I have sat through enough bad PowerPoint presentations to give the title of this post (admittedly a cliché) the validity it deserves. I’m sure we all have. I’m talking about the presentation that includes slide after slide of bulleted points or redundant text that is all too often read word-for-word by the presenter or regurgitated directly from the textbook. I have also sat through some amazing presentations where the presenter’s unique talent to tell stories or make whatever the topic interesting and relevant through illustrations, key points or other interesting tidbits. Isn’t this what makes Ted Talks so successful? The PowerPoint doesn’t necessarily dish out the information but rather supports it and enhances it in a way that resonates with the audience. This can be a rare but wonderful experience.
Here are a few examples of presentations that I think are done well. Of course both are TED but I encourage anyone who views them to think about what make them good… really think about it. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Hans Rosling: Stats that reshape your world-view
Christien Meindertsma: How pig parts make the world turn
dohertyjaclyn 
Hi Jacquie,
I LOVE Hans Rosling … haven’t seen this one before. Thanks for sharing.
Sam
Yes I can definitely empathize when it comes to the boredom of powerpoint presentations! Some people, who are really skilled presenters, can get away with it because the slides really just support the story they are telling, as you said. The ones where the person just reads exactly what is on each slide though…nothing else could be so boring. Have you had much experience with Prezi? During the last few courses I’ve tried to use it as a platform for presentations instead of powerpoint. It seems to offer much more freedom for creativity and is definitely more stimulating visually. Cheers!