What’s Hot.
Clear structure and methods that are easy to understand make this book a breeze to read. Ample illustrations and examples bring explanations to life.
What’s Not.
PowerPoint-centered writing might turn off some Keynote users.
The bottom line.
Atkinson’s book is a useful guide to transforming all types of presentations from unsuccessful to unforgettable. The generous amount of supplemental material makes the book and even bigger bargain.
Is there a life beyond bullet points? It’s a scary thought because bullet points act as safety nets for us. If all else fails, we think we have clearly displayed what we want the audience to learn. We say, “Look! Bullet points! Learn this, or else!” Bullet points, so we think, make life easy to understand.
If I bulleted my morning, it would look something like this:
- Wake up to alarm
- Press snooze
- Fall asleep
- Wake up to alarm again
- Become annoyed
- Press snooze
- Fall asleep
- Etc.
You get the very boring and disjointed picture.
In Beyond Bullet Points, Cliff Atkinson urges us to say good-bye to bullet points forever. He explains that our beloved bullet points actually fragment information and hinder an audience’s ability to learn. The book is filled with helpful examples, anecdotes and illustrations. Unlike other books I’ve reviewed, Beyond Bullet Points seems like a good choice for beginners as well as experienced presenters. While keeping a focus on the audience’s needs, Atkinson guides readers through the entire creative and delivery processes in a very structured way.
Beyond Bullet Points is “about finding the clear and compelling structure that cuts through the clutter and guides people to memorable understanding.” Atkinson begins by explaining the psychology behind how people learn. He then outlines his three-step method to creating effective presentations by combining storytelling with well-chosen projected media.
Atkinson first teaches readers how to provide a traditional story structure to the content they want to communicate. He then offers a lesson in classic logic to explain how presenters should “distill facts to their essence.” Mmm, sounds like whiskey . . . . Finally, Atkinson demonstrates how to use presentation software, graphics and narration to communicate your message effectively.
A potential drawback to the book is that Atkinson is a strict PowerPoint user. Those who prefer Keynote might not find his technical explanations entirely relevant.
Beyond Bullet Points includes a CD with sample PowerPoint files and useful graphics. Atkinson has also created a web site, BBP Online ( HYPERLINK “http://www.beyondbulletpoints.com” www.beyondbulletpoints.com), to accompany the book. Although it provides helpful tips, video examples and presentation information, the web site assumes you’re familiar with the BBP structure, so you won’t be able to bypass the book buying. Users can either read the basic web site for free or become paying subscribers to view webinars, participate in discussions and receive workbooks.
