Presentation Tips

Presentation Zen is a blog  by Garr Reynolds that I have been reading for some time that I feel is a great resource on presentation design. Learning content designers/developers can take a lot of info from this blog. Yesterday 's "Zen" posting titled BusinessWeek: Rethinking the Presentation mentioned a very brief article in BusinessWeek with tips that can easily be applied to learning whether instructor led or e-learning:

• Prepare in analog. Most professional designers plan on paper, not by opening their slide software.
• Cut the noise. "Noise" refers to elements that distract from the central message of your slide. Minimize the noise by eliminating inappropriate charts, lines, shapes, and symbols.
• Avoid bullet points. Use bullet points only in rare circumstances and only after you have considered other options to display the information visually.
• Picture superiority. Pictures are more easily remembered than words, yet most PowerPoint decks contain far more words than images. Create presentations that have more in common with a documentary film than an overhead transparency.

Reynolds also shares a video clip by communications coach Carmine Gallo on learning how to present from Steve Jobs that includes tips like:

• Create a headline that sets the direction of the presentation
• Make it easy for your listeners to follow your story
• Make numbers and statistics meaningful
• Make it visual
• Paint a simple picture
• Identify a memorable moment and build up to it