dumb dumb bullets overview

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Dumb-dumb Bullets Use of PowerPoint as a Decision-Making Tool Summary of major points in an article by T.X. Hammes in Armed Forces Journal, July 2009

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This is why the US Army is the most dominant ground combat force in history.

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Page 1: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Dumb-dumb Bullets

Use of PowerPoint as a Decision-Making Tool

Summary of major points in an article by T.X. Hammes in Armed Forces Journal, July 2009

Page 2: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Agenda

• Overview of How Servicemembers Think• Staff Work

– Before PowerPoint– After PowerPoint

• Impact of PowerPoint– Bullets– Information per Slide– Achievements– Impacts on Decisions

• Pitfalls• Conclusion

Page 3: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

BLUF

• PowerPoint can be highly effective if used purely to convey information — as in a classroom or general background brief. It is particularly good if strong pictures or charts accompany the discussion of the material. But it is poorly suited to be an effective decision aid.

Page 4: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

How Servicemembers Think

In Service Schools• Issues• Historical Insights• Exposure to complex and

interactive nature of decisions they make

At Their Units

Page 5: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Before PowerPoint

Staff prepares succinct 2-3 page paper

Decision-maker reads paper

Convene a meeting with staff or experts to discuss

Decision

Page 6: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

After PowerPoint

Staff receives 5-minute brief

Staff prepares slides

20-minute presentation to decision-maker

5 minutes of discussion

Decision

Page 7: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Before vs. After PowerPoint

Before• Staff had time to prepare to

discuss the issues

After• Staff is not well-prepared to

discuss the issues

Toxic effect on staff work and decision making!

CONTRAST

Page 8: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Impact on Staff Work

Before PowerPoint• Intellectually demanding• Complex issue -> 2-3 pager• Coherent thoughts

developed

After PowerPoint• 20 to 60 slides• Pictures and builds• Bullets and colors• Bullets ≠ sentences• Premium placed on slide

building

Page 9: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Problem with Bullets• “Our personnel clearly understand the lack of clarity and depth

inherent in the half-formed thoughts of the bullet format. In an apparent effort to overcome the obvious deficiency of bullets, some briefers put entire paragraphs on each briefing slide. (Of course, they still include the bullet point in front of each paragraph.) Some briefs consist of a series of slides with paragraphs on them. In short, people are attempting to provide the audience with complete, coherent thoughts while adhering to the PowerPoint format. While writing full paragraphs does force the briefer to think through his position more clearly, this effort is doomed to failure.”

• - T.X. Hammes, “Dumb-dumb Bullets,” Armed Forces Journal, July 2009

Page 10: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Information per Slide

Up to 90 pieces of information per slide!Rise of the quad-chart-Four slides put into one slide for more information content per slide-Attributed to the PowerPoint Ranger

Rule of thumb is 1 minute per slide 1 minute per slide, divided by up to 20 items per slide = 2 to 3 seconds per item

Page 11: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

PowerPoint’s Achievements

• Decreased quality of information• Changed culture of decision-making• Decision-maker days broken down into one-

hour or 30-minute segments• More decisions with less preparation

Doing more with less!

Page 12: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Impact on Decisions

• Type-A personalities can make more decisions• More decisions made at higher levels• Reaching down to find more decisions to make

at higher levels• Wrong person making decisions at wrong level

Wrong Level

More

Type A

Page 13: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Proper Use

• Information vs Decision• High-impact photos, charts, films, and humor• Not for thesis submissions• Operational decisions for immediate

implementation• In a crisis

Page 14: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Improper Use

• Focusing thought process on bullets and complex charts

• Outlining paragraphs with a series of bullets• Omitting details

Page 15: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Pitfalls

• Often disseminated to wider audience than anticipated

• Reliance on slides for records of decisions made• Future historians will hate the era

Page 16: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

Conclusion

• The Pentagon has virtually made a cult of the PowerPoint presentation.

Page 17: Dumb Dumb  Bullets  Overview

QUESTIONS?