Latest posts

Below are the most recent articles or resources I’ve published. If you are looking for help on a specific topics, it would best to look at the topics in my Articles archive as I have grouped my recent and best articles by topic there.

  • Hybrid Event Lesson 7: Create a custom screen background

    This article shares one of the lessons I learned when planning and running a hybrid class reunion event in May 2022. Read the introduction and see the other lessons in this series here. Lesson When you are switching content in a hybrid meeting the screen may sometimes not have an open app on it. What… Continue reading Hybrid Event Lesson 7: Create a custom screen background Continue reading

  • Excel Chart Tip: Add a CAGR line callout to a column chart

    When you are reporting sales, shipments, clients served, or any measure where you want to show the growth rate over the period of time along with the values in each period, a column chart with a CAGR line callout can be a good visual to use. Instead of drawing the line on the chart and… Continue reading

  • Hybrid Event Lesson 6: Consider a second screen close to you

    This article shares one of the lessons I learned when planning and running a hybrid class reunion event in May 2022. Read the introduction and see the other lessons in this series here. Lesson When the screen you are connected to is at a distance from you, as it often is in a meeting room… Continue reading

  • Use the INDIRECT function to create similar charts in Excel quickly and easily

    Recently I’ve been sharing a technique in my client training that increases the payoff for making the effort to create a meaningful chart in Excel. Often we have results for different locations, regions, products, or scenarios to show. We don’t have to compare them to each other, but, for example, each region needs to report… Continue reading

  • Summer 2022 in-person and hybrid presentation setup: bringing virtual presentation advantages to hybrid and in-person meetings

    I recently delivered my first in-person training sessions in two-and-a-half years. When I was planning the delivery I chose to incorporate the advantages of virtual presentations by using a new setup with equipment I had not used before. In this article and video I will review my current setup and the decisions I made. Use… Continue reading

  • 5 Tips for working on PowerPoint slides as a group that will save time pulling the final presentation together

    I have been delivering sessions to Master’s level programs at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University for a number of years. After a recent session a student asked a question that is common to many students and business professionals. The students are assigned a group presentation where each person will be creating a… Continue reading

  • Hybrid Event Lesson 5: Know important OS shortcut keys

    This article shares one of the lessons I learned when planning and running a hybrid class reunion event in May 2022. Read the introduction and see the other lessons in this series here. Lesson When the screen you are connected to is at a distance, as it is in a meeting room when conducting a… Continue reading

  • Annotations on shared content is coming to Teams

    Microsoft announced in mid-July 2022 that annotating a shared screen is now available in Teams Public Preview and will be coming to all Teams tenants in the future. You can read more about how to turn on and use Teams annotations in their article here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-annotation-while-sharing-your-screen-in-teams-876ba527-7112-437e-b410-5aec7363c473. Here’s an example of how it looks in action.… Continue reading

  • Use Windows Magnifier to help people see your screen when demonstrating software or code

    If you have to demonstrate software, like PowerPoint, Excel, or Word, or show code when presenting, the Windows Magnifier can make your live or virtual presentation better. The Windows Magnifier allows you to enlarge the portion of the screen under your cursor so the audience can see the user interface, formulas, or code much larger.… Continue reading

  • Hybrid Event Lesson 4: Make sure you can see the cursor and interface

    This article shares one of the lessons I learned when planning and running a hybrid class reunion event in May 2022. Read the introduction and see the other lessons in this series here. Lesson In a hybrid meeting, we will be connecting to a large screen in a meeting room and be sitting or standing… Continue reading