How It Works

• PowerPoint enables the user to run feed to two screens simultaneously from one source computer. Using the so-called "Presenter View," the presentation notes are sent to one monitor, where the speaker is the only one viewing them, while the visual presentation free of notes is transmitted to the other monitor, designated for the audience's viewing.
  
  

Presentation Challenges

• Giving a presentation in Presenter View will require a bit of practice for it to come off smoothly and without a hitch. Run your presentation a few times well in advance, to hone your eye-to-hand coordination, fine-tuning it for your particular set of presentation materials and building your speaker confidence. Bear in mind that you may be giving your presentation on a differently laid-out system from the one you are used to, including keyboard, to which you would have to promptly adjust. Fortunately, PowerPoint's Presenter View has built-in elements and nuances that facilitate the transition.
  
  

Helpful Nuances

• Presentation notes are displayed to the speaker in a clear and legible font, designed to be easy to follow. The icons and layouts on the speaker's screen are large and simple, optimized for fast and fluid operation. Easy-to-locate thumbnails allow you to jump to a slide out of the preset sequence at any point during the presentation. The speaker can also quickly brighten or darken the screen during idle periods to prevent visuals from being unnecessarily displayed.
  
  

Be Prepared

• Check in advance that the computer you will be using for your presentation can support two monitors. Most contemporary systems can, but some exceptions do exist. Two screens will usually do the trick for privately viewing and following your presentation notes. However, three or more monitors may also be configured and used for the presentation, if need be. Configure PowerPoint for Presenter View in advance to avoid any last minute glitches. These settings can easily be managed in the "Slide Show" tab of PowerPoint.