In case you missed it, last week there was an article in the NYT detailing criticisms from military brass over the excessive use of powerpoint presentations. As part of this, a slide was shown that was clearly a large casual-loop diagram, probably developed by PA Consulting.
While the article took some cheap shots at the complexity of the diagram, its actual main point was that the logic of powerpoint has forced military decision makers to adopt linear bullet-point type thinking to deal with complex problems. Or at least to waste time making powerpoints that could be spent in more productive activities.
The response across the System Dynamics blogosphere has been loud and clear, pointing out that the diagram was actually part of a process that was hopefully being used to address some of the criticisms in the article. Specifically, part of a modeling approach that moves one AWAY from the bullet point/soundbite thinking that powerpoint can inspire.
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A letter to the New York Times from Tom Fiddaman, Dave Packer, Kristina Wile, and Rebecca Niles Peretz.
Linda Booth Sweeney on Bullet Points and Laundry Lists.
Chris Soderquist on the importance of storytelling.
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Of course the best excoriation of the limitations of data presentation on PPT slides and the problems of PPT-driven decision making remains Edward Tufte’s fabulous pamphlet and his analysis of decision making surrounding the Challenger flight disaster.
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