2. 2
foreword
Goal is just to share PowerPoint ‘tips & tricks’
You can agree or disagree with some statements
It’s just a ‘toolbox’
PowerPoint is just a tool. If content is not good, it cannot help
Objective is just to help you to…
Spend less time on layout & more on content
Make ‘better’ presentations
‘6S’ approach is just my own ‘proposal’…
Unrestricted
comments are welcome !
Jean-Luc
15. 15
useful short-keys
ctrl A
ctrl C
ctrl V
ctrl Z
ctrl Y
ctrl S
esc
fn
prt sc
f2
Select all
Copy
Paste
Undo
Re-do
Save
Select text
Escape
Print screen
shift enter ‘Line break’
15
18. 18
center this figure horizontally in < 1 min
Use shapes here-under
to center the figure
18Unrestricted
19. 19
speed
ctrl A
ctrl C
ctrl V
ctrl Z
ctrl Y
ctrl S
esc
fn
prt sc
f2
shift enter
+ + = 90% time saved !
Take some time to learn how to use toolbar & short-keys !
19
1st S
28. 28
fonts
Fonts type
Use ‘Georgia’, Arial’, ‘Helvetica’, ‘Veranda’ or ‘Calibri’
Use ‘Arial’ if lot of numbers
Use ‘black’ as default & ‘blue’ for ‘level 1 titles’
Font size (standard) : max 20 & min 12
Try to avoid bold, italic & underline
Bullets
Avoid ‘black’ or ‘white’ bullets
Different indentation levels = different bullets
Be coherent !
Always use same approach for font colors, font
size, bullets, etc.
Always use same approach for Majuscules, i.e.
− Either Majuscule at beginning of list
− or no majuscule at beginning of list
level 1 (size 18 /20)
level 2 (size 16 / 18)
− level 3 (size 14 / 16)
• level 4 (14)
level 1 (size 18)
• level 2 (size 16)
• level 3 (size 14)
● level 1 (size 18)
● level 2 (size 16)
● level 3 (size 14)
AVOID
EXAMPLE
28
29. 29
lines
¾ pt 2 ¼ ptNo line
¾ pt Solid
2 ¼ pt Solid
¾ pt Dash
2 ¼ pt Dash
No need for other types of lines
Use same line types in entire presentation
29
31. 31
how to resize a shape
text
text
1. Select shape
2. Resize shape with ‘yellow diamond’
3. Find ‘right shape’
31
32. 32
always align & ‘distribute’ shapes in a slide
text
text
text
text
Not OK
text
text
text
text
OK
32
33. 33
pictures
Using pictures is complex
It’s difficult to find the ‘right’ picture
Presentations with pictures take lot of time
Pictures are only useful if you want to make a ‘show’
Most of the time, you just don’t need pictures for internal presentations but just in case…
Don’t use pictures found on Internet (for professional use)
Only use PowerPoint ‘Clip Arts’ (unless you can access specialized images database)
39. 39
tables
Table Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4
Line 1 xxx xxx xxx xxx
Line 2 xxx xxx xxx xxx
Line 3 xxx xxx xxx xxx
Line 4 xxx xxx xxx xxx
Line 5 xxx xxx xxx xxx
Tables are really a problem in PowerPoint
Try not to use standard ‘table option’ if possible
Prefer to create your own table (with ‘Rectangle’ shapes)
40. 40
insert Excel tables in PowerPoint
Prefer to paste Excel tables as pictures in PowerPoint
• Select Table in Excel
• Press ‘SHIFT’ & select ‘Copy Picture…’ in ‘Edit’ menu
• Use standard parameters by default
• Go to PowerPoint
• Paste Table (CTRL+V)
1 2 3
If possible, better to create
own table in PowerPoint
41. 41
Paste Excel charts as pictures in PowerPoint
1. Check that font size in graph is > 10 pt
2. Select graph in Excel
3. Press ‘SHIFT’ & select ‘Copy Picture…’ in ‘Edit’ menu
4. Use standard parameters by default
5. Go to PowerPoint
6. Paste graph (CTRL+V)
insert Excel charts in PowerPoint
2 3 4
42. 42
need to insert > 1 Excel chart in PowerPoint ?
Chart
0
2
4
6
8
10
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8 Row 9 Row...
Chart
0
2
4
6
8
10
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8 Row 9 Row...
Not enough space on the
slide, isn’t it ?
43. 43
so you’ve just ‘re-sized’ the charts
Are you sure it’s still possible to read them ?
Chart
0
2
4
6
8
10
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8 Row 9 Row...
Chart
0
2
4
6
8
10
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 8 Row 9 Row...
47. 47
why not to use animations ?
1. Animations = lot of time unless good PowerPoint skills
2. Animations = problems with mouse during presentation (Murphy’s law I)
3. Animations = PC & mouse far from you during presentation (Murphy’s law II)
4. Animations = ‘show’, not ‘facts’
Avoid animations when possible !
51. 51
avoid titles having more than 1 line because it’s
difficult to read them & because it will break the
‘uniformity’ of your presentation
52. 5252
Only exception = titles + sub-titles
(no majuscule for titles & Majuscule for sub-titles)
titles & sub-titles
Sub-title = summary of slide in 1 sentence
54. 54
slide title must reflect slide content !
Always check that slide title really reflects slide content !
55. 55
make your ‘own’ body
When you creare a new slide…
• Create your own ‘boby’ = ‘rectangle’ with following attibutes
− ‘Colors & Lines‘
• color = ‘NoFill’
• line = ‘No line’
− ‘Text Box’
• ‘Text anchor Point’ = Top
• ‘Internal margins’ (left, right, top, bottom) = 0,1’ or 0,05’’
• ‘Word wrap text in Autoshape’ checked
• No other option ‘checked’
• Adapt margins !
Never use standard ‘Title and Text’ template
56. 56
body
Avoid very long text in the body of your presentation especially if it will be projected to a
large audience. Use ‘Increase Paragraph Spacing’ command to make the text more
readable. Be sure to adapt the text indentation when you go to a new line. Text must
always be aligned. Be as simple as possible.
Avoid very long text in the body of your presentation especially if it will be projected to a
large audience. Use ‘Increase Paragraph Spacing’ command to make the text more readable.
Be sure to adapt the text indentation when you go to a new line. Text must always be
aligned. Be as simple as possible
• Avoid very long text
• Use to make text more readable
• Text must always be aligned
• Be as simple as possible
57. 57
simplicity
The goals of this project if to identify the possible areas of improvement for the
development of a new approach for the definition and the revision of the new
processes that will be launched in the future and to define the impacts of this
new approach on the current structure of our company.
Goals
Identify improvements for definition & revision of new processes
Define impacts on current company structure
Keep it simple !
• Be as simple as possible : go directly to the point
• Avoid articles (the, a, …) ; use ‘&’ instead of ‘and’
• Never > 2 lines in one paragraph (except for executive summary)
2nd S
58. 58
always check if slide is readable when printed
remember this ?
People usually print
(business)
presentations
59. 59
Find at least 7 ‘mistakes’ in this slide
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
60. 60
Find at least 7 ‘mistakes’ in this slide
Text
Text
Text
Text
Text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
• any text any text any text any text
any text any text any text any text
2. Different spacing
1. Font <> Standard font
3. Slide limits
not respected
5. ‘White’ bullet
4. Text not aligned
6. Shape not resized
7. Text in bold, italic, not standard font, same
color as in other shapes, > 2 lines, …
69. 69
visualize presentation
1. Take a ‘A4’ sheet of paper
2. Draw 10 ‘rectangles’ (= if ’10’ slides)
3. Write ‘1. Introduction’ in 1st rectangle
4. Write ’10 Conclusions’ in last rectangle
5. Write just one idea on remaining slides
6. Make a ‘story’ with coherent story line
1
10
Introduction
Conclusions
Always visualize your presentation
70. 70
story
A presentation is a STORY
You have to make a ‘scenario’ with
1. STRONG start (attract attention)
2. Coherent story line (no flash-back)
3. ACTION !!! (keep public awake)
4. Suspense & surprises (retain interest)
5. Happy end ! (of course…)
Good presentation needs good ‘Story’
6th S
71. 71
6S PowerPoint Summary
Speed customized toolbar & short-keys
Simplicity simplify everything
Scope think about context
Schedule always respect timing
Structure 1 slide = 1 idea
Story make your scenario
73. 73
how to ‘recover’ a color if you’re lucky ?
Solution #1 (= when you’re lucky)
1. Select a figure having the color you want
2. Check if color in ‘Fill Color’ palette
3. If color is in ‘Fill Color’ palette, just select the color
74. 74
Solution #2 (= when you’re not lucky)
1. Select a figure having the color you want
2. Check if color in ‘Fill Color’ palette
3. If color is not in ‘Fill Color’ palette, click on ‘More Fill Color’
4. Double click on ‘New’. Now the color is in ‘Fill Color’ palette
how to ‘recover’ a color if you’re not lucky ?
77. 77
transparency
Transparency allows…
Nice effects when correctly used
But most of the time
Transparency = bad surprise when presentation is printed
You can make the same effect with standard colors
78. 78
colors effects
Colors effects are cool but usually…
Colors effects take lots of time
Bad surprise when presentation is printed
83. 83
template : table of content
1
2
3
4
5
Chapter 1 title
• Description of chapter 1
Chapter 2 title
• Description of chapter 2
Chapter 3 title
• Description of chapter 3
Chapter 4 title
• Description of chapter 4
Chapter 5 title
• Description of chapter 5
84. 84
template : table of content
Chapter 1 title
Chapter 2 title
Chapter 3 title
Chapter 4 title
Chapter 5 title
90. 90
template : 10 slides for Senior Management
Structure
- Title
- Executive summary
- Agenda
Scope
Status
Issue(s)
Solution(s)
Requirements / Developments needed
Risks & opportunities
Financials / Figures
What if NO GO / -30% investments / GO
Planning & next steps
Decisions needed
- Backup
Items on Title slide
Date
(presentation to xxx)
Unrestricted / Internal Use Only / Confidential
(Name) / Department / (Company)
For information / For decision / For discussion
Mandatory items on all slides
Slide number
Unrestricted / Internal Use Only / Confidential / …
20 min presentation
with executive summary