Robin's Tech Tips

With the New Year I thought I would focus on a few New Year's Technology Resolutions.  The first one is: "I will learn to avoid the commons PowerPoint mistakes."

PowerPoint is a great tool for getting information presented to a group of people, but too often we try to make PowerPoint do too much for us.

Here is a humorous look at the ways we go wrong with PowerPoint:



(If the video is not visible - you can also see it here: How NOT to use PowerPoint!)

Here are some guidelines to go by when making OR assigning powerpoints:

1. Keep it Simple!

• No more than 6 lines of text per slide and each line should have no more than 6 words.


• No paragraphs! (This is a presentation tool and not a research paper)


• Limit graphics, animations and Wordart


• Sound effects should enhance the presentation and should only be used sparingly.  Remember sound can slow things down and get old very quickly.


• Your presentation should not be more entertaining than you are.  It is the background not the main attraction.

2. Make it Readable!

• Font size should be at least 28 pt.


• Backgrounds should be subtle colors and be consistent.


• Font colors should stand out on the page.

3. Proof Your Presentation:

• Spell check is your friend!


• Stand back about 6 feet from the screen and make sure the slides and easy to read and that the colors work together.  Also check any charts or graphs to make sure they are legible.


• Check for animation and sound errors.  If you get tired of waiting for the animations to run, chances are your audience will too.

Anything else you can add on making a good PowerPoint?