20 creative ways to use looping PowerPoint intros
Yesterday I promised to share some ideas for looping intros on your PowerPoint presentations, primarily but not exclusively for security awareness seminars and the like.
Rather than wasting the time between opening the door and starting the session, it's a mini awareness opportunity you can exploit.
Here are 20 ways to use your loopy intros:
Rather than wasting the time between opening the door and starting the session, it's a mini awareness opportunity you can exploit.
Here are 20 ways to use your loopy intros:
- Show short security awareness videos, maybe ‘talking heads’ clips of people talking about current threats, recent incidents, new policies etc.;
- Quotes from attendees at past awareness events, possibly again as video or audio clips or written quotations in their own words;
- A slide-show of still photos from previous awareness and training events, preferably showing people having a good time and enjoying a laugh;
- Awareness posters: you do have plenty of these, right?;
- Clips from your intranet Security Zone - just a few headline items, not whole pages, with the Zone's URL;
- Clips from your security policies and procedures – little snippets to interest, intrigue and remind rather than inform the audience;
- News headlines relating to recent infosec incidents in your industry or locale, new compliance obligations, surveys published etc.;
- Topical warnings – things people generally ought to know about – and tips to make things a bit easier (e.g. patch Tuesday, or the Windows-L key sequence to screenLock a Windows computer);
- Team photos or individual mugshots of your people, especially anyone new or doing unusual things – "team-building sessions" and hobbies are good for that, think 'human interest story';
- A [partial] diary of planned awareness events, courses etc. with brief how-to-book info;
- A [partial] list or tasters of the awareness content you’re making available this month – the main items at least;
- Short clips from security reviews, audits and management reports - again, less is more so be highly selective;
- Amusing content - jokes, speling errrors, fake news, cartoons and kids’ drawings, funny answers to quizzes and tests, spoof versions of original content, dire warnings about the zombie apocalypse, captioned photos etc.;
- [Recent] feedback comments and suggestions about the awareness program etc.;
- Requests for input and involvement on various [infosec related] projects, initiatives and activities within the organization;
- Contact details for people to get more info, raise concerns, report incidents and near misses, suggest further awareness activities etc.;
- A few security metrics – maybe just one or two, ideally simple, eye-catching designs, something people will think and chat about as they wait patiently for the start;
- Ice breaker suggestions e.g. "If you don't know someone nearby, take this opportunity to say hello, tell them a little about yourself and find out a bit about them, such as why they are here";
- Photos of physical security incidents and controls - security fails and protective hardware;
- Winners and maybe the results from recent security awareness quizzes, competitions, challenges etc.