UK Training Industry Press Releases

PowerPoint and similar programs have become increasingly popular with in-house trainers.  The ability to prepare material directly on a computer to project onto a suitable screen has freed us from the acetate nightmare of poor quality overhead projectors, upside down slides, and scruffy flipcharts.  So why then do we cringe when faced with yet another PowerPoint presentation?  This article will begin to unravel the reasons, whilst helping suggest remedies to that hackneyed but true phrase of ‘death by PowerPoint.'

The ability to give a presentation is a requirement in many business areas.  It can be a powerful way to get across a message, to inform, explain and train.  Sadly though, it is an assumed skill.  It is a skill that managers are expected to have acquired along their career path without any formal training.  We do not assume other skills so quite why we assume this one remains a mystery.  Nevertheless the reality is that very few presenters have received any form of helpful training.  Neither do they get accurate feedback.  At the end of a presentation there are a few positive comments, maybe a round of applause, and an inward sigh of relief that it is over. No wonder it is such a wasted medium.

The first mistake people often make is to assume that if you can present, then using PowerPoint makes you a better presenter.  This is not true.  The use of PowerPoint should complement the presenter's message, not take over.  Consider this further.  If the slide show is the most important aspect of the presentation, how much money could be saved if we disposed of the presenter and merely emailed the show to the audience?