Presenting content is a necessary part of any classroom training session. However, the focus on PowerPoint has created an environment where we as trainers run the risk of over-presenting content and under-delivering training. Here are three tips to keep your use of PowerPoint participant friendly.
TIP #1: Limit the number of slides.
I have talked with many trainers who refer to their PowerPoint slides as “decks.” There are 52 cards in a deck … of playing cards, but when it comes to training, less is more. I think of it this way. Less presentation allows for more practice. Presentation only makes up about one third of your training time. The other two thirds are usually dedicated to application (practice) and feedback. Your participants need some time to “do” what you’re teaching them. One of the best ways to ensure this happens is to limit the number of slides by using one slide for each segment of content. Considering the recommendation that only 20 minutes of each hour be dedicated to presentation, probably 4 or 5 slides per hour would cover the material well. Keep in mind, if you use a demonstration, you may not need the PowerPoint slides at all.
TIP #2: Limit the amount of content per slide.
Visual aids are intended to assist the learners in receiving the content clearly. PowerPoint is not intended to be the instructor’s notes. Thankfully, we have lesson plans for those. For greatest impact, include minimal amounts of information on each slide. As a general rule, use 3 to 7 bullet points with only a word, phrase, or short sentence tied to each bullet. This technique allows the group to become engaged with the instructor to listen for the details of each point. If all of the information is contained on the slide, why not simply let the participants read the slides on their own time?
TIP #3: Turn off the display when slides are not being referenced.
We have a variety of participants in each classroom setting, and their level of attention may vary. However, we as trainers are like conductors. We can actually orchestrate the attention in the room. Simply stated, when you are not referencing a PowerPoint slide, turn the display off. I remember being a participant in a session where the “Welcome” slide stayed up for the entire first hour. We participated in introductions, covered basic content, and even completed activities all while the welcome slide remained on the screen. It was distracting. Allow your participants to focus on what you need them to focus on, every step of the way.
It is a challenge to keep the attention of your participants in any training session. If you follow these three tips, your participants are sure to avoid “Death by PowerPoint.” After all, why do you think they call them “Bullets” anyway?
Jim
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Jim,
Great advice.
I have come up with a couple of PowerPoint rules of my own.
The first is the “666PPT” rule to be used by presenters who refuse to follow your advice. This rule will ensure a nearly 100% “kill rate”.
1. Have ‘at least’ 6 bullet points per slide
2. Have a minimum of six sentences per bullet point
3. Use no larger than a 6 point serif font.
The other rule is the Lenny rule and is much more along the lines of your positive advice. Like Lenny of “Of Mice and Men”, keep each slide “Big & Simple”.
Turning off the slides when not being referenced is powerful!
Thank you, Jim! What a great reminder in the power of using PowerPoint intelligently! So often this tool is over-used and the more it’s used (at least in my organization) more it’s abused. The art and skill of facilitating should be propped with slide presentation, rather than become a crutch for a facilitator. PowerPoint should never be the training material, but the facilitator’s aid. Learners should be learning from their experience and actvities involved in the training. If reading a PowerPoint presentation to a group of adults is what defines a training session, then just print it off and let the learners do it themselves. It can be insulting to adult learners to have someone stand in front of a room and read bullet by bullet (6pt font or othewise), slide by slide, and call it training. This has long been a pet peeve of mine. Thanks for validating my beliefs!
This article made me completely rethink my approach on the training program I am currently working on. I’ve gone from about 60 PPT slides down to just 5 for a one day session. This is my favourite blog.
Thanks!
Excellent points.
For tips # 1 and #2 — I always add the ‘visual’ anchors ‘my visual’ learners !
Full page documents should never be incorporated into a slide. Instead, hyperlink to them and distribute as handouts
It’s funny that I would find and read this blog just two days after my work required me to go through all of our PowerPoint presentations for the year. I was required to tally up the number of slides I created for each course, and I found not a single course had less than 200 + slides! As one of their technical writers/graphic artists, the more slides I create, the better I look…it shows that I am working, right?!
However, as a brand new instructional design student, I find it interesting how many of my current work ideas and requirements are being challenged by my new instructional design course material, by instructional design blogs sites like this one from Langevin, and by other instructional design resources. As far as my work goes, I guess I have my work cut out for me if I am to follow the three tips presented in this blog.
Death by power point (PPT) is a reference I make daily – I am required to create and maintain slides and provide briefings as a an AF Instructor. I feel that the three points made about the content and how to use PPT is a good rule of thumb however – I also feel that presentation is a huge factor. PPT in my opinion can have a lot of information that way when students leave they have a good reference guide if the briefer is able to provide a outline or handout during or after the presentation. It is up to the briefer to convey what they want the student to take away and be able to apply by incorporating other tools. Being able to talk smartly about the content on the slides and not reading them will also help individuals focus on important information. Also by simply adding a video clip at good break points may help highlight a point and reengage students during long briefs.