Hello, everyone! I'm Deborah Ashby, and today I'm excited to guide you through a simple but powerful way to transform your PowerPoint presentations by integrating live feedback using Microsoft Forms.
If you're like me, you've likely endured your fair share of dreary presentations, packed with endless text and bullet points that do little to engage or inspire. We've all been there, right? Well, one way to effortlessly keep your audience interested is to ask questions and gather real-time insights throughout your presentation. Not only does responding to feedback and questions in real-time keep your audience engaged, but it also helps ensure that your audience has all the info they need to get the most out of your presentation!
And thanks to Microsoft Forms and PowerPoint, gathering this feedback has never been easier. Let’s walk through a step-by-step process for making your presentations more interactive by integrating Forms.
1. Find and customize the perfect template
Starting with a template means the graphic design pros knock out all the essentials for you, helping your presentation look great before you write a single word. Microsoft Create is your go-to resource for visually appealing presentation templates of every variety.
- Visit create.microsoft.com.
- Navigate to the PowerPoint section or look through the presentation templates (there should be lots of overlap here).
- If you have a specific theme or color in mind, use the search bar to enter your keywords and/or filter by color. If you find a template you like that isn’t in your target color, don’t limit yourself—you can easily update the colors later.
- Select a template that aligns with your presentation's theme and objectives. Download it or customize it directly in PowerPoint.
- Tailor the design, color scheme, and content to match your brand or message.
2. Integrate a Microsoft Form
Integrating a Form into your PowerPoint lets your audience provide their insights on the spot. Help your attendees effortlessly scan and access the form by showcasing a QR code on a slide.
- Access Microsoft Forms and create a form by exploring the templates or selecting New Form. You can explore even more Forms templates on Microsoft Create.
- Add the questions you want your audience to answer. You can either leverage Copilot’s help by filling out the prompt box at the top of the page or use your own questions if you have a clear vision.
- Customize the form settings to make it cohesive with the rest of your presentation.
- Grab the link to your form and drop it into your preferred QR code generator to create a code. If you don’t have a preferred QR code generator, head back to PowerPoint and navigate to the Insert tab, then click Get Add-In and search for "QR." Select QR4Office.
- Add the QR code to appropriate places in your PowerPoint: At the beginning, on Q&A slides, and wherever else you plan to engage your audience. Make sure it’s visible and easily accessible from your slide layout.
- Whenever you share the QR code, share the full link to the form, too. This gives people an alternative way to access the form if they have technical difficulties.
3. Engage your audience
Share the QR code at the beginning of your presentation so participants can begin interacting with it right away. At various points throughout the presentation, you might decide to directly solicit questions, reflections, and experiences. Share a slide with the QR code every time you break for questions.
- During your presentation, direct your audience to provide feedback by accessing the form. Encourage them to scan the QR code or follow the link and participate actively.
- As responses come in, monitor the feedback in real time.
- Use this valuable input to address questions, adapt your presentation to audience needs, or foster discussions.
4. Leverage feedback for future improvements
Let’s say your presentation is over and it went great. Congratulations! There’s just one thing left to do: review all collected feedback and use the insights to make your next presentation even better.
- After your presentation, review all collected feedback to gain insights.
- Apply these learnings to enhance future presentations and ensure continuous engagement.
Closing thoughts
Integrating live feedback through Forms in your PowerPoint presentations is a game-changer! This simple strategy transforms your standard presentations into engaging, dynamic experiences that captivate and communicate effectively.
I encourage you to head over to Microsoft Create and start experimenting with Microsoft Create and Forms.
Great presentations are well within your reach, and with Microsoft Create, you can design slides that not only look fantastic but also foster meaningful engagement. Happy presenting!