Playing with Prezi

I had seen fellow classmates use the presentation software Prezi before but had always stuck to PowerPoint because it was what I was most comfortable with. The coolest aspect of Prezi is that you can zoom in and out on certain texts or images, which really emphasizes your point and creates focus. It is easy enough to create an account, with the only requirements being a name and email address. The website was remarkably easy to follow, and as a rare fluke of Gen Y I am remarkably handicapped when it comes to technology, so for me to say that is worth something. There are optional videos to watch on how to operate Prezi, but I chose to just go for it. You first choose from a wide variety of fun templates, with names like ‘Fork in the Road’ and ‘Journey to the Top.’ Once you choose a design, it is almost like PowerPoint in the sense that the slides are laid out on the side in the same way. There is also a ‘Click to add Title’ just like PowerPoint. This eased any anxiety I was left feeling for betraying my beloved PowerPoint. Prezi users have the option of inserting images, text, symbols, YouTube videos, and even background music. Next to the ‘insert’ section is a ‘customize’ section which additionally adds a huge amount of variety and options to design and color. I found the ‘share’ section also very easy to operate; clicking on it presents the user with a scroll-down option of sharing on Facebook, downloading as PDF, and more. It seems simple to convert and not one of those programs that has to reformat (read: ruin) your project by messing with the pixels. One comment I do have to make is that the Prezi images are a hundred times more professional looking than PowerPoint clip-art. Upon selecting ‘image’, you have the choice to either browse or use a recommended picture from Google, which are great quality and plentiful. Adding voiceovers is also an attractive feature of Prezi. I believe I can succinctly get my point across while also holding the audience’s attention with the help of Prezi; it’s “zoom-y” quality keeps the audience more engaged than just clicking through slides. The possibility of music is also in my mind as far as my persuasive narrative. For my presentation I feel that images are very important, and Prezi will help me to find the most effective visual aid possible. Overall, my experience playing with Prezi was surprisingly easy and I feel encouraged to use the software in the future.