Presenting With Prezi

By Anne Torkelson, Writing Consultant

One of the most impressive presentations I’ve ever seen involved a PowerPoint with only one image per slide, and often no text. The presenter chose one visually stimulating photograph to represent each main point, and he let his message rather than his slides drive the presentation. No one in that audience fell asleep.

The presentation was successful because it combined image and discussion in an effective way, but also because the new approach—so different than the “death by PowerPoint” we are often subjected to—caught and kept the audience’s attention.

Many Walden students use PowerPoint, and use it well, for class projects and work presentations. Trying a new style or approach can sometimes bring new life and new ideas to your work, however. For today’s Tech Tip, I’d like to introduce you to a tool for jazzing up your presentations: Prezi.

Prezi is a free online presentation software that lets you communicate information, images, and video in a non-linear form. Prezi also offers collaboration options so that team members can work on a presentation at the same time from different locations. Here’s an example of a brief Prezi presentation:

As with all presentations, a Prezi presentation should focus on the content rather than the technology; the technology should enhance and not obscure the message. Just as using too many or too gimmicky transitions between PowerPoint slides can make your presentation look amateurish, a Prezi with too many moves can be off-putting to viewers. Zooming in and out rapidly can actually make some viewers feel ill, and overuse of Prezi’s visual features can be distracting. By following our recommended design principals, however, and using the same APA rules as standard papers, presenters can create interesting and engaging presentations with a new style.

To get started using Prezi, visit www.prezi.com. With your waldenu.edu email account, you can sign up for Prezi’s free student or teacher licenses. Just keep in mind that if you’re required to create a presentation for a class, it’s a good idea to check with your instructor before using Prezi.