The quick version
Bring one to five slides per presenter. Give each talk up to five minutes, one minute for questions and one minute to switch files. After everyone presents, vote privately for the talk you most enjoyed; most votes wins, with shared wins on a tie.
Saved on this device only — clearing your browser's cache or site data removes them (no account backup).
Prepare the talks and the screen
Agree a broad theme or allow free choice. Give presenters the five-minute limit and one-to-five-slide allowance in advance. Use topics they choose willingly; personal stories or photos involving friends need those friends' agreement. One clear argument or small story works better than trying to cover an entire subject.
Each presenter builds a deck beforehand and sends it to the host or brings a compatible file. PowerPoint is one option, not a requirement. Keep a PDF backup for simple slides. Open every deck on the actual host device, check legibility from the seats and test any embedded media. If a video is included, it counts toward the five minutes.
Write a presentation order drawn at random and prepare paper ballots. In PowerPoint, rehearse using Slide Show, then Rehearse Timings to see the total. Discard recorded timings or set the slide show to advance manually for the live talk so an old rehearsal does not unexpectedly switch slides.
Four presenters need up to 28 minutes of talk, question and switch slots; ten need up to 70. Allow extra time for arrival and setup. Slide preparation happens before this evening.
Present, vote and finish
Start the first talk
Open the first deck in presentation mode. Start the timer when the presenter begins, not while a file is loading. The presenter controls slide changes or asks the host to advance them.
Use the five minutes
Speak, show images or demonstrate the idea. At four minutes, give a quiet one-minute signal. At five, let the presenter finish the sentence and end the talk. An early finish is fine; there is no bonus for filling the whole slot.
Ask and switch
Allow up to one minute of audience questions, then close that deck and open the next within the switch slot. If nobody has a question, move on. A technical failure pauses the talk clock while the host opens the backup; it does not consume someone's speaking time.
Choose the favorite
After the last talk, each presenter writes one other presenter's name on a ballot for the talk they most enjoyed. Do not vote for yourself. The host reads the counts; most votes wins and tied leaders share the win. Keep this single ballot result separate from applause or question count.
Reset for another night
Save decks only as agreed with their creators. End after the results rather than demanding an encore. For another session, choose new topics and start a fresh order and vote.
Make the story easy to follow
Suggest a simple outline: what you are proposing, two or three reasons or examples, and the closing point. Use large words and pictures that help explain it. A deck full of small text is hard to follow across a room.
Show the order and keep the next deck ready. Check that the external screen shows slides rather than private presenter notes. Listening-only friends opt out before drawing the order; only presenters vote.
Already know the game?
Ideas & Twists
Choose a variation together before you start.
Five-minute slide night · See main rules
Suggested house variationOne-slide challenge
Allow exactly one static slide and reduce each talk to two minutes. Keep one minute for questions, then switch. Presenters prepare beforehand and cannot reveal extra slides or animation steps. After everyone talks, use the same one-other-presenter ballot and shared tie result. The challenge becomes choosing a single visual that can carry the whole idea.
Five-minute slide night · See main rules
Suggested house variationTeach a useful trick
Replace the favorite-talk contest with a cooperative skill-share. Each presenter gets the same five minutes to explain one practical trick and guide a simple audience attempt using supplies named in advance. Keep the question minute. Finish after everyone has taught once and the group has tried each trick; there is no score or winner. Choose demonstrations that fit the room, such as a paper fold or a memory method.
About this guide
Microsoft support verifies rehearsal timing and manual slide advancement. The five-minute talk, order, ballot, ties and variations are proposed house rules. This is a social presentation format, not an official Microsoft competition; other presentation software works if the files and display are tested.
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