The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint

Citation

Tufte, E. R. (2003). The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint: Pitching Out Corrupts Within. Graphics Press.

Core Contribution

Argues that PowerPoint’s design patterns (bullet lists, fragmentation, low information density, actively corrupt thought and communication. The centerpiece is the Boeing slides that contributed to the Columbia disaster.

The Columbia Case Study

Engineers presented 28 slides about foam debris damage. Critical safety information was buried in fourth-level bullet points. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board cited Tufte’s analysis and condemned NASA’s “endemic use of PowerPoint briefing slides instead of technical papers.”

Key Arguments

Low Information Density: Slides use only 30-40% of space for content.

Fragmentation: Complex ideas chopped into disconnected bullets that obscure relationships and causality.

Hierarchy Obscures Meaning: Six levels of hierarchy buried life-threatening conclusions.

Key Quote

“PowerPoint allows speakers to pretend that they are giving a real talk, and audiences to pretend that they are listening.”

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