Death by PowerPoint
In a clever promotional campaign, SlideRocket uses shocking data about PowerPoint presentations to show the need for a "presentation revolution." SlideRocket or should we call them presentation salvation, is a more dynamic and interactive approach to presenting, by allowing users to import PP files for embellishing what might have been a series of sleep-inducing slides.
The public has spoken and the data proves that PowerPoint is an agonizing method that most people would rather give up the following than have to sit through a dreaded click and slide presentation.
- 24% they would forgo sex (tonight)
- 21% rather do their taxes
- 20% rather visit the dentist
- 18% rather work on a Saturday
(Like the video? Check out the infographic!)
Is there hope for PowerPoint?
If PowerPoint is as bad as people say, what's the problem? Is it that the application software itself is outdated and not as engaging to an audience or are people misusing the application and perhaps there is still hope for PP? The national epidemic of "death by PowerPoint" was also addressed in Forbes Magazine. Writer, Carmine Gallo points out of the survey's top expressed frustration: too much text.
Mr Gallo explains in the Forbes article, "The average PowerPoint has 40 words on one slide. Yet the most memorable presentations have fewer than 40 words on ten slides. This observation led me to create The 10-40 Rule. Mr Gallo ends his article with "PowerPoint works best not when it is the story, but when it complements the story."
Before our very eyes we're witness the revolution of content sharing and presentations through dynamic YouTube videos and rich media tools like SlideRocket, Prezi and Empressr in order to meet the demands of our soundbite world. PowerPoint still holds on to its complementary features that Mr. Gallo points out, but will one day PowerPoint cease to exist? Though some of us sure can only hope this is inevitable, others might find ways to leverage PowerPoint, using it in conjunction with more advanced applications to keep boardrooms and audiences engaged.
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