Multimedia Slides Pros   

Using multimedia slides can be a great option for those who would be interested in making a presentation that appears creative and great looking. I say this because you have a wide range of different types of font styles, colors and art graphics (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). You can also add pictures, change transitions, change background themes, add videos and much more. Multimedia slides have also been great in terms of transporting the actual slides themselves from one place to another. You are able to transport multimedia slides in several different ways. You have the option of sending your multimedia slides through Hotmail, or you can transport your slides over through a USB stick, and you could even transport your slides using an external hard drive device (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). Below are some pictures of PowerPoint. However, with pros, cons come, which will be discussed below.    

                    

Multimedia Slides Cons   

Multimedia slides have shown to be a worthy competitor in comparison to other visual aids out there. However, everything has its pros and cons, and a problem that multimedia slides face is compatibility issues. Carousal projectors are pieces of equipment that were used to present information back in the days. However, carousal projectors were very limited with their capabilities of fixing and changing slides. Another issue is the cost of these projectors and the equipment with it, which needs to be taken into consideration for those who might have a tight budget. We also need to consider that, if we do choose to use a projector, we need to practice for smooth delivery on our slides (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). The final problem with projectors is that you would be tempted to add razzle – dazzle features that might not even help at the end of the day (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). Razzle – dazzle are touch ups that help make your multimedia slides stand out.

Conclusion 

I personally feel this visual aid is a great choice; it gets the job done if used correctly. However, we do have to keep in mind that having the knowledge and skills are necessary in order to be able to use this software or equipment efficiently. My best recommendation would be to use a website called Lynda for help. It’s a website which provides essential training videos taught by experts. The website URL, which is www.Lynda.com can be accessed for free through the Sheridan website. In my opinion the pros for this visual aid definitely out weight the cons. For a quick look on the pros and cons you can look into our class text book, Business Communication process and product on page 496 Figure 14.3 titled Pros and Cons of Visual Aid Options.   

REFERENCES

1.      Guffey, M.E, Rhodes, K. & Rogin, P. (2011). Business Communication. 1120 Birchmount Road, Toronto, Ontario, M1K 5G4: Nelson Education.  

2.      Tomlinson, S. M. (1998-2013). Kodak Carousel Projector History. http://www.ehow.com/about_5047801_kodak-carousel-projector-history.html

3.      Kodak 4400 Carousel slide Projector. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.porterelectronics.com/servlet/the-220/4400-BC4401-CAROUSEL-KODAK/Detail

4.      Slide Dog a Presenter’s best friend. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://slidedog.com/