PowerPoint and Presenting News: November 3, 2026

November 3, 2026

PowerPoint and Presenting News

Help People See and Connect

Slides are helpers, not the show. Jerry Weissman explains why pictures still beat long blocks of words, because people remember what they see. Our Ampler tutorial shows this with waterfall charts: one clear picture of how a number grows or shrinks, instead of a page of figures. But a good picture only works if someone is listening. Claudyne Wilder compares starting a talk to starting a dance. You connect with your partner first, and then you begin. Three reads, one simple rule: help people see, and help them feel included.

Creating Waterfall Charts in PowerPoint Using Ampler

Here is a question worth sitting with: why does one of the most widely used chart types in consulting still require a workaround in PowerPoint? This tutorial walks you through a better way to create waterfall charts, using Ampler or Ampler Charts. Yes, native PowerPoint includes a basic waterfall chart option, but it falls short where it matters most: customization and waterfall chart variations. Ampler addresses all of that, and by the end of this tutorial, you will see exactly how.

Create professional waterfall charts in PowerPoint with Ampler, featuring Excel-linked data, build-up/down views, and expert formatting

Polygon Center Circles for PowerPoint

These special circles have polygon centers: the centers are made of triangles, squares, pentagons, and hexagons! And based on the sides of the polygon, the rest of the circle has that many segments.

Download and use these Polygon Center Circles in your slides for just $4.99

Why Use Slideshows at All?

In a 2001 article in Small Business Computing, writer Angela Garber expressed the universally negative reputation of cluttered slideshows by coining the frequently cited epithet, Death by PowerPoint. Given the constant disparagement of slideshows by critics, audiences, and even by presenters themselves, why would anyone continue to use them?

Jerry Weissman explains why well-designed slideshows remain powerful tools for conveying ideas, insight, and understanding

HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide Series)

Quotes

It actually takes more careful planning: by Nancy Duarte

"It actually takes more careful planning to distill your ideas into a few key takeaways than it does to create an hour long presentation."

Presenters Establishing Rapport

As a student of Argentine Tango, I compare establishing rapport to starting to dance with a new partner. The couple walks to the floor. They get in the dance position, BUT they don’t immediately start dancing. They may mark the step and not move, or they may just stand there and feel each other’s internal rhythm. Then, when the leader feels connected, the dance starts.

Claudyne Wilder shares Argentine Tango-inspired techniques to help presenters build rapport, trust, and audience engagement

Indezine PowerPoint Templates

See more templates

Mint and Lemon

From the template category, Patterns.

Decoratia

From the template category, Flower Designs.

Medicine and Medical PowerPoint Templates

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Medical Kit 01

From the template category, First Aid.

Medical Kit 02

From the template category, First Aid.

Legal and Law PowerPoint Templates

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Labor / Labour Law 01

From the template category, Labor / Labour Law.

Labor / Labour Law 02

From the template category, Labor / Labour Law.

FreePPT PowerPoint Templates

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Textured 85

From the template category, Textures.

Green Abstract 01

From the template category, Abstract.

Christian PowerPoint Templates

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Purgatory Canto 23 A

From the template category, Gustave Dore - Divine Comedy - Purgatory.

Purgatory Canto 24 A

From the template category, Gustave Dore - Divine Comedy - Purgatory.

End Note

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