Power corrupts but PowerPoint corrupts absolutely

I loved Garr Reynolds’ comparison of Darth Vader’s PowerPoint style with Yoda’s. (Actually I love his site generally). It got me thinking…

I remembered the website I had seen ages ago which featured the Gettysburg Address as if delivered by PowerPoint.

My favourite bit is the “Review of Key Objectives & Critical Success Factors”

What makes nation unique

1. Conceived in Liberty
2. Men are equal

Shared vision

1. New birth of freedom
2. Gov’t of/for/by the people

I think Guy Kawasaki has it pretty much right about presentations with his 10/20/30 rule:

It’s quite simple: a PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.

My history tutor at Oxford was trying to persuade me to use more facts in my essays (“please try to use at least one date in your essays, Matthew”). He said “you’re like the drunk and the lampost. You could use it for illumination but you keep using it for support.” It’s the same with PowerPoint.

Related posts:

1. Is PowerPoint really that bad?
2. When you absolutely, positively have to be understood
3. New from Articulate: Presentation Training
4. Absolutely first-rate article about objectivity
5. Brand guidelines vs. website common sense