{"id":817,"date":"2023-11-09T10:00:37","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T10:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futurepresent.agency\/?p=817"},"modified":"2024-04-12T13:58:54","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T12:58:54","slug":"death-by-powerpoint-steering-clear-of-dull-decks-is-easier-than-you-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/futurepresent.agency\/news\/death-by-powerpoint-steering-clear-of-dull-decks-is-easier-than-you-think\/","title":{"rendered":"Death by PowerPoint: Steer Clear of Dull Decks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever attended a presentation that leaves you straight up wowed? Where the presenter oozes charisma like butter melting on hot toast? Where there\u2019s awe-inspiring visuals, perfectly-timed pauses and a carefully constructed narrative? Did you leave, thinking wistfully \u201cwoah, I want to do THAT\u201d? Well take a seat, and we\u2019ll help you figure out how to go from PowerPain to WowerPoint and leave death by PowerPoint in your dust.<\/p>\n

Turning soul-crushing, yawn-inducing decks into a rip-roaring, eye-popping spectacle is less like rocket science and more like assembling flatpack furniture \u2013 it\u2019s all about understanding the blueprint.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at the problems you\u2019re facing first, so we can start to unearth some solutions.<\/p>\n

Autopsy of a PowerPoint massacre<\/h2>\n

PowerPoint has been the darling of the presentation world since its creation in 1987, with approximately 35 million presentations given each day by an estimated 500 million users<\/a>. But, all too often, audiences feel more like they\u2019ve been trapped in a never-ending sequel of Groundhog Day rather than viewing an enlightening, engaging narrative. Jam-packed slides, migraine-inducing colour schemes, mixed up fonts and non-existent narratives are the usual culprits. It\u2019s enough to make even the bravest audience members want to run for the hills.<\/p>\n

Understand your nemesis<\/h2>\n

What is it, exactly, that makes presentations fail? As with anything, it\u2019s generally a combination of factors. Lots of presenters overload their audience with info, mistaking quantity for quality. Or they neglect the importance of centring slides around a narrative structure. Or there are those presenters who forget about their audience altogether. Which is ludicrous but shockingly common. Here\u2019s a closer look at those culprits.<\/p>\n

Overloaded slides<\/h3>\n

According to the same poll that estimates 35 million PowerPoint presentations are created daily, the average slide contains 40 words, which is, generally speaking, too many words to keep your audience focused on whatever hugely complex subject you\u2019re talking about (there were 40 words in that sentence \u2013 did you zone out?). And that\u2019s just the average amount of on-slide copy, lots of presentations go way further than that, stuffing slides full of information and hoping for the best.<\/p>\n

Digesting huge amounts of information slide after slide, with no respite in sight is a massive ask for any audience. We know it\u2019s tempting to squeeze every fact, figure and stat onto your slides, it\u2019s crucial to remember that quality always trumps quantity. Drowning your presentation in a sea of text is the fastest way to lost engagement and attention.<\/p>\n

Absent narratives<\/h3>\n

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to narrative arcs<\/a>, and everyone with an undergrad lit degree will have a different idea of how many arcs there are and what they look like. But if you\u2019re writing a deck without even a nod to narrative structure, you\u2019re missing a trick.<\/p>\n

Even when a presenter sort of follows a plan, it often follows a painfully familiar crappy deck track. Let\u2019s see if this sounds familiar.<\/p>\n