Nancy Duartes Slide:ology - Book Report/Review Example

In the twelve chapters, Slide: ology explains the process of the visual presentation right from its birth until its end. The first chapter tells how to develop the ideology of a new slide, the second chapter emphasizes that one should create ideas instead of slides, the third chapter offers guidance on making diagrams in presentations in a professional way, and the fourth chapter tells how to organize the information in presentations. The fifth chapter makes the reader’s thinking consistent with that of a designer so that the reader becomes able to arrange complicated elements adequately in the presentation with due reference from the sixth chapter of the book.

The seventh chapter tells how to make the best use of the backgrounds, slide layouts, text font, and coloring. The eighth chapter guides on the use of visual images in slides. The ninth chapter tells how to move while making the presentation. The tenth chapter teaches the use of templates, the eleventh chapter improves the reader’s interaction with slides and the last chapter teaches the five factors that control a presentation’s strength and make it appealing in tone and effect. Duarte has taught the reader the art of making presentations meaningful with 20 case studies and many anecdotes that are from the personal experiences of the writer.

The writer has basically made points through stories with lessons in them. Duarte says that a presenter should be very humble with the audience. The most important thing about making a speech is to convince the audience that they need to know about the matter under discussion. Duarte says that one should not try to be a hero in the stories one narrates. Telling stories truthfully is the best way of making them convincing to the audience. Duarte does not claim that one can develop the right skills in 24 hrs as most books do.

Duarte is of the view that it comes with practice. Therefore, I could not stop re-reading the book ever since I got one. I believe that this is the only way I can get the maximum out of this book and use the information in my presentation making. The more I re-read, the better I remember while making the presentations. The book is quite enjoyable and is worth taking with you on the work. After all, it is work where one is required to make the presentations the most!