Advanced Presentation Skills

Creating an Effective Presentation

1. Minimize: Keep slides counts to a minimum to maintain a clear message and to keep the audience attentive. Remember that the presentation is just a visual aid. Most information should still come from the reporter.

2.Clarity: Avoid being to fancy by using font style that is easy to read. Make sure that it is also big enough to be read by the audience. Once you start making your presentation, consider how big the screen is during your report.

3.Simplicity: Use bullets or short sentences. Summarize the information on the screen to have your audience focus on what the speaker is saying than on reading the slide. Limit the content to six lines and seven words per line. This is known as the 6 x 7 rule.

4. Visual: Use graphics to help in your presentation but not too many to distract the audience. In addition, instead of using table of data, use charts and graphs.

5. Consistency: Make your design uniform. Avoid having different font styles and backgrounds.

6. Contrast: Use a light font on dark background or vice versa. This is done so that it is easier to read. In most instances, it is easier to read on screen if the background is dark. This is due to the brightness of the screen.

Below is a sample output for a Presentation:

                                         

                                             

                                               

                         

                              

                                             

                                                

                                       

Using Hyperlinks in Microsoft PowerPoint

Using hyperlinks in your presentation is an easy way to navigate slides during your presentation. 

 1. In Normal view, select the text, shape, or picture that you want to use as a hyperlink. 

2. On the Insert tab, in the Links group, click Hyperlink.

3. In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, under Link to, click Place in This Document.

Link Options: 

• Existing File or Web Page- creates a hyperlink to a website or a local file saved in  your hard  drive. Just browse your file in the dialog box or type the web address.
• Place in this Document- creates a hyperlink that once clicked, creates a new document on your specified location.
• E-mail Address- creates a hyperlink that opens Microsoft Outlook that automatically adds your specified recipient on a new email.

4. Do one of the following:

• To link to a slide in the current presentation, under Select a place in this document, click the slide that represents the hyperlink destination.
• To link to a custom show (a select group of slides) in the current presentation, under Select a place in this document, under Custom Shows, click the custom show that represents the hyperlink destination. Then, select the Show and return check box.

Embedding Objects in Microsoft PowerPoint

Embedding objects is easy using Microsoft PowerPoint. With this option, you can insert an Excel file that would look like a table to a presentation.

Embedding an Excel File to your Slide Presentation

1. Go to the Insert Tab.

2. On the Test group, click on Object.

3. The Insert Object dialog box would appear.

Options:

a. Creates New- creates a new file from scratch. You can select on a wide variety of files listed.

b. Creates from file- creates a file from existing file saved on  your hard drive, simply browse the file to use it. Putting a check on the "link" option will allow you to modify the Excel file inside your presentation.

4. Once you are done. Click OK.