PowerPoint in law departments – too often neither power nor pointed

Many people have criticized PowerPoint for its rigidity, its format restrictions, riot of animation, endless slides. The overuse and abuse of the ubiquitous program has become a staple of cartoons. A chapter in Henry Petroski, Success through Failure: the paradox of design (Princeton 2006) at 34-33 rehearses the usual criticisms. Its power exacts a high cost. Often its induced prolixity robs it of ideas expressed clearly. Neither power not pointedness comes from PowerPoint.

Even so, someone in a law department who needs to get approval for funding or for an initiative will be expected to walk the fire coals of PowerPoint. Courses, books and mavens can give good pointers to unleash the power, to a point.