ABSTRACT
A computer-based presentation consists of a set of computer visuals (slides) that you design and produce to deliver a message to an audience. The delivery can be via a computer or a traditional mechanism such as a slide or overhead. In this chapter, we will focus on delivery via a computer. The visuals can be pure text such as a list of bullets, a table (such as a spreadsheet data), a graphic chart such as a bar chart or pie chart, or a graphic such as a drawing, or a bitmap graphic such as a scanned logo. Presentation programs allow you to create/import the data, organize these visuals into a presentation, sort them, and provide transition effects. The presentation is stored in a file, that can be later edited. The presentation can be played back on a computer monitor or projected onto a screen using an LCD projector. You can also create speaker notes or make handouts for your audience using the presentation software. In addition, many presentation programs are currently providing the ability to incorporate audio, animation, and video into a presentation. In general, the following steps are used to create a computer-based presentation:
Create the slides you want to use.
Organize the slides in the order you want to deliver them in.
Add effects to provide transitions between the slides.
Add audio, video, or animation to provide special effects.
Present the slide show using a computer.
