Like it or not PowerPoint remains the staple for most presentations and is the backbone for much of the visual content delivered in online presentations and trainings. In recent times presenters have been able to add multimedia content to presentations to make things interesting.
I wanted to enlighten you on several other tools which can enhance delivery of your next presentation.
Prezzi - is a graphics presentation tool that builds on the PowerPoint slide concept but takes it further by physically zooming into concepts or ideas. Prezi moves like a video along the presentation that the creator designed.
Gliffy - SmartArt in PowerPoint is great however Gliffy generates diagrams, floor plans, flowcharts, technical drawings and more. It is online diagramming to the max and lets you work directly in your web browser, which makes it ideal for real time brainstorming in a training session. This tool will help you present technical information in a visual and digestible way. (If you have an interactive whiteboard this tool is fantastic!!)
SmartDraw - is a storytelling tool that lets you build your message around chunks of information. It combines diagramming features with the ability to brainstorm a concept and generate visuals/PowerPoint, plan a presentation effectively, or actually brainstorm in real time using a “MindMap.”
Visio - This one has been around for some time now and is a Microsoft cousin. It an advanced diagramming tool that comes with a set of templates and stencils with objects that you can drag and drop onto a diagram. It has a unique ability to work in it in real time during an event.
Crystal Dashboard Design - Designed by SAP this is a premier dashboard tool for crafting widgets that help develop online presentations. It saves you from writing out statistics in PowerPoint. If you can't afford the $800 it will cost you for this program Chandoo.org ExcelDashboards.org and iDashboards are online resources for creating dashboards from spreadsheet data.
Third Party Programs for PowerPoint Visuals - Crystal Graphics has new 3D animated characters that play directly in your slides, and PowerFrameworks has animated diagrams that can also help you tell your story directly within PowerPoint. Both allow you to simply revise sample slides for your own purposes.
