C6.19 Effective PowerPoint Guidelines

Is it necessary to make PPTs extremely polished and high-end?

The picture below shows one made by a foreign official.

Personally, I think PPTs only need to be practical and concise—there’s no need to make them extremely polished or high-end, nor to overdo the beautification or flashy effects. Of course, this depends on the situation. For example, if certain occasions have specific requirements, then polished PPTs are necessary—just like wearing a formal gown to a dinner party, which is different from daily attire.

For instance, at large public gatherings, rallies, or conferences, PPTs can be made very flashy with animations, sound effects, matching images, etc. But for small personal presentations in studies or work, I still believe practicality and conciseness should be the main focus. Flashy elements won’t help you get extra points from teachers or a raise from your boss. On the contrary, if the content is lacking, the PPT will just be a soulless showpiece.

There are many PPT templates available online now. If you really want some style, you can use templates—there are plenty of free ones, just search for them. Of course, you can also make highly polished or visually appealing PPTs if you want, but only on the premise that the content is fully focused and on-point. Adding matching color schemes, dynamic graphics, animations, and sound effects in that case will be the icing on the cake.

But then again, why not keep everything simple—simple yet substantive? It’s much better this way. Everyone will feel more comfortable watching it, the pressure of competing unnecessarily will be reduced, and it will be relatively easier to create. This reminds me of a gathering organized by foreigners I attended before. There were about dozens of people, held at a well-known hotel venue. The PPT displayed on the big screen was also concise—just one or two pictures with a few English words or sentences, plus background music playing automatically. It was that simple.

All things return to one; simplify the complex. True craftsmanship lies in simplicity