You are working at your desk when suddenly a reminder pops up...15 minutes until the workshop report-out. Oh great. Another hour of your day wasted on some "death by PowerPoint" mumbled presentation that will only challenge your ability to stay awake. Awesome. You finish up your e-mail and head over to the largest conference room (oh great) and pray to the gods of meetings that they be merciful and kind. You look around the room and find a place where you can still Facebook on your iPhone but still kind of look like you're paying attention. The first speaker gets up and does not disappoint. He clicks through the PowerPoint in slow motion reading every bulleted point on the slide as if no one in the room is capable of comprehending his information any other way. There is no color, just an endless stream of black and white. Finally, after what seems like 50 slides and your "liking" several snarky memes on Facebook, the pain is over. That was crazy...the speaker droned on and on, no excitement, no personality, and absolutely forgettable. You hope that nothing important was said, although it would be hard to tell since it didn't seem like any point was more or less important that the others. Next up is another workshop participant who immediately grabs your attention. This presenter has put up a lively and interesting presentation that is colorful, professional, meaningful and brilliant. The bulleted points are just talking points and they are elaborated upon intelligently. There are different medias used and the examples are relatable and relevant. You forget all about the YouTube video of cats drinking out of the faucet you have queued up and really listen to what the speaker is saying. The important information is emphasized and there is even a quick question and answer segment because the presentation was timed to include that for the listeners. It was magical and you wish it had never ended! You look down at your clipboard and notice that you actually took notes! You actually learned something from the second presentation and you might even be able to help implement the idea because some of the help needed items are in your wheelhouse. The report-out is concluded and everyone heads back to their desks and there is a really cool collective vibe in the office because people are excited to get to work on this project.
And that is why good presentation design is important. A bad design is forgetful and loses people's interest. Whatever the presenter wanted to convey is lost and people just want it to be over. A good presentation design can grab the attention of the room and convey what the speaker wants the audience to know about their project. Putting the time and energy into thinking about the audience and what the presenter needs from them and then designing a presentation that appeals to the audience is pure art. It also creates an environment of synergy and excitement in the audience and when it's all over, the folks in the room leave with a positive attitude. Good presentation design is the well-oiled machine of success.
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