Quote:
Originally Posted by
ChicagoRon 
AF - regarding communication, I get into this one a lot. You cited the 3 points on a ppt rule, which I hear a lot. But I also feel there are occasions where a PPT will be printed/saved by a client and taken away from the meeting. In those cases, isn't it also important that the message is not lost if the deck needs to stand alone? I see both sides, and I make both types of decks depending on my message and audience... but would you be in the camp that says the busy / stand-alone type is never appropriate?
I don't think this conflicts with what I said but generally there are two ways to handle this:
1. Include speaker's notes in the comments section.
2. Have great taglines at the top of each page that have a pithy summary of the page's content.
Now sometimes busy type can be appropriate. For instance here are some areas where a "dense" slide makes sense:
1. High level framework.
2. Systems architecture chart.
3. Marketing strategy roadmap.
4. Optimization or predictive modeling results.
5. Survey results - but ideally key takeaways highlighted.
It's a case by case basis. You develop some judgment through experience. The first hundred client meetings are the hardest.
