Non Linear Presentations

Though tools like PowerPoint and MediaShout have the capacity to allow you to skip around, they work best in sequence. So what do you do when a linear presentation just doesn’t fit the bill?

Posted 11/28/2008

Hyperlinks—by nature—are non linear. A simple web search on one subject can lead you to unexpected—and sometimes wonderful—discoveries. However most presentation software is linear. Though tools like PowerPoint and MediaShout have the capacity to allow you to skip around, they work best in sequence.

So what do you do when a linear presentation just doesn’t fit the bill? When you need to present material in a way that is more like a conversation than a presentation?

While there isn’t yet a perfect solution in non-linear presentation software, there are some interesting tools out there that can help linear presentations function more interactively.

PowerPoint Plex
PowerPoint Plex is a free plug-in for PowerPoint from Microsoft that allows you to put your content on a single slide then zoom in and out to dive deeper into the topics you want to cover. This plug in functions best when you are presenting a macro concept, then want to “zoom in” for more detail.
For more information on the plug in, visit: http://www.officelabs.com/projects/pptPlex/Pages/default.aspx

Cool Iris
Cool Iris is probably the closest to being true non-linear presentation software when used in front of an audience. The thing is, that isn’t its purpose. The plug in for your browser allows you to surf photos as a wall of images, then zoom in by simply clicking on the image you want to view. Since PowerPoint slides can be easily saved as jpegs (by using the “save as” command and selecting a .jpg extension) they can be uploaded to Flickr.com as images then viewed using Cool Iris.

This will take a bit of set up. (ie. You will have to load the plugin and you will need a Flickr account—both are free). You will need to make sure the naming convention forces them alphabetically in the sequence you desire. You will also need an internet connection in the room in which you are presenting. But if all of those elements are in place, it can create a dynamic slide show allowing you to skip around based on your audience’s interest.
To download Cool Iris, visit www.cooliris.com.

Inspiration
For true brainstorming meetings, there is a piece of educational software that although initially developed for students writing term papers, can be used for real-time capture and presentation of ideas.

Inspiration captures whatever you type in “bubbles” that it scatters across the screen. You can then establish links and hierarchies between ideas to create structure. The rapid-fire mode is ideal for typing live while ideas are shouted out in a crowd. Once all of the ideas are captured, it is simply a matter of prioritizing and linking common thoughts. When done as a group, the end result has great ownership.

Download the free trial software at http://www.inspiration.com/

Cathy Hutchison is a freelance writer and the Director of Connection for Acoustic Dimensions. She can be reached at chutchison@acousticdimensions.com. See http://www.acousticdimensions.com/.

Blogger’s opinions are not necessarily those of the editors, publishers or management of Church Production Magazine.

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Non Linear Presentations

Though tools like PowerPoint and MediaShout have the capacity to allow you to skip around, they work best in sequence. So what do you do when a linear presentation just doesn’t fit the bill?

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