16. The Powerpoint Paradox: Designing Visual Aids to Work for You—Never Against You

IF THE POWER formula is the architecture of the perfect presentation, visual aids (V/A) are the foundation.

At the senior level, visual aids are to be avoided whenever possible. In fact, I favor restraint at all levels. But V/A use is so widespread and so much in demand, and so many people depend on V/A as a crutch, that we might as well stop pretending that PowerPoint isn’t in the room with us, and confront this 800-pound gorilla right now. Of all the chronic abuses systemic to the general mishandling of presentations, none is more consistently mishandled than PowerPoint.

PowerPoint is a big step up from the old days and not a bad idea. The problem is not PowerPoint ...

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