I'm reading a new book, Presentation Zen, by Garr Reynolds. (I'm about half way through.)

It's a very good book, especially if you consider the bigger picture of "presentation" as it factors into the many things you may do. Software development and user interface development is all about presentation. I know I fall into the same rut some days as other people -- your design tool is the development environment, rather than stepping back and using a white board, a sheet of paper, or even the back of a napkin! The fields and data, and the visualizations you add to an application all tell a story and communicate emotions to the end user. Stark gray forms may communicate dull, boring, or even simple. Crazy colors and fonts may communicate pain and suffering (AKA headaches!). Presentation.

A few sentences have struck me so far though:

"Decoration, for better or worse, is noticeable--sometimes enjoyable, sometimes irritating, but it is unmistakably there. However, the best designs are so well done that "the design" is never even noticed consciously by the observer/user, such as the design of a book or the signage in an airport."

One company that most everyone who's reading this blog is familiar with is Apple. They get this (with the exception of ITunes on Windows!).

Back to the book --it's a beautiful, full color book. "Airy" (lots of white space). Easy to read (not dry).

I've done more minimal presentations in the last few years (with no more than 6-8 words on a slide) - and they've gone very well. But, it's taken quite a few years to overcome the PowerPoint-effect which is instilled in us by watching other dry, boring slideware.

I'll post more as I get through it, but I'd definitely recommend you check it out if you do many presentations (both in the actual literal sense, or want to consider "presentation" as a larger art). It's around $18 US right now at Amazon.