powerpoint presentations are just visual mad libs

Someone I follow on Twitter recently said, "When someone doesn't post for a while, I always wonder what wonderful secret project they're working on."

Things have been a little quiet around here, but it won't last for much longer. We have just a few finishing touches to put on the scenery before we can raise the curtain. The management thanks you for your patience.

In the meantime, I've been working on and thinking a lot about how to make more powerful, useful, and entertaining presentations. I've got a few projects looming that I'd love to get cracking on, but I want to make sure my skills are sharp and current, so I've been doing some serious research on the topic.

As it turns out, I didn't have to look far. My best friend, Cindy Caughey, is an independent presentation design consultant, which basically means she gets paid good money to help people create and improve their Powerpoint presentations.

So this past weekend, I invited Cindy out to lunch and picked her brain for her best advice on crafting compelling Powerpoint presentations. And because I am thoughtful, I taped it so we could share.

Click on the video to hear Cindy's take on:

• Why Powerpoint gets a bad rap
• How you can find your own "visual voice"
• When is the right time to practice your presentation in front of 100 stuffed animals
• What exactly is so great about Twitter, anyway?

Links:

Slideology by Nancy Duarte
Book Blog

The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam
Book Blog

Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds
Book Blog

Cindy Caughey on Twitter
www.twitter.com/saucygrrl