PowerPoint presentations are not as simple as they look. We initiated a discussion asking opinions of professionals of what they think are the many mistakes people make in making and delivering PowerPoint presentations. Here are the excerpts –
…The biggest mistake I see people make is not necessarily in the presentation (I agree with your points) but in delivery. The number one delivery mistake is to simply read the text on the slides. It implies your audience is too dumb to read it themselves…
…I believe in the delivery, in the HOW, in the effect a presentation has on the audience, how it cleverly creates a combination of information, emotion and action. I like to move people – in all the meanings of the word…
…Poor transitions between slide. “Next slide” is not a great transition…
…Too much text…
…You should place no more than 3 points on a slide because people can’t remember more than three things easily. An example – Caesar: I came, I saw, I conquered (veni, vidi, vici)…
…People stand in the wrong place when doing their presentations…
…If using bullet points, people do not dim the previous point….
…Too many of or using the wrong transitions and animations…
…Slides are too “busy” and hard to follow. Simpler is better…
…The PowerPoint should support the presentation, not be the presentation. The human should be the star and the primary source of information. The PowerPoint should reinforce what’s being said, while helping the presenter by guiding them and keeping them on track…
…Clients are often surprised that I don’t give them notes pages before I start a PowerPoint based seminar. I prefer to have the attendees take notes of what they find helpful or important. If you are going to give them all the content in a handout, why bother making them sit through the presentation? Reading is much more efficient that listening … and there’s less snoring to distract you!…
…I am using a large photo or a graphic with a single bullet. It’s visually striking and memorable, but puts some additional burden on me as a presenter because I no longer have the “outline” on the slide to guide my talk….
…Too much text, small font, reading slides to, no visuals, too many long boring detailed stories by presenters (ridiculous level of irrelevant, time-consuming personal detail!) New one I will add: not using a “remote presenting tool” – stand in one spot to click the mouse…
…Added faux pas for Video-Conference presenters (distracting pattern on outfit, not looking at the camera, only interacting with local participants not remote sites, lack of video clip playing technicalities, etc)…
…Another common delivery mistake is looking at the slides as you speak, thus turning your back on the audience. It is better, if possible, to have your computer screen or a monitor in front of the lectern so you can see what is being projected without turning around….
In summary the most common mistakes in a PowerPoint presentation are –
- Too much text
- Too many slides
- Relevance of Content
- Aesthetics of presentation – text too small, background colours, text colour
- Absence of structure in the slides
