Creating a Professional PowerPoint

Preparation Make a folder to

gather all information

Save/move documents, Excel files, regulations, reports, .pdf files, etc. that are relevant here

Outline Organize your

thoughts in logical order

Write main ideas as abstract/concrete words

These words will be used for your image search

Save the outline in the folder you created

Outline (cont.) Beside each main

point, write words that represent it– EX: if poor returns

were due to new government regulations, then write “govt regs”

Relevant Images Use Bing Images to

find relevant photos Search for the key

words you identified in your outline

Right <click> the image and choose <Open Link in New Tab>

In the new tab, <click> the image

Relevant Images (cont.) When the image

opens, right <click> and choose <Save Picture As>

Choose the folder you created

Name the photo the same as your key word search.

Download Video/Audio Capture your

audience’s attention Appeal to the emotion Perk up the

presentation Choose video/audio

that enhance your ideas/outline

Download and save in the folder you created

Download Video/Audio (cont.) Resources

– Video– Podcasts– Music

Video/Audio Converter – Zamzar– Internet is unreliable

or unavailable– Download directly to

your computer

Prepare the Ribbon Toolbar Now open PowerPoint Click on the arrow on

the ribbon Choose the

commands you use most often

Choose <More Commands> for additional shortcuts

Design the Slides On the upper tabs,

select <View> Select <Slide

Master> On each slide

master, select the font size and color, bullets, titles, etc. for each style.

Design the Slides (cont.) Consistency is key All fonts should be at

least 30 pt. No more than two levels

for bullets Titles should be 40-60 pt Use cool colors

(blues/greens/grays) Do NOT add

pictures/words to the master slides

Design the Slides (cont.) Format the

background (Personal Options)– Right <click> on the

slide– Choose <Format

Background>– Select the desired

options– Click <Apply to All>

Design the Slides (cont.) Format the

background (Templates)– Click the <Design> tab

at the top of the page– Choose the template

you would like to use– OR go here: MS Office

PowerPoint Templates

Design the Slides (cont.) Exit <Master Slide>

by selecting <slide sorter> view in bottom right corner

Making the Presentation All of the

information you need is in the folder you created

We are ready to begin creating the PowerPoint

Clean and Simple is our motto

Key Words Titles come from the

outline If you MUST use

bullets:– Fewer than 6 per

page– Fewer than 6

words/line

Key Words Should be big, bold

– No smaller than 32-36 pt

– Need to be seen across the room

Should appeal to emotion

Pictures Tell the Story Let the IMAGE do the

work that bulleted lists cannot

Be a minimalist in text

Should also appeal to emotion

Should be relevant to the title

Diagrams/Graphs Should be easy to

read Should be unique Should use bold,

bright colors Innovative manner

to convey important information

Diagrams/Graphs To insert a graph, click

the graph icon On the menu, choose

the graph you would like to create with your data

When the Excel sheet opens, enter your data and name the x/y axes

A graph will appear in your PowerPoint with your data

Click this bar graph so you can create a graph with your data

Enter your data in Excel and name the X/Y axes. It will automatically be inserted into your PowerPoint.

Inserting Links Go to the <Insert>

tab Choose <Hyperlink> Choose the item you

wish to include from the folder you created

Name the link in the line <Text to Display>

Name the link here

Type the web address here

Choose the document location here

Choose the document here

Inserting Links (cont.) Names of links

should be one or two words

Linked files should be downloaded on your computer

All files should be in one folder with your presentation

Transitions Anywhere in the

presentation click <Animations> tab

Choose the transition you would like for the slides to transition from one to the next

Choose the speed you would like for the transition

Select <Apply to All>

Animations Animate text and

pictures <Animations> Tab Select the text or picture

you want to appear Select <Custom

Animation> Select <Add Effect> Select the effect you

want and the speed/how it will appear (mouse click, timer, etc)

1. Highlight the text you will animate

2. Select <Custom Animation>

4. Select how you would like it to appear

3. Select <Add Effect>

Consistency In font size In use of bullets In use of photos/size In transitions/

animations In color scheme Preview your

PowerPoint multiple times alone and with a colleague to test it out before presenting