Steve Toms shares more than a decade of research
Animations and screen transitions should
keep your audience turned on and tuned in.
Start
theanimation
program clicking
> Text
favoritesthe screen icon
below
or bytransition
clicking on
the Slide Show menu
> Screen
effects
and either View Show or From Beginning.
> The facts behind “Death by PowerPoint”
Or click the green arrow to advance.
Home button returns you here.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
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PowerPoint’s 52 animation effects
Best for text animation
Wipe
Fade
Where to find
PowerPoint 2003:
Slide Show >
Custom Animation >
Add Effect box >
Entrance >
More Effects >
Builds (often used together):
Ascend
Descend
Emphasis (single point):
PowerPoint 2007:
Animations tab >
Custom Animation >
Add Effect box >
Entrance >
More Effects >
Zoom
Faded Zoom
Focus (break continuity):
Peek In
Stretch
Dissolve In
Strips
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
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Click to
Click
todisplay
display> >
Wipe:
From left > fast
(best for short phrases)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Wipe
From top > medium
(for a slower delivery)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Wipe
From top > fast
(best for quick builds)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Wipe
From top > medium
(good for sharing examples
after the animation)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Wipe
From bottom > medium
(recommended as a reveal
especially after a series
of wipes from the top)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Avoid wipes from right
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Animation menu >
Fade:
All at once > fast
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Fade
All at once > medium
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Fade
by letter > very fast
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Fade
By word > fast
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Fade
By word > medium
Less is more, but presentation matters most
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Animation menu >
Ascend > fast
(building bullet lists
under a heading)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Ascend > medium
(Build curiosity;
revealing answers)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Descend > fast
(Reveal/uncover from
a heading or top of slide
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Descend > medium
(Result of cause > effect)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Ascend/Descend > medium
(continuity between
points or objects)
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
When it comes to content:
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Animation menu >
Zoom In Slightly > fast
(quick reveal)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Zoom Out Slight > fast
(surprise reveal)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Faded Zoom > fast
(revealing point; avoid
very fast or medium speeds)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Peak In from Top > fast
(a bit faster than Descend
formula numerators
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Peek In from Bottom > fast
(result of tabulation/equation;
formula numerator)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Animation menu >
Stretch from Top > fast
(use stretch left and right
for text boxes and images)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Stretch from Bottom > fast
(summary/result)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Dissolve In > fast
(build curiosity; infer doubt;
avoid overuse)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
Strips Right Down > medium
(reveal; uncover; avoid all
left text movement)
Less is more, but presentation matters most
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Animation menu >
Slide transitions are purposeful
• They show the audience where to find
the first point on each slide
• When to switch attention between the slide
and the presenter
• They can speed up or slow down the tempo
of the presentation
Click the green arrow to view
Steve Toms’ favorite transitions
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
transitions
PowerPoint offers 50+ screen transitions
Sample pull-down menu
from PowerPoint 2007
Best transitions
to keep audiences focused:
Fades
Strips
Wipe
Fade
Push/Uncover
Boxes
Splits
Wedge/Wheel
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Where to find
PowerPoint 2003:
Slide Show >
Screen Transitions >
When you apply
a transition, you
see the effect on the
current slide
PowerPoint 2007:
Animations tab >
Pull down menu
to view each effect
That was Fade through Black.
Great way to start and end a presentation;
use the slow speed.
Slow Fades between slides tell audiences
that you’re developing/continuing the topic
by keeping the same images in place.
Click the green arrow to view Strips.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
That was Strips Left Up.
Notice how the audience’s eyes
are drawn up to the upper left corner
where they expect to find your first point.
Use various directions to focus attention
on any of the 4 corners of your slide;
use the slow speed.
Click the green arrow to view Wipes.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
That was Wipe Up.
Wipes clean the screen so you can present
a new topic or example. Slow and medium
speeds work well (fast is a bit annoying).
Direction should leave the audience looking
at the spot where the next point will appear,
or is already in place (such as this transition).
Click the green arrow to view Push/Uncover.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
That was Uncover Left-Up.
Like turning the page of a book or magazine;
a great segue within/between topics.
Push transitions are great when building
a timeline, formula or series of related events.
Push Left > future; Push Right > back in time.
Click the green arrow to view Boxes.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
That was Box Out.
Great for revealing examples;
use the slow or medium speed.
Box In tells the audience you are
going deeper into a specific point.
Click the green arrow to view Splits.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
That was Split Horizontal Out.
As with Boxes, Splits reveal more
about what you are discussing by
either opening it to discovery (out),
or covering what’s been discussed (in).
Works with both horizontal or vertical.
Click the green arrow to view Wedge.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
That was a Wedge.
Great way to infer the passage of time,
or build a sequence of logical points.
Wheels accomplish the same thing;
a Wheel Clockwise, 1 Spoke imitates a clock;
2-8 Spokes can get annoying.
Click the green button for some closing thoughts.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Transition menu >
PowerPoint templates are not based on research
In 2003, PowerPoint 3.0 introduced customizable templates for all types
of contexts, including schools and clubs. Even today, template choices
appear arranged by topics.
A “Click here” easy-to-use program doesn’t mean easy-to-read.
• Too often, headlines are too big and in the wrong place.
• Too often, unanimated slides cause audiences read ahead and tune out.
• Too often, animation and transitions are more distracting than helpful.
It’s simple: Too many are putting too much in all the wrong places;
then boring us with how poorly they present it.
Effective communication means learning how
others take in and process information.
PowerPoint is merely a tool; it does not know
or follow the rules.
Too often, it’s abused and misused.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
Animations and transitions are purposeful.
They tell your audience where and when
to find the points and images you display.
• Use animation to focus attention,
one point at a time.
• Use bold and color to highlight
important terms and images
• Use transitions to tell audiences
what’s next…
You’ll keep them turned on, and tuned in.
Interested in a PowerPoint Master Class
or have a question? Email Steve Toms.
© 2011 steve@stevetoms;net
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