Create electronic presentations

Create electronic presentations

Key terms and concepts

Term Definition

Speaker notes Notes prepared by the presenter, to assist with remembering comments to accompany a slide. They can be prepared on the same page as the slide but are not shown to the audience.

Handouts Presentations can be printed in the form of handouts, with up to nine slides displayed on a page, which the audience can use for future reference.

Logos Visual images used as a company trademark, or instead of the company name. They can be a combination of characters and/or graphics creating a single design used to identify a company.

Text animation Single words or lines of text which move onto and/or across the screen.
Transitions The way in which one slide follows another onto the screen.

Slide master An element of the design template that stores information about the template, including font styles, placeholder sizes and positions, background design and colour schemes.

Auto Layout Automatic adjustment of content to suit slide layout, when items are added or amended, or a different slide layout is selected.

Auto Format Options that include automatic changes to text, for example changing fraction characters to a fraction symbol, formatting Internet paths as hyperlinks or applying bulleted or numbered lists.

Important notes

Using safe work practices

Using safe work practices refers to the ergonomic requirements, work organisation and conservation techniques that should be considered in a workplace environment.
Find out more about Safe work practices

PowerPoint hints and tips

Many excellent sites are available on the web for you to research. Here are some headings to search for:

• PowerPoint tips
• PowerPoint tips and traps
• Mastering PowerPoint
• Electronic presentations.

Using safe work practices

1. Ergonomic requirements

Workspace, furniture and equipment are adjusted to suit the ergonomic requirements of the user

Chair
• Chair height should be set so that feet are flat on the floor (where a footrest has not been provided) and thighs are horizontal.
• The backrest should provide firm lower back support so adjustment up or down, and/or backwards or forwards may need to be made until comfortable.
• Armrests should not interfere with performance of general tasks.

Desk
• The height of the desk or chair should be adjusted so that the surface of the desk is at elbow height (when sitting).
• There should be plenty of room for legs below the desk surface
• Personal and stationery items should be arranged for easy access, to minimise twisting and bending.

Computer
• The monitor should be positioned after adjustments have been made to the desk or chair. It is recommended that the top of the screen be level with the eyes and be positioned about 50cm away from the body when seated.
• The keyboard should be placed on the desk, as close to the user as possible. Allow room for it to be moved away when not in use. The angle of the keyboard can be adjusted by altering the supports underneath.
• The mouse should be positioned next to the keyboard on the preferred side. Wrist should be straight whilst using the mouse with the desk supporting the wrist and not the arm.

Telephone
• The telephone should be easily accessible, yet not in the way of the work area.
• The user should be able to talk on the phone without standing or having to stretch to reach it. A headset is a convenient alternative for constant phone users.

Document holder
• The document holder should be placed close to the screen to minimise the movement required to turn from one to the other.
• Depending upon personal preference, it may be preferable to swap the screen position with the document holder, if tending to look at the document more often.

2. Work organisation

Work organisation meets organisational and occupational health and safety requirements for computer operation

Work area
• Work area should be kept uncluttered. Desks should only have on them what is really needed.
• Trays should be used for sorting documents, and any documents that are finished with or will not be needed for some time, should be filed away.

Rest periods
• It is important to have frequent breaks away from the workstation. The recommended interval is ten minutes for each hour worked in front of a computer.
• If unable to take this time out, work tasks should be varied. For example, phone calls could be made, filing or other work related tasks could be done for a few minutes.

Exercise breaks
• Exercises should be done at regular intervals.
• Exercises for office workers can include head rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist stretch, back arching, foot rotation and even eye exercises. For more information, and instructions on how to carry out these exercises go the Exercises for office workers website of Comcare Australia.

3. Conservation techniques

Energy and resource conservation techniques are used to minimise wastage in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements

Paper wastage
• Proofread and edit documents on screen before printing
• Don't print more pages than needed, use the "print range" function of software to only print those pages which have been edited
• Print on both sides of your paper where possible
• Use scrap paper from printed documents no longer needed. Write on the back for informal notes or memos
• Use the duplex facility of the photocopier.

Recycling
• Paper should be saved for recycling where possible - if the information is confidential, it can be shredded before disposal into a recycling container
• Use recycled paper products wherever possible
• Reuse office products such as folders, envelopes and packaging materials.

Energy and power use
• Use the "power save" feature of your printer, if available
• Switch off lights and equipment when not required.

Activities

Activity 1

Print the following questions, then complete the answers in the spaces provided.
a. List four types of presentations, eg face-to-face.

b. List the skills and knowledge required to create an electronic presentation.

c. Specify some presentation requirements (choose your own, or ask someone to recommend a subject).

o Identify - Who? Where? How?

o What mode of presentation will be used?

o What material and supporting documentation will be required, eg notes, handouts?

o What are the organisational requirements, eg logos, colour?

o List design requirements, eg font, bullet style.

o List presentation specific requirements, eg timing, sound.

d. How would you check your work?

e. How would you change the slide master?

f. How would you add transition and animation to the presentation?

g. Where would you find on-line help to overcome production problems?

h. How would you store the presentation?

Activity 2

Prepare a six slide presentation, on a topic of your choice, using the specifications provided in the previous Activity 1 c)
Include:
• logo
• background layout
• bullet points and different level/s of bullets
• pictures
• charts
• WordArt
• effects eg animations, transitions
• handouts
• speaker notes.

An answer to this activity is not provided, as each presentation will be different. It is suggested that you ask someone else, for example a teacher, parent/guardian or a friend, to look at your presentation and comment on it, asking them to refer to the list above.

Answers

Activity 1

a. Four types of presentations could be
o Face to face, with a live presenter
o On screen, self running
o Online
o Printed

b. Skills and knowledge required to create an electronic presentation
o Design skills : colour usage, bullet point usage, knowledge of fonts and using art effectively.
o Proofing skills: spelling and grammar, checking that the graphics match the text etc.
o Listening/communication skills: using the organisation’s preferred style, accurately implementationing of instructions.
o Technology skills: ability to use hardware, eg a data projector, and software capabilities eg inserting graphics, borders, backgrounds, etc.

c. Presentation requirements
Answers will be specific to organisation and/or subject chosen

o Who ? Where? How?
Example
Who: Marketing Manager
Where: Client’s office
How: Self- running

o Mode of presentation
 Computer generated and data projector
 Overhead projector and transparencies
 Slide projector and slides
 Online

o Material and supporting documentation required
 Could include slides, handouts and speaker notes

o Organisational requirements
 Refer to Style manual and policy and procedures
 Could include issues such as logo, colours used, slide design etc

o Design requirements
Refer to organisational requirements, if available, as noted above
 Use of fonts, colour, logo usage, etc
 Heading levels
 Bullet or numbering levels and styles
 Use of white space
 Suitability of design to intended audience

o Presentation specific requirements
 Animation, transition, timing, sounds, movies
 Number of slides

d. How would you check your work?
o Proof read the work
o Use the spelling and grammar function
o Check that the content is correct
o Ask a colleague to check it
o Run the presentation and rehearse

e. How would you change the slide master?
On the menu go to
o View, Master, Slide Master and change the elements required.

f. How would you add transition and animation to the presentation?
On the menu go to
o Slide show
 Animation and/or
 Slide transition
and choose the feature required.

g.

h. Where would you find on-line help to overcome production problems?
On the menu go to
o Help, Microsoft Office PowerPoint Help and search for the relevant information.

i. How would you store the presentation?
Store the presentation on the hard drive of your computer, a CD, or other removable media, such as a Zip disk or USB ‘flash’ drive

Multichoice quiz - Test your knowledge

Select the correct answer for each of the following:

1. What are speaker notes?
a. Speaker notes show speakers details
b. Speaker notes are prepared by the presenter, to assist with remembering comments to accompany a slide
c. Speaker notes show the format of a slide

2. What is a logo?
a. An image used as a company trademark
b. A format
c. A coloured ball
d. A log on request

3. What are stylesheets?
a. Documents with structured sets of formats, including fonts, colour, page set-up etc, which create an overall ‘look’ for documents
b. They set the styles for the month
c. They are different sheets of paper to be used in the laser printer

4. What is a timeline?
a. A line that sets out the weather patterns
b. A period of time designated for planned events or projects
c. The name of a history report

5. What is auto layout?
a. A layout that sets out the weather patterns
b. A layout designated for planned events or projects
c. Automatic layout adjustment of slides that have been amended

Multichoice quiz - Test your knowledge

Select the correct answer for each of the following:

1. What are speaker notes?
b. Speaker notes are prepared by the presenter, to assist with remembering comments to accompany a slide

2. What is a logo?
b. An image used as a company trademark

3. What are stylesheets?
. Documents with structured sets of formats, including fonts, colour, page set-up etc, which create an overall ‘look’ for documents

4. What is a timeline?
b. A period of time designated for planned events or projects

5. What is auto layout?
c. Automatic layout adjustment of slides that have been amended