PowerPoint - hate it but have to master it
Stratcat31 (49 points) | Thu, 2007-11-29 19:41Hi all,
I've recently come to the realization that I need to get better at PowerPoint. I absolutely hate working in it, but in my current position it would be a benefit. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on books or classes (in NYC) that I should check out that are specifically geared towards designers.
your truly,
Powerpoint Hater
Dontcha think, it's sometimes wise not to grow up - Jagger/Richards
in my opinion, all you need in order to make a good presentation with Power Point is a well designed back drop and good typography skill. the animated transition effects of Power Point are, honestly, a joke and not worth anybody's time, not yours nor the audience's.
I agree with Zagadka. Stay away from transitions and the cheezy templates that PowerPoint comes with. Make custom backgrounds and be picky about what fonts you use. Legibility is I think the most important aspect in slideshow-like presentations.
My question for you is, why do you think you need to get better at it? The fact that you've even thought that there is a good and bad way to do it puts you miles above the average user. What are your intentions for using PowerPoint? I just can't think of any situation where "getting better at it" would be applicable. Maybe it's just my bias. ;)
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Perfectly Lost Designs
Of course the business world loves powerpoint to such an extent that they can't do anything without it. Even boring sales conferences and webinars. :)
That being said, use photoshop to make nice jpg backgrounds, but avoid blends as much as you can and busy backgrounds as well.
Use your design sense in Powerpoint and also use the template/master page feature so you aren't redesigning each slide. Use Arial font and stay away from custom fonts. That way it will run on any machine.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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The Salon Design Tech
. . . a client of ours asked us to design a power point template for them.
It was a disaster. Not that we did any BAD ones, they just didn't like ANY of them!
After about a couple of weeks. . . they just gave up.
A few months later they came to us with another brief and used PowerPoint to present to us. . . the design was. . . UGLY. . . but we told them: "Hey that's a nice PP slide. . ." (sarcastic)
"Oh yes" They replied "everyone likes it. . . we did it ourselves!"
GRRRRRRRRRRR :P
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
The Powerpointization of design. Argh.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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The Salon Design Tech
Stratcat, I'm a bassist. You play music in your city's clubs/bars etc.?
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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The Salon Design Tech
Well, just getting a new band together so not gigging at the moment. Where r u at? I'm looking for a bass player.
Dontcha think, it's sometimes wise not to grow up - Jagger/Richards
San Diego, you?
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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The Salon Design Tech
NYC
Dontcha think, it's sometimes wise not to grow up - Jagger/Richards
Do you have a music website? Just for curiosity...I've got some stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/natflick
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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The Salon Design Tech
http://www.myspace.com/slackerjames
No tunes up yet, but some recent videos of another band we're in.
Dontcha think, it's sometimes wise not to grow up - Jagger/Richards
I took an online course through the University of Phoenix just to get extra college credits for work, so I took PowerPoint because it was the one app I didn't know. The book they made us buy...Powerpoint for Dummies. Very easy to follow.