#20529
Visuals When You Have No Visuals
You have just been asked to to give a 30-45 minute speech at a conference and there is absolutely no time to put visuals together for it. You're panicked at the thought of boring these people to death. What can you do? Use Word pictures.
Miller, Anne. Presenters University (2003). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric>Microsoft PowerPoint
#20539
Web Delivery of PowerPoint Presentations 
There are many different ways you can deliver a presentation. You can make an on-screen presentation using a laptop or desktop computers and a multimedia projector, you can use an overhead with transparencies, you can generate paper printouts and use a flip chart, or even present using 35mm slides. But, with the amazing growth of the World Wide Web, more and more people are opting to copy their presentations to the Internet. PowerPoint has built in facilities that allow you to convert your PowerPoint presentations to a series of web pages that can be published to the Internet or an Intranet then viewed by anyone with a Web browser!
Presenters University (2001). Articles>Presentations>Software>Microsoft PowerPoint
#27592
Web-Based Alternatives to PowerPoint
Presentation software has been stuck in neutral forever. Web applications, however, are firing on all cylinders. Some say Word and Excel are about to be Web 2.0 roadkill. Not me. The browser can’t yet substitute for those applications. But for PowerPoint? Any day now.
Udell, Jon. InfoWorld (2006). Articles>Presentations>Software>Web Design
#24783
Welcome to the Third Dimension: Spatial Elements in Exhibit Design 
Modern exhibit design and conventional technical communication are both concerned with verbal and visual presentation of information. Another aspect, not relevant to written technical communication but fundamental to exhibit design is the use of 3dimensional space. This paper examines two spatial elements in exhibit design: Visitor circulation patterns and the scale of displays. Circulation patterns are the paths taken by visitors through the exhibit area. Scale refers to the size of exhibits and architectural features in relation to the size of the average visitor. By comparing two visitor center exhibits that take very different approaches, I will argue that these spacial elements carry meaning and, like any other message, they can influence the thoughts, feelings, and actions of spectators.
Jackson, Patricia. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Presentations>Visual Rhetoric
#14946
At some point in your career, you will find it necessary to do a speech or presentation. Sound scary? Something you're not sure you can do? Let's take a look at how to write a successful speech that will get the results you want.
Turner, Gordon. STC Williamette Valley (2002). Articles>Rhetoric>Presentations
#18373
Your Success Depends On the Invisible Work of Thousands
The next time you give a presentation and everything in the room works the way it is supposed to, there are thousands of people you should thank before patting yourself on the back for a job well done. Because if your presentation goes off without a hitch, it means that the people who designed the room, built it, integrated it, furnished it, lit it, developed the technology for it – not to mention the folks who manufactured and distributed the light switches, bulbs, wiring cables, marker pens, paper clips, coffee, cookies and everything else that goes into a successful presentation – all did their jobs, so you could do yours.
Simons, Tad. Presentations (2002). Articles>Presentations
#32347
Storyboarding PowerPoint 2003 Presentations to Video and DVD
More and more people are asking how to burn their Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 presentations to DVD. Using PowerPoint and a DVD, you have an easy method of getting your message out, whether as a training video or a digital business card promoting your products or services. And your audience can view your material at home as well as in their offices.
Microsoft (2006). Articles>Presentations>Multimedia>DVD
#32370
Lecture Capture: No Longer Optional?
Lecture capture has been gaining momentum in recent years, but that momentum is being outpaced by student demand. According to new research released this week by the University of Wisconsin-Madison involving about 7,500 undergraduate and graduate students, an overwhelming 82 percent of students said they would prefer courses that offer online lectures over traditional classes that do not include an online lecture component. The researchers also pointed out the implications for these findings extend well beyond the classroom.
Nagel, David. Campus Technology (2008). Articles>Education>Presentations>Video
#32380
PowerPoint is standard… …but bad. Why?
Swartz, Aaron. Aaron Swartz Weblog (2007). Articles>Presentations>Software>Microsoft PowerPoint
#32654
Presenting: Preparation, Process, and Pizzazz
Never dive into creating your presentation without knowing the constraints within which you are working, as they can really alter how you present. When I started to prepare for my presentation, I had to ruthlessly narrow down what my goals for speaking were before I tackled the nitty gritty.
Alcantara, Lea. Digital Web Magazine (2008). Articles>Presentations
#33328
Building Presentations From the Ground Up, Part 2
I’ll discuss how Aaron and I get ready to give a presentation, how we actually deliver one, and what happens afterwards.
Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2008). Articles>Presentations
#33341
Building Presentations, From the Ground Up, Part 1
A look at how two technical communicators plan and prepare presentations.
Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2008). Articles>Presentations>Planning
#33541
Have Demo, Will Travel: Presenting Demos Outside the Studio
When I was asked to write about the process in which I show demos of my company’s work, I initially thought of what I used several years ago to show clients my samples—a time when DVDs didn't even exist and my home office setup was not such that I could do demos effectively there. Those were days when I had to travel to a meeting with a VCR deck, a tube-style TV, a bunch of cables, a cart to carry everything on, and, of course, VHS tapes, all properly rewound to the correct starting points.
Levy, Marshall. Event DV (2008). Articles>Presentations>Multimedia>Video
#33790
Way Beyond PowerPoint: XML-Driven SVG for Presentations
Microsoft PowerPoint is ubiquitous, and therefore controversial. Most critiques, both of the software and of its widespread adoption in educational settings, express concerns that are not particular to PowerPoint alone, but apply to “slideware” presentations generally. The reliance on sequences and hierarchies of bullet points (a poor means of presenting some kinds of complex information), the foregrounding of visual gimmicks over content, the displacement of attention from the speaker and her message onto summary arguments presented dumbly on screen: far from being necessary features of presentation technology, these (according to the critics) prove to be shortcomings that interfere with, rather than enhance, a presenter's ability to communicate. This paper presents an alternative to slideware, in the form of SVG graphics used for presentation.
Piez, Wendell. IDEAlliance (2004). Articles>Presentations>XML>SVG
#33860
Tips for Presenting Ethics Practices
Because the nature of ethics information is highly abstract and related to integrity, it is based upon judgment and therefore subject to varying interpretations by employees. To increase common understanding and consistent interpretations, the use of language, choice of words, sentence formation, and presentation style are important.
Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Presentations>Ethics>Policies and Procedures
#33876
What Makes a Good Presentation?
I'm definitely not the greatest presenter around. While I like to think I’m improving in this area, there are still holes in my game. Still, I was somewhat flattered. And it kind of fed my then-depleted ego to be asked this question, and the others that surrounded it. What follows are the points that I tried to get across.
Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2009). Articles>Presentations
#33878
New Research Shows That Speaking Can Enhance Your Career
People perceive someone who speaks up as a competent leader - regardless of whether they actually are competent. That’s the finding of a fascinating research study that has just been reported online at Time.
Mitchell, Olivia. Speaking About Presenting (2009). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric
#34016
Ten Commandments of Storytelling
You may not have known your presentations have protagonists, but they do (or should). And whether the protagonist is you, your product, your cause or even your audience, IT must be primarily responsible for the major benefit or crisis you are trying to convey. If you’re selling a product or service, let it demonstrate exactly what it does. If you’re asking for funds, the audience may be the protagonist. Make it clear that they are the key to making it all happen.
Martin, Jill. slide:ology (2009). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric
#34043
Eight Things I Learnt About Using Twitter as a Participation Tool: Speaking About Presenting
I presented a session remotely at the Presentation Camp at Stanford University, California. My session was on “How to engage your audience with Twitter” and I tried to do exactly that during my presentation. Here’s what I learnt from my experience.
Mitchell, Olivia. Speaking About Presenting (2009). Articles>Presentations>Community Building>Social Networking
#34128
Some Web entrepreneurs have made strides by developing Web-based tools for creating slides. The four that this TechTip highlights have a number of things in common.
Nesbitt, Scott. Tech-Tips (2009). Articles>Presentations>Online
#34138
The Power Presenter: Three Tips That Transformed My Last Presentation
As a presenter, I feed off the energy of the audience. I used to think that the audience determined the energy in the room, but after applying some of Jerry Weissman’s principles, I learned the presenter has more control over the room than I previously thought.
Duarte (2009). Articles>Presentations>Advice
#34196
Creating Marketing Slides for Engineering Presentations 
Defines basic sales terms. Explores ways to use text and illustrations to create engineering marketing slides. Examines six methods of strengthening the persuasiveness of engineering marketing slides.
Jennings, Ann S. Technical Communication Online (2009). Articles>Presentations>Marketing>Engineering
#34197
Managing Three Mediation Effects that Influence PowerPoint Deck Authoring
Reviews the extreme claims that have been made about PowerPoint. Sets forth practical design ideas that are especially applicable to technical presentations. Explains three ways in which PowerPoint can subtly influence the intended meaning of deck authors and shows how these problems can be addressed.
Farkas, David K. Technical Communication Online (2009). Articles>Presentations
#34283
You will not draw any slides—in fact do not even launch PowerPoint—until step eight, 80% of the way through the process. Typically, when you want to create a presentation, you open PowerPoint and start creating slides. Slide one, slide two, … slide seventeen… what I am trying to say again? Am I making my point?
Abela, Andrew. Extreme Presentation Method (2008). Articles>Presentations>Planning>User Centered Design
#34324
PowerPoint Presentations: Tips To Avoid Last Minute Surprises
The PowerPoint tips featured here are not about creating better or more effective presentations, instead they help you avoid any last minute surprises that may crop up when an eager audience is waiting to see your slide show.
Agarwal, Amit. Digital Inspiration (2007). Articles>Presentations>Advice
