Prezi is an online presentation tool designed to be the ‘cooler’ version of PowerPoint. Whether it has succeeded is up for debate. You’ll recognize a Prezi by the way it moves from one “slide” (Prezi doesn’t really have slides, but it’s a useful term for those familiar with PowerPoint) to another – it generally has a fluid swooping motion where PowerPoint just changes to the next slide, or flips off the screen. It’s also very non-linear.
Signing up for Prezi is free, and you can start creating Prezis immediately. You can store up to 100 MB, get a desktop version that doesn’t require the internet, and even collaborate large-scale (10 editors and 30 bystanders) on a presentation with Prezi Meeting.
Before you make a Prezi yourself, make sure to check out some examples of successful Prezis here. Note the style of movement – “slides” tend to be close together and do not require much movement to get from one to another. If there’s a flip, it tends to be slow. Also, note any errors you find in those presentations, and make sure to avoid them in your own Prezi. It’s common to cut off words on a “slide,” and your audience will immediately be less impressed if you do.
A word of warning: if you think your presentation might need a motion sickness warning, it probably does. Change it! I was more seasick after watching my first (badly made) Prezi than I’ve ever been on a boat.
By ITA, Hillary Shipps