I make Power Point presentations as well as design formats (templates) for my clients to use. But I need to say a little about Power Point.
PowerPoint is a common software for presentations. As regards the abilitly to implement design for communication both PowerPoint and MSWord are very primitive programs in which you can do little more than choose colors and pick typefaces. PowerPoint presentations are two types: 1) stand alone where the presentation happens by itself and, 2) where the PPT is part of a speaker's presentation. Regarding fonts, any specific presentation is dependent on the fonts installed on the computer. In my experience we never can be sure that a PPT presention will always be run from the same computer so it is best that the only fonts used are Times and Ariel as these fonts are just about ubiquitous. Font substitution which will occur generally results in line changes and often words being overset and disappearing.
The reason many people like PPT ( and MSWord) as opposed to programs that can make much more effective use of design for communication with much less effort, is that they can get into the program themselves and make changes.
There are a few things to consider:
- Most people think making a statement in words communicates what the words mean. Generally this is more of a mesurement that they do not understand design. Design is not about thinking, but seeing. For many years we learn how to read, but few learn how to see with the eye of a designer and do not have the ability to measure the role of design in what they are reading.
- When we make something we think that we did a good job job. It looks good to us. When we open PPT or MSWord, type some words, choose a font and pick some colors it looks good. Gee, this is simple, why would I need a designer,
- On the way to the presentation I just had a great thought, I am going to stick it in the slide now.
PowerPoint is like any other visual presentation. Good design communicates more effectively. When I design PPT presentations I also attempt to show my clients how to make changes and still maintain the design integrity enabling them to make the most effective use of PowerPoint.