Page after page of bullet points and data slides can be mind-numbing, especially if the subject matter is a detailed analysis of complex information. Sometimes just the word statistics is enough to turn off listeners. When presenting the results of a data analysis, keep these points in mind:

1) Data charts and tables should have a point—don’t just show data for data’s sake.

2) Avoid complicated graphics that explain uncomplicated data. Pie charts are the worst offender—typically a data table can communicate the same set of numbers more effectively. [insert graphic of a pie chart and accompanying data table]

3) Be thoughtful about how to communicate your ideas. Sometimes the nested and hierarchical nature of PowerPoint bullets is too linear and simplistic. Can you write this out as a narrative, or in the format of magazine article?

Edward Tufte (www.edwardtufte.com) has produced a series of elegant and beautiful books on displaying information, including a scathing indictment of PowerPoint and its ability to “corrupt” the thought process. Tufte’s essay, The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint, is an entertaining and invaluable read, and will change the way you think about communicating through presentations. 

And if that doesn’t convince you, maybe this will.