In the recently published Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson, Jobs discusses how he re-invented Apple during the iMac phase by abolishing the use of presentation software in meetings. He felt that people were relying on the creation and presentation of a slide deck instead of actually thinking about the business problem and how to solve it. On page 337 of the telling biography, Jobs says, “People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.”
How much more dispiriting to see its constant use in university classrooms.
November 18th, 2011 at 2:03PM
That must be why in his famous keynotes he stood in front of the most carefully crafted slide decks ever seen. They’re universally pointed to as the right way to use presentation software.
Watch what a man does, not what he says.
November 18th, 2011 at 2:58PM
But however shall you teach without graphic interface technology? The students demand it! We certainly can’t have books filled with mere words dirtying up our perfectly sanitized learning management systems:
http://slowpendulums.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/will-ban-books-for-profit/
November 19th, 2011 at 8:24AM
You know, as I was reading the post below this one (about the OSU basketball coach) I began wondering why anyone ever would use an airplane.
I know the apologists for the airline industry will point out that millions of people travel safely and effectively for every one that is harmed.
But how can all that data stand up against a single anecdote?
November 19th, 2011 at 12:24PM
Some thoughts about the art of the presentation, from Megan McArdle of the Atlantic and Aristotle of Stageira.
November 19th, 2011 at 5:16PM
“People who know what they’re talking about [and who know that their audience is really listening] don’t need PowerPoint.”
Fixed that for you.
November 20th, 2011 at 1:51PM
And of course, if Jobs really thought PowerPoint was so bad, why did Mac peddle a competitor, Keynote?
Software that out power points PowerPoint.
November 21st, 2011 at 3:37PM
UD, the corporate leader for you is Jeff Bezos of Amazon.