Power Point is Killing Us All

There is an insidious disease called powerpointitis it affects the creator and the viewer. The creator doesn't know how to do a presentation without this slide show beast and the viewer is doomed to watch slide, after slide, most often being read to them, with no graphics that illustrate a point, but instead endless bullet points, cheesy sound effects and stock graphics that any elementary child can learn to master. 

Sound familiar?

Unfortunately, this scenario seems to be life as normal for many school rooms and far too many corporate cultures (although I hope once someone gets to the board room they're more savvy by that point). What can you do about it? 

1. Not use Power Point at all.

2. Use the software but don't use the stock templates, images and sounds. Instead, opt for putting some effort into the process.

3. Swear on your mother's (hopefully future) grave that you will never, ever, under any circumstance READ a PPT presentation to your audience. 

4. Have your slide show include the marketing and sales elements that we all know work -- list the uniqueness of your idea, the benefits of knowing it or acting upon it, and the rewards of following through. Leave everything else off the slides and save it for discussion (if you must bring it up at all). 

With a little luck, on all levels, the bad habits of Power Point usage will not plague schools or corporations any longer. Let's kill powerpointitis once and for all!