Building Text-to-Text Showcase Navigation

Alright, let's begin the hands-on part of the tutorial and create an example of Variation #1. We want to convert a bullet list (Figure 10) into a text-based showcase switchboard. Here is a summary of the steps we'll go through:

1. Open a show containing a bullet list.
2. Add new slides to the show, one slide for each point in the list.
3. Place one point on each of the new slides.
4. Link each point in the original bullet list to its respective slide.
5. Link each of these content slides back to the bullet list, the show’s new switchboard.

We'll move through each step in detail:

The WHY:

Our goal, as mentioned earlier, is to simplify the list by spreading points across multiple slides, so that only one point displays at a time, in large print. Why do we want to do this?

Forcing viewers to look at a slide packed full of text like our example above is one of the worst possible mistakes you can make as a PowerPoint speaker. It’s a guaranteed turnoff and flags you as an amateur visual communicator. Plus, a significant number of studies suggests speakers actually hurt their cause by projecting such material. Viewers absorb less of the message than if the projector was just turned off.

That being said, abandoning PowerPoint is not the answer. Instead, we'll pursue a better messaging strategy. Spreading points onto multiple slides and adding navigation provides two key benefits: It allows viewers to focus on one main idea at a time, digest it, and then return focus to the presenter, and it enables display of any point, in any order—or maybe not at all.

Step 1—Select a Bullet List:

To begin, open a show containing a bullet list. You can use one of your own lists or download the Fruit Nutrition example shown above HERE.

Step 2—Add New Slides:

Create one new slide for each bullet in your list. The Fruit Nutrition list contains four points. So our example has five slides total, the original slide plus four new blank slides.

Step 3—Add Content to the New Slides:

We want the first new slide to display the first bullet point only. We could, in theory, simply copy that point's text and paste it into the second slide’s title box. But we won't. Think back to previous comments, the fact that having a large amount of text on slides is a formula for disaster. Even the quantity of text in our individual points here is still WAY TOO MUCH. A vital part of separating and simplifying your lists is to analyze each point and ask yourself, "How can I say this idea in (ideally) one to five words "—the fewer the better. Keep in mind you can always fill in extra detail verbally. Your display should be super condensed, to boldly hit viewers with core attributes, and then allow them to focus back on your verbal embellishments.

In the second slide’s title box, therefore, type the words shown at right (Figure 13). These words summarize the key apple nutrition facts. As part of the process, delete the lower placeholder textbox, the one designed to hold bullet points. Then expand the title box so that it covers the entire slide. Make the font size 80 pt. Yes, the text seems very large. We want people to easily see and quickly digest this information. Our preference is to leave the text in the middle of the slide, both vertically and horizontally, as shown. Arrange it however you like.

Repeat the same steps with your remaining content slides. Again, summarize the points, make the text large, and be sure the textbox covers the entire slide pane. (By the way, it might even be appropriate to separate the three apples nutrition "points" in Figure 13 onto their own slides as well, allowing you to focus on one nutrition aspect at a time in more detail.)

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