Why not to start a sentence with “We need a PowerPoint on…”

I’ve written plenty of PowerPoint presentations in my time. They can be effective and interesting.

But an editorial by Nancy Duarte for CNN.com reminds us why we shouldn’t approach a presentation by thinking of it as a PowerPoint. The better way to approach it is by asking ourselves why we are being asked to speak and what our audience should take from it. After all, the purpose of communicating is to reveal meaning, not just to throw information at people.

I recently wrote a 15-minute speech for someone that included a PowerPoint. The PowerPoint itself consisted of only eight slides (photos, a basic graph, and a memorable quote). That’s because the presenter’s message was strong enough to stand on its own. She used PowerPoint for only one reason: to help make her strongest points resonate with her audience.

Next time you are asked to make a presentation, think first of what you want your audience to remember. Then determine if PowerPoint will help.

Editor’s note: The flowchart referenced at the beginning of Duarte’s editorial was first blogged about by G&H’s Chris Georgacas in March 2010.

In case you missed it

This fall as the leaves change, so does the journalism industry. Here are a few changes from The GH Spin’s “In case you missed it” file.

• Career inspiration? For those who think that news anchors sometimes look like Barbie Dolls, Mattel’s newest doll will likely make the holiday shopping list. According to its tagline, News Anchor Barbie has “a flair for journalism – and power pink!” If you don’t like it, blame yourself – Mattel conducted a survey via social media to choose the newest doll’s occupation. Read more here or buy it online here.

• CNN’s new boss: The person who changed Headline News to more than just news will now be in charge of transforming America’s first 24-hour cable news network. This is a big job – CNN’s ratings now trail MSNBC and the Fox News Channel. Read more here.

• New head for NBC: One of the last steps of Comcast’s merger with NBC is replacing the head of NBC. It will be interesting to see what, if any, changes we will notice as we watch “must-see TV” and breaking news shows. Read more here.