BEYOND BULLET POINTS (BBP) includes sets of ground rules and checklists to guide you through the process described in this topic—here they are compiled in one place for easy reference.
The BBP Ground Rules
The BBP Ground Rules cover the fundamentals you should follow through each of the key phases of developing a BBP presentation.
Three Ground Rules for Writing Headlines
Your BBP Story Template depends on a special writing style that boils down your story to its essence. Follow these three ground rules to keep your writing concise:
■ Write concise, complete sentences with a subject and a verb in active tense.
■ Be clear, direct, specific, and conversational.
■ Link your ideas across cells.
Three Ground Rules for storyboarding
Inspired by a filmmaker’s storyboard, your Microsoft PowerPoint storyboard helps you manage both the words you speak and the images you show. Follow these three ground rules to keep your storyboard coherent:
■ Be visually concise, clear, direct, and specific.
■ In Act II, sketch consistency within columns and variety across columns.
■ Sketch outside the screen too.
Three Ground Rules for Adding Graphics
Adding graphics is the crucial last step in designing the storyboard. Follow these three ground rules to make sure you get the graphics right:
■ See it in seconds.
■ Align the aesthetics with the audience.
■ Defend your foundation!
Three Ground Rules for Delivering Your Presentation
Your single storyboard helps you manage your spoken words, projected visuals, and printed handouts. Follow these three ground rules to ensure that the rest of the live presentation experience is engaging:
■ Step into the screen.
■ Remove the distractions.
■ Manage the flow.
The BBP Checklists
The BBP Checklists ensure that you cover the most important tasks through each phase of developing a BBP presentation.
Checklist: Planning Your First Five slides
Do the first five slides of your presentation
■ Orient your audience to the setting of the presentation?
■ Interest them by acknowledging their role in the setting?
■ Engage them emotionally by describing a challenge they face (Point A)?
■ Motivate them by affirming what they want (Point B)?
■ Focus them by offering a way to get from Point A to Point B (that is, deliver a call to action)?
Checklist: Planning the Rest of Your slides
Do the rest of your slides in Act II
■ Justify your Call to Action slide with your key points?
■ Clarify your Key Point slides with further explanation?
■ Back up your Explanation slides with the appropriate detail?
■ Put your ideas in a logical sequence and priority?
■ Integrate your motif verbally through your headlines?
Checklist: Preparing the storyboard
Does your storyboard
■ Include backgrounds that cue the Key Point, Explanation, and Detail slides?
■ Provide you with the ability to quickly scale your presentation up and down to time?
■ Contain notes in the notes area of what you’ll say during each slide?
Checklist: sketching the storyboard
Do your storyboard sketches show clearly
■ Where your Act I, Key Point, Explanation, and Detail slides are?
■ How you tell your story across frames, at each level of the storyboard?
■ Which graphics you’ll use?
■ Where you will use interaction, props, and other media?
Checklist: Adding Graphics to the storyboard
Do your final graphics
■ Clearly illustrate each headline in the simplest way possible?
■ Show consistency within levels of the presentation hierarchy and variety across levels?
■ Keep your slides free of any extraneous visual information?
■ Align with the aesthetics of your audience?
Checklist: Delivering Your Presentation
Before and during the presentation, do you
■ Prepare the environment, check the technology, and properly rehearse in advance?
■ Use your physical presence and voice to bring the experience to life?
■ Engage your audience both implicitly and explicitly?
■ Use the tools and techniques of BBP to manage the working memory of your audience?
