11 Steps To Presentations - Page 3 of 4
By: Geetesh Bajaj
Date Created:
Last Updated: February 25th 2009
Step 5 - Attempt
Step 6 - Architecture
Step 7 - Navigation
Step 5 - Attempt
An 'attempt' is to place all your content in the presentation in a linear way - we'll talk about interactivity later. Once all your stuff is laid out, you'll be able to obtain a 'rough-cut' of your presentation. You can try out builds and transitions and ascertain which looks or works the best. Set out manual or automatic timings - edit the contents if they don't seem proper or lack flow. Now's the time to scrap out the 'un-required' and input new content. Again, and again...!
Step 6 - Architecture
Decide where you need new slides, or if the presentation needs a thorough reorganization. Maybe, you need to delete parts of the presentation.
If a single slide looks too cluttered, delve into the possibilities of splitting
the content into two or more slides.
Check the readability of your text - try playing with the size, strength, colours
and shadows - view from close quarters and from various distances. Also, maintain
uniform text styles and sizes across slides. Avoid using more than two font
styles in the whole slide show - this of course, does not include dingbat fonts!
Step 7 - Navigation
Interactivity is expected nowadays - it is specially attractive considering
the fact that you can combine it with a linear presentation.
A navigation structure is rarely required for a linear presentation - since
all presentation programs have shortcut keys to proceed to the next or previous
slides, or to start the entire presentation from the beginning. On the Windows
platform, most of these options are available by a right-click of the mouse
during a showing. However, adding interactivity takes so little effort that
there seems little justification in avoiding it. In real terms, this means
that clicking an object or text onscreen will activate a link to another part
of the presentation or elsewhere.
I always incorporate a few hidden links for my clients - the logos on each
page always hyperlink to the start of the presentation - this usually is slide
no 5 or 6 in my case, since I use the earlier slides as a 'multimedia build'
to begin the showing.
If you require a whole-lot-more of interactivity, then you are using the 'wrong'
software - you need to understand the limitations of presentation software
and take a good look at multimedia software like Director, ToolBook, Dazzler,
Illuminatus, etc.
