Prezi

[JohnKerr]

I have started to prepare all my presentations using Prezi to really engage with my audience (usually staff). While Prezi is nothing new, it allows users to create really powerful presentations and ‘evolve’ their material delivery with easy use on embedding video/audio/animation/graphics.

Many people, myself included, believe that PowerPoint killed the presentation: well for 95% of them. Some people can create really engaging presentations using PowerPoint but the vast majority are static, text heavy and somewhat boring.  I use Prezi to add a range of media when applicable and follow a simple pan and zoom motion so the user doesn’t feel ‘sea sick’ which is a common complaint when using Prezi.

I take advantage of the Prezi temple bank to think about my presentation style and who the presentation will be aimed at before I start adding material.  Prezi also has a free mobile/tablet app so students can view your presentation on the move,  working very well on small 4 or 5 inch screens.

Prezi might not be everyone’s cup of tea but with some development time you will be creating engaging presentations that hold the visual power to grab your users attention, even before they have seen the content.

[PeterHartley]

Interesting argument, John. I am not yet convinced by Prezi from the audience’s perspective. I’ve seen a number of presentations using it and only one or two really seemed to benefit from the way the interface works. Otherwise it seemed to be ‘Powerpoint with seasick transitions’. Incidentally, I’m not a great fan of Powerpoint as some operations just are not as smooth as they should be. I’ve not come across a systematic comparison of Powerpoint and Prezi – has anyone got one out there?

Peter.

[Stephen Brown]

The thing I really like about a well designed Prezi is that one can see the overall shape of the presentation and how its component parts fit together.   The (motion sickness inducing) zoom transitions help to provide context if appropriately designed.  Powerpoint by contrast is essentially linear.  If you want to provide overview/context then you have to create extra slides explicitly to do that rather than use the presentation itself. I think where I agree  that Prezi is like “Powerpoint with seasick transitions” is when its designed as a linear sequence. …which really doesnt take advantage of its key feature: zoomability.

Stephen

[ElizabethECharl]

John, I have never used Prezi but I have seen it in action and thought it was a very engaging tool; and  I do understand exactly what Peter means re the seasick transitions (extreme zoom). In looking at the literature on Prezi the one line that always comes up is the ability to enrich presentation with audio visual materials (video). I may well have a go at using it in the near future.

Peter – you might find these documents of interest re comparison of the two tools:

1) Innovations March 2012

2) Prezi vs Powerpoint – Seattle Pacific Univ. Workshops

2) Prezi: a different way to present

 

 

[James Kerr]

My problem with PPoint and/or Prezi (presentations in general) is not the tools, it’s the presenter.  The slide should either support and enhance the spoken word or vice-versa; don’t just recite what’s on the slide.  Otherwise it’s all just fancy captioning.

I have given presentations and lectures where the slides were completely random and had nothing to do with the talk just to see where people’s attention lies.  Unfortunately, PPoint and like tools often induce “presentation coma” regardless of how interesting and engaging the presenter is.

[Author]

Posts