--- title: Does your e-learning look like a glorified PowerPoint presentation? description: If you were seduced by the promise of easily converting PowerPoint to e-learning using an authoring tool, it's highly likely you've got poor results... image: https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hubfs/It%20can%20be%20changed.jpg --- **** [![pacific-blue-logo-white](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/White%20transparent.png?width=520&height=105&name=White%20transparent.png) ![Pacific Blue Logo](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Corporate%20blue%20transparent.png?width=520&height=105&name=Corporate%20blue%20transparent.png) ](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk) [![LET'S TALK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/31306/0bee0e88-7dab-4481-aa27-3e0ea6439460.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/31306/0bee0e88-7dab-4481-aa27-3e0ea6439460) [**](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/learning-academy-blog/does-your-e-learning-look-like-a-glorified-powerpoint-presentation#tmpmodule_1568761248550301) ** #### Evaluating Training Effectivenes [![mega-menu-graphic](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/f5zha8dh6586r0z/mega-menu-graphic.jpg "mega-menu-graphic")](https://marketplace.hubspot.com/products/design-with-speed/clean-premium-pack) #### Learning Re-Framed In-House Programme #### Articulate Storyline #### Storyline In-House Programmes #### Storyline Scheduled Public Courses #### Course Bookings ![Complete ID Brochure Image - CLEAN](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hubfs/Complete%20ID%20Brochure%20Image%20-%20CLEAN.png "Complete ID Brochure Image - CLEAN") #### E-Learning Design & Development Services [![Happy in front of laptops](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hubfs/Happy%20in%20front%20of%20laptops.jpg "Happy in front of laptops")](https://marketplace.hubspot.com/products/design-with-speed/clean-premium-pack) #### Other Design & Development Services ![placeholder_200x200](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/content/email-template-images/placeholder_200x200.png "placeholder_200x200") #### More ![Customers](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hubfs/Customers.jpg "Customers") ###### 2 min read # [Does your e-learning look like a glorified PowerPoint presentation?](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/learning-academy-blog/does-your-e-learning-look-like-a-glorified-powerpoint-presentation) By [Andrew Jackson](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/learning-academy-blog/author/andrew-jackson) on Tue, Jul 15,2025 ###### Topics: [Instructional Design](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/learning-academy-blog/topic/instructional-design) [e-learning](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/learning-academy-blog/topic/e-learning) ![Frustrated learner](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hubfs/It%20can%20be%20changed.jpg) Forgive me for asking, but does it? Because so much e-learning I see still falls into this category. If you’ve answered ‘yes’ (however sheepishly) I’ll guess there’s a good chance that you chose your e-learning authoring software on the basis that it was easy to convert existing PowerPoint presentations into something more ‘interactive’. This is still a major selling point pushed by many software vendors. Import your PowerPoint slides into our gloriously quick and easy-to-use authoring tool and then add some interactivity to those slides.  Sounds like a miracle, doesn’t it? But guess what? You still have a PowerPoint presentation. It’s just that now it requires the learners to do endless clicking to get through it.  Now I know that at this point some people get frustrated with me and go, ‘*but Andrew it’s all very well you having a go at me for creating a dull piece of PowerPoint-like e-learning but I haven’t got time to do all that instructional design stuff you think I should be doing*.’ Well, let’s take a step back from that for a minute. First, imagine you are the learner. Seriously, would you willingly click your way through what you’ve just produced? Unless you suffer from desperately low self-esteem and think it’s your lot in life to be miserable, then the answer must surely be ‘No’. Second, this is a bit like saying, ‘I’m a chef but I don't have time to do proper, authentic cooking. I rely entirely on pre-packaged food and a microwave. So if you come and eat here, you’ll just have to put up with second-rate food’. Bet you wouldn’t willingly book a table at that restaurant, would you? Finally, do you really expect your colleagues and your learners to respect your skills and professionalism if this is the best you can do?    Ready to take stock of your e-learning and see if there's some room for improvement? Start with our [Discover Your E-Learning Impact Scorecard](https://pacificblue-el-impact.scoreapp.com). It only takes a couple of minutes to complete and you get some rapid feedback on your current e-learning design strengths and the areas that could do with some TLC. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Andrew Jackson](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/hubfs/andrew-jackson-profile.jpg) #### Written by [Andrew Jackson](https://www.pacificblue.co.uk/learning-academy-blog/author/andrew-jackson) Hi, I’m Andrew Jackson — co-founder of Pacific Blue Solutions and founder of Pacific Blue AI. I’ve spent almost 20 years helping L&D teams design learning that actually changes what people do at work. Alongside my weekly writing on Learning Re-Framed, this Learning Academy blog is where I share practical, evidence-based ideas for improving learning design and performance support in a changing, AI-enabled world. 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