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Death by .ppt!
- Thread starter Flash
- Start date
magnetfreezer
Well-Known Member
Not in the 'FO VTs that weren't VT-4... we were lucky if the computers in the lounge actually worked. Can neither confirm or deny that those with their own whiteboards did permanent marker for the admin bullets, etc. to create a fill in form.
Can't speak to the fleet, but in the jet VT's we used a very basic whiteboard (took me about 15 mins to do unusually neatly with a ruler after I knew what to write), and briefed off of e-brief for all events (kneeboard cards found there as well). Pretty straightforward, but basically ppt style, without the ppt style of briefing presentation at least (IP normally glossed over slides and focused on technique, FTI questions, etc). Sounds like the FO studs spent more time actually briefing, vice the IP doing the work. That was a bullet in my end syllabus critique.....that us studs should get more "opportunities" to brief flights. Good for the chair flying the night prior, knowing you would need to brief it, and good for providing a sanity check in case you really didn't understand something.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Man, if only we had ppt's in WWII...we could've taken out all those defensive emplacements on D-day and recaptured Japanese owned islands with virtual slideshows without losing a single man.
I agree with the general sentiment that PPT is a tool to be used or abused. I especially hate when things like GMT are promulgated as 90+ page slideshows and then the presenter gracefully guts it to 25 or so, which still takes two hours to read through verbatim.
In theory, it's all about the presentation skills.
In theory, it's all about the presentation skills.
Well eventually we got the atom bomb...
magnetfreezer
Well-Known Member
In T-6s the IP would do a lot of the brief according to NATOPS, etc with you being required to know the route/discuss items/etc etc. T-1s/T-39s were basically you taking the instructor NFO/ contract pilot flying, with the pilot and INFO generally only briefing required safety items/training rules/jet status (for pilots), etc.
After crossing back into the dark side, I've found PPT to be occasionally misused but some old habits die hard - a number of our 'slides' are basically electronic whiteboards. Many of the 100+ slide briefs seem to be either gratuitous use of imagery or rigid standards - for a range, for example, instead of giving out the ROE/etc and trusting aircrews to know and brief it, a standardized range PPT will be sent out which aircrews then drop into their briefs. Personally, I felt the whiteboard style was more beneficial for learning - if you had a sufficient grasp of the material, you could brief the mission over a BBQ sandwich at some FBO with a single checklist page and a worn out TPC.
FOs did all the briefs when I was going through, first from the MCG / NATOPS, then from a whiteboard / briefing guide in T-1s. Eventually, we did a whiteboard / briefing guide for strike in -86, then went to straight up full-out brief from memory / whiteboard for strike-fighter and T-45s.
Some of those boards took me over an hour to put up, and probably at least 4 hours to learn what I was supposed to say. Actually being able to say what I wanted to say in an efficient manner took much longer. Bring on the ppt
Some of those boards took me over an hour to put up, and probably at least 4 hours to learn what I was supposed to say. Actually being able to say what I wanted to say in an efficient manner took much longer. Bring on the ppt
Whiteboard ... whiteboard ... whiteboard ... yadda, yadda, yadda ....
I could brief an ALPHA in @ 20 minutes ... I could brief a 'normal' division/section in about 10 ...
And ACTUALLY ... we used BLACKboards + chalk.
I still use 'em in the kitchen ...
I could brief an ALPHA in @ 20 minutes ... I could brief a 'normal' division/section in about 10 ...
And ACTUALLY ... we used BLACKboards + chalk.
I still use 'em in the kitchen ...
The worst PPT's I have ever seen were the Navy-mandated GMT ones, that must be presented unmodified to count for the annual training. They violate every rule of good Powerpoint.
Most of these, I stole from a presentation given by Edward Tufte:
Powerpoint Rules to Live By
1. No complete sentences on PPT slides (except in a quote)
2. Every slide must have at least 1 picture
3. No PPT show should exceed 40 slides. Ever. (Want more? Give people a 10 minute break after 40 and start a 2nd show. Also cuts down on technical issues from large file size.)
4. Slides are never to be read aloud verbatim to the audience
5. A slide should require narration; can't stand alone
6. Use dark text on light backgrounds, bright text on dark
7. Always have a slide counter in the bottom corner (i.e "Slide 7 of 40" or 7/40)
8. No slide merits more than 5 minutes of discussion. If it does, make it 2 slides. Ideally, 1 slide per min.
9. Embed your videos. If you don't know how, learn. Or don't use video.
10. No gratuitous use of animations or sounds. They can be appropriate sometimes, but definitely should have a point and never prolong the presentation.
11. Corporate logos/backgrounds on every slide only obscure data.
12. Charts need to be information dense, not colorfully-cluttered.
Question re: PowerPoint presentations:
Do you use T&A shots interspersed throughout the presentation ... ???
Like 'we' used to ... ??? You know, just to get/keep the audience's attention ???
Never mind ... I think I already KNOW the answer ... :sleep_125
Do you use T&A shots interspersed throughout the presentation ... ???
Like 'we' used to ... ???
You know, just to get/keep the audience's attention ??? Never mind ... I think I already KNOW the answer ... :sleep_125
only if there aren't any of the fairer sex in the squadron/ready room. Last deployment, the squadron I flew with had none and the training briefs were entertaining.
I remember doing Air Wing Fallon with acetate and overhead projectors. 90% of the planning time was spent actually planning, not making all the fonts the same, and we actually had time to have a beer after work since planning took about half the time.
^^^This is dead-on.^^^
The first week of MAWTS was the most mind numbing experience of my life. 8 hours a day of nothing but PowerPoint briefs for a full week. Brutal. Granted they were very good briefs and they made them as entertaining as they can be, but 8 hours a day of that stuff is just too much.
I will say this: Now that I am a dirty civilian, I have found that my PowerPoint skillz are quite useful. I don't care if you are an absolute PPT retard in your squadron, you are better than the average civilian. They have no clue how to use it. They break all the rules as far as reading slides, putting full paragraphs up there, bad coloring, no humor, etc. Also, most civilians are scared to death to do a presentation in public. Weird.
Also, Fortune 500 companies frown upon T&A pictures in PowerPoint briefs. I found that out the hard way.
Nawwww, think of it as a "cool test" to help you sniff out the uptight ones.