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The Ten Commandments of Effective PowerPoint Presentations Professor Tonya M. Evans Widener University School of Law - Harrisburg

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Food for thought If you live by the PowerPoint youll die by the PowerPoint. --Adapted from quote by Stephen Stone If you live by the PowerPoint youll die by the PowerPoint. --Adapted from quote by Stephen Stone Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans2

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Admit it when a lawyer approaches a podium with a laptop, you think to yourself Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans3

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Oh NO!!!!!! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans4

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not another boring PPT! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans5

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But if you follow these ten commandments Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans6

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your presentation will be anything but boring. You will educate, inspire and succeed! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans7

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What does it mean to succeed? To bring excellence to PBI CLEs by: Providing high quality information Engaging the audience Inspiring attendees to a higher level of professional practice Igniting a spark to facilitate learning Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans8

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And now The Ten Commandments of Effective PowerPoint Presentations Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans9

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First Commandment Thou shalt not cram every detail into a slide. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans10

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Examples of too much text Basis of house is $40,000 and jointly owned Fair market value at death of first spouse - $800,000 - $900,000 If a taxable estate, minimize value to avoid 41% estate tax rate If non-taxable estate, report at highest rate and spouse may sell for lower rate; maximizes basis to reduce capital gain and Value at $800,000: All capital gain on decedent spouses half disappears, due to step-up in basis New basis on the half inherited from the decedent spouse is $400,000 and the surviving spouses basis is still $20,000 basis If spouse sells for $800,000 she will take a $250,000 exclusion of gain and pay tax on $130,000 of gain ($800 - $400 - $20 - $250 = $130) Value at $900,000: All capital gain on decedent spouses half disappears, due to step-up in basis New basis on the half inherited from the decedent spouse is $450,000 and the surviving spouses basis is still $20,000 basis If spouse still sells for $800,000 she will take a $250,000 exclusion of gain and pay tax on $80,000 of gain ($800 - $450 - $20 - $250 = $80) Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans11

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Rule 23 inconsistent with opt-in provisions of section 16(b) Deny certification or limit to scope of opt-in class Denying certification: See Muecke v. A-Reliable Auto Parts, 7 Wage & Hour Cas. 2d (BNA) 1611, 2002 WL 1359411 (N.D. Ill. June 21, 2002); Rodriguez v. The Texan, Inc., 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24652 (N.D. Ill. Mar. 5, 2001); Zeyala v. J.M. Macias, Inc., 999 F. Supp. 778, 780 (E.D.N.C. 1998) Limiting to scope of opt-in class: Robinson v. Sizes Unlimited, Inc., 685 F. Supp. 442 (D.N.J. 1988); Sperling, 118 F.R.D. at 412; Pirrone v. North Hotel Assocs., 108 F.R.D. 78, (E.D. Pa. 1985); see Ballaris v. Wacker Siltronic Corp., 2002 WL 926272 (D. Or. Feb. 7, 2002 ) Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans12

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Too much text, underlining & italics Executives must meet 3 duties requirements Primary Duty Test: Employees primary duty must be management of the enterprise in which the employee is employed or of a customarily recognized department or subdivision thereof. Supervision: Must customarily and regularly direct the work of two or more other employees. Authority to change status: Must have the authority to hire or fire other employees or whose suggestions and recommendations as to the hiring, firing, advancement, promotion or any other change of status of other employees are given particular weight. Duties not required for 20%+ owners Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans13

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Second Commandment Thou shalt only use font the audience can see and read! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans14

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Size does matter! Always use at least 24 point font This is Arial 12 This is Arial 18 This is Arial 24 This is Arial 32 This is Arial 36 This is Arial 44 This is Arial 72 Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans15

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Always use sans serif font Serif is a smaller line used to finish off a main stroke of a letter 72 point sans serif M 72 point serif M Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans16

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Other points to consider No more than 6-8 words per line. For bullets use the 1x6x6 rule. Avoid using ALL CAPS. Text should contrast with the background. Clearly label each slide. Use color and size for impact. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans17

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Third Commandment Thou shalt K.I.S.S. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans18

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Things to avoid Too many font colors Too many slides Overly ornate backgrounds Distracting animation Unnecessary transitions Distracting sounds Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans19

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Fourth Commandment Thou shalt not read from your slides. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans20

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Ho Hum Sigh Yawn There is nothing more boring than a presenter reading PowerPoint slides to an audience. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans21

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Fifth Commandment Thou shalt not speak to your slides. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans22

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Engage the audience Eye contact Voice modulation Connection Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans23

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Sixth Commandment Thou shalt check spelling and grammar. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans24

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Seventh Commandment Thou shalt not move from slide to slide too quickly or too slowly. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans25

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Points to consider 3 slides per minute. Pitch, power & pace. A visual aid should: be Visual and Aid! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans26

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Eighth Commandment Thou shalt use images and animations effectively and sparingly. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans27

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More is not more. Images & animations may distract your audience and they are never a substitute for content. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans28

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Distracting animation 7 ft Source: Victor Chen, ERAU Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans29

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Effective animation 7 ft Source: Victor Chen, ERAU Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans30

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Ninth Commandment Thou shalt use multiple slides or animated progressions in one slide to address complex ideas. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans31

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Complexity of Interactions Mode of Instruction IndividualPairGroup Direct Instruction Guided Inquiry Discovery Learning Individual Instructive Tools Individual Constructive Tools Social Constructive Tools Social Communicative Tools Informational Tools Too many concepts in one. Source: Victor Chen, ERAU Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans32

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Complexity of Interactions Mode of Instruction IndividualPairGroup Direct Instruction Guided Inquiry Discovery Learning Individual Instructive Tools Individual Constructive Tools Social Constructive Tools Social Instructive Tools Informational Tools Effective use of progression Source: Victor Chen, ERAU Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans33

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Tenth Commandment Thou shalt always remember why you were invited to present in the first place Inspire! Educate! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans34

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Remember Its not about youits all about them! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans35

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Summary 1. Thou shalt not cram every detail into a single slide. 2. Thou shalt only use fonts the audience can see and read. 3. Thou shalt K.I.S.S. 4. Thou shalt not read the slides. 5. Thou shalt not speak to the slides. Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans36

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Summary 6. Thou shalt check spelling and grammar. 7. Thou shalt not move from slide to slide too quickly or slowly. 8. Thou shalt use images and animations effectively and sparingly. 9. Thou shalt use multiple slides or animated progressions in one slide to address complex ideas. 10. Thou shalt always remember why you were invited to present in the first place Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans37

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To educate and to inspire! Copyright 2011 Tonya M. Evans38