Powerpoint Rangers

[selenite0]

I am SO qualified for this. Actually, I'm probably at well over 2500 hours on powerpoint. And I agree it sucks for communicating complex ideas.

The problem is most managers don't want to hear the complex ideas. I used write reports describing methods and results. Nobody read them. Then I wound up doing so much powerpoint that I once went over a year without writing a real paragraph. Took some work to get my prose skills back when I needed to do a white paper. That's part of why I'm on LJ--it keeps my writing in practice.

Hat tip to sappersgt.

Comments

[firedrake-mor.livejournal.com]

Oh . . . my . . . GOD!!! ROFLMAO!!!

You see, I spent most of this week getting paid very well just to push the button on the computer which advances the presentation, for a group of execs at NBC-Universal. Next time, maybe the production company will actually let me design a slide! *grin*

Mind you, I think the pay was for sitting through the same fershlugginer presentation six times. Y'know, I don't care HOW funny a new sitcom is, it isn't funny any more after the fifth showing. We had C-SPAN on the cable TV in the projection booth.

Odd Coincidence...

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

Just last week, I attended a meeting with the basic message, "Throw away PowerPoint and start writing in paragraphs consisting of full sentences. Include methods and results, as well as the technical data. Don't provide a canned interpretation--just give the recipients the data they need to make their *own* decision."

Re: Odd Coincidence...

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Sounds good to me. Last time I gave a lessons-learned talk I included something pretty similar. The real question is whether those detailed reports will get *read*. Keep me posted, please?

Re: Odd Coincidence...

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Did they present the meeting with slides, though?

Re: Odd Coincidence...

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

The presentation was done with bulleted PowerPoint charts. I kid you not.

Re: Odd Coincidence...

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I totally believe you. I did the first draft of that lessons-learned pitch as powerpoint until I was wrestling with the "Don't Use Powerpoint" slide. Then I (eventually) realized what I was doing, pitched it all, and started over in word.