How to use Prezi
5 Second PowerPoint Handouts
Prezi is a cloud-based presentation application that lets you use different motion, zoom, and spatial relationships to create visual representations of your ideas. Interestingly, it’s based on an infinite canvas. This canvas, along with Prezi’s zoom in and zoom out capability, are very powerful features that currently sets Prezi apart from its competitors.
Prezi is the brainchild of Adam Somlai-Fischer, a Hungarian media artist and architect, who felt that the traditional form of slides limited his creativity. He joined forces with Peter Halacsy, and Peter Arvai to develop the first version of the application, called “ZuiPrezi”. ZUI for the Zooming User Interface and Prezi as the Hungarian diminutive for presentation. However, the name was soon changed to Prezi.
Prezi works as if it were a huge mind map where you are free to arrange your images, videos, and text. You can easily make the important aspects big, to get your audience’s attention easier, and the details smaller. Once you have the components of your presentation on the canvas, you can set the storyline using a path. If these terms are new to you, don’t worry. Let’s get started and learn how to. use Prezi.
Why Prezi?
If you are relatively new to Prezi, can feel different, and people can find it challenging when they first start. it’s features, such as paths, and frame animations. When used incorrectly, transitions could make your audience feel dizzy. Of course, you are keen to avoid that. However, when correctly using the frames and paths, Prezi is a great tool.
Prezi doesn’t force you to use a linear storyline. Instead, you are free to follow any format suits your presentation best. You can easily communicate complex and nonlinear concepts, move seamlessly between frames, and build each idea separately before showing the big picture to your audience. With Prezi, it is also very easy to switch back to any frame when you need to answer questions from your audience.
Another big advantage you get from using Prezi is its ability to facilitate collaborative work by allowing several persons to edit and add content to the same presentations. However, when you choose to create in Prezi, there is much more to it. Prezi’s user interface shows in real-time the activity of other members.
How To Use Prezi?
Prezi Frames
Frames are used to group several pieces of content together. You can think of Prezi frames the same way you think of PowerPoint’s slides.
Prezi Canvas
It is the blank space you use to create a presentation. Unlike a physical canvas, you can zoom into any parts and hide the rest.
Prezi Path
Unlike Powerpoint, Prezi lets you preset transitions between different frames. Even if it’s not mandatory to define the path you wish to take, most people rely on paths to set the speed of transitions and other visual aspects.
Get Started with Prezi
Now that we have an understanding of Prezi’s key terms, let’s see the steps needed to get started. Even if Prezi allows you to begin working with a blank canvas, this approach can be time-consuming, at least for a newcomer. Instead, to give your presentation a slick look in a few minutes, you can choose to start working with one of the many built-in templates. With only a few steps, you will be able to tweak your template and create your own personal touch.
Now that we have our presentation created in a Prezi template, we can choose the colors and fonts. To do this, you must click the customize button on the top of the screen and… start working on your presentation.
Here are some of the most useful tips that will help you work faster with Prezi:
- use left-click and hold to move around,
- hover the mouse over a piece of content to select it (a blue box will appear). Then you can zoom into it.
- move your mouse to the middle of the screen to display the zoom in and zoom out box
Another easy way to start working with Prezi is to import existing content from a PowerPoint presentation. With Prezi, each slide is turned to a separate frame. When a slide is imported, Prezi smartly identifies each individual element like title, body, and images. This allows you to edit work on the elements separately.
Prezi Examples
Prezi is a great tool for making presentations and sharing them online with your colleagues or customers. Here are some collected Prezi presentations that could inspire you for your next presentation:
Prezi for Companies
PowerPoint allowed anyone in business the chance to express an idea. It added much needed visual effects to business messages, and it was easy to use. As such, has become an almost standard piece of software in many companies.
As a result, these days, most of the business presentations show the standard PowerPoint themes. They might have some minor tweaks, but still look outdated.
Prezi brings important advantages. It will help you stand above your competitors. It will allow you to share your ideas online and collaborate with your colleagues. Even more, with Prezi you can import your old PowerPoint slides.
Prezi Alternatives
Choosing presentation software is an important decision. The right tool can make the difference between an average presentation and one that keeps the audience engaged and successfully delivers the message. If for some reason Prezi doesn’t appeal to you, here are some alternatives:
Prezi Alternative No. 1: Microsoft PowerPoint
PowerPoint is included in Microsoft Office and has been the most widely used presentation software for many years. It benefits from an impressive gallery of themes and it has a large user base that can help if you run into trouble.
Prezi Alternative No. 2: Apple Keynote
Apple Keynote is an established product that, for years, has been the standard for many Mac users. Common to all Apple products, it is tightly integrated with the macOS ecosystems and it provides easy access to multimedia content via iTunes and iPhotos. F For Mac users, Keynote is included in the price of their computer. Also, its iCloud version is free to use for anyone with an Internet connection.
Prezi Alternative No. 3: Google Slides
It is part of Google’s productivity office suite and you can access it from any browser. Like using Prezi, it is a good option when you need to create and share your slides online. Many users choose Google Slides due to it’s a collaborative approach that allows different contributors to simultaneously work on the same document. Furthermore, Google offers the Q&A feature that lets attendees communicate with the presenter through an HTTP link.
Prezi Next vs Prezi Classic
Prezi Next, the latest update from Prezi, uses the best storytelling elements found in Prezi Classic and adds several innovative features such as private presenter notes, intuitive editing, and customizable designer templates.
In many aspects, Prezi Next simplifies your options to create standards of continuity from slide to slide. Creating Prezi Next using. HTML5 instead of Flash provides the audience to see a smoother-looking presentation.
Some users still choose to use Prezi Classic when creating their slides as they like to see more control over the customization. The good news for them is that the old version is still available and the company announced that it has no plans to discontinue it.
Prezi Accessibility: Desktop Software vs. Online
Prezi Desktop is in many aspects similar to the online version of Prezi, but once you have completed the registration process it does not require an Internet connection.
Prezi desktop is useful when you work offline. Just imagine when you have to incorporate some last-minute information on a flight.
Conclusion
When creating you next presentation, if you choose to use Prezi give yourself a little more time. Creating a Prezi for, the first time can be a challenge, but should you choose to do so, the outcome can be very rewarding. appeals with its innovative features the let your creative juices flow. These days, audiences are tired of slide-based presentations, so Prezi’s immersive presentations have the WOW factor.
In the future, Prezi might become more commonplace or other ingenious alternatives might appear. But, until this happens, Prezi should be the go-to application for creating an engaging and beautiful presentation.
Whether you are presenting to management, colleagues, a venture capitalist at a conference, meeting, or sales demo – here are some basic tips that will help you wow your audience. Using these helpful tips will turn your next corporate presentation from ‘good’ to ‘great’ and make you a winner.
