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SmartArt is a new component within PowerPoint 2007 and 2010 for Windows (and PowerPoint 2008 and 2011 for Mac) that replaces the diagram options in previous versions of PowerPoint. Other than that, SmartArt also allows you to replace boring bullet points with info-graphic content using text-within-shapes that's more logical to view and present.

With SmartArt, you can do all of this and more:

• Create visual representations rather than use text content -- this shows relationships within the concepts and ideas that you want to communicate.
• Create different types of diagrams such as org charts, matrixes, process flows, lists, cycle diagrams, and more.
• Match the look and feel of create SmartArt graphics with the theme used in the active presentation.
• Switch between SmartArt layouts to determine which works best for you.
• Customize existing layouts by adding more shapes, changing colors, and playing with the fill, line, and effect options.
• Work with text within a SmartArt graphic using the convenient text pane option.
• Animate SmartArt graphics as one object, or animate sequentially at individual levels.

If all the talk about working with SmartArt graphics got you intimidated, don't worry because I'll show you how you can do all this and more in small articles that include step-by-step instructions -- look at our main SmartArt page.

Also explore our SmartArt Samples page.

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