Publication
MS PowerPoint Use from a Micro-Perspective
Andrea Kohlhase
In: Proceedings of the World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2008. World Conference on Educational Multimedia (ED-MEDIA-2008), June 30 - July 4, Wien, Australia, Pages 1279-1286, Vol. 1, AACE, Chesapeake, VA, 2008.
Abstract
In this paper, we want to take a close look at the surprising discrepancy between the critical and vehement discourse about the presentation software MS PowerPoint (PPT) and its ubiquitous use. We employ the ``Added-Value Analysis'' method to analyze the context and the reasons for using PPT from the micro-perspective of users. On the one hand, this analysis reveals a fundamental distinction between the speaker and the audience member as user, and moreover, between the show, the presentational document, and the handout. On the other hand, it shows the intertwinement of Liddle's interaction design phases for software product use in PPT (which enables various use metaphors). With these distinctions at hand we can explain the rather emotional PPT discourse as addressing distinct PPT components as well as the rationality that explains the nonetheless heavy use of PPT.