Episode 057 -- Photograph Your Space and Digital Ink in PowerPoint

 

 

2-Minute Tip: Photograph Your Space

 

The brain plays tricks on us. It can be difficult to see clutter and distractions in the space around us because we tune them out. That can be true in a home office, in a conference room, or on a presentation stage.

 

Try taking a picture of your presentation space with your phone. Better yet, have someone take a picture, or several pictures from different angles, of you standing in your speaking spot.

 

Then look at the background in those pictures. You're more likely to spot potential issues by looking at those pictures than by just looking at the real world.

 

 

Post Tip Discussion: Digital Ink in PowerPoint

 

Digital Ink is feature of modern PCs, especially pen-enabled PC. In PowerPoint, it means you can draw on your slides with a digital pen, your mouse, or even your finger.

 

There are two contexts for digital ink in PowerPoint

1. Reviewing Content
2. Presenting Content

 

Reviewing Content

 

I like to use ink to review slide decks while sitting on the couch. By getting away from my desktop monitor, keyboard, mouse, and desk, it helps shift the context of my thinking. I can more easily apply a critical eye to content because it forces me out of "author mode."

 

To review content with ink:

1. Open the slide deck in slide sorter view
2. Click on the "Draw" tab
3. Choose "Draw with touch"

 

Now, I can make notes directly on the slides I'm reviewing, circle typos, ask questions, sketch out additional slides, and more.

 

Then I can save the file with all that ink and send it back to the author to update. Even if that author is me.

 

Presenting Content

 

When presenting content, ink annotations let us do things we used to do with grease pencils and overhead transparencies 40 years ago. We can draw on our slides.

 

To turn on ink annotations during a presentation:

 

1. Launch slideshow mode
2. Hover your pointing device in the lower left of the screen
3. Look for the transparent icons
4. Choose the writing implements button
5. When that pops up the choices, choose the pen

Now you can draw on your slides while the audience watches.

 

What can you do with this function? You have a bunch of options, including:

 

• Emphasize a point
• Mark up a picture
• Interactively label parts of a diagram
• Make note of questions or follow-up items
• Create a virtual whiteboard

 

After your presentation, you can choose to keep or delete your annotations.

 

Call To Action:

 

• Use digital ink in one of your presentations.
• Have you use this feature in the past? Tell us about it in the comments below.
• Photograph your next speaking space to identify distractions.
• Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app
• Don't get best…get better

Check out this episode!