Open Thread

bfarwell.

One of the many interesting points that Edward Tufte makes about Powerpoint is that it is low resolution. You can’t fit much information on a slide so people then feel compelled to use the medium to communicate complicated ideas in thousands of slides. Then the slides lead and the exercise becomes one of torturing people by flipping through endless slides of bullet points. People are wondering how to off themselves. (Should I put this pencil through my forehead or choke myself to death?) He also makes the point that it leads to unclear thinking – bullet points allow you to toss up a lot of related material but with no logical connections made. He connects the pervasive use of Powerpoint with NASA disasters due to poorly communicated scientific material.

I sometimes give my age as the year I was born – making myself 30% younger to the consternation of whoever asked.

There are times I have to think about what age I am, and times I give the wrong answer and immediately have to correct myself.

I think I’m 37.

I used to teach people to make presentations. In the class I’d do a ‘build’ slide – developing an issue point by point. The 8th bullet said, “If you’re reading this raise your right hand” & as it went up on the screen I was saying, “If you’re listening to me raise your left hand.” Inevitably the majority of the audience was reading (& there was always at least one wise ass who raised both.) the point, though, is that properly illustrated speeches have images that stick in people’s minds. Having verbatim bullets is an insult to the audience. But memorable picture metaphors do a phenomenal job of holding interest & being retained after the speech.