Drawing Outside the Slides: Alternatives to PowerPoint
PowerPoint has gotten a bad rap over the years, I've heard disparraging comments like "death by PowerPoint" or "bore us to death with slide after slide," I'm sure we've all experienced them, but let's be fair it is NOT PowerPoint that is the problem. It is how PowerPoint is being used. This has resulted in a proliferation of materials being produced on "effective ways to use PowerPoint," I've done them myself, I still do on occasion, truthfully, its easier to just put words on a slide. Let's consider though why you are using PowerPoint? Is it for direct instruction? Is it for interaction? To show multimedia? Depending on your use, is there is a better option?Only you can know the answers but let's at least consider the possibilities.
I highly recommend you read this blog posting from the "Presentation Zen" Master, Garr Reynolds, it is a good look contrasting the presentation styles of Jobs and Gates. Also, a video by Reyonlds.
When Presenting consider some Design Basics