How to Make Creative PowerPoint Presentations
This post is written by Tobias Schelle. Follow me on Twitter
You’re sitting at your desk, the deadline is up, you have to get your PowerPoint done. What is the first thing you do?
If you’re like the majority, you’ll start “in” PowerPoint. Big mistake!
The problem by starting in PowerPoint is that you think “linear”. It destroys your creativity and keeps you from seeing the big picture of your presentation. So what’s the solution?
It’s simple: Get away from the screen!
Software and tools distract us from what’s important; font size, animations, colors, shadings, they’re all secondary. First, you need to get your story right. So, close down PowerPoint, grab a paper and pen, and start drawing your slideshow in hand.
Not only do we avoid distractions, but when you start drawing in hand you will naturally connect to the right side of your brain and stimulate your creativity. It enables you to think beyond the possibilities in PowerPoint, so you can:
- See the big picture
- Think outside the box
- Make your story primary
Do yourself a favor and draw your next presentation in hand before you open up PowerPoint. Trust me, you’ll be surprised by the result.
People often lose sight of their own story getting caught up with the connecting each slide to their outline. I would like to hear more about how to ‘block’ the presentation while incorporating PowerPoint but not relying on it. Please help!
One way to ‘block’ the presentation and keep it as “support” would be to practice the presentation without the slides. In that way you won’t be too attached to the slides.
Great point – I used to do this years ago when I didn’t know any better and I can’t believe I did it. When I look back at it now I’m amazed at how much better my presentations could have been if I would have started on paper. I love using Duarte Design’s idea of sticky notes – that way you can move them around and really be creative!
Good post.
Good advice here. The PowerPoint should not dictate whether you can deliver your presentation!
Let me try that next time i have a ‘powerpointblock’.
Getting to bed early and start fresh and clean early in the morning the other day also helps a lot. The presentation i’m working on looks often ‘new’ to me when i do this.
If you’re interested you can watch some demo’s at my website, here:
http://www.studio-max.nl/powerpoint-demos.html
That’s why I’ve started using Prezi… talk about non-linear!
I love this sentence Tobias: The problem by starting in PowerPoint is that you think “linear”. I’ve struggled with this myself for years and watched others do the same. Many presentations written these days are presented to multiple audiences over and over again yet each of those audiences usually wants to hear something different or even interact with the presenter to get the most out of the limited time.
That’s why I thought “wouldn’t it be nice if you weren’t restricted by the serial [linear] nature of presentation software and instead could navigate it like a Web site and thus deliver a more dynamic and reactive speech”.
The answer seemed to be “present hierarchically instead of serially” and that’s why I created ActivePresentation Designer.
Of course, your point about software tools is absolutely right and even in the YouTube tutorial, I start by using pen and paper. It’s the only way!