- The
mobile version of ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com will give you quick answers
to questions or problems you have with your PowerPoint presentation.
Click on the question in the list below to see the answer or
scroll down to see all the questions and answers. The
questions
are arranged by category to make it easier to find the one you need
answered right now.
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to go to the main ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com site. Click
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This site is copyrighted by Dave
Paradi. All rights reserved.
Setting up the
Equipment/Room
- My
slides show on my laptop screen but not through the projector - what do
I do?
- My
slides show on the projector but not on my laptop screen - what do I do?
- My
laptop is
a
widescreen but the
projector is not - how do I make my presentation look the best?
- The
computer
they gave me doesn't have
my version of PowerPoint - what do I do?
- I
can't see
my
laptop screen from where I
am standing - how do I know where I am in the presentation?
- Should
I
stand to the left or the
right of the screen when presenting?
- Due
to the
room
setup, I can't stand
close enough to my computer to advance the slides - what can I do?
- How
should I arrange my podium/table for presenting?
Problems
Discovered While Testing Your Slides
- My
colors look
awful on the screen -
what can I
do?
- My
video clip won't play - what do I do?
- A
link to a file doesn't
work -
what do I do?
- A
link to a web site doesn't
work -
what do I do?
- My
audio clip won't play - what do I do?
- The
audio/video clip isn't loud enough
- what
can I do?
- Some
or all of my pictures show up with a red "X" and a warning about
QuickTime - what is wrong?
- Why
are my slides advancing on their own?
- The
mouse cursor keeps coming up every
time I
advance to the next point - how do I get rid of it?
- My
remote control isn't working - what
do I do?
- I
forgot my speaking notes - what do I
do?
Problems
during Delivery of
the Presentation
- I
was just told I have less time to present - what do I do?
- What
tips do
you have for a smooth delivery?
- I
am feeling nervous - what can I do to relax?
- The
projector
just died - what do I do?
- My
computer
just froze up - what do
I do?
- The audience isn't responding to my material -
what can
I do?
- What
is the
best way to end my presentation?
Setting
up the Equipment/Room
My
slides show on my laptop
screen but not through the projector - what do I do?
Try
these two things:
1)
Display toggle: Every laptop has three display
modes: laptop
only, external video port (ie. the projector) only or
both.
Your laptop is likely set to display only on your screen.
There
is a key combination that will toggle between the different
display modes. Look for a key (usually one of the function
keys)
that has a picture of a display or the letters VGA on it. You
usually have to hold a special Function key (usually labeled Fn) and
press this key to switch between the different modes. After
you
press the key combination, wait at least five to ten seconds for the
new setting to take effect before you toggle to the next setting.
2)
Cables are loose: Make sure all cables are securely connected to your
laptop and the projector.
3) Even after checking the above, you still may not see the image
through the projector if your laptop has a graphics chipset that is not
powerful enough to show the image on both the laptop screen and the
projector at the same time. In this case, you will have to
use the display toggle to set it so that the projector is the only
display.
Back to
list
My slides show on the
projector but not on my laptop screen - what do I do?
Every
laptop has three display modes: laptop
only, external video port only
or both. Your laptop is likely set to display only on the
external port, which is the projector.
There is a key combination that will toggle between the
different
display modes. Look for a key (usually one of the function
keys) that
has a picture of a display or the letters VGA on it. You
usually have
to hold a special Function key (usually labeled Fn) and press this key
to switch between the different modes. After you press the
key
combination, wait at least five to ten seconds for the new setting to
take effect before you toggle to the next setting.
Back
to
list
My
laptop is a widescreen but the projector is not - how do I make my
presentation look the best?
In
PowerPoint, you need to set the slide show display mode to display in
the resolution that is the default for most projectors - 1024 x 768.
In PowerPoint 2003, click on Slide Show - Set Up Show.
In
the Slide Show resolution drop down box at the bottom of the dialog
box, select 1024 x 768. Click the OK button to save the
setting. In PowerPoint 2007, click the Slide Show
tab.
In the Resolution drop down box select 1024 x 768. When you enter Slide Show mode, your laptop
will now switch to this resolution. If the projector is a
newer projector, it may have a widescreen mode. Ask the staff
if it does, since this may be an option if you really want to show
widescreen content.
Back
to
list
The
computer they gave me doesn't have my version of PowerPoint - what do I
do?
If
the version on the computer is newer than the version you have,
everything will be fine since new versions are compatible with older
versions. If the version on the computer is older than your
version, it will likely read your file and display it but any new
features you have used may not work properly. Test every
slide to
see if anything will not work the way you want it to. If
there is
time, ask if they can download and install the latest PowerPoint Viewer
from Microsoft's web site. This is a free application that
only
shows the slides and will be able to display all new features properly.
Next time, consider asking what version they have or carrying
the
PowerPoint Viewer on a USB drive so they can install it if needed.
Back
to
list
I
can't see my laptop screen from where I am standing - how do I know
where I am in the presentation?
If
possible, see if you can rearrange where you are standing or where the
laptop is positioned so you can see it. If this is not
possible,
realize that you will only have to look at the screen once per slide to
know what is happening. You will be tempted to look at the
screen
often, but you don't need to. After you advance to a new
slide,
take a second to glance at the screen but don't start talking yet.
This gives you time to know that the correct slide is on the
screen. Then, turn and face the audience and start speaking.
If you have builds during the slide, have the confidence that
they will happen when you press the advance button on your remote and
resist the temptation to look after each build. Make sure you
have a copy of the slides with you if you need to refer to them during
your presentation.
Back
to
list
Should
I stand to the left or the right of the screen when presenting?
Sometimes
you don't have a choice of which side you can stand on due to the setup
of the room. If you do have a choice, I suggest you stand to
the
left of the screen as seen by the audience. This way, they
return
their focus to you on the left after they see your slide.
This is
the most natural for most Western audience members.
Back
to
list
Due
to the room setup, I can't stand close enough to my computer to advance
the slides - what can I do?
There
are a number of things to try. First, see if someone has a
remote
control device you can borrow that will allow you to stand away from
the computer and advance your slides with the remote. Second,
see
if they have a VGA extension cord that can extend the cord leading to
the projector and allow you to position your computer closer to where
you are standing. Third, see if you can rearrange
some of
the room so you can stand close to the computer.
Lastly, see
if you can arrange with someone who is close to your computer to
advance the slides for you. Work out with them a hand signal
that
tells them to advance the slide. Don't keep saying "Next
slide
please" over and over in order to advance the slides. Next
time
your present, carry a VGA extension cord and remote control of your own.
Back
to
list
How
should I arrange my podium/table for presenting?
The
overall thought should be that you don't want to arrange your items in
a way that may cause an accident during the presentation. Put
the items you won't be touching farthest from where you are standing,
like your laptop if you are using a remote, a clock so you know how you
are doing with the time you have been given, and any cellphones, name
badges, etc. that you have taken off for the presentation.
Place your notes in front of where you will stand so you can
easily see them and leave space to the left so that you can
slide the pages over during the presentation (don't flip the pages,
slide them over). Place a glass of water slightly away from
the rest of your items, and certainly away from your laptop.
It is still reachable, but you don't have to reach over the
other items to get the glass. That way, there is less chance
of you spilling it and causing a problem.
Back to
list
Problems
Discovered While Testing Your Slides
My
colors look
awful on the screen -
what can I
do?
A
poor quality image is generally due to one of two issues.
First,
it could be the projector. The bulb could be weak or one of
the
colors in the unit could have gone bad. See if there is
another,
newer projector available. If there isn't, acknowledge the
problem at the start of your presentation but don't blame anyone.
You want the audience to sympathize with your situation, not
turn
against you because you are bitter. The other cause could be
the
colors you chose for your slides. If they don't have enough
contrast, it will be hard to distinguish between the background and any
text or visual elements. It may also be because the color you
selected is not accurately displayed by this projector (every projector
does a better or worse job on some colors). In this case, go
to
your Slide Master and see if you can modify the background color to
make the slides look better. You can also try to modify the
text
color, but it may involve reformatting almost every slide, so start
with a slight change to the background and see if that helps.
Again, you may not be able to do much about this issue, so
acknowledge it at the start and move on.
Back to
list
My
video clip won't play - what do I do?
There
are a number of potential problems, so let's work through them step by
step. First, check if the video file exists. Too
often,
people think that PowerPoint embeds the video file into the
presentation, but it does not. It only links to the video
file,
so the video file must exist on the computer in order for it to run.
If the video file does not exist, you will have to get it or
decide to present without the video. If the video file does
exist, or you were able to get a copy of it, see if it will play in a
media player, such as Windows Media Player. If the video has
an
error playing in the media player, the file is likely corrupt and you
will need to get a new copy of it or decide to present without the
video. If the video file does play correctly in a media
player,
then you can re-link the video file to the slide in your presentation.
On the slide, delete the old video link and re-insert the
video
file. Set the options and re-test to see if it works.
In
rare situations, an inserted video file does not play. One
option
is to create a hyperlink to the video file on your slide.
Activate the hyperlink when you are presenting and your
default
media player will play the video. It won't look as nice, but
at
least you can use the video. If you have a QuickTime video
(MOV
file format), the hyperlink is the only way to go since QuickTime files
can't be inserted on to slides in PowerPoint for Windows.
Back to
list
A link to a file
doesn't work -
what do I do?
The
first thing to check is to see whether the file you have linked to
exists. If it does not, you will need to get a copy of it or
decide to do without it for this presentation. If the file
does
exist, re-link to it from your slide.
Back to
list
A link to a web
site doesn't work - what do I do?
If
the link is to a web site, then you will need to check the Internet
connection from the computer. Open the browser and go to a
commonly accessible site like google.com, cnn.com or
yahoo.com.
If those sites don't come up, it is likely that the Internet
connection isn't working. Ask the facilities people at the
location for assistance in getting it working. If possible
(and
not too expensive), you should always prefer a wired connection over a
wireless connection to the Internet because the wired connection is
more reliable. If you can access a common web site from the
browser, then the link on your slide may not be spelled
correctly. Edit the link and check that it has the correct
spelling. In the future, consider having backup slides that
are
screen shots of the web site so that if the Internet connection
can’t be fixed, you can still show the audience some of what you
wanted them to see on the web.
Back to
list
My audio clip
won't play - what do I do?
There
are a number of potential issues that could be causing the
problem. First, check if the audio file exists.
While it is
possible to embed audio files into the PowerPoint file, most audio
files are too large, so PowerPoint links to the file instead.
Since it is a link, the audio file must exist on the computer in order
for it to run. If the audio file does not exist, you will
have to
get it or decide to present without the audio. If the audio
file
does exist, or you were able to get a copy of it, see if it will play
in a media player, such as Windows Media Player. If the audio
has
an error playing in the media player, the file is likely corrupt and
you will need to get a new copy of it or decide to present without
it. If the audio file does play correctly in a media player,
then
you can re-link the audio file to the slide in your
presentation.
On the slide, delete the old audio link and re-insert the audio
file. Set the options and re-test to see if it
works. In
rare situations, an inserted audio file does not play. One
option
is to create a hyperlink to the audio file on your slide.
Activate the hyperlink when you are presenting and your default media
player will play the audio. It won't look as nice, but at
least
you can use the audio. In the future, consider having a
transcript of the audio on a backup slide so if the audio doesn't work,
you can still share the message from the audio.
Back to
list
The audio/video clip
isn't loud enough - what can I do?
First,
check that the volume on the computer is turned up as much as
possible. On some computers there are volume buttons and on
some
there are key combinations that will increase the volume. You
can
also use the volume setting in Windows to increase the
volume. If
the volume is still not loud enough, you may be able to increase the
volume of the clip within PowerPoint. In the Custom Animation
Effect Options for the clip, you can set the volume for the clip and
you should move it to the maximum setting if necessary. If
your
computer is connected to speakers or a sound system, make sure the
volume on that system is also increased.
Back to
list
Some
or all of my pictures show up with a red "X" and a warning about
QuickTime - what is wrong?
This happens when the presentation has been developed on PowerPoint for
the Mac and is being displayed on PowerPoint on a Windows computer if
images were not inserted properly. If you use Copy &
Paste on the Mac, it embeds QuickTime information into the picture
because copy & paste are operating system level functions.
When it gets to the Windows PC, it can't understand the
QuickTime information in the picture, so it displays the red "X" as a
placeholder and gives you information about a QuickTime error.
The solution is to use the Insert - Picture - From File
function within PowerPoint on the Mac. If you have access to
the Mac and the time, you can try to delete and re-insert the pictures
on the Mac and use the new version on the Windows PC. If you
can't re-insert the pictures, you will have to delete the pictures from
the slides and plan to present without them.
Back
to
list
Why are my
slides advancing on their own?
This
usually happens when the slides have been taken from another slide show
that was a self-running loop of slides. The slides have been
set
to advance automatically after a certain time has elapsed. In
the
Slide Transition settings, make sure that the checkbox for automatic
advancing is unchecked and apply that to all slides.
Back to
list
The mouse cursor
keeps coming up every time I advance to the next point - how do I get
rid of it?
If
you are using a mouse to advance your slides, this can happen
frequently. The mouse cursor appears whenever the mouse is
moved,
and even a slight movement can cause the cursor to appear.
What
is likely happening is that each time you click the mouse to advance
the slide, the mouse moves slightly, causing the cursor to
appear. In Slide Show mode, press Ctrl+H to hide the cursor
from
coming up when you move the mouse. If you do need the cursor
to
appear during the presentation, press Ctrl+A. If the mouse
comes
up accidentally in your presentation, you can press the A key to make
it disappear, but that won’t stop it from appearing the next time
you move the mouse.
Back to
list
My remote
control isn't working - what do I do?
The
most likely cause of a remote not working is that the batteries need to
be changed. Put a new set of batteries in the remote and see
if
it works. If it still doesn’t work, try removing the dongle
from the computer and waiting a minute before inserting the dongle in
the USB port. If that doesn’t work, try another USB port
(it is rare for a USB port to fail, but it has happened).
Next,
see if someone else has a remote you can borrow for your presentation
and use their remote. Lastly, if you have a remote mouse,
connect
it and advance the slides using the left mouse button (press Ctrl+H
when in Slide Show mode to stop the cursor from coming up every time
you move the mouse). If all else fails, position the laptop
where
you can reach the keyboard and use the arrow keys to advance through
the presentation.
Back to
list
I forgot my
speaking notes - what do I do?
If
you have a printout of your slides that is being used as a handout for
the audience, grab a copy and make some quick notes under each
slide. Use this to remind you of the key points you wanted to
make. If there is no printout of your slides, grab a pad of
paper
and start making key notes for each slide. Write the slide
number
and headline on one line and your bullet notes below. The
slide
number and headline will help you keep on track between these notes and
your slides. Another alternative is to get a copy of your
notes
onto your smartphone by downloading them from a web archive or having
someone e-mail them to you. You can then refer to the notes
on
your phone during the presentation or transfer them to a computer where
they can be printed. If someone else can print your notes
back at
the office, they could fax them to you at the location and you can use
the faxed copy.
Back to
list
Problems during Delivery of the Presentation
I was just told I have less
time to present - what do I do?
If
you have less time to present, you need to focus on the most important
ideas you want to get across to the audience. Go into your
slides
and hide those slides that do not relate to the reduced scope of your
presentation. Do not delete the slides, hide them instead, so
that you don’t lose that work and so that you can access the
slides if necessary. When you start your presentation, never
refer poorly to the reduced time. If the audience has a copy
of
all of your slides or notes for all of the material you were going to
cover, let them know that you will focus on the most important ideas
and have given them additional reference material for their use after
your presentation. Throughout the presentation, give them
guidance on where you are in the handout, “On page 4 there is
some more information on the research methods which you can read
later. I would like to now focus on page 5 and talk about the
results of the findings.” If you do need to access one of
the hidden slides during your presentation, press Ctrl+S in Slide Show
mode and select the slide you want to show from the list it displays.
Back to
list
What tips do you
have for a smooth delivery?
To
make the experience for the audience as smooth as possible, start by
making sure that your slides are in Slide Show mode before the
projector image is shown. If you are following another
presenter,
put a piece of paper over the projector lens temporarily or switch the
laptop output to show only on the laptop screen. Do the
switching
of files without the audience seeing everything. Then display
the
first slide to the audience. If you need to jump to any slide
in
your presentation, you can press Ctrl+S during the presentation and
select from the list of slides. A more seamless way to jump
to
any slide is to enter the slide number using the number keys on the
keyboard and press the Enter key. This jumps to the desired
slide
with the audience thinking it is the next slide. This
technique
can be very useful if you find yourself running out of time during your
presentation. Always know what the slide number is for your
concluding slide and if necessary, jump to that slide to end on
time. To focus attention on you or to continue a story when
the
slide is no longer needed, you can always press the “B” key
on the keyboard. This blacks the screen. You can
return to
the normal display by pressing the “B” key again. If
your computer does not use the English version of the operating system
or PowerPoint, then your blacking out key is likely the first letter of
the word for “black” in the language of the computer (ie. in French,
the “N” key is used for
“noir”). The final tip is that you can actually draw
on a slide in PowerPoint, which can be useful in certain
situations. To access a pen in Slide Show mode, press
Ctrl+P. To change the options for the pen, such as width or
ink
color, right-click and select the Pen Options. You can draw
on
the slide with the pen by holding down the left mouse button and
dragging the pen cursor. To erase what you have drawn, press
the
E key. To return to normal presenting mode, press Ctrl+A to
change the cursor to the normal arrow and then press A to hide the
cursor.
Back to
list
I am feeling
nervous - what can I do to relax?
Most
nervousness comes from a root of fear that something bad will
happen. Please realize that most of your audience is glad it
is
you up there and not them, since speaking in public is one of the most
common fears. But let me give you a different perspective to
consider. I believe that speaking to an audience is really
just
having a conversation with them. You are the expert in your
topic
and they came specifically to hear you. They are glad to be
there
and are eager to hear what you have to say. If you miss a
point
or leave something out, don't make a comment, just come back to
it later – most of the time they will never know because they
don’t know what you were supposed to say. If you make a
mistake, don’t put yourself down, just correct it and move on
– we all make mistakes sometimes, don’t worry about
it. Remember that they came to see you and they will be
tolerant
of a minor mess up because we are all human. Do your best,
that's all they ask, or anyone could ask, of you.
Back to
list
The projector
just died - what do I do?
A
projector can shut off for a number of reasons. If some of
the
exhaust vents are blocked by papers or books placed too close to the
projector, it will shut down when the temperature gets too hot
inside. Check that there isn’t anything obstructing the
vents of the projector. It will need to cool down before you
can
turn it back on. Blowing into the projector to cool it down
may
help reduce the time it needs to be ready. Check that the
power
has not been shut off to the projector. Check the power
switch,
the switch on any power bars and the plug to the wall outlet.
Someone might have tripped over the cord or accidentally turned off the
power bar. Check that the cords from the projector to the
computer are still properly plugged in. You have about 3-4
minutes to try to rectify the situation before the audience starts to
get fidgety. If it appears that the projector will not work
because the bulb has died or another malfunction, you need to commit to
delivering your message anyways. Instead of your slides, see
if
there is a flipchart, blackboard, whiteboard or overhead projector that
you can use to draw some of the key visuals. Use your arms to
draw visuals in the air, but draw from the audience’s perspective
(this takes practice to be able to do well). Use more
descriptive
language so people create pictures in their mind. Never say
negative things about the A/V folks, the projector, the facility or the
situation. Stay positive and move forward and the audience
will
come with you.
Back to
list
My computer
just froze up - what do I do?
What
appears to be the computer freezing may be PowerPoint, Windows or the
computer. Always start by turning the projector off, putting
a
piece of paper in front of the lens or disconnecting the computer from
the projector so the audience doesn’t see what you are about to
do. Next, press Esc to exit your slide show. If you
get
back to the editing view, try restarting your slide show. If
you
don’t exit the show, you need to try shutting down
PowerPoint. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up the Task
Manager. Find the PowerPoint program in the list of
Applications. Select it and click the End Task
button. It
will take a minute or two to shut down PowerPoint. Try
starting
it again and restarting your slide show. If you can’t get
to the Task Manager, you can force the computer to shut down by
pressing and holding the power button on the computer until it shuts
down, usually 7-20 seconds at least. Try restarting the
computer,
PowerPoint and your slide show. If the computer has truly
died
and won’t work, you need to figure it out within about 5
minutes. If this is the case, you need to commit to
delivering
your message anyways. Instead of your slides, see if there is
a
flipchart, blackboard, whiteboard or overhead projector that you can
use to draw some of the key visuals. Use your arms to draw
visuals in the air, but draw from the audience’s perspective
(this takes practice to be able to do well). Use more
descriptive
language so people create pictures in their mind. Never say
negative things about the A/V folks, the computer, the facility or the
situation. Stay positive, move forward and the audience will
come
with you.
Back to
list
The
audience isn't responding to my material - what can I do?
If
you sense that the audience is not connecting with what you are saying,
it is better to stop and assess the situation instead of ploughing on
with your material. In an informative or training situation,
you
can introduce an exercise where they form into groups of 2-4 people and
discuss how they could apply the ideas in their own situation and what
obstacles they see. Then have the groups report back what
they
discussed. Their discussions will let you know if the
material is
too complex, isn’t relevant or they just don’t see how it
could apply to them. In a persuasive presentation, do a check
in
to see if they understand your points by asking “Does this make
sense to you?” Take a pause in the presentation and ask if
there are concerns or questions on what has been discussed so
far. Take whatever feedback you get and switch gears to a
different direction if needed. Be prepared to shut down the
presentation and go in the direction that will help you move the
audience to the place you want them to reach. Also realize
that
many times when we think the audience is lost, it may just be that they
are tired or the culture is not an expressive one. It may not
indicate anything at all about how your presentation is going.
Back to
list
What is the best way
to end my presentation?
The
worst way to end your presentation is to have a slide with the word
“Questions???” in large type in the middle of the
slide. This suggests that they should question everything you
said because you know it wasn't clear and actionable. The
second worst way to end your presentation is a similar slide but this
time the word “Thanks!!!” is in the middle of the
slide. All this does is thank them for not getting up and
leaving
early. A much better approach is to end with a slide that
summarizes your key points and leads to a discussion of the next
steps. In an informative presentation, it would be a summary
of
what you explained and a discussion of how the audience will use this
new information in their own situation. In a persuasive
presentation, it is a summary of how the points you presented lead to
the desired outcome and a discussion of the next steps in the
decision-making process. Finish strongly to inspire action on
your message.
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list