MS PowerPoint is part of the MS Office bundle offered by Microsoft Corporation. MS PowerPoint is the widely used presentation tool in the MSTC Program as well the technical communication industry. Using MS PowerPoint, you can create presentations – in the form of slideshows. Students are expected to know PowerPoint in the industry and also in the MSTC Program.

What you need to know in MS PowerPoint:

Know how to create a slideshow: The main purpose of using a PowerPoint is to create presentation slides. Hence, you should know how to add contents and prepare a slideshow.

Know how to add effects and transitions to a slideshow: The slides are accompanied by transitions and effects which completes the presentation. You should be able to add images, audio, and video to a slide to create a wholesome presentation.

Creating a slideshow template: Companies often have a specific template for each of the products and application it develops. Hence, you should know how to create presentation templates that is specific for a particular product.

How it is used in the industry:

PowerPoint is commonly used for creating presentations. Technical Communication Managers mention that presentations are created and shared with the members of the documentation team before every team meeting by the lead presenter. The presentations are also stored in the common repository for a particular application development by the corporation. These presentations are often referred to before new updates and builds.

How it is used in the MSTC Program:

In the MSTC Program, students are made to present for class presentation. These presentations can be individual as well as group presentations.

Instructors use slideshows for class lectures and share it with the students through Moodle. Apart from this, presentations are also used during student orientation and meetings.  

PowerPoint Alternative:

Many corporations now prefer presentations that are effective and more graphically advanced. Hence, they are opting for other free open-source presentation software.

Prezi:

Prezi is an online presentation creator. Prezi has pre-existing templates that can be used by the user to create presentations just by adding content to the slides. Although Prezi is not widely used in the MSTC Program, they are used in the industry.

You can learn more about Prezi and its features at http://prezi.com/