Item: Google Slides
Rating: 10
Author: Steve Crawford

Overall Satisfaction with Google Slides

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

As a pastor, I preach every week to large groups of people. Most Sundays I preach to a room of around 75-80 adults, and Google Slides helps me convey my main points effectively to my audience, as well as feature significant quote and pictures to assist with getting my point across. In short, Google Slides has helped me become an increasingly effective communicator and public speaker.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Showcases important information
Presents data, quotations, and pictures effectively
Helps draw and hold my audience's attention on a weekly basis

Cons

Could use more slide template options
Could use more font options
Could benefit from more aesthetically pleasing transition options

Return on Investment

Google Slides has increased my effectiveness as a public speaker
Google Slides has contributed to the growth of my Sunday morning fellowship group
Google Slides has clearly helped me hold my audience's attention on a weekly basis

Usability

I have LOVED how accessible and intuitive Google Slides has proved to be. The controls and options may be simple, but if you have had any experience with PowerPoint or Keynote before, Google Slides will come easily to you. I also love the fact that it is synced to my Google Drive, and that therefore it is stored in "the cloud", meaning I can access my slide presentations anywhere and from any device that is connected to the internet.

Alternatives Considered

Apple Keynote and Microsoft Powerpoint

Google Slides is far more accessible than either Keynote or Powerpoint. It may not be as aesthetically pleasing as some of Keynote's templates (and transitions), and it may not be as well known as Powerpoint is to a generation of Microsoft users, but I have found that these relative deficiencies are negligible and are outweighed by the ease of access Google Slides features. You can access your Google Slides presentations anywhere from any device; you're not contingent upon carrying a flash drive with you. This has proven to be a great benefit!

Key Insights

Do you think Google Slides delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Google Slides's feature set?

Yes

Did Google Slides live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Google Slides go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Google Slides again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Todoist, Apple Numbers, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Pushpay

Likelihood to Recommend

Google Slides is perfectly suited to any scenario in which an individual is tasked to speak to a large group of people. Any time such an individual needs to present an outline, or a quotation, or an image to a public audience, I would absolutely recommend that they use Google Slides. In contrast, however, if someone was leading a table discussion or small group discussion, or particularly if they were having a one-on-one meeting, I would not necessarily recommend that they use Google Slides in those particular scenarios.

Using Google Slides

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using	None

Easy Tasks

displaying information to an audience
displaying quotations to an audience
holding an audience's attention

Difficult Tasks

Aesthetically pleasing transitions

Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions

Yes - It works great! I can access my slide presentations from my phone! This has been very helpful in a variety of situations as a pastor and a public speaker. This is very, very helpful!

Comments

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Google Slides - Great for Pastoral Ministry Preaching