Front and Center: Does PowerPoint Translate ?

Front and Center: Does PowerPoint "Translate"?

At first impression, it might seem like a great idea to place PowerPoint content in your Web site. With the tools provided by PowerPoint 2003, you can quickly produce impressive Web content from your PowerPoint presentations, considerably increase the size of your site, and establish how content is presented.

Be careful when placing PowerPoint content at a Web site.

When used as a reference for people who already have seen the presentation, it is a great reference tool similar in impact to printed slides handed out to the audience. It is the effective presenter who gives her audience the ability to return to content presented when and as needed.

The "problem" with placing such content on the Web can come from the user who is attempting to re-create a presentation on the Web and provides a means for participants to get around the initial presentation by reading the presentation slides and notes. Nothing Web-based can re-create the impact of a presentation by a human.

As mentioned throughout this book, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. If you are going to place PowerPoint content online, make sure that the information needed to process the content is there.