Went to a presentation today, on a topic I find deeply interesting, and I was bored...senseless. Literally doodling in the FRONT row bored.
The presenters had emailed every participant a copy of the 60+ text-dense slides in their presentation in both Word and PP format.
We got there, they started nearly an hour late for no particular reason and then proceeded to read from the f***ing slides for FOUR HOURS!
We left early.
I now present you with Oreneta's rules for PP.
1. Don't use powerpoint. It is an instrument of the devil.
2. See 1.
3. If you must use it because your boss has taken your children hostage, then:
NO more than THREE (3) words per slide
- 3 -
They are illustrations of what you are saying
The only permissible exception to the three word rule is for COMPLEX mathematical formulas or for financial graphs, and no more than 3 of those per presentation.
I summarise.
Rule of three.
Rule one: Use ANY other medium for your presentation
Rule two: no more than three words per slide, so you don't read the f***er
Rule three: no more than three graphs or formulas per presentation.
Thank you.
11 comments:
There's also: not more than 1 SPM (Slide Per Minute).
And: if you're gonna read the whole powerpoint, either you or the powerpoint is useless. Send me the darn thing by email, will read later.
you are FUNNY!!
Write them a shit sandwich note letting them know.
xxxNomad
Wow, four hours of just about anything is too much unless it is sitting on my dock in the sun reading a great book. And even then I would want to get up every twenty minutes or so for another shot of vodka. I extend my deepest sympathies...
Totally agree with you. PP is a crutch that makes the terminally boring believe they are accomplished public speakers.
I saw a good PP once, where the guy had inserted photos from his visit to Burning Man every 3-4 slides. That was awesome! (Although I don't remember anything else about it . . .)
nasty program designed by people with no presentation skills.
Totally agree! I don't see why people don't understand that less is more.
Totally feeling the love for PP at the moment. Believe me I am old enough to remember pre PP and you still got bloody boring presenters then. We used to have overhead projectors and blackboards and white boards and you would be amazed how long it took a crap presenter to fanny around with the technology
I hate people attempting online presentations because you can bet that the internet won't work and they can spend hours getting nowhere. I remember ohp presentations where they all got in the wrong order - entertaining for all the wrong reasons
ELP, I haven't encountered that little corner of hell yet, though I could have done with a little epilepsy inducing excitement part way through...
Nomad...Definitely shit sandwich time.
Bodhi, they are deeply appreciated.
JG, you are reigniting my desire to get to burning man before everyone is turning up in yuppie outfits! Though maybe I'm part of that crowd...or not. Maybe I should go with NOMAD this summer and we'll think up something amazing to do....Nomad?
Michelle...got it in ONE!
Mother T, I believe that comment could be scaled up to a cultural level, no?
Boo, I do know what you mean, and I too am old enough....somehow though, there is something about someone talking for ages with their back to you that just gets to me.
Helen...SO true!!!!!
Never thought this would inspire so much emotion...I am not alone in this one, eh?
You and Nomad should totally go and do something amazing there(based on the fabulousness of the pictures I saw)! Such madly interesting, wildly creative, Out There folks. You'd love it.
And I will put YOU TWO in my next PowerPoint. Fair enough?
DEAL! Now to convince Nomad!
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