According to Kurt DelBene, president of the Microsoft Office Division, as of July 2012 1 billion people worldwide use Microsoft Office (which, of course, includes PowerPoint). With such market penetration, it is no wonder that PowerPoint has become the lingua franca of business communication. But … [Read more...] about What is a PowerPoint presentation?
Do you need header and footer blocks on PowerPoint slides? No.
We see it all the time—a slide that has a large, colored bar along the top for the title and another one along the bottom for a logo, page number, and various other footer items. Why has this become the norm? It's true that many of the templates that come standard with PowerPoint use this … [Read more...] about Do you need header and footer blocks on PowerPoint slides? No.
How to royally screw up a PowerPoint presentation
Here is a transcript from a horrible presentation made by rookie presenter, Joe Fumbler. In August 2012, I conducted a contest exclusively for Design Dispatch readers to find all the flubs made by Joe Fumbler during his presentation, and reader Robbie Kularski came up with eighteen mistakes! … [Read more...] about How to royally screw up a PowerPoint presentation
What the Spartan Sprint taught me about presenting
On August 11, I participated in the Spartan Sprint, an obstacle course of a little more than three miles that test the limits of one's endurance. The Sprint is the entry-level race, and if you survive that you can graduate to the Super Spartan, attempt the Spartan Beast, or really indulge your … [Read more...] about What the Spartan Sprint taught me about presenting
Slideshark: Cloud-based PPT tool for the iPad
With the current popularity of tablet computers in general and the iPad in particular, it makes sense that eventually it would be possible to show a PowerPoint presentation using one. Our pals at Brainshark makes this possible with Slideshark. Once you've downloaded the Slideshark app, you can … [Read more...] about Slideshark: Cloud-based PPT tool for the iPad
How to make a PowerPoint presentation mobile
Nowadays, we're no longer restricted to delivering presentations in person. With webcasts, on-demand viewing, and sites where you can upload decks and video, your message can be seen by a vast audience without your having to be there. Here are some tips on how you can make the most of mobile … [Read more...] about How to make a PowerPoint presentation mobile
Why you should never send your PowerPoint decks to people who ask for them
How many times have people asked you to send them your deck, either after or (worse) instead of your presentation? On the surface it seems like an OK idea. It requires minimal effort and we don't want to appear rude by saying no. And it's a common enough request, so why not, right? Don't do it. The … [Read more...] about Why you should never send your PowerPoint decks to people who ask for them
March Slide Makeover of the Month
This month's slide comes from Design Dispatch subscriber Bob Carpenter of BidRx. His company wants to become the eBay or the Priceline of the pharmaceutical business. By logging on to BidRx, people will be able to get competitive pricing on their prescription medicine and save a bundle in the … [Read more...] about March Slide Makeover of the Month