Speaking PowerPoint: The New Language of Business

by Bruce R. Gabrielle

Create clear and convincing strategic plans, executive briefings, research reports and other boardroom-style slides. In the first book of its kind, author Bruce Gabrielle reviews 40 years of research from fields as diverse as information design, neuroscience, cognitive science, education, advertising, graphic design and the legal profession to learn the secrets of using visual communication to powerfully influence in the boardroom. Based on how the mind works, the MindWorks Presentation Method shows you how to create business slides that are clear, professional-looking and convincing, and can be your secret weapon for selling ideas like never before and winning in the idea marketplace.

Genres: Business

310 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2010

Reviews

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! Easy to read, clear and to the point. Author explains how PPTs are actually used in the business world (briefing/discussion/reading decks) and then describes how decks should be created, organized, and designed for "boardroom presentations" (for motivated participants looking to make a decision).

His principles for slide design are based for the most part on good data about how the mind works. Some things were counterintuitive to me (e.g. don't animate text to control attention), but most I agreed with right off the bat. So good I will make it a required reading in my strat course.

[Dave Peticolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm as surprised as anyone that I really enjoyed a book about PowerPoint, but here we are. Practical advice on effective slide writing backed up by research with good references.

[Carlos G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power point from a different persective. It's not a manual on PowerPoint... It's more about the planning and strategy behind a power point template.

[Jamie Elgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First few chapters tend to repeat basic knowledge on presentations. Don't stop reading there or you will miss out on gold later on. Great, well-documented advice on everything from why not to blend bullets and images, how to clean up charts, how to better delineate text in documents for easier reading, ... I recommend it!