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Microsoft Powerpoint

Master PowerPoint Presentations

Published by Pearson

Beginner to advanced content levelBeginner to advanced

Create more effective slide presentations that command attention

  • Use proven design principles to improve your slide presentation content, without requiring you to be an artist
  • Create effective presentations regardless of the software tool you use
  • Build on the theories taught in Larry’s live training titled, “How to Be an Effective Presenter,” with specific techniques you can use to make your PowerPoint slides more compelling and results oriented

This live training course showcases how to use PowerPoint to create a slide deck that attracts and holds the attention of an audience, and then drives your points home in ways they will remember and act on. You learn how to use PowerPoint to support your presentation, not distract from or replace you.

In the companion live training course, “How to Be an Effective Presenter,” trainer Larry Jordan presents the theory behind speaking techniques and presentation design. In this course, he puts that theory to work to create compelling presentations. PowerPoint does a lot. In fact, it does too much. It is easy to get distracted by all the tools and options that lead you to create presentations that are bloated, unfocused, and ultimately ineffective.

What you’ll learn and how you can apply it

By the end of the live online course, you’ll understand:

  • How to apply proven design techniques to create PowerPoint presentations that deliver the results you need
  • What design elements and content make for an effective PowerPoint slide
  • How to use your slides to reinforce, not replace, you in your presentation
  • The difference between a presentation slide and a handout

And you’ll be able to:

  • Design a compelling PowerPoint slide deck that helps you deliver your message without detracting from you as the presenter
  • Use slide design and content to create an impactful presentation
  • Create memorable messages that resonate with your audience

This live event is for you because...

  • You need to communicate with others using presentation slides
  • You need to use design tools effectively but you aren’t a designer or an artist
  • You’re a project lead, developer, engineer, manager, or team collaborator who can benefit by improving communication skills

Prerequisites

  • There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Set-up

  • None required

Recommended Preparation

  • While it is not required, attendees will benefit by attending “How to Be an Effective Presenter” live online training on O’Reilly, which will provide a strong understanding of the design concepts discussed in this class.

Recommended Follow-up

Schedule

The time frames are only estimates and may vary according to how the class is progressing.

Hour 1: Planning and Design Review(50 minutes)

Planning the presentation

  • Why are you doing this?
  • What is your goal?
  • What do you want the audience to remember?
  • What do you want the audience to do?

Working with photos and images

  • The rules of copyright
  • Images tell stories
  • Images convey emotions
  • The Three Keys to select an appropriate image

Design Guide

  • Guiding where the viewer’s eye looks
  • Overview of visual literacy (interpreting images)
  • The importance of understanding the frame and framing

Summary

Q & A

Break (10 minutes)

Hour 2: Design Tools(50 minutes)

Understanding fonts and typefaces

  • Pick the right font for your subject
  • How to use different fonts effectively
  • Font design secrets

Working with charts

  • Avoid “ChartJunk”
  • How to create effective charts and tables
  • How to avoid “Death by PowerPoint”
  • How to convey complex information clearly without overwhelming the audience

Key Point: Don’t panic. PowerPoint is vast and it is easy to get overwhelmed!

Introduction to PowerPoint

  • The Interface
  • Goal: Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS)
  • Pick the right template for the room you will be in
  • Pick the right template
  • When to use a design alternative
  • Create and modify a basic text graphic

Working with a color palette

Summary

Q & A

Break (10 minutes)

Hour 3: Hands-on with PowerPoint (50 minutes)

Working with Templates

  • Modify an existing template
  • Create your own template

Adding Images

  • Applying the “6 Priorities That Guide the Eye”
  • Design slides that guide the eye
  • Adding and modifying images

When (and IF) to add advanced features like animation

  • Consider your goal
  • Consider your audience

Rehearsal Techniques

  • Pecha Kucha talks
  • The PowerPoint Coach
  • Recording a timed presentation

Deliver The Presentation

  • Use PowerPoint in the real-world
  • Add speaker’s notes
  • Presentation keyboard shortcuts
  • Integrate slides with your talk

Summary

Q & A

Course wrap (5 minutes)

Your Instructor

  • Larry Jordan

    Larry Jordan is a producer, director, editor, author, teacher, and Apple Certified Trainer in Digital Media with more than 45 year’s media experience with national broadcast and corporate credits. Based in Boston, he’s a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America. He’s been recognized with awards as an “Industry Innovator” and “Top Corporate [Media] Producers in America.” An Adjunct Professor at USC from 2011-2020, he’s written eleven books on media and software, thousands of technical tutorials, and created hundreds of hours of video training. His latest book is: “Techniques of Visual Persuasion.” Visit his website at: LarryJordan.com.