PowerPoint’s major failing is that it is too easy. Over-worked presenters cut the time they prepare because they can. “After all,” they think, “the slides will look professional, they’ll read them before my presentation, so what’s the problem? I’ll just roll out an old slide deck and talk around it.” Thus the incomprehensible PowerPoint heavy presentation has become the norm.

But if we trainers are honest, are people really ever going to take more time?  Sure, some uber presenters will do the necessary hours but most would rather spend the minimim amount of time possible. Hence the popularity of PowerPoint.  I remember sitting through a series of strategy presentations for a global finance company. To be fair most had spent some time preparing but they were still gloriously incomprehensible: riddles diagnosed as knowledge delivered with the charisma of a dying sheep (or Geoffrey Howe). No one on the board minded too much (although they did pick the swarthy presenters up on operational details) – it reinforced a sense of superiority. “I can understand some of this nonsense, therefore I must be bright and so deserving of a vast salary.”

So the question for presenters and trainers is this? If the average presenter is going to spend no more than 30 minutes preparing, how can they ensure that their message is still clear and understood, and is not overly reliant on PowerPoint?

For the answer to that you’ll have to read my next article. I know outrageous but I want you to keep coming back!