PowerPoint is great as a replacement for Malcolm Gladwell / Joel Spolsky style essays. The ones where you tell a funny story, and deliver a few key points, but don't actually explain everything. It is good when you trust the author, and don't have to get up to speed on the details.
Trust is important, because the presenter doesn't have to explain themselves very well. The emotive impact of pictures (or funny stories) can trick you into thinking they have filled the credibility gap. Malicious presenters can leave out details that should really be there - such as how the implementation will actually occur, or the justification of decisions, and so on.
It's also good if you already understand the details, or if you don't know or care about the technicalities. A written report has more space for the technicalities, which is very important if the information has to flow out of the silo you are in, or if the reader wants to drill down and check that you actually know what you are talking about.
I think that the whole "interactions" bit is a little over-hyped. PowerPoint can include interactions, and reports can leave them out.
Trust is important, because the presenter doesn't have to explain themselves very well. The emotive impact of pictures (or funny stories) can trick you into thinking they have filled the credibility gap. Malicious presenters can leave out details that should really be there - such as how the implementation will actually occur, or the justification of decisions, and so on.
It's also good if you already understand the details, or if you don't know or care about the technicalities. A written report has more space for the technicalities, which is very important if the information has to flow out of the silo you are in, or if the reader wants to drill down and check that you actually know what you are talking about.
I think that the whole "interactions" bit is a little over-hyped. PowerPoint can include interactions, and reports can leave them out.