I know I could be accused of disliking Windows as an OS (I only use mine for games) and for not liking PowerPoint in particular (not because it’s inherently evil, just because it’s not well written) but it seems to me that this post
http://research.microsoft.com/apps/pubs/default.aspx?id=69720
just about sums up what’s “wrong” with PowerPoint – it’s all in the Microsoft psyche.
Firstly, did we really need that much research to tell us that people who watch presentations online skip bits? Frankly, I suspect not. :)
More importantly however is the hubris of the conclusions: presenters who are going to be viewed online should change their presentation style to do X, Y Z. Errrr…. no. Sorry guys – or at least not unless the audience is only going to be online.
I’m a strong believer in giving and audience what they need (in the way that they need it) so I’ve got nothing against changin the style of a presentation to suit your audience, but I’m a bit old-fasioned too. I’m old-fasioned enough to think that the audience in front of you, the ones you can smell and who will applaud or not are the ones you should prioritise when it comes to designing your presentation. They’re the ones who’ve made the phsyical effort to be there and listen to what you have to say, after all.
I can see the reasoning behind suggesting that authors put as much structural information into the titles of slides, given that people skip forwards (and perhaps back, too) for online presentations but that’s that kind of information a good presenter should be giving all the time anyway – and frankly the title isn’t the place to do that.
I think I’m probably over-reacting, but it does seem to me that the ‘ethos’ of the approach is sterile and – given that presentations are about people – therefore also futile. Presentations aren’t about words; they’re about influence and effect. If people want the data they can get that afterwards (perhaps in your handouts, for example!)… the job of the presentation is to make people want to do exactly that but the presentation itself is a different matter!
But maybe I’m just suffering a Christmas hangover! :D
