PowerPoint is often viewed as an instrument of destruction. True, in the hands of an uncaring person a PowerPoint presentation can ruin any idea. However, I recently came across the use of PowerPoint as a force for good that I’d like to share with you. Not only did the presenter use PowerPoint in an interesting way, she was able to energize the audience and gain their full participation from start to finish.
People like playing games
Pretty basic concept, right? But when was the last time you had fun at a presentation? I’ll bet if people played more games at meetings, they’d have a much better time. Playing trivia games is a lot of fun, and when you play as a team it’s even better! Imagine a meeting where people are working together to figure out the answers.
It’s supposed to be work, not fun
Some might scoff at the idea of playing games at meetings. But have you ever heard of a team-building exercise? It’s another term for “game.” Plus, the trivia questions can be tailored to the idea, concept, industry, etc., you’re talking about at the meeting. It’s a fun way to teach concepts that people need to know about.
Don’t forget the prizes
Sometimes it’s enough to win “the people’s ovation and fame forever”*, often it’s not. The added incentive of a prize increases the stakes and really makes the game lively. The prizes you offer don’t have to be expensive (think company-branded pens, mousepads, etc.). They don’t even have to cost anything; how hard would people compete for a coveted parking spot near the door?
How to make a PowerPoint trivia game
I learned about PowerPoint trivia on a recent cruise I took with my family. The trivia contests were wildly popular and most of them were were packed. Individuals needed to group up to form four-person teams, which was a great way to make friends with fellow travelers.
The PowerPoint file couldn’t be easier to make: 20 questions are presented on the first 20 slides, then the answers are revealed on the second 20 slides with a one-click animation. Using trivia questions I found on trivia.fyi and royalty- and copyright-free images from pixabay, I created a sample 20-question trivia game. I’ve also included an answer worksheet you can distribute to your audience. Feel free to download and customize these files for your own use.
It’s very easy to enter your questions and answers using the Outline View, so the file is set to open that way in PowerPoint for the PC. Sorry, Mac users, once again Microsoft has dropped the ball on you. If you want to edit in the Outline View, you’ll need to select it from the View tab in the Ribbon.
Please let me know if you used this idea in a meeting; I’d love to get your feedback!
* “The people’s ovation and fame forever” was the prize awarded on the original Iron Chef TV series from Japan. Although those contestants found the prize incredibly motivating, I’m not sure you’d get the same reaction in a corporate setting.