As all aspects of our lives move digital, we begin to learn new ways of doing things. One of these things is presenting our ideas and information virtually.
Whether you’re looking for a cleaner way to present, or adapting to the ever-changing world, here are my top four picks for digital presentation platforms:
- Canva
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The Canva platform is ideal for non-designers or beginners. Through Canva, you will have access to templates, whether that’s slides for a presentation or for social media posts, which you can adjust to fit your presentation needs. This platform is easy to learn and very user-friendly.
My Favorite Feature: Similarity to “Standard” Slideshow
If your colleagues are presenting via GoogleSlides or Powerpoint (16:9 Ratio), your presentation will easily fit alongside while still visually appealing.
Canva Presentation Tutorial (10 minutes)
- Visme
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While this tool orients itself towards large-scale users, such as a company – catering to branding strategies, it also serves students. Visme helps to organize information in a digestible and elegant manner. The platform also offers users the ability to create infographics, social media graphics, and other content.
My Favorite Feature: The “drag and drop.”
I love being able to view the different ways of graphically presenting data and choosing the one that best fits my project!
Visme Tutorial (Only 5 Minutes!) - ArcGIS Story Maps
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While the ArcGIS software is for maps and geographical location, ArcGIS StoryMaps extends far beyond those constraints and offers an advanced presentation mode. The platform gives creators the option of combining interactive maps with text or other media. StoryMaps are ideal for presentations, though not limited to, including geographic-specific information.
Pro-tip: Through TAMU, students have access to this software, normally valued at $500/year, for free. Take advantage while you have it!
My Favorite Feature: The “slider.”
With this tool, creators can overlay two maps or images and use the slider to reveal the other. This feature comes in handy for making comparisons and works best with two visually similar images with specific contrasts.
StoryMap Tutorial (40 minutes) - Miro
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Out of the platforms listed, Miro offers the most in terms of flexibility. Branded as the “online whiteboard,” Miro strives to become the place for teams to collaborate. The platform boasts an infinite canvas freeing your presentation from the constraints of the typical slideshow dimensions. Similar to those listed, the platform offers several templates for crisply presenting data.
My Favorite Feature: The Collaborative Approach
When working in teams, you must have a platform to easily share ideas and avoid the affliction caused by sending file versions back and forth.
Miro Tutorial (30 minutes)
These four presentation platforms offer innovative approaches to the digital mode of presenting and easily adapt to your needs! Which are you most likely to use? Let me know!
No time to learn a new platform? Websites like SlidesCarnival or SlidesGo offer free GoogleSlide or Powerpoint templates that provide similar levels of design.