Communicate Using Technology

You may have a bag full of the hottest new hardware on the market and the most expansive suite of software -- but it's how you're using those resources to organize and exchange knowledge that determines your success. We've teamed up with Dave Paradi, The PowerPoint Lifeguard, to offer some insights to help you communicate using technology.

Perfecting Your PowerPoint Presentations

Many mobile professionals feel like they can build and deliver PowerPoint presentations in their sleep. However, it's amazing how often we stray from the basic rules for effective presentations. Before you hit the road again, double check your deck with these six tips from Dave:

• Have a well-organized structure to your presentation; don't ramble from point to point.
• Create a clean template with contrasting colors, fonts that are big enough to read easily, and no distracting background images.
• Build your bullet points on each slide so you can discuss each point as it is displayed.
• Add relevant graphics, such as photos, graphs, or diagrams, to visually illustrate your points.
• Avoid annoying your audience with flashy animation that distracts them from what you are saying.
• Practice your presentation so it is a conversation with the audience rather than you simply reading each slide.

Making Microsoft Work for You

Microsoft Windows and Office are full of features that help save time, but many busy people don't take advantage because they're not aware of the extras. Here are a couple of Dave's favorite time-saving tools.

Customize Toolbars for One-Click Access to Frequently-Used Functions

Every Office program has toolbars that contain buttons for commonly used tasks to eliminate multiple clicks through the menu system. To expand your button options, click on Tools>Customize. The "Toolbar" tab allows you to add pre-defined toolbars, such as Word Count, Autotext, and Drawing Tools. To add a button to the toolbar, click the "Commands" tab. The left column shows the categories of buttons and the right column shows the available buttons in that category. Choose a category and drag the desired button from the list of buttons to the desired spot on your toolbar. If your toolbars get too cluttered, you can remove buttons by dragging them out of the toolbar space and closing the floating window. You can also move toolbars to the left side or bottom of the window for more convenient access.

Save Time Finding Files with Search Tools

Click on Start>Search to start the Windows file find tool. Search "All files" and enter the file name and general location on your computer (drive and first level directory work well). If you're looking for groups, timing, or types of documents, create a very specific search using "When was it modified?", "What size is it?", and "More advanced options." Click on the Search button and you will soon see the results. Expand the search to other locations if the file was not found.

Dave's Favorite Free Resources

Check out some of Dave's favorite free online resources:

• Sending Large Files -- You can use services such as http://www.dropload.com and http://www.yousendit.com to send large files of up to 1GB.
• Make it Personal -- Easily add voice to your Web site, presentations, or e-mails with Audacity's free sound editor (http://audacity.sourceforge.net).
• Get The Picture - Enhance your image viewing and editing capabilities without investing in expensive software using Irfanview (http://www.irfanview.com).
• Print a Calendar -- View and print calendars for virtually any country or year, including public holidays in other countries (http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar).
• E-mail Etiquette -- 32 rules to keep in mind when sending e-mail (http://www.emailreplies.com).