Use of Animation in Technical Presentations

 

Animations may enhance presentations by (1) reducing the ‘crowd’ on a slide while allowing more technical content to be placed on a slide and (2) creating excitement during presentations. 

 

Animations may be your friend or they may be your enemy

 

Fact:  Humans take mental breaks once every 5 minutes.  ‘Mental break’ means that your mind momentarily drifts to an alternate topic then returns.  This is a natural activity of the human mind.  However, you may structure those mental breaks within your presentation.

 

Microsoft Powerpoint has updated it’s animation capabilities to give tools which provide a professional animated presentation.  Beginning with your presentation already written, perform the following actions:

 

  1. Slide Show à Custom Animation à (You should have received a task menu on the right side of the monitor).
  2. Highlight Object; Click Add Effect ;

 

 

Tips for use of animations:

  1. Decide on a set of motions--- then repeat this pattern.
  2. Use common entrance and exit animations.  That is, if you are using Fade on Entrance, then you should also use Fade on Exit. 
  3. For motion path, it will help to use a ‘ghost object’.  Place this ‘ghost object’ at the position you would like your object to move into.  Use this ‘ghost object’ for placement of your motion arrow.  Afterward, you may delete the ghost object.


[1] Definition: Over-adventurous – the audience member is asking his/herself ‘What just happened?!?’