Using PowerPoint For Mediation Presentations

Tips to make the “old school” tool look new again

Presented by: C. Todd Smith

Why does good slide design matter to lawyers?

Death by PowerPoint

Boredom“PowerPoint hell” is the tedium some people report on sitting through PowerPoint visual presentations that are too long and complex, making excessive use of the software’s features and when the presenter just reads from the slides. Source: Wikipedia

Things to avoid

Beware of the template trap

BULLETSAREFOR GUNSNOTFOR PRESENTATIONS

Memberships and Affiliations Admitted to The Florida Bar 1994 United States District Court, Middle

District of Florida Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers American Trial Lawyer Association Central Florida Trial Lawyers

Association Orange County Bar Association Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer, Orlando

Legal Aid Society

Cutting and Pasting Trap On June 24, 2010, Plaintiff, JANE DOE, was

the operator of a motor vehicle in Seminole County, Florida that was struck from behind by a vehicle being operated by John Smith, who was at fault for the motor vehicle accident.

At all material times, including June 24, 2010, John Smith was insured by United Services Automobile Association, who tendered the limits of his bodily injury liability coverage on or about March 17, 2011.

SOUTHERN-OWNERS insured Plaintiff under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy, including underinsured and/or uninsured motorist coverage.

UNNECESSARY SLIDE TRANSITIONS

THE “SHRED” EFFECT

(If you were watching this in PowerPoint you would love this awesome looking, but totally useless, transition effect.)

THE “CHECKERBOARD” EFFECT

(If you were watching this in PowerPoint you would love this even more awesome looking, but totally useless, transition effect.)

THE “HONEYCOMB” EFFECT

(If you were watching this in PowerPoint this transition effect would simply blow your mind.)

POOR COLOR CHOICES

Wrong Font and Too much Text

“The majority of the presentations that I see have text in a ten point font. As much text as possible is jammed into the slide, and then the presenter reads it. However, as soon as the audience figures out that you’re reading the text, it reads ahead of you because it can read faster than you can speak. The result is that you and the audience are out of synch.

The reason people use a small font is twofold: first, that they don’t know their material well enough; second, they think that more text is more convincing. Total bozosity. Force yourself to use no font smaller than thirty points. I guarantee it will make your presentations better because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well. If “thirty points,” is too dogmatic, the I offer you an algorithm: find out the age of the oldest person in your audience and divide it by two. That’s your optimal font size.” - Guy Kawasaki

Read more: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.html#ixzz1dKyrGkCe

BAD CLIP ART AND ANIMATIONS

tips

Less is more. Start your design with a blank slide.

Telling the story

WHEN TELLING YOUR CLIENT’S STORY AT MEDIATION:

Don’t use the slides as a crutch – you still have to persuasively tell your client’s story.

What you have to say is more interesting than your slides.

Don’t watch your slideshow and don’t read from the screen which takes the focus away from you

YOU CONTROL THE SLIDES, DON’T LET THE SLIDES CONTROL YOU.

Act I begins a story by setting up all of the key story elements, including the setting, the main character, a conflict, and the desired outcome.

Act II drives the story forward by picking up on the conflict in Act I and developing it through the actions and reactions of the main character in response to changing conditions.

Act III ends the story by framing a climax and a decision that the main character must face to resolve the situation.

Source: Cliff Atkinson, Sociable Media

Structuring the Story

Use Pictures

Accident

location

“Barn”

RentalUnits

Accident Location – Not on the Rental Property

WARNING!DO NOT OPERATE UNLESS YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL

FORKLIFT TRAINING & SAFETY MANUAL

Remember that you are responsible for not only your safety, but that of your fellow workers.

Know the limitations of the machine you are using. Never attempt any job that the machine is not equipped to perform.

11/25/08 - A ratio of three staff for 18 children is required.

History Of Violations

0 STAFF FOR 18 CHILDREN OBSERVED

tipsTECH

Get to know the ribbon in Office 2010

Office.com

AlwaysBePrepared

Know your room where you will be conducting the mediation.

Make sure the facility has what you need for your presentation.

Always arrive early to set up.

Always be prepared for the worst case scenario – no presentation (bulb issue, computer issue, etc.)

Don’t be boring.

Shortcuts:http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/powerpoint-help/keyboard-shortcuts-for-use-while-creating-a-presentation-in-powerpoint-2010-HP010336519.aspx

Death by PowerPoint: http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/684871/Death-By-Powerpoint.htm

Really bad PowerPoint – Seth Godin http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/really_bad_powe.html

Tips: http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/powerpoint_tips.htmlhttp://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/

Portability – Office web apps: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/web-apps?WT.mc_id=PPT_WebApp

C. Todd Smithwww.ctoddsmith.com

Download this presentation at:Slideshare.net/ctoddsmith