There's nothing inherently wrong with Calibri, the humanist sans-serif typeface so familiar to users of Microsoft Office. But everybody's using it, so if you are too then your presentations might look the same as everyone else's. Here's how to stand out from the crowd. Calibri, you've overstayed … [Read more...] about How to embed custom fonts into your PPT
Do you show the forest or the trees?
Last night, my husband Mike and I had a wonderful time at a painting party. Although we hadn't received the unwritten memo about BYOB (or in this case BYOW), we managed to have fun following along with the instructor while he re-created a landscape painting of a beach. About halfway through, … [Read more...] about Do you show the forest or the trees?
Top DoD Officials Ban PowerPoint in US Military
WASHINGTON, DC: In an unprecedented move, top Department of Defense officials have declared that effective today, PowerPoint cannot be used in any branch of the US Military. This comes after years of public derision over slides such as the one shown above, which was universally mocked by the design … [Read more...] about Top DoD Officials Ban PowerPoint in US Military
How to make presentations less boring
"There is no such thing as a boring project. There are only boring executions." So said Irene Etzkorn, one of the United States' leading experts on plain English writing and simplifying communications. Many of us will be faced at some point with communicating information on a boring subject. But … [Read more...] about How to make presentations less boring
One of the best PowerPoint add-ins on the market
For people who constantly work with PowerPoint, add-ins help to streamline the workflow and enable users to do more in less time. Add-ins are supplemental programs that add custom commands or features to PowerPoint. Strangely, although I've been using PowerPoint since 19*cough-cough*, I've never … [Read more...] about One of the best PowerPoint add-ins on the market
Body language: Why it’s important
Many times, we presenters practice our speeches by memorizing our scripts. We think that by getting all of the words right, we'll be clearly communicating to our audience. But actually, your words are but one component of your presentation. You also need to be aware of your nonverbal communication. … [Read more...] about Body language: Why it’s important
Five ways to avoid presentation glitches
PowerPoint can be an excellent tool for presenters, but it can be a big distraction when things don’t go as planned. How well you prepare ahead of time and how you react to the inevitable technical glitches can mean the difference between being seen as a seasoned presenter and an inexperienced … [Read more...] about Five ways to avoid presentation glitches
How not to treat your clients
Whether you are an in-house designer in a large corporation, a partner in an agency or a sole proprietor, you're in customer service. All that we do as commercial artists is to serve our clients to the best of our ability. So what happens when you're crazy-busy, facing looming deadlines, and you get … [Read more...] about How not to treat your clients