Using Powerpoint as an Effective Presentation Tool 

There is more to Powerpoint than just being a technical tool. Powerpoint can add a tremendous boost to presentations when used efficiently. Below are several tips on how to use Powerpoint effectively: 

 

1. Create an outline. The most important element of a powerpoint presentation is the actual content, not its visual appeal. The visuals merely serve to enhance the message being conveyed by the content. For this reason, it is always best to develop the content first before deciding on the graphical component such as the background colours of the slide and the size and type of font. Make a good structure for the presentation by reflecting on the gaol that it helps to achieve, what the audience expects and what points you will need to make in order to meet these expectations as well as guide them to adapting a frame of mind that will support your cause. Writing an outline will help you move ideas around. An outline also serves to remind you to secure the contents of your presentation first before you get too carried away with its visual aspects. 

2. Once your content is taken care of, you can now focus on the powerpoint templates and graphics. Start with the slide. If you want the audience to be able to see clearly even from a long distance, as what is most likely going to be the case if you are presenting in a lecture hall or a large room, use contrasting colours between the text colour and the background colour. In selecting your font size, there is only one consideration: make sure it is big enough for the farthest member of the audience to see it. You may also consider refraining from using too fancy fonts, which are sometimes hard to read from a distance and when mixed with another font. Use a font that is universally recognizable like Times New Roman or Arial. Titles should occupy the biggest font sizes, with the text being about half its size. Explanatory texts to support a graph or diagram should be even smaller.  

3. Don't make the mistake of assuming that just because the slides look good on a personal computer or laptop screen, it will also look the same when subjected to a projector or when seen from a long distance. Therefore, when you have created the final draft of your Powerpoint presentation, test its effect on a projector in a room that is approximately the same size as the one you will present in. You will know when the presentation looks good and everyone is able to see it when you go to the farthest part of the room from the projector and take a look at the wall where the Powerpoint presentation is being projected. Know that most projectors appear to make colours duller than they actually are on screen, so adjust your slide and text colours appropriately.