Putting together an educational slide show doesn’t have to be labor intensive. Using PowerPoint’s Photo Album tool, you can quickly assemble a series of screen shots and text slides for distribution as a training resource or as part of an informational package.

Trying to schedule training sessions for end users can be practically impossible — and attendance is never a sure thing, either. One good solution is to put together a series of annotated screen shots that illustrate a procedure or set of features or usage scenarios and create a PowerPoint presentation using those images. You can then distribute the presentation via e-mail, put it on the company intranet, share it on CD, or periodically host a brown bag lunch and run the slide show for those users who can make it.

It takes a certain amount of thought to grab the most useful screen shots and make sure your instructions are clear — but of course, that’s true of any training material or documentation you produce. At least you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of time creating the presentation. PowerPoint’s Photo Album feature makes that part of the process a breeze. Let’s run through the process.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

First steps

Figure A

1. In the Photo Album dialog box (Figure B), you’ll find options for choosing the desired pictures.

Figure B

1. Click the File/Disk button to open the Insert New Pictures dialog box (Figure C).

Figure C

1. Locate and select the images you want to use and then click Insert. As Figure D shows, PowerPoint will place them in the Picture In Album List. You can use the up and down arrow buttons to reorder the images, if necessary.

Figure D

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1. By default, the Picture Layout option is set to Fit To Slide, which is what we want for this example. But with this setting selected, you can’t make any other design changes here. So go ahead and temporarily choose 1 Picture from the Picture Layout drop-down list to activate the other options.
2. Choose a Frame Shape option if desired — we’ll go with Beveled. Then click Browse and locate the design template you want to apply to your presentation. (This is optional, but you’ll probably want to improve the readability and appearance of the slides, and this is the easiest way to do it.)
3. There are various ways to add the instructions that will go along with your images, but to keep things simple we’re going to add a separate slide to hold the explanatory text that will precede each screen shot. To set this up, click the New Text Box button as many times as necessary, matching the number of images in your presentation (Figure E).

Figure E

1. Change the Picture Layout setting back to Fit To Slide and then click Create.

Final setup

The rest of the process is simply a matter of arranging the slides and entering/formatting the text. Figure F shows our sample presentation in Slide Sorter view. As you can see, all the text box slides are at the end of the presentation, so we’ll start by clicking on each one and dragging it to the correct spot.

Figure F

Once the slides are all in place, we can double-click each text slide to display it in Slide view, enter the instructions that will introduce the screen shot that follows, and format the text, if necessary. In this case, we selected the heading text (Step 1, Step 2, etc.) and made it 48 points. Then, we formatted the body text to be 32 points. Once we edited the title slide (which PowerPoint creates automatically for photo albums), the job was complete. Figure G shows the results.

Figure G

Tweaks

This is a somewhat quick-and-dirty way to pull together a training presentation, and you may want to make various refinements. For instance, you might decide to include your instructions on the same slide as its corresponding screen shot, or you may want more than one image per slide. But even with the bare-bones approach we’ve outlined here, you’ll find that you can convey a set of instructions quite effectively with a presentation like this.

PowerPoint also offers the advantage of portability, making it easy to distribute and share your presentation. Just choose Package For CD from the File menu to create a CD that contains all the necessary files, along with the PowerPoint Viewer. (Prior to PowerPoint 2003, this feature was called the Pack And Go Wizard.) You can also export the package to a selected folder instead of putting it on a CD.

You can make your PowerPoint presentations far more engaging with a little animation sleight of hand. Susan Harkins walks through the process and shares a sample presentation to demonstrate the results.

An easy way to bring a presentation to life is to imply growth or movement. Insert a few AutoShapes, perform a bit of animation magic, and a simple graphic takes on a life of its own. Your message will stick with the audience long after you shut down the system and turn off the lights — and that’s what you’re after. Once you’re familiar with the process, you’ll find unlimited possibilities for adding a bit of life to your presentations.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download, along with the sample  presentation used to demonstrate this technique.

An overview

The process for simulating growth or movement is simple. You string together a number of frames, similar to the process that creates cartoons. The graphic in each frame changes just enough to suggest growth or movement. Animation properties string the frames together, allowing the graphic to morph from one frame to the next. The simplest animation can require as few as three or four frames. As a general rule, the slower the process, the more frames you need.

Suggesting movement

There are a number of ways to suggest change by using movement to make a point. You could help a flock of birds soar into the sky or send a rocket into space. We’ll work with a much simpler example — we’ll make a frowning face smile!

This example requires three frames: A frowning face, a neutral face, and a smiling face. You could add more to make the change smoother, but three is enough for our purposes and it keeps the example simple and easy to follow. To begin, use AutoShapes to create the frowning face. Specifically, use three circles from Basic Shapes and an arc from Lines. That’s the first frame.

The second and third frames are even simpler. Off to the side (in the same slide) create a straight line and a second arc to fill the neutral frame and the upturned smile frame, respectively. Keep in mind that the size of all three smiles must be relatively the same. The easiest way to create the upturned smile is to copy the frowning smile and rotate it. That way, the smile is the same size as the frown. When creating the neutral frame, you’ll just have to eyeball it.

Once you have created all three frames, as shown in Figure A, you’re ready to animate them. Notice that the second and third frames contain only the parts that move. That won’t always be the case. Sometimes, each frame contains a complete picture, but work with as few pieces as possible when you can.

Figure A

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Use three frames to simulate turning a frown into a smile.

The animation settings determine how PowerPoint displays each frame. In this case, PowerPoint displays the frowning face as a whole picture. As the frown fades, PowerPoint fades to the neutral frame. As the neutral frame fades, PowerPoint displays the upturned smile frame. Complete this animation as follows:

Once you’ve animated each frame, stack them as shown in Figure B. That way, the three smiles fill the same space as the frames fade in and out. Now, save the presentation.

Figure B

 Stack the frames so they seem to occupy the same space.

To preview the animated slide, press [F5]. The effect isn’t visible online so be sure to download the demo presentation for a complete picture.

The first frame (the frown) doesn’t have an Entrance effect, and the last frame (the smile) doesn’t have an Exit effect. That means the frown is present from the beginning — it doesn’t fade in. Similarly, the smile doesn’t fade. You can change both, if it suits your purposes.The fading entrance and exit properties and the speed between those fades simulate movement between the three faces. That movement creates mood. Make sure the mood fulfills or supports your message. You can alter the entrance and exit effects and speeds to customize the general mood of the animation.

The smiling face example uses a combination of With Previous and After Previous settings. There are three possible settings:

• On Click: You must click the slide to start the animation.
• With Previous: Animation begins as the previous item ends.
• With After: Animation begins immediately after the previous item is finished.

Remember, these properties determine how PowerPoint displays and subsequently hides each frame. The frown fades after its animation is complete. The neutral frame fades in as the frown fades out. Each frame repeats this structure. You can change those effects, slow them down, speed them up, and even combine them. You could also move several pieces in each frame. For instance, you could change the shape of the eyes or even let the face wink.

The one problem with this particular example is that PowerPoint can’t replicate a natural smile. That natural process is too smooth. You can add more arcs to make the process smoother, but you can’t truly blend one frame into the next. You can only give the illusion of doing so. Don’t try to imitate life, just allude to it You’re after the sentiment, not a realistic rendition.

Suggesting growth

The technique for implying growth is the same as for movement. Only the essence of the message and the result differ. This time, the example graphic, a red heart, grows a bit, making it seem to pulse.

First, you need the frames. The three hearts shown in Figure C increase in size. Use the instructions from the last example to apply the same animation scheme, except for the speed. Use Medium speed instead of Fast.

Figure C

Animating three different-size hearts suggests a growing and pulsing heart.

After applying the animation settings, stack the hearts in the center of the slide, as shown in Figure D. You can’t tell it, but the two smaller hearts are under the largest heart. To view the animation, press [F5]. The timing is a bit slower this time, but the frames fade into one another as the previous example did. The slower fades seem to give the heart a pulse.

Figure D

Stack the three frames and watch the heart grow.

To life!

Liven up a presentation with a little movement or growth. At first, the process requires some experimentation, but the more you work with animation settings, the more intuitive they will become. Remember, anytime you engage the audience in a fun and meaningful way, you influence those viewers in a positive way.

You can set up your slide shows to include a little preview presentation that will help prime your audience for the main event. Susan Harkins shows this simple but highly effective technique.

Displaying an introductory or welcome slide while your audience arrives for a presentation is common. You might display general information or a friendly hello. Usually, you display just one slide and the presentation doesn’t progress until you begin the presentation manually. This setup is okay, but to generate a bit more interest, you might want to display more than one introductory slide — call it a mini presentation if you like. That way, you’ll have the attention and interest of your audience before you even begin.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download, along with a sample presentation that demonstrates the technique.

Two presentations in one

While the audience enters the room and finds a seat, they may chat with one another, help themselves to refreshments, or sit quietly and wait for the show. Regardless, most will be thinking about other things, and not your presentation. The one-slide introduction that says welcome and displays pretty flowers is quaint, but it won’t grab anyone’s attention as they enter the room, and it certainly won’t keep anyone’s interest while they wait.

You can get their attention from the moment they walk through the door with an introductory presentation that introduces you and/or your presentation’s purpose. Now, you might think that you need two separate presentations, but you don’t. You can save the introductory presentation as a part of the main presentation. The key is to hide the slides in the main presentation. That way, your audience sees only the introductory slides. Later, when you’re ready to begin the presentation, you click a button that links to the first slide in the main presentation. Even though you hid the slide, PowerPoint will still display it, and then continue to display the remaining hidden slides in the main presentation.

Setting it up

It doesn’t matter where you place the introductory slides within the main presentation. At the beginning makes sense, but it isn’t necessary. Use as many introductory slides as needed, but keep it to a minimum. Two to five slides is usually adequate. The point is to present material that will interest the audience and enhance your program. (The example presentation is simple on purpose so as not to distract from the technique.)

Add the introductory slides to your presentation file and then save it. In Slide Sorter view, complete the following steps to distinguish between the two sets of slides:

Figure A

PowerPoint generic cialis buy online will automatically advance slides during the introduction.

1. Deselect the On Mouse Click option.
2. Choose Set Up Show from the Slide Show menu. In PowerPoint 2007, click the Slide Show tab and click Set Up Slide Show.
3. Select the Loop Continuously Until Esc option (Figure B). Make sure the Using Timings, If Present option is also selected, then click OK.

Figure B

Tell PowerPoint to loop continuously.

Now you’re ready to add the button that links the introductory presentation to the main presentation. You’ll click this button to stop the introductory message and begin the main show. To add a linking button to the introductory presentation, do the following:

1. With the last slide in the introductory presentation current in Normal view, choose AutoShapes from the Drawing toolbar. Then, choose Action Buttons. In PowerPoint 2007, you’ll find the Shapes group on the Insert tab.
2. Choose Action Button from the Shapes drop-down list.
3. Add an AutoShape to the slide.
4. With the button selected, choose Action Settings from the Slide Show menu. In PowerPoint 2007, choose Action on the Insert tab.
5. In the Action Settings dialog box, display the Hyperlink To option’s drop-down list and select Slide. (Thumb down to find the right option and do not accidentally choose Next Slide; doing so will take you to the next slide in the mini presentation.)
6. In the Hyperlink To Slide dialog box, select the first slide in the main presentation, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

Select the first slide in the main presentation.

1. Click OK twice.

Most likely, you’ll want to make the linking button invisible, although doing so isn’t necessary. It’s up to you. To make the button invisible, do the following:

1. Double-click the button. In PowerPoint 2007, click the Format tab and then click the dialog box button in the Shape Styles group.
2. In the Format AutoShape dialog box, drag the Transparency Slider on the Color and Lines tab to 100% (Figure D). In PowerPoint 2007, use the Color pane.

Figure D

By changing the button’s Transparency property, you render it invisible.

If you want the flexibility of starting the main presentation from any slide in the introductory presentation, copy the button to the Clipboard and then paste it onto each slide in the intro presentation. The button will retain the same hyperlink and formats. Just be sure to paste the button to the same general area of each slide so you can remember where it is (if it’s invisible).

The presentation still isn’t ready for the split slideshow. To get the desired effect, you must hide the slides in the main presentation. Just select all the slides in the main presentation in Slide Sorter view and choose Hide Slide from the Slide Show menu. In PowerPoint 2007, click Hide Slide on the Slide Show tab.

Running the presentation

Run the presentation as you would any other. Press [F5] and PowerPoint will display the first slide in the introductory presentation, and then the next. When PowerPoint reaches the last slide in the introductory presentation, it will encounter the first hidden slide in the main presentation. It will then display the first slide in the introductory presentation again.

When you’re ready to begin the main presentation, click the Action button and PowerPoint will immediately display the first slide in the main presentation. At the end of the main presentation, PowerPoint will display the first slide in the introductory presentation. You’ll probably want to add a final slide that let’s you know you’re at the end. That way, you won’t inadvertently click that last slide and start the intro all over again.

Show’s on!

You can keep your audience mildly entertained or grab their interest early on with a short introductory presentation. Just let the slides automatically loop until you’re ready to begin the main presentation.

Bullets and numbers that are out of proportion to your slide text can be distracting and ugly. This simple trick will ensure that those characters are sized just right.

Do your bullets and numbers overpower the text on your PowerPoint slides? Or are they so small you can hardly see them from the back of the room? You don’t have to settle for characters that distract from your message. For example, suppose too large numbers distract from the text as shown in Figure A.

Figure A

To daily cialis improve their appearance, just follow these steps:

1. In PowerPoint 2002/2003, go to Format | Bullets And Numbering. In PowerPoint 2007, choose Bullets And Numbering from the Bullets And Numbering drop-down list on the Home tab.

1. Click the Numbered tab.

1. In the Size box, click the down arrow until 80 is displayed, as shown in Figure B, and then click OK.

Figure B

The numbers will now be 80% the size of the surrounding text, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

Do you use the miniature slides in MS PowerPoint for navigation purposes?

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