On Powerpoint

[Greyhawk]

If I knew how to upload this as a text-only powerpoint slide, I would.

I once prepared a briefing consisting only of eight graphs, each on it's own slide. All were needed to present the information I had to (by commander's "request") convey. (I am a HUGE fan of brevity and briefing the commander was a daily job, not a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.)

Upon review it was declared "too long", a problem I was told could be easily fixed: present two graphs per slide. Took me 30 seconds to fix, eight slides became four (no, the length of the briefing did not change), and everyone was happy.

I'm glad I didn't start with four slides.

[Spud]

I'm glad I didn't start with four slides.

Ah but then you could have done the now-ubiquitous quad-slide and got away with a one-slide deck (oh hang on you'd need an extra one to give your name and a security classification and then another to ask whether there's any question's because you'd be incapable of doing wither of those things yourself.

The common acceptance of the quad-slide was that specific point in time that anthropologists will be able to say we hit PowerPoint stupidity

[Greyhawk]

Bah - some bright young up-and-comer will soon make a name for himself for conceiving of the Ocho.

Very entertaining for all us horse holders along the wall...

Blood would flow from the bite marks on my inner cheeks that day. Thankfully we eventually discovered a device called an "E4" that sets such things to right in no time flat. Without one of those in your kit, you are doomed.

[Tom Odom]

First of all everyone will have to wear--excuse me let me execute writing that in Power Point--it will be mandatory that while executing Power Point operations, all service members must display a reflective belt in order to prevent excessive exchange of original thought. SMs must also excute eye protective operations wearing approved darkened ballistic glasses or goggles in order to avoid displaying utter optical dismay as in confusion, terror, or tears...

[Schmedlap]

Forgive the link to my own site, but I could not resist.

A PowerPoint Briefing About Why PowerPoint is Bad for Briefing

[Red Rat]

It must be heresy. Why else would the UK mil network I work on bar me from Schmedlap's powerpoint presentation? There goes my chance to subvert a new generation of staff officers

[Fuchs]

I wrote many powerpoint files and held dozens of presentations.

It's not inherently bad, it's really about the people.


The one thing that is certainly bad is the emphasis that some people have on nice graphics, corporate design, badges, insignia and other non-information content of the slides. A simple, eye-pleasing background fading from strong colour top left to light colour bottom right and an indication about the source/author on every slide is enough. Advanced decorations as in medieval bibles is simply waste of resources and distracting.

[Tom Odom]

Forgive the link to my own site, but I could not resist.

A PowerPoint Briefing About Why PowerPoint is Bad for Briefing

That was an execellent execution of a briefing in order to provide an explanation of proper utilization of Power Point

PS

It was observed by me that a failure was executed by you, however, to provide an explicatory bullet in front of the paragraph on slide nine in order to fully meet proper Power Point Ranger standards

[Hacksaw]

As a former planner... who wound up spending his last four years in uniform and first two in suit and tie working in and supporting the institutional army (e.g. TRADOC)... I can assure you the worst abuses of PowerPoint are committed in Garrison...

An example... I had built a three slide step through of how Army operational concepts had evolved from Air Land to Full Spectrum... complete with graphics that highlighted the differences and an assessment by BOS/WFF of how each differed...

The three slides were a complex, but impressive/useful aid when accompanied by a knowledgable briefer... and fortunately the senior officer for whom it was developed met that criteria... all was good with my world because there is a degree of satisfaction in helping in the process of communicating complex information in an intelligable manner...

Then my world changed when the senior leader I primarily supported was changed due to "TRANSFORMATION"... the horror the horror...

The new Senior Leader was a trifecta... a moron, an ass, and a shameful plagerist... in other words he stole (I'm sorry incorporated the brief) into his base briefing.... the problem was that he couldn't brief it which led to questions that he couldn't answer that led to further questioning that became very uncomfortable...

The problem obviously was.... the slides....

The guidance... rework the slides so that three turns into one... and so that the slide "stands on its own" and doesn't require further clarification from the briefer....

I exagerate not...


So I try, but of course, its literally impossible... I can make the slides stand on their own in 6-7 slides, but not one... physics being what it is... combining three slides into one makes the slide more complex not simpler (but i digress)...

Thankfully, the previous senior leader (still in the organization) happened past my work station where he found me with head in hands... after I had explained the task and the previous iterations with the current moron in charge... he directed me to follow him and we marched directly across the street to my nemises office where he explained that the task assigned was not possible and that he'd be happy to write out the talking points he used in conveying the ideas contained in the slides...

As grateful as I was... I knew a tactical engagement had been won at the expense of my strategic reserve... the next 6 months were... arduous... until the next general in the chain of command decided to pull me onto his personal staff....

And what happened of the "Wanting Senior Leader"... he was placed in command of a lesser Divsion....

PowerPoint is not inherently evil... but in the hands of lesser intellects its downright lethal

Live well and row