Posted on Oct 31, 2014
LT Jessica Kellogg
15.5K
100
63
5
5
0
Death by powerpoint
I'm putting together a PowerPoint briefing. In my experience, PowerPoints are such a mind numbing way to convey information. Do any of you have any tips for making PowerPoints more engaging or interesting?

Thanks in advance.

****************EDIT*********************
Thank you all for your advice and suggestions.
Posted in these groups: Train2 Training34f01b88 MicrosoftE5739c5f PowerPoint
Edited >1 y ago
Avatar feed
Responses: 29
Votes
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Votes
SGM Robin Johnson
2
2
0
Power point is useful for a couple of reasons; it gives the audience a point of focus for that portion of your briefing, and for visual learners it provides that visual impact they may need for retention. It can also be handy if someone wants it for reference, or for creating handouts for note-taking.

Other than that, it should be a backdrop for YOU, and contain only the short and salient points that are best SHOWN. As pointed out elsewhere, you should never read from your slides, but I would ad that you should make sure you cover what is in your slides. It is maddening to see a bullet on the slide to which there is no reference by the speaker, and when asked about it the speaker says "well, it was on the slide."

Make your slides visually appealing (and assure the background is not incongruent to the topic), but do not make the background too dramatic or include special effects which would make the slides overshadow the content of the slide, or worse, the speaker.

And, last, don't concentrate so much on making a great PowerPoint presentation that you forget to make a great briefing. Remember the basics of a great briefing and be prepared, so you can be confident when you step out there and keep the focus on you rather than your slides. I had many occasions where for one reason or another I was unable to use the PowerPoint presentation I had prepared and never canceled a briefing or class for that reason. You have to remember the training aid is just that, only an aid.

I won't wish you luck because I am sure you will prepare, and preparation requires no luck.
(2)
Comment
(0)
SGM Robin Johnson
SGM Robin Johnson
>1 y
CPT Barden, I feel your pain. I created a decision brief template and just re-used it for about ten years. Officers will have to do it for CAS3 and NCOs for USASMA (and both have their templates out there on the web) anyway, so just create the stupid thing now and have it done. As a matter of fact, did your XO just finish CAS3 by any chance? Maybe he wants to put that to use. :-)
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SFC Cryptologic Network Warfare Specialist
1
1
0
LT Jessica Kellogg

All you have to do is incorporating this into your PPT periodically.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuRzJRrRpQ
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
PFC Ait Student
1
1
0
I know for me Power point is a tool to present media and key bullet points that i am going to elaborate on. if you put something on a slide the try hard note takers are going to write down everything on that slide. if you write too much you're going to lose them in a heartbeat because they are more focused on what is on the screen then the information you are trying to put out. If you put too little the note takers will ask lots of questions drawing away from the time you have to put out the information because there are not enough specifics for them on the slide. Reversely you have people who dont take notes because they have fallen into the trap of "ill never take notes because people always put way too much stuff to write down on the slide so too much info on a slide will just cause them to zone out and you've lost them. Ideally you find a healthy balance and format to your presentation style that allows both of these groups a happy medium where instead of just reading the slide you have a pre planned mini speech for each slide that touches basis on all of the points that you put into it. and as long as you are confident talking in front of groups and don't bore a group to death there is no such thing as death by power point. its just all about knowing who your audience is.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P
1
1
0
In the words of BG Patrick Hughes (former J2 of HQUSCENTCOM): "Make your briefing on the back of an MRE box with crayon for all I care as long as it's timely, accurate, and relevant!"

Keep your briefing just that - BRIEF!
If you think the slide is to busy (ie: lots of information, graphics, text, etc) - It is.
Use the KISS formula: Keep It Short and Simple
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SFC Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist
1
1
0
Each slide should be easy to understand, and the ONLY words on them should be labels and titles.

if there are words on the screen then the instructor is useless. The instructor should teach the class, should own the class, should run the class. the slideshow is an AID and only an AID.

the exception to this that I can see is the summary slide, a list is acceptable here.

Now you say briefing. The way the military likes briefings is all the information. WITHOUT YOU. They expect you to give it to them verbally so they can turn around and repeat it verbatim without having to actually know firsthand what is going on. Likely to brief a higher or lower echelon on a plan or report.

Did that help?
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SGT Howitzer Section Chief
1
1
0
I like to incorporate videos into my presentations. I usually start off with a short video (none over 3 minutes) to catch their attention and then I try to have an attention grabber after every "smoke break" which I do about every 50 minutes in a presentation or class. I try and get my Marines involved as much as possible with them reading the slides or discussing the pictures on the slide.
Some topics have no hope of being entertaining. Luckily as a field MP and Nonlethal instructor I get some pretty interesting stuff and have some good videos.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CPT Zachary Brooks
1
1
0
I have been put in charge of safety for my BN and am required to give a quarterly briefing on it. I try to incorporate some light hearted humor and audience interaction into the briefing to help keep everyone engaged and awake.
(1)
Comment
(0)
SPC James Mcneil
SPC James Mcneil
>1 y
Light hearted humor is an excellent way to connect with audiences. Just remember to uncover the humor that is there instead of trying to add humor. It works better.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Scott McBride
0
0
0
Ha ha, tips to be more interesting? I wish I did. Depending on your audience, you might get away with a funny picture or two relevant to the briefing...most decks are pretty standard already for command style briefing, but you may have some latitude when it comes to team or individual training. Avoid to much animation and over crowding of slides. Limit your bullet comments to only the items you want to highlight, the person at the head of the table probably already knows your slide anyway so make sure you speak to it intelligently and leave out the fluff. You have some great input on this thread. Good luck. Army Strong!
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Greg Murry
0
0
0
Some people take in information by hearing so you talk. Some people take in information by seeing, hence the powerpoint. Some people take in information by feeling and since we can no longer slap the snot out of them about a third of our audience will never get the message
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
PO2 Aviation Electronics Technician (At)
0
0
0
Funny you should ask! I'm actually taking a speech course and just learned about it, the key is to try and rely more on your speech and less on the PowerPoint as possible, have note cards and a speech outline and use short messages with your PowerPoint to drive home the points you are making.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SSgt James Howerton
0
0
0
I know this is a bit off the way the topic was meant, but for me the biggest "attention getter" I ever had was once when I had a regularly weekly operations briefing scheduled to present to some Officers in my unit (I was an E-4 at the time) and in walked a two-star Marine General. Although he was extremely gracious to everyone in the room, myself included, his entering definitely got my attention. I remember at the time thinking, "Please Lord, let my alignment be correct." By alignment I mean the military alignment of a Marine Corps uniform. Luckily, it was and everything went smoothly.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Greg Murry
0
0
0
Know what you're talking about--really!
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MAJ Jeff Coulter
0
0
0
The purpose of Powerpoint is to provide bullets that facilitate discussion/lecturing. Do NOT try to put everything you have to say on a slide, and for the love of all that's holy, DO NOT read your slide(s) to the audience. That can get you killed.
(0)
Comment
(0)
LTC Battalion Commander
LTC (Join to see)
>1 y
Amen brother!
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
PO2 Maxwell Jones
0
0
0
I was lead refrigerant tech on the boat (SSN) and so I ended up doing all engineering department and ship's training for refrigerant systems, and all training required a power point. Because other than a picture of the refrigeration cycle, the power point didn't really do much good, I liked to choose obnoxious color combinations for the unimportant slides (most of them). Blaze orange and lime green, yellow and magenta, dark grey and light yellow, and lime green and hot pink became my go-to colors for slides that I didn't actually want people to focus on because the information was better explained with a white board and interactive discussion.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
PFC Michael Sims
0
0
0
Do you have access to a graphic designer?
(0)
Comment
(0)
LT Jessica Kellogg
LT Jessica Kellogg
>1 y
Fortunately, I am a graphic designer.
(1)
Reply
(0)
PFC Michael Sims
PFC Michael Sims
>1 y
Lol, Aw too easy. Use Adobe flash, and you could possibly get away with using Adobe After effects. Do you know how to use these programs? I am in school for graphic design now I graduate next year. I could try to help out.
(0)
Reply
(0)
PFC Michael Sims
PFC Michael Sims
>1 y
Ma'am I also did not consider the time it takes to put together such presentation. I feel that power point could be very useful and as a lower enlisted personnel, I would recommend using video, I think information could be relayed a lot easier this way simply because it can be a lot more engaging or easier to grab and maintain attention.
(0)
Reply
(0)
LT Jessica Kellogg
LT Jessica Kellogg
>1 y
Thanks. I think, given more time, it would be better as a video (I really want to make one of those whiteboard animation videos), but I'm not sure if I can pull off a good product this quickly.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
CW5 Sam R. Baker
0
0
0
The photo cracks me up! WHY? My daughter is a Midshipman and she says that the Naval Academy thrives on sleep deprivation!
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Cpl Robert Clark
0
0
0
I suggest adding a voice over.
(0)
Comment
(0)
SFC Intelligence Analyst   Atl
SFC (Join to see)
>1 y
By William Shatner?
(3)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
TSgt Scott Hurley
0
0
0
Add animations and hope for the best....
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CPT Platoon Leader
0
0
0
That is a horrible picture. I've always liked a power point that started with a video. It draws the viewer in and creates a interactive learning environment. Try to use good illustrations and pictures. Maybe throw some sounds and transitions that do not distract from the subject matter. I can however remember a presentation I had to give on COIN( Counter-insurgency) and sometimes there is no way around the boredom. Best thing you can do is give breaks, ask someone from your audience to read the slides, and pray information is retained.
(0)
Comment
(0)
SGM Robin Johnson
SGM Robin Johnson
>1 y
Sir, I have been assigned many of those 'boring' topics as well, and will share the viewpoint that helped me in case it is useful for you in the future. Even if boring at the outset, I know that it must be needed for a reason, and I went back to why was it necessary and what was the use for the Army and the unit and the Soldier? Kind of like the old METL crosswalk. From that, I could derive some rationale for the importance to the audience, and build on that. And the enthusiasm the speaker brings to a subject carries over. It may not do the job entirely but it is a starting point and it helps.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.