Archive for category Presenting

Create better slides using "The Rule of Thirds"

Posted by jmichaelhite in PowerPoint, Presentation, Presenting on January 29, 2009

One of the biggest issues I see with PowerPoint presentations is that many of the slides are crowded and out of balance. Often times images are even distorted to try to make enough room for the title and the five, full sentence bullet points that need to be squeezed onto the screen. The first improvement to be made is to reduce the amount of material on each slide. The second improvement to make is to learn to use “The Rule of Thirds” to balance the visuals (text and graphics) an the slide.

“The Rule of Thirds” and how to use it.
Graphic designers and photographers use “the rule of thirds” to create balance and focus attention. Basically, you divide the space (in this case your slide) into equal thirds horizontally and vertically. It’s really like drawing a tic-tac-toe board on your slide. Then place the main elements of your image along the lines of the grid. 
Obviously you don’t leave the grid on your slide it is just a visual reference, but the viewer’s eye will naturally go to the area of the image where the lines intersect. These “hotspots” become the perfect place to place text or focus attention. Note the example of the family walking on the beach. Placing the main elements (the family) along the line on the right give the image a 
natural balance and creates interest. 
You have to be careful not to clutter up the open space with text, but you can strategically place text at a “hotspot” to give it attention but maintain balance in the slide. Note the placement of the text in the lightbulb image and well as where the lit bulb falls. The slide is balanced, easy to read and tells a story. That’s what we are after.
Balancing text and images
There are times when you need enough space for more text. By the way…you never need enough space for five, full sentence bullets, but you may have a passage of Scripture that you want to include on the slide for clarity sake. You can still use the rule of thirds to help. Note the slide with the image of Christ and the quote from Romans 5. It stays balanced because the image and the text are placed evenly on the grid set up by the rule of thirds.

Final thoughts
Using the rule of thirds can make an immediate improvement on your slides. If you strive to create balance and remove clutter and your slides will have more impact and communicate more clearly. Give the rule of thirds a try…once you do there is no going back.

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Slideshare: Passion for Growth

Posted by jmichaelhite in podcasting, PowerPoint, Presentation, Presenting on December 23, 2008

I have recently discovered a website called SlideShare (www.slideshare.net). It allows you to post presentations created in PowerPoint (or Keynote) online for a larger community to see. The potential here seems great to me.  You can even link recorded audio from a podcast to the presentation and edit it so that it matches your slide changes. I have posted this test here and also on my Facebook profile as a test. 

This test was a lesson I presented in Chapel back in November.
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
Passion for Growth
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: hard-work passion)

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Presentation site has some excellent information…

Posted by jmichaelhite in PowerPoint, Presenting on February 1, 2008

I have just run across a website by Garr Reynolds that you really must visit. Garr has a website and blog (Presentation Zen) that deals with issues related to creating and giving presentations using PowerPoint (and Keynote if you are a MAC person). His information goes far beyond the basics of how to set up a good slide (although that is included). His information is about visual communication using these tool. He has posted an article on his website entitled, “Top Ten Slide Tips” that should be a MUST READ for everyone using these tools. If you will simply follow his suggestions your PowerPoint presentations will improve and be far more effective.

Garr makes a very strong point on his website that should be a reminder to everyone making these types of presentations:

“Your presentation is for the benefit of the audience. But boring an audience with bullet point after bullet point is of little benefit to them. Which brings us to the issue of text. The best slides may have no text at all. This may sound insane given the dependency of text slides today, but the best PowerPoint slides will be virtually meaningless with out the narration (that is you). Remember, the slides are meant to support the narration of the speaker, not make the speaker superfluous.” - Garr Reynolds

Let that sink in for a minute – he slides are there to SUPPORT what you are saying! Without the benefit of what your narration and speaking, the information on the slide will probably not make sense to anyone.

Visit his website and blog….take his suggestions seriously and your sermon and class presentations will definitely improve, your audience will learn more, and maybe, just maybe they may stay awake more!

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