powerpoint_logo1-(1).jpgPowerPoint has a really great feature that I've only just discovered, but has changed my presenting for good.  It's called Presenter View, and it allows you as the presenter to see a different screen on your laptop to what the audience is seeing on the projector.  While they still see the slides, you get to see your notes, which slides are coming up next, how many slides are left, and how long you've been speaking for!!

Here's the graphic to represent the kind of thing you get (courtesy of Microsoft):

presenterview.gif

How It Works

In our article about the Biggest Mistake Miners Make with PowerPoint, we discussed the pain an audience feels when a speaker reads off their slides word for word.  This is normally because the speaker is using the PowerPoint slides as their notes.  But Presenter View can help us get around that.

When you have it running, Presenter View allows you to see the following on your screen, while the audience continues to just see the slides:

  • The current slide
  • Thumbnail outline of the slides showing what's coming up
  • The notes you've made for each slide
  • How long you've been showing the slide show (timer)
  • What number slide you're on and how many in total
  • Buttons to go forward or back
  • Easy selection of "pens" or "highlighters" to write on your slides

So all you need to do is put the notes for your presentation directly into PowerPoint with the slides they go with and you're all set!!

  

 

How To Set It Up

Firstly, you need to have the slide show running on a projector or another screen while it is still showing on your computer (i.e. you can see things on both the projector and your laptop).  It won't work if there's no second monitor or projector.

For PowerPoint 2007:

    Under the Slide Show tab, in the Monitors section, click Use Presenter View.  In this same place you can adjust the setting and select which monitor to show the slide show on.

For PowerPoint 2000-2003:

    Go to the Slide Show menu, and select Set Up Show.  Under Multiple Monitors, select the Show Presenter View check box.  Here you can also adjust the settings and select which monitor to show the slide show on.

   

More Info

Full details, if you have any troubles, can be found here at the official Microsoft website:

Link for PowerPoint 2007: http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/powerpoint/HA100673831033.aspx

Link for PowerPoint 2000-2003: http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/powerpoint/HA010565471033.aspx

 

 

    

Final tips

- In presenter view, you can also swap to other programs on your computer while the slide show stays up on the screen!

- Even if you're not using presenter view, you can black the projector screen while a PowerPoint slide show is up by simply pressing the "b" key - no more putting pieces of paper or note pads over the projector!  When you're ready, just hit b again to bring the slides back up.

Good luck with your presentations, if you've got any other great tips for using PowerPoint please leave a comment below.