PowerPoint touted as tool of revolution

What is the first step to learning how to be more efficient? If you ask Chin Dae-je, the information and communication minister, the answer is Microsoft PowerPoint. Mr. Chin, a former president of Samsung Electronics Co.’s digital media division, plans to use Microsoft PowerPoint software during his briefing to President Roh Moo-hyun slated for March 28. The Ministry of Information and Communication said that the presentation would mark the debut of computer audio-visual presentations at the Blue House. The technology is widely used at private firms. The Korean government has been the engine of “informatization,” which has made the country one of the most wired countries in the world. But government officials themselves have lagged in adopting the Internet and other digital devices. “Mr. Chin, as the former head of a large private firm, has revved up the atmosphere at the ministry,” a ministry official said. “We expect that he will introduce many more revolutionary measures to improve the efficiency and the productivity of the private sector to government.” After being sworn in, Mr. Chin announced that he would not accept reports that were not in the PowerPoint format. The public will have a hard time accepting that staffers at the ministry, which is responsible for information technology policies, are unable to use the tool, Mr. Chin said. Some ministry officials reportedly were up all night learning and preparing their briefings in PowerPoint. Mr. Chin’s “learn from the private sector” strategy includes benchmarking private research institutes for efficiency and productivity. Meanwhile, his plans cover nurturing new information technology start-ups, policies for an electronic government and support for information “have-nots,” such as the elderly, the disabled and poor. by Kim Dong-sub