Creating Presentations
A presentation of two halves
Bruce Scharlau
Computing Science Department
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Outline
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Need a message
Focus on the message
Follow the rules
Avoid the pain
The message
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Each presentation should have one message to
convey to the audience
This is the same as for an essay
Templates
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Templates get you started quickly
Templates need to be modified to work with
your theme
Look and Feel
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Templates focus on look and feel of your
presentation
You need to make them work with the content
too
The message
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Your templates should support the message
you’re presenting
The message has to be clear and not cluttered
Rules to follow
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There are three rules to follow for good
presentations
Introduce your topic
Explain your topic
Review your topic
Controversy
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Some say that PowerPoint is useless
Others say it puts people to sleep
Summary
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Following the rules should keep your audience
awake and guide you to a successul
presentation
And now for something completely
different…
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
A presentation should have one
message
Get the Ark,
or save the kids,
or find the Grail not all at once
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=573291733&size=o
The PowerPoint templates don’t
ensure a consistent message
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2007/09/steve-bill-redu.html
The templates focus on look and feel,
but not the message
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2007/09/steve-bill-redu.html
You need to keep the message clear
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2007/09/steve-bill-redu.html
There are some basic rules to follow
for good presentations
It may look hard,
but it’s not really
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/567753250/in/set-72057594083213751/
First, use complete sentences as titles
Full sentences
force you to
clarify your ideas
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/160405659/in/set-72057594116462049/
Right, Steve,
and it makes it
easier for
others too
Sentences force the author to clarify ideas
Headings leave room to waffle
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Sentences as titles will still work on their
own
Headings are ambiguous
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Sentences make the storyboard clearer
Sentences develop the plot
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Second, add an appropriate image to
reinforce the message
I can do
anything with
a
greenscreen
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/345032729/
An image should illustrate the point of
the slide
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2005/06/kill_your_prese.html
Try different images to set the correct
tone of the presentation
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/103294071/
http://www.summerglau.co.uk/gallery/summer-in-serenity/index.php?imgDisplay=Serenity-(60).jpg
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Mixing images with words makes the
slide more memorable
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/01/crash_course_in.html
Third, use the notes to explain your
slides
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Notes help you remember the words you
will say for that slide
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Notes also provide a handout
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Notes provide a presentation for when
you’re not there
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Fourth, use a rule of three’s to
support your message
1. Point
1. Sub-point
2. Sub-point
3. Sub-point
2. Point
1. Sub-point
2. Sub-point
3. Sub-point
3. Point
1. Sub-point
2. Sub-point
3. Sub-point
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Your presentation has three acts (just like
a movie)
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://www.sociablemedia.com/thebook_resources.php4
The second act needs supporting evidence
to develop the argument of the plot
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
http://indexed.blogspot.com/2007/06/just-desserts-or-drive-thru-value-meal.html
PowerPoint presentations don’t have
to be painful
Pain, what pain?
http://flickr.com/photos/oskay/265899841/
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
You can also add extra dimensions to
make the presentation stick
Simple
Unexpected
Stories
Credible
http://www.madetostick.com/
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011
Concrete
Emotional
Remember to deliver one message
and you’ll do fine
Escape the ball,
find the treasure,
save the girl,
not all at once
Bruce Scharlau,
http://flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/665480669/
University of Aberdeen, 2011
Resources to support this presentation
More about presentations and learning
http://www.beyondbullets.com/
http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/
Royalty Free Images
http://www.sxc.hu/
http://www.morguefile.com/
http://openclipart.org/
http://flickr.com/search/advanced/
(creative commons tagged photos)
Examples using this approach:
Why mobile matters
Agile Games for Software Development
Agile at the University
Bruce Scharlau, University of Aberdeen, 2011