PowerPoint, It’s Not You, It’s Me

Dear sweet PowerPoint, technology of my youth,

Is this it for us? After years together, so many are encouraging us to part ways. So many are lamenting our time together and speaking of the slow death that you caused them. Worse, some have called for your death. “The slow, painful death of PowerPoint,” was one wistful wish.

But I can’t help to think that maybe it’s not you, it’s me.

Maybe I could have done more.  Maybe I could have done better by you and we wouldn't even be here.

If I had embedded live webpages that were working in my slides, I could have been more engaging.  A static, fixed screen is like staying home on a Saturday night. Sorry about both.

Maybe I shouldn’t have been so complacent and used the standard templates and backgrounds.  Maybe I should have created my own.  Maybe a picture of my chalkboard, or whiteboard blurred a bit would have done the trick.

Screen Capture of PowerPoint Slide

If I would have taken those pictures and stretched them across the whole screen, it would have been a dynamic, meaningful background. A screenshot with minimal amounts of text fading in would have been a nice, relevant touch.

Screen Capture of PowerPoint Slide

Perhaps I was too brash. Using those bouncing letters and spinning words seemed like such a good idea at the time. I shouldn't have tried to be something I’m not. You know I always say, “I put the ‘b’ in subtle.” I should have stuck to that.

On the other hand, I can’t even bring myself to discuss the times when I wasn't there for you at all. No transitions. No moving text. No background. Just words on a screen. Just going through the motions.

I could do better.

Had I embedded twitter hashtags into the slides we would have had updates in real time with real people all over the world. I know some places it’s blocked, but we can work on that. I want to work on it. I want to make it all better.

Maybe I should ask more questions. www.polleverywhere.com would let me embed text, web, or twitter polls right into the slides. All I have to do while in my poll is click the "download slide" link. Where have I been?

What about a video? I could embed a short video right into a slide. That would be engaging. Can I take you to the movies?

Screen Capture of PowerPoint Slide

Or I could just tell good stories to make my points and use the slides as an outline. Or use humor. Or include pictures of my kids for fun and cuteness.  Or include important text in unconventional ways. Or have a backchannel going using www.todaysmeet.com  All these would be engaging and they would improve our relationship.

You see, it hasn't been you. It has been me.

Oh, there’s so much I could do to make this right. I’m going to start tomorrow…if you’ll still have me. Maybe we don’t have to part ways, and we can just start small. We can see others too. That would be OK.

And don’t worry about what people have said.  I understand where they’re coming from. They just don’t want us to settle. They don’t want us to get too comfortable or complacent. They want us to do it the right way. I get it and I’m not mad at them for it. I respect their ideas and I know their hearts are in the right place. They want what’s best for us. Who knows, maybe they’ll join us.


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