Tasteful Use of PowerPoint Animation
by Kelly Richardson
Animation School Review Columnist
The Microsoft PowerPoint application has become the standard for public speaking and education. Here’s a style guide for using the animation tools included in the program without turning off your audience.
PowerPointAnimation Guide
For the better part of seventeen years, the PowerPoint display program has been included in the Microsoft Office Suite. Despite an inauspicious beginning, PowerPoint has fast become an industry standard. PowerPoint offers a wide variety of animations to help add pizzazz and focus to your presentation.
These guidelines will help you to make the most judicious use of PowerPoint animation tools:
- Less is More. Always be sparing with your inclusion of animation. A well placed image here or there will provide a rich visual for your audience.
- Stay Static. Try to avoid moving animations. Stick to static images, including photos, charts, graphs, and other imagery that distills information.
- Pertinence. If you must entertain, you should also enlighten. Make sure each PowerPoint animation has a reason for being included in your slides.
PowerPointAnimation Resources
If your PowerPoint abilities aren’t as sharp as you’d like, a wealth of training resources are available to help you meet your particular learning needs.
- Online Class. Online Microsoft certification classes meet complex scheduling needs.
- Classroom Training. If you prefer the human touch of an actual professor, there are a variety of in-class training options.
Selective use of PowerPoint animations will accomplish two crucial goals. First, it can help keep you audience engaged, and second, it can convey your thoughts clearly and succinctly.
About the Author
Kelly Richardson covers the local education and technology scenes in major cities across the country. His articles appear in educational journals, periodicals, and e-zines.
Posted on July 16, 2007 at 11:57 AM
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