{"id":932,"date":"2020-09-21T17:49:52","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T22:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onlc.com\/blog\/?p=932"},"modified":"2024-04-26T13:59:54","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T18:59:54","slug":"ppt-tips-and-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onlc.com\/blog\/ppt-tips-and-tricks\/","title":{"rendered":"PowerPoint Tips and Tricks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of us have either viewed or given a PowerPoint presentation at one time or another. Microsoft PowerPoint has been the most popular software for creating and delivering presentations on just about anything for decades. Even if you don\u2019t work in a so-called \u201cwhite-collar\u201d job, you probably at least have heard of PowerPoint. Most likely, you have also viewed a less than engaging, and possibly downright dull PowerPoint presentation and possibly have even given one because you didn\u2019t spend or have the time to explore all its functionality and features. However, you probably were still able to create an adequate presentation because despite being very robust and powerful, PowerPoint is very easy to learn and quite intuitive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bad presentations can be the result of any number of different pitfalls or overused patterns. How many presentations have you been subjected to that are nothing but endless slides of blatantly obvious bullet points that are little more than talking notes for the presenter that are read aloud word for word? Also, what about those terrible slide transitions that are at the same time underwhelming and distracting? Along this same vein are the constant starting and stopping for the inclusion of poorly done or off-topic videos and other forms of confusing multimedia attention breakers. Don\u2019t even get me started on boring, uncreative, elementary ClipArt splattered all over every slide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most ineffective presentations are caused by presenters who just don\u2019t take the time or have the time to spend learning how to properly use the software above its most rudimentary level. Most presenters are content with being able to create slides with a colored background that has bullet points dropped on them and that includes some if not all of the pitfalls discussed above. Probably the best way to learn how to create a dazzling, professional presentation is to enroll in a<\/span> PowerPoint course<\/span><\/a>. Short of that, though, let\u2019s take a look at some tips and tricks that can help to create engaging, insightful presentations that will help to drive your point home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Align Graphics on Your PowerPoint <\/b>
    \n<\/b>Align graphics and images easily with the <\/span>Format<\/b> command. Select the images or graphics that you wish to align and then use the <\/span>Format -> Align<\/b> menu command to arrange them. If you want to align multiple objects, hold down the Shift key while selecting each object.
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  2. To make the above tip even more effective, use the built-in gridlines and rulers provided by PPT. You can activate these alignment features by selecting the <\/span>View -> Guides<\/b> to show the center of the slide horizontally and vertically and then the <\/span>View -> Gridlines<\/b> command to provide a grid to snap the images to and help with alignment.<\/span><\/span>\"\"<\/li>\n
  3. Add Commands in PowerPoint for Efficiency
    \n<\/b>Add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar or Office Ribbon to make working with slides more efficient. To customize PowerPoint toolbars, simply right-click anywhere on the toolbar to bring up the context menu. From there you can modify the controls to make more sense for how you utilize them.\"\"<\/li>\n
  4. Below is a list of useful keyboard shortcuts that make working with slides much quicker and more efficient since you aren\u2019t spending time hunting down the right commands contained in the different toolbars and ribbon.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n