IBM's Powerpoint Alternative

Hello all,

From time to time, Terry asks me if there are subsitutes for Powerpoint. And I always answer, course there are. I just have not sat down and really gave him some new cool presentation software like Mac's KeyNote and Open Office.

Interestingly, IBM has launched at New York a new and free alternative to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs. The package came under the name IBM Lotus Symphony which is based on the Open Document Format standard and allows you to import, edit and save different file formats including Microsoft Office files. You can also export files to PDF. The set of tools is supported by Windows, Linux and Macintosh. For those who would like to be the first to try, you can download the package here for your personal use.

It looks like we have more competitors trying to crack the aging Office market of Microsoft and Apple. If anyone will have a chance to try the package, please share with us your impressions. Happy long weekend.

Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela

Intriguing Word

Have you ever wondered how much time you lose by using Word? I have always been thinking about this as we tend to just wonder around and do formatting works and others. Well, I bumped into a chart that hints on this. Someone obviously figured it out. Look at the chart and see how much continuous use of Word is costing us in productivity losses. And scaling it upwards, consider how long do you use it in your work, everyday. And for how long have you been using it. Then factor in your colleagues, friends, clients and almost everyone else using this word processor instead of a clean Notepad and then transferring the results into Word for formatting? I wonder how much are we losing with the continuous use of boring Powerpoint slides? Just a thought.

More from Alex

Thanks for conducting the seminar, and for helping me improve as a presenter.

I found the videos on new technologies very interesting, because they give a few clues on how presentations can be made more interactive just using what we have already, e.g. accessing online tools and material, using MS Excel spreadsheets and charts to show different results depending on different inputs, using mind mapping and modeling software to get participants to re-design the procurement process (then point out any problems with their design to highlight why ADB's process are the way they are). And perhaps we can learn something from them too.

Here are a few more suggestions for PIA:

1. Any PIA presenter who does not achieve a benchmark score from PIA participant feedback for the year (e.g. 70% satisfactory rating) must repeat this seminar.

2. Powerpoints for at least some segments of the PAI should be re-written - not just revised, start again from a blank screen.

I think COSO can play a role in "selling procurement" - by making our presentations more interesting and dynamic, we can attract more PIA participants, and increase interest and professionalism in procurement. Let's face it, COSO has a valuable product that we have trouble even giving away. Why?

I went to the blog, and saw that my suggestion was already there! Wow, this internet-thing might really catch on. Thanks for your support and encouragement, and I hope to be able to contribute to the blog in the future.

Note: In the photo are Alex sandwiched between Mart and You.

Mart's Suggstions

Mart sent us some suggestions for improving our futuure courses. We would like to share three at this time and the other notes and suggestions she has made last September whilst on mission to Bhutan will be published later. Do send your suggestions too.

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Dear Ed,

I apologize for this late response. As I mentioned I observed CPIA in Bhutan this year and conducted only one session as my first trial. From my experience of this seminar as observer and previous seminars as participant (when I was working for Mongolian Government) I want to share my thoughts to improve PIAs:

1. First of all PIA design and materials could be prepared with different options or levels depending on the specific type of participants. At the same time the selection of participant must be clearly based on the 2 aspects: i) need for translation or not and ii) practical experience of procurement or none. This customized seminars will be much more effective and will solve many difficulties we always encounter in PIA seminar. Depending on the participants group we may end up organizing 2-3 seminars with shorter durations. Total time for COSO staff in the field could be the same.

2. For the seminars with translation, we need to contact RM and Procurement Policy Agencies in the country, who are in the best position to provide satisfactory translator with good procurement knowledge from their offices or from the national consultants pool, with whom they work on the procurement reform projects.

3. Regarding the content of the PIA, I believe we must include module for Country Procurement System as a main topic including a link with international developments in procurement area and NCB Annex as well. Procurement Policy Agencies may want to cooperate in delivering this module or at least provide some inputs and their comments to share with participants.

Facilitators Course Completed

Just to let everyone know that we have completed the second batch of PIA Facilitators Course last November 25. We had only seven participants but we all had the experience and fun in learning how to be better facilitators. The course aimed at preparing the participants to perform actual facilitation functions in the future. They discovered each others strengths and weaknesses in facilitation together with some tools (or learning aids) that they can use in speaking and presenting. They found some of the most common mistakes in Powerpoint designs and presentations. Everyone felt that the two days course have allowed them to polish their facilitation practices. Likewise, everyone agreed that more needs to be done, both from the presentation art as well as the content. The class likewise appreciated the visits of Terry, Hiro and Andrea. Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela

More for Interactivity

It really appears that we needed more interactivity in our courses. Alex sent us this idea for enhancing more interactions between the facilitator and the participants as well as between and among the participants. We welcome ideas such as this so we can continue the effort of improving our future courses.


How about this for a PIA program:

Day 1 - Participants are organized into small groups of variable experience (eg. less experienced people work with the more experienced). Each group is required to design a procurement process for ADB funded projects, with reference to Procurement and Consultant Guidelines, PAIs, interests of stakeholders etc. By now they are wishing they had accessed the online resources they were advised of when they registered for the PAI, but they can still do so. This also gives participants a chance to propose improvements, air their grievances, and hopefully feel they have some valuable input. Facilitators mingle with the groups, giving them guidance.

Day 2 (AM) - Each group presents its design (each member presents a component of the design, in their own language if they are uncomfortable with English). Other groups and facilitators provide a critique of the design. This will also enable an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the participants, including their knowledge gaps.

Day 2 (PM) onwards - The formal seminars commence, but with a flexible program focusing on the weaknesses and gaps that have been identified. The content of the seminars is continually linked back to the group designs so it becomes more meaningful and relevant to the participants.

Interesting Watch for the Week

Hello all,
I have compiled a set of videos that can show you some bad and good practices in presentations. Do enjoy them whenever you've got the time.

Bad Powerpoint, Bad, Bad
Getting their Attention Everytime you Speak
Present Like Steven Job
Kawazaki's 10-20-30 Rule

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela