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The Evils of Powerpoint, Again

Powerpoint is pilloried by the press periodically, fairly in many cases. The latest article brings up some of the same criticisms as prior articles but one underlying theme is mentioned. That's the removal of analytic or nuanced thought, ostensibly in order to provide a direct point A to point B kind of flow.

I don't think PowerPoint is to blame for this. I think it's cultural, and particularly inherent in business and bureaucratic culture. "Don't bother me with details" and "Just give me the answer" have replaced thoughtfulness in many managers. Another thing Powerpoint does well is reduce presentations to the lowest common denominator and hide intellectual incompetence. I like this quote from one of the articles.

"One of the criticisms that's been raised about PowerPoint is that it can give the illusion of coherence and content when there really isn't very much coherence or content," said Edward Miller, an education researcher."

Perhaps if people weren't looking for simple black and white answers, the pollution of Powerpoint slides wouldn't be such a problem. I think Powerpoint is an easier target when the people putting together the presentations ought to be the primary target. I use Powerpoint, but I also tend to use more pictures and less bullets, hopefully avoiding the worst offenses. I like where the writer from Wired went:

Perhaps the politicians who are so worked up about the ill effects of violent video games should turn their attention to PowerPoint instead.

Posted by Mark Wednesday, September 07, 2005 3:09:00 PM | permalink |