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User Experience (Usability)
422 hits
Dec 15, 2003 6:58 pm |
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re: Powerpoint Slides Partly to Blame for Space Shuttle Crash? |
Kyle Pero
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>> Article states:
>>But what if PowerPoint is actually making us stupider?
The tool is dependant upon accurate usage. I believe that information can be presented accurately and with the correct emphasis if designed/created correctly.
Maybe the author needs some power point lessons.
>>For example, the low resolution of a PowerPoint slide means that it usually contains only about 40 words, or barely eight seconds of reading. PowerPoint also encourages users to rely on bulleted lists, a ''faux analytical'' technique, Tufte wrote, that dodges the speaker's responsibility to tie his information together.
You are not supposed to have a presentation where slide after slide is inundated with text. PowerPoint purposely only gives you a limited amount of room for each slide because it's better to present small digestible chunks of info and it's meant to highlight just what's important. The presenter is not supposed to read entirely from the PowerPoint slides. The slides are just to illustrate main points. The presenter is supposed to embellish on them through other notes and handouts.
>>Colin Powell used a slideware presentation in February when he made his case to the United Nations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Of course, given that the weapons still haven't been found, maybe Tufte is onto something. Perhaps PowerPoint is uniquely suited to our modern age of obfuscation -- where manipulating facts is as important as presenting them clearly. If you have nothing to say, maybe you need just the right tool to help you not say it.
Ah Ha! The New York Times Strikes Again - The main point of this article finally comes to light! The author of this article is making a political statement, which itself is neatly obfuscated. This software is used to make things clearer and bring attention to points where it’s needed. Its purpose is not to hide information… only the author has that ability.
All in all, I believe that this was a case of human error. The wrong medium was chosen to deliver this type of extensive information. PowerPoint does what it's supposed to do very well, "...create exciting slide shows with graphics, animations, and multimedia—and make them easier to present. - http://www.microsoft.com/office/powerpoint/prodinfo/default.mspx" I have given presentations before and this tool is by far a god-send when you are trying to drive a point home.
This article was interesting and quite shocking. Thanks for sharing it with us George.
- Kyle
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