I have a love-hate relationship when it comes to PowerPoint. Not just for myself but for all of us presenters. Designed and used correctly is an excellent embellishment to a talk. More times than not, that isn’t the case.
A common mistake I see is a presenter pointing the clicker at the screen as if clicking through channels on TV. Have you seen this? Have you done it? I know I have.
If the connection between the pointer device and the transmitter is not strong, the slides are not going to advance. So there stands the presenter, fumbling with the clicker and looking less-than-professional. Fortunately, most devices are wireless these days. That means the slides will advance whether pointing at the screen or not. However, the audience can be distracted by the apparent use of the device. Ideally, there should be no indication to the audience that you are clicking anything.
When incorporating a PowerPoint slideshow into your presentation, practice clicking through your slides until they appear to flow seamlessly behind you without any visible use of the clicker. If not using your own equipment where you are presenting, practice with the clicker provided beforehand to ensure there are no hiccups as you advance through the slides.
After all, you should be the point of power, not the PowerPoint.
