Building Effective Presentations - Your Environment

The use of PowerPoint in your presentations would also depend on one major factor: the availability of PowerPoint in the area where the presentation is to take place.  You may have developed an excellent presentation, but the location may only have an overhead projector.  Investigating the environment where the presentation will take place well in advance will save time, possible expense, and a definite headache.

• Always remember that a PowerPoint presentation can be altered to fit any environment that is presented to you.
• If you know the location only has an overhead projector, you can print your slides onto overhead transparency sheets.  Bear in mind, however, that you should verify that your presentation has a light background with dark text, since this shows up better on an overhead projector.
• If the location has a computer hooked up to a projector, but you are uncertain whether they have PowerPoint, use PowerPoint's "Pack and Go" command, under the File Menu.  It gives you the ability to select files, determine where they should be stored, and gives you the option to include the PowerPoint Viewer.
  
  
• Another option would be to convert your presentation to HTML format and place it on the World Wide Web.  This seminar contains a section on Publishing Presentations.  (Click here to go to that section)
• Above all else-PRACTICE!!!  Make sure all equipment is working and your presentation flows the way you want it.  This is crucial to making the presentation effective and not wasting time fixing it