TN52 The perils of PowerPoint

First published on this website in December 2009 and last updated in October 2023

Synopsis

Whatever the question, PowerPoint is not always the answer! The notes show what often goes wrong when it is used as a teaching tool (for a talk or sermon).

Ten case studies are outlined to demonstrate dangers such as loss of eye contact, cramming too much print onto a slide, overusing gimmicks and an audience trying to write out each slide as it appears.

If you still want to use it, these notes provide seven basic principles to ensure that it acts as servant rather than master.

1. Default to no PowerPoint
2. See it as merely an aid
3. Keep it very simple
4. Hide it as far as you can
5. Let it show the plan
6. Back it up with hand-outs
7. Use it for visuals

A trainer wrote to me in response to these notes: "It has long been my belief that all who use projection systems should have been taught but so often this is not the case and if can defeat the whole purpose and the message is lost. Excellent set of notes, which cover lessons I was taught as a trainer. Let it be a tool not a distraction!"

These notes were updated in October 2023 with some changes to format.