How do you write your presentations?
PowerPoint? OO Impress? Keynote? Or Latex Beamer?
What do you recommend from your personal experience?
Good Answers (14)
Hal A.
Business Analyst: designing & implementing change
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I used Google Doc at a client that did not have PowerPoint. Adequate for the job. I am sure it will be more than "adequate" in the near future.
If you want to share a presentation with an unlimited audience, I suggest http://www.slideshare.net. I got 170 hits in one week. I also have it embedded in my blog which probably accounts for some of those hits.
Links:
I used TurboDemo Software for my own presentations and its good enought.
It has a lot of options you can use and its easy to.
You can also use Camtasia Studio for creating presentation.Its powerfull and easy to use.A lot of options to use from CS.
Hope this help!
Regards!
Dalibor Vlaho
Links:
Vijay B.
COO at Divami Software Private Limited
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Hi,
I do it depending on the context and the audience:
1) Important concepts/message – I keep the presentation short but talk a lot with a lot of illustrative examples. (powerpoint and flash)
2) Regular Training program – I have to use the one that is provided (to maintain consistency), but ensure that I quote the right examples or do my research on certain topics and provide them with some additional notes
3) Presentation of dashboards/data – limit it to either using the existing tool from where the reports are generated or use them in a powerpoint.
4) Ideas and free-flow presentations – physical models, boards, powerpoints, flash, movies etc.
Bryan C W.
Seeking a new opportunity in B2B technology; global experience
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PowerPoint is my choice as most PC tems will have it (or the reader) installed. I've used it for many years so I'm comfortable with it.
It's simple to use, can incorporate various effects (if you want/need them). It works with Word from an initial layout perspective.
Martin C.
Sr. Quality Manager at BASF Fuel Cell
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PowerPoint and used 6 words to a line and no more than 6 lines to a slide. This helps to minimize the clutter on the slide.
If you are traveling with your own laptop and equipment then anything you are comfortable with is great. Many of the conferences I present at will have a laptop on the dias and you are expected to bring your presentation on a data stick; that means you need to use a software like Power Point that is likely to be on their machine. If you intend to access your visuals via the web you need to make sure the place has a robust internet connection.
I like OO Impress.
You have the option to export the presentation to pdf (nice when you are emailing the presentation) or to flash (good for when you would like to make the presentation available over the web).
I also keep a working copy of OpenOffice on my thumb drive so I can use it on any computer available at the moment.
Links:
Usually PowerPoint.
I limit bullet points to 4-6 per slide, and try to keep them to 1/2 the slide. I include a static image on the other side of the slide that illustrates the key point of the slide. I alternate graphics and text boxes to make the presentation a little more dynamic.
I limit videos and animations, unless they really help drive home my point.
Remember, the slides are to support what you are talking about, not an onscreen script!
Also, practice your presentation so you know it cold when you present, ut not so much that you seem bored when you deliver it.
The attached url is a humorous, but accurate, view of what you should avoid when creating a PowerPoint presentation.
Links:
I wrote and article with a video and printable step-by-step instructions on my blog. It walks through the process from Brainstorming, to Oulining, to each step in PowerPoint. Have a look.
http://www.vitamincm.com/create-powerpoint-presentations-like-a-pro/
Links:
Beyond Bullet Points (BBP) approach no matter the actual software.
Mostly I'm designing visual slides in PowerPoint. The photos I use sometimes need retouching or editing in Photoshop.
SlideRocket is definitely a web-based presentation tool to keep your eyes on. Wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft or Apple acquired them ;-)
Links:
Clarification added June 1, 2008:
BBP works perfect to structure your storyline. Easily present your story in either 5, 15 or 45 minutes and still convey your core message with supporting ideas, arguments or more/less details.
So actually, a large portion of my total time is in prep work - where you'll write the presentation script actually in Word.
Need more inspiration?
PresentationZen.com
Garr Reynold published the book as well, I bought it: extremely valuable
I recommend sketching your ideas out on either paper or a whiteboard first. Once you have your brainstorming ideas down, you can easily shift the order of your visuals and bullet points before imputing them into PowerPoint. Many of these ideas are from Garr Reynolds new book called “Presentation Zen,” which I reviewed on my blog at http://www.kevinfergusonconsulting.com/blog/how-to-prepare-a-presentation/
Cheers,
Kevin
Links:
I'm with Kevin on this one. I stay far away from my computer when I plan and write my presentations - making sure I focus on the audience's needs and what it will take to get them to pay attention and act on my proposals. My last step is designing the visuals that I think will add impact to my words.
Garr Reynolds' Presentation Zen is the best way to get you to start thinking about presentations differently!
Sallie G.
Ghostwriter, Linguistic Alchemist, Podcast Consultant, and WordPress Fangirl
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I usually outline and arrange my presentations using Mind Manager from MindJet. That lets me get the ideas in order and collect the links, and also makes a fine online handout if you export it to HTML.
It can export into PowerPoint, as well, but since I usually use slides primarily for illustrations, with occasional quotes and video or audio clips, I normally create the slideshow from scratch. I've heard good things about Keynote, but I'm a Windows user.
I do think it's worth distinguishing *writing* the presentation from *delivering* the presentation. Presentation software is just an electronic version of the old-fashioned slide projector, and no one who used film slides ever *wrote* their presentation with a slide carousel. And it was a little more obvious, back then, that putting tons of text onto a slide was a bad idea. (It was also not easy to photograph the printout in order to turn it into a slide.)
Your presentation is not the same thing as your notes. The presentation is a live whole including your delivery, the audience, audio-visual aids, and also the text or notes you're working from.
In many cases, a completely scripted presentation is dull--and doesn't equip you for dealing with unexpected occurrences like total equipment failure or an audience that turns out to know either more or less than you'd anticipated. You should always be prepared to give your presentation without the computer, without the screen, without the speakers. The slide show is an aid; it can make things much easier and better for the audience. But the presentation is you and your knowledge.
Kevin H.
Analyst at International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
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I open a browser window to google image search and find images and save humorous, colorful, interesting, and/or enlightening images that speak to the big themes of the presentations.
I then fire up powerpoint and set the opening slide, a what will be covered and what will not be, the end slide, and a sample body slide. I drop images as per my outline, then fill in text as need be to indicate transitions or key messages that the images are not good for.
I disable fast saves, I do enable save every 3 minutes or so, and I back up whatever i just made to another media.
I give it 100% for a first draft, then let it sit for a few days without touching it, then open it up and fix all the stupid things I did the first time around. I may add some animations if it helps, but usually leave it out. I may rehearse it at this point, which helps fine tune the pacing, image selection, text needed, etc.
I can do the same in OpenOffice's presentation, i can do it in word...i just choose powerpoint because I am more likely (at least, today) to be able to use that show on another pc/laptop/mac and have it be read by other presentation apps.
More Answers (4)
Gerry D. M.
IT Manager at GameStop
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I'll throw my hat in the PowerPoint ring.
I start with an outline, and tailor the content appropriate to the audience.
I try to keep it simple & clean with few effects.
I usually provide supplemental material with details, but not make it part of the presentation.
Regards,
Gerry.
R. Scott F.
Coach at FastForward Income
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In MSWord ... then distill that document into PowerPoint
Have you tried Google Docs? That's a cool new feature!
