Avoiding Common PowerPoint Training Mistakes

PowerPoint has long been the go-to tool for corporate trainers. It’s accessible, efficient, and predictable. But leaning too heavily on it often leads to sessions that feel more like watching a presentation than participating in a training experience. Training works best when learners are involved – when they’re thinking, interacting, and applying concepts in real-time.

The faults don’t usually lie with the software. They begin when slides become the session itself, rather than supporting what the trainer is delivering. Reading bullet points aloud or showing dense paragraphs on screen turns an opportunity for learning into a passive, forgettable event. To deliver sessions that make an impact, trainers should treat PowerPoint as a tool – not the teacher.

Avoiding Information Overload

Heavy slides packed with text, stats, and diagrams tend to overburden the learner. When every slide crams in multiple ideas, it becomes hard to concentrate on what really matters. Instead of listening, the audience reads ahead or zones out.

A training slide should offer a single, clear insight. Anything more than six brief lines can start to distract. If something requires a deeper explanation, use the slide as a cue and explain things through your delivery. Let your words do the work and keep the visuals simple.

Here are a few quick ways to keep slides cleaner and more focused:

1. Stick to keywords rather than full sentences

2. Avoid blocks of text – aim for clear bullet points

3. Use numbers or stats only when they bring clarity

4. Share just one core idea per slide

5. Eliminate anything that doesn't directly support learning

Planning your session with fewer slides gives you more space to involve your group in conversation and activities. By lightening the load on each slide, you free up mental space for real understanding.

Engaging Your Audience

The success of any training session relies far more on engagement than appearance. Even the sleekest PowerPoint deck won’t help if the group is passively watching. Actual learning comes from doing, discussing, and thinking – not just observing.

Limit the slide count if it’s crowding out participation. Blocks of back-to-back slides rarely allow time for the audience to get involved. Your plan should include pauses, reflections, and chances to use new information in a useful way.

Here are several ways to build this in:

1. Ask open-ended questions to spark thinking

2. Invite mini-discussions in pairs or small groups

3. Set short, practical exercises they can do straight away

4. Mix delivery styles – speaking, doing, reflecting

A useful format is a situational case study based on recent content. Assign small groups a challenge, give them a few minutes to consider a solution, then bring their answers back to the larger group. This breaks passive viewing and turns it into something memorable.

Heavy use of PowerPoint can sometimes crowd out these valuable moments. Trainers should focus on their interaction with learners first, letting the slides serve that rather than lead it.

Using Visuals Effectively

Visuals can be a powerful part of your delivery, but only when they’re used with intention. Overuse or poor-quality images can be disruptive. Conversely, skipping visual support entirely can lead to dry sessions that don’t connect.

Instead of filling slides with decorative visuals, choose images that help simplify or explain your topic. Every picture, chart or graphic should add clarity, not confusion.

Some approaches that work well include:

1. Icons that help guide attention and segment topics

2. Graphs or charts that visualise comparisons or trends

3. Strong single images that spark thought or conversation

4. Diagrams that show how ideas fit together

Use just one visual idea per slide for maximum effect. Avoid animation unless it contributes to learning, and always check whether the content is clearly visible from the back of any room or on smaller screens.

Visuals should never be just filler. If an image doesn’t directly support what learners need to take away, it’s just in the way.

Practising Good Slide Design

Even the right content on a slide can lose impact if it’s presented poorly. Bad slide design distracts and confuses. Fonts that are too tiny or layouts that clash with the background can undermine the best material.

Apply these simple rules to keep slides clean and professional:

1. Make sure all text is at least 24-point size

2. Stick to standard, clean font styles

3. Use no more than two colours for text and two for backgrounds

4. Avoid red and green combinations to support visibility

5. Leave breathing space – don’t overfill the slide

Structure matters too. Use the same layout for every slide to help audiences know where to focus. Keep heading placement consistent. Standardise how images or icons appear. Consistency helps learners follow and stay focused.

If a slide is feeling cluttered, it's usually a sign that it's trying to do too much. Keep it simple. Strong design shows your audience that you're prepared and helps them concentrate on your message rather than your format.

Reinforcing Key Points Without Overuse

PowerPoint works best when used as a support act. It shouldn’t carry the whole session. Slides are good for introducing, summarising, or emphasising important points. But real learning tends to happen elsewhere – in reflection, discussion, or practice.

Make the most of slides by using them to highlight big ideas rather than repeating everything you say. Well-timed pauses between slides give space for conversation, and help learners internalise ideas before moving on.

Here are some effective ways to reinforce key ideas:

1. Review main points briefly at the end of each topic

2. Use the slide content as a launchpad for discussion

3. Encourage participants to write their own notes rather than copying

The most useful outcomes come through interaction. Your role is to facilitate learning, not narrate. Let PowerPoint enhance, not overshadow, the connection between what’s being taught and how it’s absorbed.

Making Training Stick Long After the Slides

The close of a session is just as important as the start. Wrapping up well makes the learning feel complete and forms the bridge from knowledge to action. Summarising doesn’t mean repeating everything. Instead, tie your final points back to real tasks or challenges your learners face.

Keep your wrap-up practical and centred on useful applications. Ask questions such as, “What’s one thing you’ll change next time you deliver a session?” This encourages reflection with purpose.

In closing, revisit the key ideas:

1. Avoid PowerPoint overload – keep slides lean and focused

2. Make space for interaction instead of overloading content

3. Use visuals that explain, not decorate

4. Design slides for clarity, not flair

5. Use PowerPoint to guide conversation, not replace it

The most effective training doesn’t come from the slides you build but from the connection you make with your learners. Designing thoughtful sessions with PowerPoint as a supportive element will help you deliver experiences that inform and inspire. When you shift from presenting to engaging, people remember more, apply more, and thank you more.

Discover how to transform your training approach with Target Training Associates. If enhancing engagement and effectiveness in your sessions is a priority, understanding what is train the trainer can be your next step. Explore our courses to uncover strategies that move beyond PowerPoint, ensuring your training leaves a real and lasting impact.