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Welcome to Prezi, the presentation software that uses motion, zoom, and spatial relationships to bring your ideas to life and make you a great presenter.

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Asset management

Easily store, organize and search the assets and designs for your team's projects. Whether you're creating a presentation, report, or infographic, find all your uploaded assets in one place.

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Create Presentations, Infographics, Design & Video | Visme

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Use Google Slides to create online slideshows. Make beautiful presentations together with secure sharing in real-time and from any device.

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Learn PowerPoint: Online Courses, Training, Tutorials, Videos - 2018

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Learn all about PowerPoint with our expert-taught PowerPoint training videos. Watch a beginner, intermediate, or advanced PowerPoint how-to on designing compelling slide presentations, editing them, and sharing them with others.

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As a small business owner without a budget for outside design services, it's really allowed us to step up our game in terms of visuals. We not only use the service for our menu creation but it's great for fliers, check presenter inserts etc.

Mandy Oser, Ardesia Wine Bar NYC Co-Owner

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As a small business owner without a budget for outside design services, it's really allowed us to step up our game in terms of visuals. We not only use the service for our menu creation but it's great for fliers, check presenter inserts etc.

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McDonald's could report its best U.S. sales performance in almost four years on Monday, and much of it will be credited to menu changes.

Plan, test, feedback, tweak, repeat. For the world's largest burger chain in the midst of a comeback, every step is especially vital.

There was a time when McDonald's took years to introduce menu items. Now, under the leadership of CEO Steve Easterbrook, it's often just months. McDonald's launched all-day breakfast in October after only nine months of planning.

What makes a menu

A typical menu has about 120 to 140 items, including size variations, and about 100 of those are specific to a region. In greater Chicago, that includes McDonald's newest addition, the customer-designed ChiTown Classic, the winner of the area's Burger Build Off contest.

McDonald's gives its U.S. franchisees a lot of leeway but requires them to carry 40 items: classics like the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Filet-O-Fish and McChicken, but also a range of wraps, salads and new items like mozzarella sticks. Each of its 36,000 worldwide restaurants serves the Big Mac, cheeseburger, hamburger, chicken nuggets and fries.

The average wait time for a customer at McDonald's is about 90 seconds, so there's not a lot of wiggle room when it comes to allowing food with long prep times on the menu.

"As a cook I'd really like to focus on 20 items and do them really well than have 50 that we can only do OK," said Dan Coudreaut, McDonald's executive chef. "It's all about balance."

In the test kitchen

It can take months. Even years. The burger chain looks not only at what part of the menu they want to tweak but what customers they want to attract. Millennials, for example, tend to prefer snack-type items over big burgers.

Make a plan

The team makes an action plan, brainstorms concepts and ranks them.

Food science

In the test kitchen at McDonald's Oak Brook headquarters, where some products are conceived, chefs, food scientists and nutritionists all weigh in.

Focus groups

The food is tested with a focus group and tweaked, accounting for everyone's input.

Internal testing

At McDonald's Oak Brook headquarters where some products are conceived, chefs, food scientists and nutritionists all weigh in before the food is tested with a focus group and tweaked, accounting for everyone's input. Then in a nondescript Romeoville warehouse where McDonald's has its Innovation Center, workers spend four to five weeks learning how to prepare the new item quickly and accurately, in a simulated setting. Plastic chairs stand in for cars in a mock drive-through lane.

Operations

Practice, practice, practice! After weeks testing how to make new products in a simulated environment (folding chairs standing in for car seats in a drive-thru setting), new products move on to being served in the real deal restaurants.

Restaurant testing

After being tweaked, tested and tested again, the food is ready for the big time ... kind of. McDonald's asks a group of franchisees to put the item on their menu for a short time. The company tests products in regions where that type of food is most popular. That means chicken items get tested in Atlanta, coffee in the Northeast, salads on the West Coast and burgers in Texas.

Food types tested by region

The Midwest? We like "a little bit of everything," said Lance Richards, vice president of menu strategy. McDonald's is currently testing Monster Energy Drinks in Illinois, and macaroni and cheese in Ohio. Breakfast bowls are getting a spin in California, and sweet potato fries are trying out in Texas.

ANALYTICS

Sales figures and customer comments are analyzed. Some products undergo more testing, some head to more restaurants and some head back to the drawing board.

Regional roots

Some menu offerings that were thought to be just for one region go national.

Sweet tea was developed for restaurants in the South but is now sold nationwide. Ditto for mozzarella sticks, which were requested by New York franchisees and launched nationwide this month. McWraps, which began in Austria and Poland in 2004, were brought to the U.S. in 2013 after being "altered" to cater to American tastes.

What do you add to a wrap to make it more palatable for Americans? "Ranch dressing," Coudreaut said. "And bacon."

What's ahead

While McDonald's is largely mum on what new foods are being considered, Coudreaut and Richards said the company is taking a closer look at the menu's components than perhaps ever before.

In years past, Coudreaut said there were some core menu items that were considered off-limits for change. But now, everything is on the table. And food, not speed, is now the first priority. "We're having the tough conversations," Coudreaut said.

"Operational efficiency has actually moved down in the ranks of priority because we want to focus most of all on the food," Richards said. "There's an openness to really going after the consumer that's so refreshing. I think there's some bright days ahead."
Twitter @SamWillTravel Tribune illustrations by Phil Geib

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How McDonald's menu is made - and how it's changing

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McDonald's could report its best U.S. sales performance in almost four years on Monday, and much of it will be credited to menu changes. Plan, test, feedback, tweak, repeat. For the world's largest burger chain in the midst of a comeback, every step is especially vital.

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Craving McDonald's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? So are we! Check the full McDonald's menu here and let our burgers and fries satisfy those cravings now!

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Kevin Newell talks about McDonald's Menu

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Kevin Newell talks about McDonald's Menu

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McDonalds: Behind the Scenes of the Menu | Good Morning America | ABC News

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McDonald's new campaign was featured at the Clinton Global Initiative on Thursday in New York. Former President Clinton noted that similar agreements with the big soda companies to curb the sales of sugary drinks in schools were aimed at reducing the amount of sugar children consume.

"If we want to curb the catastrophic economic and health implications of obesity across the world, we need more companies to follow McDonald's lead and step up to the plate and make meaningful changes," Mr. Clinton said in a news release.

This latest move by McDonald's, which it estimated would cost about $35 million, is one in a series of steps it has taken toward changing its menu to suit contemporary tastes and to try to address health concerns raised for years by nutritionists and other critics about the fat and caloric content of its food.

It has added calorie counts to its menu boards in advance of a federal requirement for such labeling that goes into effect next year, and now sells options like egg-white McMuffins and premium wraps, which offer a choice of grilled rather than fried chicken rolled into a flour tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.

The company also has faced rising competitive pressure from Subway, which has courted women aggressively with marketing promoting its healthier options, as well as from other chains. This week, Burger King unveiled a new way of making fries that reduced fat and calories, and earlier this year, that chain added a turkey burger to its menu.

"We've been trying to optimize our menu with more fruits and vegetables and giving customers additional choices when they come to McDonald's," said Don Thompson, McDonald's chief executive.

He ticked off some of those additions, like smoothies, salads and whole grains in oatmeal. "This is a particular opportunity to partner with the Clinton Foundation and the alliance to leverage our scale and size and marketing prowess to be able to influence more purchases of fruits and vegetables," Mr. Thompson said.

He said McDonald's would be working with its supply chains to ensure it had access to enough produce and to add different types of produce to its lineup. "We don't go down to the grocery stores," he said with a chuckle. "It does put some strain on the supply chain, but one of the great things about this partnership is that we have some time to make sure there are ample fruits and vegetables for us to use."

Customers choosing one of its "value meals," which typically include a sandwich or wrap, French fries and a drink, will have the option of having a side salad or a piece of fruit or a vegetable in lieu of the fries.

On its menu boards and in-store promotions, and through advertising campaigns, McDonald's said it would promote juice, low-fat milk and water as the drink choices for its Happy Meals for children, although customers would still be able to buy soda.

It also plans to promote fruits and vegetables in "fun ways" on its Happy Meals packaging, with advertising aimed at children to include messages about nutrition and well-being.

McDonald's said its compliance with these commitments would be verified by a third-party institution.

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With Tastes Growing Healthier, McDonald's Aims to Adapt Its Menu

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McDonald's new campaign was featured at the Clinton Global Initiative on Thursday in New York. Former President Clinton noted that similar agreements with the big soda companies to curb the sales of sugary drinks in schools were aimed at reducing the amount of sugar children consume.

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50 McDonald's Menu Items You Won't Find In America

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MANY people use titles like millennials and baby boomers to refer to various generations, and it can be confusing to decipher exactly what age group they're talking about.

Although there's no official agreement on the exact year each generation begins, here is a rough guide to when each one starts and finishes - so that you can find out where you fit in.

What are baby boomers?

Following World War II, there was a "baby boom", which gives this generation their nickname.

The increased birth rates make them a large portion of the population, and they are typically born between the early to mid 1940s, to 1960 - 1964.

They benefited from a time of increasing affluence and higher levels of income than their parents, and a surge in consumerism, enjoying more money to spend on food, clothes, and holidays.

What is Generation X?

Following the baby boomers, Generation X are born between the early-to-mid 1960s, and the early 1980s.

Culturally, Generation X saw the rise of musical genres such as grunge and hip-hop, as well as indie films.

They are sometimes called the "MTV Generation", as they experienced the emergence of music videos, and the MTV channel.

What are millennials?

This is the term that most people recognise the most, commonly associated with avocado on toast, and 'snowflake' culture.

They are born between 1980 or the months before to the mid 1990s or early 2000s, so many young adults nowadays would define themselves as millennials.

The generation was severely impacted by recession, as it caused record unemployment, affecting young people joining the workplace, as well as a period of economic instability.

What is Generation Z?

There is a slight overlap between millennials and Generation Z, as Generation Z are said to be born between the mid 1990s to mid 2000s.

They are mainly the children of Generation X, but could have parents that are millennials.

As they have had the internet from a young age, Generation Z tend to be knowledgeable of technology and social media.

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This is the difference between Baby Boomers, Gen Z, and millennials

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MANY people use titles like millennials and baby boomers to refer to various generations, and it can be confusing to decipher exactly what age group they're talking about. Although there's no official agreement on the exact year each generation begins, here is a rough guide to when each one starts and finishes - so that you can find out where you fit in.

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If you've noticed a positive change in food trends over the last 10 years, thank a millennial. Loosely defined as people born from the early 1980s until about 2004, millennials are the largest U.S. age demographic, and as such they are key tastemakers. Their food preferences are helping determine what you'll find in grocery stores and restaurants across the country.

Millennials are in college, starting new jobs, getting married or having kids. Right now, there are more millennials in the workforce than any other age bracket, and their consumer choices matter. Here's how this generation is influencing the way we eat. ( These are generalizations based on statistics, and not necessarily true for every millennial you know.)

They want the truth from food manufacturers. Big food producers are starting to listen to consumer demands for transparency about ingredients and sources, and this request is largely driven by millennials who want to know how their food is made. We all benefit from seeing more informative food labels on grocery store products.
[Welcome to Voraciously, your first stop for learning to cook with confidence]
They love customization. Millennials don't want the same sad burger that everyone else is eating. They want to custom-design the flavor and personalize their meal. And why not? They are paying for the food; it may as well be exactly what they want. If you notice more quick-service restaurants offering customizable options that you love, thank a millennial for that.

They want easy. According to the International Food Information Council's 2017 Food and Health Survey, 55 percent of millennials say convenience is a top driver when buying food, while baby boomers say taste matters more. Millennials are the drivers behind meal kits, grocery delivery services, food trucks, online ordering and the growth of heat-and-eat options at grocery stores.

They are redefining "healthy." If you ask a millennial what a "healthy" restaurant food is, they won't say low-fat or high-fiber. According to statistics, they may tell you it's food that's natural, organic, locally sourced or sustainable . That's why many menus now list the farm where your lettuce was grown or offer organic options.

They want better baby food. When my daughter was born 11 years ago, feeding a baby was all about powdered rice cereal and jars of mashed green beans. Have you strolled down the baby food aisle lately? You'll find gourmet blends in convenient pouches - organic chicken risotto and portabella mushrooms, anyone? Becoming a parent changes food habits more than any other milestone, and millennials tend to focus on food quality once they realize they are responsible for feeding a little person. While some of the products are outlandish, the variety and quality has certainly improved because of demand.
[These skeptics are using science to fight a wave of bad nutrition advice on the Internet]
They value the planet. While older shoppers still read labels for information about calories and fat grams, millennials are more interested in how the food was sourced and grown, and how that affects their carbon footprint. Sustainability is a priority for them when buying food at grocery stores or restaurants. Millennials' awareness of environmental issues has influenced food manufacturers to institute better earth-friendly practices.

They love to snack. Because some millennials graze instead of eating large meals, snack options have exploded, and there are many healthy offerings, such as chia seed pudding, roasted chickpeas and popped sorghum. Millennials have also pushed food companies to meet their need for convenience by demanding food packages that are resealable, easy to open and portable.

They love the keto diet. According to IFIC, 47 percent of millennials say animal protein is healthy, whereas just 26 percent of older cohorts say this. And millennials are more likely than older cohorts to say saturated fat (found in keto-friendly coconut oil, cream and butter) is healthy. Whether you love or loathe the high-fat keto diet, millennial interest is driving researchers to take a closer look at it, so we will have some evidence-based answers about its efficacy soon.

They will try anything. Millennials are described as open-minded and curious. They like trying new flavors, love ethnic cuisine and won't shy away from vegetarian and vegan options. As menu choices expand and you try new things, know that's driven by millennials.

While there are many positive changes in food and nutrition because of millennials, there is one troublesome statistic to note. According to IFIC, about 40 percent of millennials say that friends and family are a top source of their nutrition information (only 21 percent of boomers give that answer - they trust doctors and dietitians more).

There's no way to know how trustworthy someone's sister's nutrition information is. Plus, millennials rely heavily on websites, bloggers and social media fitness professionals for health information. This can spread nutrition myths (like their love of organic food), and can be harmful for future generations, including their very well-fed babies.

Registered dietitian Cara Rosenbloom is president of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company specializing in writing, nutrition education and recipe development. She is the co-author of " Nourish: Whole Food Recipes Featuring Seeds, Nuts and Beans."

More from Lifestyle:

6 foods that marketers want you to think are healthy

10 reasons being a fitness instructor should be your side hustle

If you think grocery stores are playing tricks on you, they really are

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Perspective | 9 ways millennials are changing the way we eat

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If you've noticed a positive change in food trends over the last 10 years, thank a millennial. Loosely defined as people born from the early 1980s until about 2004, millennials are the largest U.S. age demographic, and as such they are key tastemakers.

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Millennials and McDonald's

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With 75.4 million millennials in the U.S., this generation has surpassed baby boomers to become the largest generation of the nation. With young immigrants adding to this group, it is projected to peak in 2036 at 81.1 million. As this generation enters its high spending years, McDonald's cannot ignore this large section of the population. The fact that just 20% of millennials have tried the company's flagship Big Mac is not encouraging. Several initiatives such as healthier food options, fresh burgers and customized orders are being taken by McDonald's to attract this generation to its restaurants. However its third quarter results and company's future guidance is not encouraging, indicating that these measures might not be enough. (Read Will McDonald's Be Able To Revisit Its Past Glory Days?). In order to attract millennials, the company recently began testing the Sriracha Big Mac in more than 100 restaurants in Ohio. Sriracha is a spicy sauce found in dishes in Southeast Asia and popular among millennials. Based on the feedback of this test, the company might introduce this burger nationwide.

See our complete analysis for McDonald's

McDonald's is looking to attract millennials through healthy initiatives that include: 1) using fresh beef patties; removing artificial preservatives from its chicken nuggets; and, 3) replacing margarine with butter in its food items. As the restaurant is losing its appeal in this millenial "American way of living", the company is working hard to test new menu items to ensure that this younger generation can relate to its offerings. The company recently discontinued its "Create Your Taste" menu platform, which allowed customers to customize their burgers using digital kiosks. Instead the company is now testing " Signature Crafted Recipes ", where diners can customize their sandwich with topping bundles. These experiments can better engage consumers and provide healthier menu options, which together can potentially increase the average spend per customer visit to the restaurant. Yet for McDonald's, it impacts the speed of the delivery of the order as well. Still there is upside: If the company is successful in attracting more millennials to its restaurants, and they in turn spend more due to their preference for exotic and healthier menu items, this metric an increase at a rapid pace. An average spend of $4 by the end of our forecast period can lead to a nearly 20% upside in our price estimate.

However these menu innovations come at a cost. While pre-cooked burgers can be heated and served to drive through customers within 90 seconds, fresh patties take nearly 10 minutes to prepare. Customers who are used to McDonald's fast service are not willing to wait longer for their orders. We believe McDonald's is currently in a transitional phase as the company experiments in several ways to make itself relevant for the largest generation of the nation. Continued innovation in this direction, in developing more desireable menu items and more technologically advanced service items, should show results over the long term. The company is also working on its social media efforts to become more responsive to online feedback of millennials. Whether millennials who grew up thinking of McDonald's as cheap "fast food" will finally warm up to the "new" McDonald's is an open question. With the promise of healthier meal options and a broad and deeper range of menu options, McDonald's could well recover at least some of its glory, given its past turn-arounds.
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Here's How McDonald's Is Now Seeking To Attract Millennials

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With 75.4 million millennials in the U.S., this generation has surpassed baby boomers to become the largest generation of the nation. With young immigrants adding to this group, it is projected to peak in 2036 at 81.1 million. As this generation enters its high spending years, McDonald's cannot ignore this [...]

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Choose the audience of the memo wisely. Ensure that all of the people that the memo is addressed to need to read the memo. If it is an issue involving only one person, do not send the memo to the entire office.

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The best way to write a memo is to start with a 1-paragraph introduction that explains what's happening or what you want people to do and why. Then, write a body that includes more background information and evidence that supports the decision you're notifying people about. If people need to take action, make it clear what they need to do and when. Conclude your memo with a friendly summary that reiterates why you think the decision is for the best. For more advice from our reviewer, like how to write a memo heading and sign a memo, read on!

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Memos are a great way to communicate big decisions or policy changes to your employees or colleagues. It's important that you take the time to craft a good memo so your message comes across how you want it to. ===Writing the Memo's...

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Like most forms of writing, memos come with so many rules, instructions, and suggestions that it's easy to forget a few. Since we've already addressed the dos and don'ts of how to write a memo, let's take a moment to look at these rules in practice.

While reading over the below memo examples, pay special attention to the key features of a memo. Ask yourself the following questions:

Is it addressed to the right audience?

Does the subject line accurately convey its contents?

Does it anticipate and address potential objections?

Is it formatted clearly and consistently?

When considering each memo's main text, pay close attention to the structure. The opening paragraph should restate the memo's purpose indicated in the subject line. Subsequent paragraphs should build on this opening statement and explain the memo's purpose in detail. Unnecessary information should be removed, and word choice should remain straightforward and professional.

Memo Example 1: A General Office Memo

MEMORANDUM

To: All Staff

From: The Manager

Date: May 27, 2010

Subject: Inappropriate use of time on Google Doodle games

Coworkers,

It has come to my attention that many in the office have been spending time on the Google home page microgames. This memo is a reminder to use your work hours for work.

According to a recent article, the estimated daily cost of people collectively playing these games instead of working is over $120 million-which is calculated based on the daily average increased time spent on the Google home page (36 seconds).

If these estimates are applied to our 600 office employees, this results in a nearly $700 weekly loss.

This is a conservative estimate considering the extensive discussions that occur about beating the office's current high score. The extra cost quickly adds up.

Of course, we don't want you to view our organization as a place of drudgery and draconian rules. I encourage a fun and competitive environment, and I recognize that we certainly won't be profitable if you are unhappy or dissatisfied with your jobs. This is just a reminder to be careful with your use of company time.

Thank you,

The Manager

Reference:

Wright, Tony. (2010). The Tragic Cost of Google Pac-Man - 4.82 million hours. Retrieved May 26, 2010 from: http://blog.rescuetime.com/2010/05/24/the-tragic-cost-of-google-pac-man-4-82-million-hours/

Memo Example 2: A Departmental Memo

MEMORANDUM

To: Computer Programming Division

From: Vice President Lumbergh

Date: February 19, 2016

Subject: Attaching cover sheets to TPS reports

This is to remind the division that, starting today, we are now filing all Testing Procedure Specification (TPS) reports with new cover sheets.

The reason for this change is simple. In addition to a new format, the cover sheets provide a summary of the report as well as the updated legal copy. The new cover sheets also include Initech's new logo.

Though this change may initially seem like a headache and an extra step, it is necessary to include the new cover sheets due to their updated information. Failing to do so will result in a confusing and inaccurate product delivered to our customers.

Please be sure to follow this new procedure.

Best regards,

Vice President Lumbergh

Conclusion

By following these memo examples and addressing your audience in clear, concise language, you'll be able to effectively communicate with your coworkers in all your correspondence.

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Like most forms of writing, memos come with so many rules, instructions, and suggestions that it's easy to forget a few. Since we've already addressed the dos and don'ts of how to write a memo, let's take a moment to look at these rules in practice.

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I spent many late nights as an investment banker and strategy consultant early in my career. My #1 learning from that experience (besides financial modeling) was how to communicate in an effective way, particularly with senior executives. As training now for my team at my venture capital firm, I've written a three-part series on communications. And you won't have to stay up to 3am to read them.

- Part 1: How to Write a Memo That People Will Actually Read (this post)

- Part 2: How to Present so People Will Hear

- Part 3: How To Add Powerful (and Legal) Images To Your Presentations

I recently read Atul Gawande's Checklist Manifesto, which I really enjoyed. The theme of the book is:

- Checklists improve performance, but...

- Most people resist using checklists.

I agree with both of these points. For many of you, producing intellectual property is most of your job. If you use these checklists, your work will be substantively better.

The checklist below may remind you of a school paper. The reality is that writing a business memo and writing a paper for school are very similar exercises, so please don't let the academic tone mislead you.

When I first started in investment banking, it took me a while to understand why my managers were so obsessive about editing, formatting, and proofreading. After a while, I finally understood: the reason is that your readers use your editing as a proxy for the diligence that goes into your underlying work. If they see a misformatted number, they assume there are significant errors in the underlying analysis. They assume you're competent unless they're given a single reason to assume otherwise...and then they assume you're not so competent.
Checklist for Writing a Business Memo Create a Thesis

Before writing, identify your thesis, or argument. William Cronon has created an excellent guide to forming a thesis.
Structure

Choose a "Mode of Arrangement" to present your argument. The most relevant include the analysis and compare-contrast formats.

Create an outline, preferably using the outline feature in Word or the word processor of your choice. The bullets in the outline should be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive ("MECE"), a concept I learned in consulting which is surprisingly broadly applicable.

The introduction should announce the topic and why it matters; provide/link to necessary background material; and define key terms. You should also acknowledge the limitations of your analysis (budget, time, and your biases, for example).

The conclusion should summarize the main points, and indicate the next steps.

Background Research Style

Pick a formatting style and stick to it. E.g., if all titles are bold and headlines are in caps, make sure this is consistent throughout the paper.

Use clear and concise sentences; avoid jargon and the overuse of big words.

Less formal documents, such as memos, need not use formal language. However, they have a specific format. They are typically short and are used to clearly and quickly address specific actions or management tasks.

For a detailed memo style format, click here.

Editing

If this is a critical memo, solicit feedback from a friend or colleague. Here is what to ask:

What is my argument/thesis/main point?

Do you think I successfully support this with evidence?

Is the evidence convincing?

What didn't you understand?

Tighten argumentation and coherence

Excellent background reading on this topic is a thoughtful training guide I posted from Evalueserve (which acquired my last startup) on Best Practices in Writing Emails in a Multinational Corporation.
Click here for a presentation on how to prepare high impact memos and presentations. Thanks to Joan Xie for help researching this. Photo credit: typicalgenius.

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How To Write A Memo That People Will Actually Read

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I spent many late nights as an investment banker and strategy consultant early in my career. My #1 learning from that experience (besides financial modeling) was how to communicate in an effective way, particularly with senior executives. As training now for my team at my venture capital firm, I've written [...]