Here's an article citing evidence as to why bullet points in presentations are bad news for the audience.
https://blog.slideshare.net/2015/08/31/the-scientific-reason-why-bullets-are-bad-for-presentations/
What other tips do you have for giving presentations more impact?
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Replies
Lines of text do not visually engage
They are hard to process and take in
The presenter tends to use the points as a guide and merely reads from the slides
After a couple of slides they all merge in to one
Boring unengaging and disappointing.
No interaction with the audience until questions at the end (if people are still awake)
Presentations that provide an impact.
Tell a story
Use images instead of bullets. A set of carefully chosen images will stick in memory longer.
Get audience to participate early on....ask questions of them, ask them to discuss key themes and ask for input. Don't be afraid of this and an allow time for this. Don't wait for the end.
What are the key points you need to make ...what's most relevant for your audience? Make sure that's the focus and cut the waffle.
Use humour...be dynamic and brave and look ppl in the eye.
Move around the room don't feel like you have to be stuck next to the computer - invest in a clicker so it frees you up to move around.
Know your content so you don't have to read of the screen. I mean really know your content - practice practice and practice some more.
Use supporting handouts with more detail so ppl can refer to it later if they want ..
Enjoy it and look like your enjoying it. Enthusiasm inspires greatness
Any more tips out there?
Hi Mike, great points made. I did smile a little that without the bullets being there, the above was still a list! It shows how we are so used to using this method in our communication and when illustrating alternatives!
I completely agree with the create aspects you present; I too use pictures or cartoons on screen whenever I can, the more abstract the better! I work within a Clinical Research Organisation so this approach is challenged however, produces great conversation! Thanks for the other tips.
Laughing, Busted! Although I was doing this from my phone which doesn't have formatting (in my defence) however the points would still be a list with or without the ticks or circles :(
Have you had a look at or used Prezi before Jo? It offers some interesting ways of presenting visual presentations. Worth a look if you haven't seen it already.
I really like these points, Mike. Big take-away is to know how to use slides as visual support.
Hello there gentlemen,
I agree fully. I am a firm believer in that stories are the currency of human contact. Eye contact is paramount; difficult to achieve when you are pointing to a screen with your back to the audience.
Definitely Emma-Jane the audience want to feel connected to you and they can't do this if your head is down reading notes or looking at a screen. Jamil Qureshi yesterday connecting with the audience really well - no slides just flip charts and stories with injections of humour. Just really authentic and genuine chap. Who knows his stuff.
Yes to this, Emma-Jane. We need to think about the story we want to tell and work out how the slides will help do that.