personal or psychological problems! Like pack rats, they like to collect useless things. Or that they want to get all CSI on how I might have programmed an animation. Or they might be lazy and want to rip off a graph -- or cut, copy, paste a factoid or graphic -- instead of re-create it themselves.
But know this: to a presenter, it's not one bit flattering when an audience member asks for a hard copy of the presentation. It signals they weren't paying attention.
Instead, a thoughtful, polite audience member might ask, "Could you please show us the slide with X on it again? There were a few numbers on it that I'd like to reference..." or something that's slightly less offensive than asking for the entire presentation.
Really, if you're a happy audience member, find another way to show appreciation. Applause is always appreciated.
Also: be a presenter with balls. If someone asks for your presentation, learn to tell them no.
Maybe then, well-intentioned audience members will learn to quit asking!
(PS -- How do you tactfully tell an audience member, "NO!")
Labels: PowerPoint Presentation
¶ 4/29/2009 12:35:00 PM 12 Comments Links to this post
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Which PowerPoint Presentation Would You Prefer?
Today's PowerPoint presentation question is inspired by a Molson Canadian Bottle Label.
Today's PowerPoint presentation question is inspired by a Molson Canadian Bottle Label.
Answer Honestly
Would You Prefer...
Would You Prefer...
- A hum-drum speaker using a scrumptious looking PowerPoint presentation?
- OR -
- A scintillating speaker using a visually so-so PowerPoint design?
Well, beer drinkers and others -- what's your answer?
PS -- In case (hah! case!) you have no idea what I'm talking about with regard to beer campaign labels, see the Molson bottle photo below. Or, if you're a logician, you can label (hah! label!) this PowerPoint Presentation Fallacy as "False Dilemma."
Either way:
Cheers!
Either way:
Cheers!
Labels: PowerPoint Presentation
¶ 4/02/2009 06:59:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, March 30, 2009
PowerPoint Pet Peeve: The Passive Voice
Which sentence do you like better?
The passive voice is mushy and weaselly. It signals that the speaker is trying to hide something. When someone says, "Mistakes were made ," I instantly want to spring up and scream, "By whom?"
If one more benefit shakes out of using Twitter, let it be a giant reduction in people using the passive voice. Active voice is shorter, swifter, and more powerful. It takes responsibility. It's the stronger, nobler choice.
I have no idea why so many presenters use the passive voice. Do you?
And what are your grammatical presentation pet peeves?
(Of course, it might be a fun exercise to write your blog comments, exclusively using the passive voice. That might help me exorcise my peevishness!)
Which sentence do you like better?
- A PowerPoint presentation was given by the CEO.
- The CEO gave a PowerPoint presentation.
- The first sentence is longer. It uses the passive voice.
- The second sentence is shorter. It uses the active voice.
The passive voice is mushy and weaselly. It signals that the speaker is trying to hide something. When someone says, "Mistakes were made ," I instantly want to spring up and scream, "By whom?"
If one more benefit shakes out of using Twitter, let it be a giant reduction in people using the passive voice. Active voice is shorter, swifter, and more powerful. It takes responsibility. It's the stronger, nobler choice.
I have no idea why so many presenters use the passive voice. Do you?
And what are your grammatical presentation pet peeves?
(Of course, it might be a fun exercise to write your blog comments, exclusively using the passive voice. That might help me exorcise my peevishness!)
Labels: PowerPoint, Presentation, Twitter
¶ 3/30/2009 01:23:00 PM 2 Comments Links to this post
