The Pentagon's Obsession Over Power Point Continues

How To Buy An Aircraft Carrier In 1,386 Easy Steps -- The Upshot/Yahoo News

The Pentagon is developing quite a reputation for producing comically complicated PowerPoint slides that, through their absurd complexity, seem to undermine the very point of PowerPoint — not to mention reason and sanity. First there was the handy PowerPoint flowchart that summed up the Afghanistan conflict and basically looked like a fraying ball of yarn with Post-it notes stuck on it, and now there's this easy-to-follow explication of the Defense Department procurement process, courtesy of the Pentagon's Defense Acquisition University, which is supposed to train DoD staffers on the ins and outs of buying tanks and aircraft carriers. Seems simple enough. Any questions?

Read more ....

Update: Pentagon’s Craziest PowerPoint Slide Revealed -- Danger Room

My Comment: I am sure there are other Power Point slides out there that would make the Pentagon's small in comparison.

Is PowerPoint Confusing Everyone In The Wars That We Fight?

A PowerPoint diagram meant to portray the complexity of American strategy in Afghanistan certainly succeeded in that aim.

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the leader of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was shown a PowerPoint slide in Kabul last summer that was meant to portray the complexity of American military strategy, but looked more like a bowl of spaghetti.

“When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the war,” General McChrystal dryly remarked, one of his advisers recalled, as the room erupted in laughter.

Read more ....

More News On The Use Of PowerPoint By The Military

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint (Updated) -- Small Wars Journal
The Biggest Enemy In The War On Terror? PowerPoint -- Business Insider
The War in Afghanistan Explained in One PowerPoint Slide -- Gawker
US army wages war on PowerPoint -- ICIS
Essay: Dumb-dumb bullets -- Arm Forces Journal

My Comment: The Small Wars Journal has been following this story for a long time .... it is good to see the New York Times playing catchup.

What is my take .... I do analysis for a living, and even I am confused.