PowerPoint is a very flexible program and, for the most part, there is no right and wrong way to do things. Views expressed here are those of the authors and the methods used have been tried and tested. There are three articles in the series. The first article looks at the design issues that need to be considered when preparing a PowerPoint presentation. The second article will concentrate on the 'mechanics' of the program, and the third article will address issues around delivering the presentation. It is hoped that this series will stimulate others to contribute ideas, tips and experiences that can be built into a useful resource. Any contributions should be addressed to the Editor.