| In my line of work, I find myself constantly | | | | has become so ubiquitous that I consider it |
| producing PowerPoint presentations. Sometimes | | | | part of a greater paradigm shift in |
| these are just individual slides (like a | | | | mainstream communication. The only problem is |
| diagram or case study), sometimes they are | | | | that this evolution is hindering |
| templates, and sometimes they are whole, | | | | communication. Like text messaging or |
| individual presentations. Most of my | | | | 200-pixel banner ads, the information is |
| PowerPoint work is completed at my day job | | | | compressed to a set of key buzzwords, |
| where I am an in-house designer, but my | | | | crippling the message by stripping the |
| freelancing alter ego occasionally comes | | | | skeleton of any meat. Bullet points become |
| across a client needing some presentational | | | | rapid-fire metadata. I give you the words |
| pick-up. Over the years, I have built and | | | | "purple" and "fish" -- you figure out what I |
| edited hundreds of PowerPoint files.I know a | | | | am trying to say.* Leverage your existing |
| lot of people think PowerPoint is the devil | | | | technology |
| incarnate, but in the corporate world, it is | | | | |
| an ubiquitous evil. To shake some of the | | | | * Realize rapid ROI |
| negative stereotypes, I apply traditional | | | | |
| design principals to make my company and | | | | * Streamlined implementationIs about as |
| clients look better than the competition.We | | | | meaningful as:* Parsed cabbage flux capacitor |
| go to 120 trade shows a year, and we present | | | | |
| at every single one. We also use Macromedia's | | | | * Disco glitter manifestation |
| Breeze for hundreds of online demos. Our | | | | |
| PowerPoint is often the first thing a | | | | * Expressive giraffe BLTMaybe a hundred |
| potential customer will see from us, so it is | | | | years ago those phrases denoted something, |
| critical (and easy) to make a good impression | | | | but by sheer repetition and abuse, the |
| before they even receive a | | | | PowerPoint generation has crushed the meaning |
| brochure.PowerPoint is used by nearly sales | | | | like 200,000 people at a Stones concert |
| guy on the planet, with a whole industry of | | | | trampling through a flower garden.In the same |
| accessories built around the presentation | | | | way a good logo supports a successful |
| guru / road warrior concept. It is employed | | | | identity program, good PowerPoint transcends |
| for downloadable or live web demos, and it is | | | | half-assed bullet points and reinforces the |
| even used (or abused, depending on your point | | | | speaker -- their personality, message and |
| of view) to pass along copy, concepts and | | | | purpose. It doesn't recycle the same, tired |
| notes between internal team members. With | | | | messaging over and over. Not only does it |
| this volume of use, PowerPoint slide design | | | | look awesome, good PowerPoint hammers home |
| becomes just another facet of a company's | | | | the presenter's message with unique phrasing, |
| identity program.From Chuck's Neighborhood | | | | interesting design elements and a certain |
| PeeCee Warehouse to Apple Computer, the local | | | | disregard for the status quo bullshit |
| cafe with the amazing bagels to Starbucks | | | | buzz-speak.All the flashy backgrounds, |
| Coffee, every business benefits from a unique | | | | painstaking animations and intense clipart |
| identity, a look and feel that separates them | | | | research are for nothing if the message has |
| from competition. The company logo is only a | | | | been gutted from the shell. So while I |
| small part. Corporate colors, type | | | | "design" PowerPoint, I design for the |
| treatments, illustration styles and repeated | | | | audience because I am focused on how they |
| graphic elements are all parts of the greater | | | | will react to the information.Kevin Potts is |
| whole. This identity is carried through to | | | | a successful freelance designer and is the |
| stationary, trade show graphics, packaging, | | | | webmaster of Blogging Articles and |
| advertising and yes, PowerPoint.The software | | | | ConsumerFriendly.org. |