It's not surprising the PowerPoint became universal tool in business world thanks to its quick to produce, easy to attach video & audio and effective to present ideas and conception. In today's business boardroom, PowerPoint presentation is so overwhelming that it seems people are unable to give a clear presentation without a multi - graphic, text-heavy PowerPoint presentation backing up.

Is PowerPoint really a bless to all business people?

Being in business meeting for ten years, some time I was so frustrated by various meaningless presentation full of all kind of transition effects, clipboard and video, which can totally cause a visual chaos. Those people care too much about the appearance of their presentation trying hard to catch audience's attention, somehow they do achieve this but in a way against their real purpose - convey their ideas - that's what a PowerPoint presentation is about and they just distract people attention by all the visual clich. What a pity!

In my opinion, a PowerPoint presentation must match its purpose. If you design a presentation for entertainment, you can just go ahead to make a light-hearted, colorful, media-rich presentation, that's totally ok. But if you want create a business presentation, the following principal you'd better stick to:

1. Keep it simple

As with any design, cut the clutter. Stop abuse those uselessly transition and sound effects, such gimmicks rarely enhance the message you're trying to communicate other than distract, dazzle your audiences.

2. Cut heavy text

PowerPoint presentation undoubtedly is good medium for depicting an idea graphically or providing an overview, but you can't make the presentation say for itself with a long, tardy illustration, your audience will be boring to death. Keep illustration short and to point.

3. Less unnecessary Graphic

Like transition and sound effects, graphic will became the center of focus, which in turn distracts audiences. Unless it is necessary, the less graphic are, the better the result is.