How to Make a Great Power point

by Mike Bringhurst
July 1, 2010

Power point is a tool to present information in a slide show format. You can use text, charts, graphs, pictures, sound effect, etc.

When making the slides ... show them with bullets. Less is more on a slide show. Too much information on a single slide becomes unreadable, especially when it is projected on a big screen for a large audience.

1. Present your content in the form in the form of four or five bulleted points per slide.
2. Let your bullets be visible. Try to use font size 18-24.
3. Don's let each bulleted point be too lengthy. Limit it to six words in one line use short sentences.
4. Try to restrict it to six lines in a slide.
5. Contrast the text with the background.
6. To highlight certain import information, present that text in a larger font size ....

• Don't make it too animated.
• When presenting your power pointer is not a teleprompter.
• Don't commit the cardinal sin of reading out your slides word for word.
• Power point slides are to be used as a visual communication aid. If the audience needs to make notes of important points, provide handouts after the presentation. This ensures the audience is listening instead of taking notes.
• Go slow - don't rush through your slide show. Give about 30 seconds to two minutes for the images on your slide show to make an impact.
• Practice, don't make the first presentation to your audience. You should do the entire presentation by yourself. See how it flows and how long it takes.