Tools
The work of the presentation takes place long before you stand at the front of the room. You gather the data, write the Paper, extract the vital, reduce the graphics for projection, edit the photos, and rehearse the presentation. Plan for at least 1 hour of preparation time to distill one minute of presentation time.
Presentation Software.
Some type of software will be needed to compile your presentation. Almost without exception PowerPoint is the software used. It provides good basic controls and an established workflow. It is pre-installed in most business computers as part of Microsoft Office. But selecting presentation software based on your spreadsheet needs isn't always recommended. Its your information, your company reputation, and you stand in the limelight. Use software that provides the presentation you want to make.
Additional Software.
In addition to the actual presentation software, you may need additional software to prepare the graphics on the slides. Both Excel and PowerPoint provide basic drawing and graphing capabilities. Other graphing software can make more dynamic graphs and link directly to your data for automatic graph generation.
You will need photo editing software to correct convergence, color, contrast and all of the other small details. The basic controls will be on your computer, as added with the operating system. Software is available in packages for minor corrections to packages that are used by full-time graphic artists. Prices vary considerably. We recommend two Adobe Products. Adobe Elements will provide most everything you need when dealing with photographs for presentation and web. Adobe Photoshop is the graphic industry standard with enough flexibility to handle any need. Your web designer or other graphic artist may be able to handle photo editing for you.
Projectors.
Video projectors are now at the point where high quality and reasonable price meet. They are affordable for businesses of every size. The video projector is nothing more than a small computer screen with a projection lens. You need to optimize your presentation for computer screens. A few points to keep in mind about using video projectors.
Resolution.
Most projectors support a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. Projectors with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels are finally becoming more common and at reasonable prices. If purchasing a new projector, invest in one that supports both resolutions.
Input.
Check the input panel of the projector. You will find that in addition to the computer video connector (identical to the one for your monitor), most projectors supply several additional connectors for S-Video, RCA, audio, as well as some proprietary connectors.
Output.
All video projectors have a lumen rating. This is the amount of light (controlled by bulb size) that is used for projecting the image. The higher the lumen rating, the brighter the image. This is helpful as the room and the screen get larger.
Most projectors have zoom lenses to accommodate different sized rooms and working distances. Take measurements of your conference room and make sure the projection size you want is within the limits of the optical system.
All current projectors have a keystone adjustment. This allows you to adjust for the projection angle so that the image remains square. Always use this adjustment.
Size.
Although miniaturization has been the driver for projectors over the last few years, this has come at a price. Some projectors are wonderfully small and transportable, their brightness makes them almost unusable. In a permanent installation, size is of little importance. Larger projectors can house larger, bright bulbs and better optical systems. If you want a portable unit to take on the road, you will have to balance size and weight with brightness and features. We recommend that you purchase a portable unit if you will be purchasing only one, or if its use is still uncertain. You can always permanently mount a portable unit.
Test Drive.
We recommend that you visit an AV (audio-video) store to look for projectors. These companies specialize in this work and will usually have demonstration rooms for you to compare projectors from several manufacturers. Take your computer with you, loaded with one of your presentations. Make sure the lighting in the room seems typical for an office. Though lighting may be subdued, nobody shows presentations in the dark. Many of these AV specialty stores will allow you to check out a projector overnight at a fee which will be applied to a future purchase. Ask about on-site service. Ask about loaner policies. EXTRA tip: ask what brand/model they use for trade show rentals. These will typically have demonstrated high durability. Buy in the same family.