Re: Best graphics format to import into Power Point? (take II)

Subject: Re: Best graphics format to import into Power Point? (take II)
From: Bill Swallow <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 09:44:40 -0500


> While I sympathize with the comment--I am, after all, a somewhat
> tediously repetetive advocate of the notion that we should work with
> authors (as editors) and SMEs (as writers)--I have to say that in my
> experience, only a small proportion of the authors ever learn to do
> this successfully. Remember, we're not talking about professional
> writers or content creators here--they're not people like us, and
> shouldn't be judged by that standard.

I find it very hard to believe that we are a special breed of people
who alone are gifted with the ability to place a graphic in a PPT
presentation.

> If you've got enough time to spend training them, and if they're
> willing to be trained, it can indeed be much better to "teach them to
> fish". In practice, this seems to rarely be the case: we don't have the
> time, and they often lack both time and desire to learn this new skill.
> As the saying goes (paraphrased), "don't try to teach the dog to sing
> opera; you only waste your time and annoy the dog".

True, but there's another question of who owns the document. Is it
something you need to be concerned with in the first place? If it's
Sales' PPT and they wanted help with making it look nice, and they
don't heed your advice, is it of your ultimate concern? Only if you
are on the hook for producing the document. And if you're on the hook,
and do a great job of putting the PPT together, and while on the plane
the sales rep updates and images and makes a ugly mess of the PPT,
what then?

> I can't speak for sales drones, but as a whole, the SME class of
> presenter generally resents the need to give presentations; they'd
> rather putter in their lab, play with expensive new toys, and churn out
> the patents or journal articles.

Well, what's a SME, and do people find this to be the norm? I've found
a rather even distribution, from people who'd rather be walled up
doing their work and people who want to show everyone how cool
something is via a presentation.

> Learning to give presentations doesn't
> even appear on their career radar. YMMV, of course, but that's my
> summary after working for nearly 20 years with a broad group of these
> people. I love 'em dearly as colleagues, but sometimes you have to
> accept that you simply can't teach the dog to sing.

You can't teach a dog to sing, it's true, but you can definitely get
them to bark in unison (as evident in my barking dog Xmas album *g*).
Some may not want to prepare and deliver presentations, but if it's
required of them for their job... At some point the dog's gotta learn.

--
Bill Swallow
HATT List Owner
WWP-Users List Owner
42.8162,-73.7736
http://techcommdood.blogspot.com

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References:
Best graphics format to import into Power Point: From: Elizabeth O'Shea
Re: Best graphics format to import into Power Point: From: Dick Margulis
Re: Best graphics format to import into Power Point: From: Bill Swallow
Best graphics format to import into Power Point? (take II): From: Geoff Hart

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