PowerPoint Pearls. Getting Started, Part 3: Contingency Plan

Stop! Don't click away. This final question to consider is probably the most important.

Do I need a contingency plan for my presentation?

Your decision to execute a contingency plan will probably depend on your audience and the setting of your presentation.

Are the stakes high? If you are the keynote speaker of an international conference for your professional society, a contingency plan is essential. Determine what backup equipment is available at the site of your presentation. Large audiovisual providers may have additional computers and projectors. Smaller providers may use a slide projector or an overhead projector, requiring you to bring 35 mm slides or transparencies as backup.

If you intend to have slides made from a PowerPoint presentation, be aware of two facts:

• The slide layout is somewhat wider than the screen layout. If you want both a screen presentation and a slide presentation, it is best to layout the presentation for the screen, then change the finished presentation to 35 mm slides.
  
  
• In addition to the size variations, the production of slides requires a higher resolution for images. The minimum image resolution for slide production is 300 dpi.