Pecha Kucha

One of the benefits of the internet and technology is the ability to communicate in multiple ways. Presentations no longer have to be in person to be effective; in fact, they don't even need to be live. Presentations can be created and stored for later or continuous review. A good presentation will inform in a clear and concise manner. A presentation that is too wordy will have difficulty keeping readers engaged, especially because they'll likely be over wrought with facts. Presenters should keep in mind that people don't trust what they don't understand.

Here is an example of a poorly designed slide on a presentation. The amount of text on the slide makes it difficult to read. The presenter should have summarized his or her points into bullets. Such a wordy slide doesn't leave the presenter much to say that isn't already in the slide. Also, the background of the slide clashes with the text of the slide.

In this example, the use of color, graphics, and succinct text makes this a good slide. The presenter can explain the slide without having to repeat what is already said on the slide. It's important for presenters to keep an audience engaged with their presentation by being able to explain what is on the slide without reading the slide to them. 

Another form of presentation that takes into consideration modern technology and how it can positively influence good presentations is the concept of Pecha Kucha. The idea is 20x20; 20 slides presented in 20 seconds per slide. This keeps the presenter focused and the audience engaged. The following link is a presentation that utilizes this concept: Pecha Kucha Presentation