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Why PowerPoint Still Matters
The swarm of Anti-PowerPoint buzz can be heard all across cyberspace. From those who have used the tool for everything
from boardroom presentations to instructor-led training, everyone has experienced at least one encounter with a bad
PowerPoint presentation. Whether it was too long, too dense, or irrelevant, the bitter taste can still be felt for years to
come.
Though it's easy to jump on the bandwagon of why PowerPoint is past its prime, let's remember some of the useful features
of the software and why training and development professionals began incorporating it into instructor-led training programs
in the first place:
Use it - Because PowerPoint is a simple technology, it is easy to learn. Anyone can learn how to insert bullet points,
graphics, charts and animations. PowerPoint has now become part of the standard collection of software that those in
the corporate world are expected to be familiar with, regardless of industry.
Don't Abuse it - PowerPoint has a bad reputation because it is easily abused. Those who are unseasoned with the software
often create dense and cluttered slides, often with irrelevant information. Great training professionals always ensure that
they are following the general conventions of creating optimal PowerPoint Slides to facilitate classroom learning.
Details, Details - The theories of adult learning and instructional design still apply to instructor-led training with PowerPoint,
and that features incorporated into the presentation are there because they aid learning, and not merely for decoration.
PowerPoint is one of the various tools used to display and reinforce learning ideas.
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