PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff

PowerPoint and Presenting News: July 12, 2016

We explore a topic that we feel about very strongly, and that is visual clichés. In this guest post from Pickit, you will learn how you can move beyond clichés.

PowerPoint 2016 for Windows users can learn about rotating text 180 degrees, and explore the new Black interface. You can also learn to flip shapes, use the Selection Pane wisely, and about text within shapes. Finally, do not miss the new press releases and templates of this week.

Read Indezine’s PowerPoint and Presenting News.

Filed Under: Ezine
Tagged as: Ezine, Indezine, News, PowerPoint

Six New Chart Types in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

Frankly, it has been many years since new chart types were added to PowerPoint’s repertoire of the ten chart types. The great news is that you will find new chart types in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows. These are Treemap, Sunburst, Histogram, Pareto (within Histogram options), Box and Whisker, and Waterfall.

Learn about six new chart types available in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows.

Filed Under: PowerPoint 2016
Tagged as: Charting, Microsoft Windows, Office 2016, PowerPoint 2016, Tutorials

Align Text within Shapes/Text Boxes in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

After adding text within a shape (or a text box) in PowerPoint 2016, you can also perform basic edits like adding, deleting, or replacing existing text. Other than the basic text editing you can even control how your text is aligned within the shape. To do that you need to access these options within the Format Shape Task Pane.

Learn how to align text within a shape or text box in PowerPoint 2016.

You May Also Like: Align Shapes to Center of Slide in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

Filed Under: PowerPoint 2016
Tagged as: Align, Microsoft Windows, Office 2016, PowerPoint 2016, Shapes, Text, Text Boxes, Text Placeholders, Tutorials

Text within Shapes in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

Text is probably the most important element on your PowerPoint slides! You may have heard the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, but more often than not, that picture needs a caption to be understood better — and even when there are no captions, a narrative is required. And that narrative is text too. Text can be added almost everywhere within PowerPoint slides — from placeholders and text boxes to the Notes Pane. Additionally, you can also add and edit text within any shapes except connectors, including straight lines.

Learn how to insert and edit text within a shape in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows.

Filed Under: PowerPoint 2016
Tagged as: Align, Microsoft Windows, Office 2016, PowerPoint 2016, Shapes, Text, Tutorials

Moving Beyond Clichés Using Pictures

By Jullietta Stoencheva

If you see one more picture of people shaking hands or a light bulb, then you will know that the slides themselves must be unimaginative. How do you create an imaginative thought process that goes beyond clichés?

Since its launch in 1990, Microsoft’s PowerPoint has become an integral tool for business. With 95% market share and over 1.2 billion users worldwide, it is estimated that millions and millions of PowerPoint presentations are made each day. The fine art of preparing slides has become as second nature as sending an email or attending a meeting, yet consistently PowerPoint producers and presenters are sabotaging their own pitches by including clichéd and tired images that contribute to failure.

In order to identify those images that are conducive only to failure, Swedish image bank Pickit and UK PowerPoint designers Eyeful Presentations have collaborated to research what to avoid when preparing a PowerPoint presentation. Based on an analysis of traditional PowerPoint pitch documents that have failed to win new business in 2015, as well as insight from investors and decision-makers within key organizations, the 10 most commonly (over) used clichéd images that can be regarded as unlucky charms, and should be avoided from common PowerPoint usage, to increase the odds, are as follows:

• Cogs
• Images of people holding hands around the globe
• Stacked pebbles
• Thumbs up
• Archery targets (with optional arrow)
• Jigsaw piece being fitted into the puzzle
• Businessperson poised to run a race
• Handshakes
• Rosettes
• Groups of businesspeople staring intently at a monitor

© iStock: What does a picture of cogs really say?

© iStock: This image may illustrate partnerships, but will anyone still be awake to see it?

The Prescribed Alternative – Visual Subtext

Conversely, though there are many images to avoid when creating a presentation, there is no one ‘killer image’ that is disproportionately successful. All pitches are invariably different, catering to specific audiences.

One technique, however, that is found to be consistently successful is that of ‘visual subtext’. Visual subtext requires the audience to process an image before understanding it fully. By forcing this cognitive function, the image has far more resonance and impact; therefore, reinforcing the message the presenter is looking to share.

If starting a new venture, for example, an image of a chicken and egg could contain the symbolism and visual subtext of starting something from scratch. Similarly, if launching a partnership with a separate organization, an image of matching salt and pepper shakers might reinforce the feeling of ‘togetherness’ without appealing to clichés.

© Pickit: Plant your ideas with outstanding visual subtext.

© Pickit: This image could work very well for making a point.

Let’s face it: the widely known stock photos that were considered high standard in the 90s will not impress your customers in 2016. Strive for original, authentic imagery found in crowdsourced image banks and avoid overused clichéd stock images that engender indifference or even antipathy on the part of your customers.

Pickit is a marketplace for presentation images. It is a Swedish startup that works with unique curation dedicated to serve slide show presentation creators. Distribution is integrated and easily accessed by over 1.2 billion users in Microsoft apps such as PowerPoint, Sway, Word, Windows 10 and in Windows Phones.

The Pickit Market contains photos from thousands of photographers worldwide and any person or organization can publish and sell their photos on Pickit Market. The company will return 60% of all income to photographers.

You May Also Like: Pickit Plug-in for PowerPoint: Conversation with Henrik Bergqvist | Pickit Brings Free Pictures to PowerPoint Again | Overcoming Clichés in Pictures

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

Filed Under: Guest Posts
Tagged as: Clichés, Graphics, Guest Post, Images, Jullietta Stoencheva, Opinion, Pickit, Pictures, PowerPoint