Articles: Design - 1 views
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it is far better to prepare a written document which highlights your content from the presentation and expands on that content. Audiences are much better served receiving a detailed, written handout as a takeaway from the presentation, rather than a mere copy of your PowerPoint slides
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Wendy Arch on 18 May 15I see how this is a better way to format information. Any suggestions on adapting this for the instructional format? Specifically I'm thinking about online courses and flipped instruction. If I also post the written notes in addition to the presentation, what prompts students to bother with the presentation? Or do I just need to let it go and be okay with students getting the information in anyway that works fro them?
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If the photographic image is secondary in importance, then I decrease the opacity and add a Gaussian Blur or motion filter in Photoshop.
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I would like to know this also! I've checked on Atomic Learning as suggested in one of the lessons, but it does not seem easy to navigate.
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You can then save the PowerPoint file as a Design Template (.pot) and the new template will appear among your standard Microsoft templates for your future use. You can also purchase professional templates on-line (for example: www.powerpointtemplatespro.com).
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Good reminder! I want to improve my presentation abilities - not reinvent the wheel.
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One thing I do is to recycle past presentations. I very rarely every start from scratch. Sure, the objectives have changed, so 3/4 of the presentation might be new, but having some of the slides already done from the start helps me during the planning phase. It's almost like having a couple pairs in Gin Rummy.
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Learn more: PresentationPro.com has some great Flash tutorials including one on color. Go to the CreativePro.com to learn more about color. Dummies.com has a good short article on how to create a Color Scheme in PowerPoint.
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Serif fonts were designed to be used in documents filled with lots of text. Serif fonts are said to be easier to read at small point sizes, but for on screen presentations the serifs tend to get lost due to the relatively low resolution of projectors. San-serif fonts are generally best for PowerPoint presentations,
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Dangit! Serif fonts are much more visually appealing to me. I use them for everything. I guess not anymore... :-(
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The example below is a great illustration. I tend to lean towards serif for most things, but will definitely think about this going forward. -
Further research on this suggests that sans serif is better for large quantities of text too, as long as it is being read via digital device. Only for printed text are serifs the way to go.
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Your slides should have plenty of “white space” or “negative space.” Do not feel compelled to fill empty areas on your slide with your logo or other unnecessary graphics or text boxes that do not contribute to better understanding. The less clutter you have on your slide, the more powerful your visual message will become.
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(and save teleprompter text for the “notes” field, which the audience can’t see).
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This is an important thing for me to remember. I don't have to eliminate my content -- I just don't put it on the slide. That's what my verbal presentation is for.
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Flow. You can direct people’s eyes to certain areas of a slide to emphasize important points.
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If they fall below 24 pt then you might be on to something. Also, look at the number of lines you use for your bullet points. If you use more than two lines anywhere, then they’re definitely leaning text heavy. Depending on the type of presentation, two lines might even be too much.
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Not less than 24 pt font and not more than two lines (and even that is suspect). Got it!
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These guidelines are quick and easy to remember when creating a PowerPoint. I need to have "if you have to decrease the size below 24, you have to many words" on a poster in my office.
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Depending on your content, you may be able to convert each bullet point into a separate image on one slide or over several slides. This approach isn’t always feasible, but it is far more visually appealing than yet another slide filled with bullet points.
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This is an interesting idea! I like it. I think it will also help reinforce the main ideas instead of (potentially) leaving viewers guessing at what you said.
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I couldn't agree more. I think this strategy is something that will really leave a lasting impression with the audience.
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I also like this idea! "Speak" through the images rather than text. It will be something interesting to try!
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This hits home for me when trying to evoke emotion or memories with an audience as well. Finding the right image will pay off in the end.
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Don’t submit to the urge to add unrelated “decorations” to the slide. Be strong.
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I need to remember not to submit to the urge to add an image to each slide. Especially if the image does not directly relate to content on the slide.
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I agree! The image should only be present if it enhances the presentation, not just to fill space!
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Ha! 'Be strong' made me laugh...this reminds me of therapy. Reworking how we attach to making presentations really is a lot of letting go and rearing up of not-so-favorable tendencies I have not just in presentation making, but in all of my life!
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In this view you may decide to break up one slide into, say, two-three slides so that your presentation has a more natural and logical flow or process. In this view you will be able to capture more of the gestalt of your entire presentation from the point of view of your audience.
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Using the Slide Sorter View is something that I had never thought of but I can see how this would help create consistency for the audience. I would like to start using this view when creating my presentations.
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Sometimes the image is actually a pretty good one but it just needs a bit of editing so that the text will pop out more.
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eeping the image simple is something that I need to keep in mind. The whole "less is more" idea helps the text pop on the screen and create that last impression with the audience.
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Remember, the slides are meant to support the narration of the speaker, not make the speaker superfluous.
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I need to remember this! The slides in my presentation should only support what I say, not compete for the attention of the audience. Reading about the Cognitive Load Theory helped me understand this.
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I think I'm going to put this statement along with the points on this list on a one pager that can be front and center when begining preparations for presentations during my initial planning quiet time. Would also be good to share with other as a review of this class when asked.
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This is difficult for many to learn. Typically, we think creating the best slides you can = the most informative. Creating something that is purposefully NOT as informative in order to force the audience to better attend to the presenter is counter-intuitive at first.
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to be passed out after your talk
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I don't want my handouts competing with the presentation for the attention of the audience. This is a good reminder to give them out after the presentation is over.
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I think this is a quick and easy item for anyone to do to make them a better presenter.
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what's your intention?
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I like this reminder. What is the purpose of an image that I am adding? Is is serving this purpose? Does it need to be cropped or otherwise edited? Will there be any text with it? Now these will be questions that I will ask with every picture.
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True true. Keeping in mind the WHY and the INTENTION is going to eliminate a lot of unnecessary clutter, and, keep me feeling more focused and streamlined. And CONFIDENT in cutting what I do, because I'll need to keep cutting a lot from my presentations!
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But including a healthy amount of white space sharpens viewers’ focus by isolating elements.
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This is a good reminder. Just like silence should not always be filled, white space on slides should not always be filled.
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I like the technique that is used in the example below. It took a picture that doesn't blend with the white background, which is kind of a no-no. But by making it appear as a photograph, and then rotating it slightly, it makes it very stylish on the all white background. It makes it look like one cohesive slide as opposed to having the image take up about a fourth of the screen.
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Remove all extraneous copy from bullet points
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I like the reminder of this step: remove any excess words! I can see how this will make me focus on the main point of each bullet, and possibly separate each point into a distinct slide.
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glance test: People should be able to comprehend each one in about three seconds.
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I know that I've heard this before with variable times for viewing, but great to think about with every slide that is being created. Keep at it!
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However
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approach
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something
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Admit your
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slide has a text problem
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main phrases
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on the
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phrases
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Highlight the key phrases that you will help you rehearse for your presentation
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Speak to that content when you present
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slide
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TypeError
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Slide
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It’s also important to stick to a consistent visual style in your slide deck.
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I can see how the continuity of slides really creates a cohesive presentation. I know that it drives me nuts when I see a presentation with multiple font styles or a frequent switch of background colors.
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the star, of course, is your audience
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To remember that the audience wants to FEEL is key for me. So the question - What am I presenting to elicit feelings and WHY should they care? - guides my work.
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Don’t let your message and your ability to tell a story get derailed by slides that are unnecessarily complicated, busy,
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So true. Sometimes I want info in there because it's related, BUT, it gets in the way of my being able to TELL THE STORY! Key.
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“Sorry I missed your presentation. I hear it was great. Can you just send me your PowerPoint slides?” But if they are good slides, they will be of little use without you.
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Ha! Exactly. This made me giggle. So true. I want to strive for this - that my preparation will be so that if someone missed it, they really missed it.
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never, ever turn your back
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Always be asking yourself, “How much detail do I need?”
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guilty of including too much data
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appropriate
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limit the bars to 4-8.
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evokes feelings
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is emotiona
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can help persuade and motivate.
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can increase interest and improve learning comprehension
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I do not underestimate the power of visuals, and color is huge - Saturation, combinations, tone, contrast...it can make or break the staying power of your message!
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retention
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if you plan to keep most of the lights on (which is highly advisable) then a white background with black or dark text works much better
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sans-serif font and is professional yet friendly and “conversational.”
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I agree. Sans-serif feels more inviting, casual, playful, yet clear and less cluttered because the tails and frills are gone. I've never read of anything suggesting fonts for certain types of written communication, so, this is great guidance for me!
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Spend time in th
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Slide Sorter view, you can see how the logical flow of your presentation is progressing.
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You will be able to notice more extraneous pieces of visual data that can be removed to increase visual clarity and improve communication.
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How many different ways could we use the same image (at different resolutions) inappropriately or use a different image in a way that is less effective than the one on the left?
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image is cropped for better balance
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transparent box is added to help the text pop out
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Think of your slides as billboards. When people drive, they only briefly take their eyes off their main focus — the road
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Great metaphor for this. The GLANCE test. We all can relate. This reminds me of, when reading the first few lines of a book or essay or article, will the audience feel 'hooked'? In other words, why should they bother reading/viewing/listening to me?! Give them something to rile their curiosities, stir their emotions, connect with such human universal resonance to a problem or concern they have that it urges them to go deeper...
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Lots of extras actually take away meaning
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they become a distraction
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overtax the audience’s cognitive resources
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I have thought, in the past, that the audience needed ALL the information I could give. Yet, now I can reframe that idea as it actually harms the audience. It's counter-intuitive. This reframe for me is priceless, because I want to be liked and considered the expert. Yet, when I give too much, knowing it does the OPPOSITE of what I want really helps me commit to slimming and trimming down to the core essence, to make it easy and, in fact, MORE IMPACTFUL to and REMEMBERED by my audience.
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Photos should be taken by the same photographer or look as if they are
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Difficult to strive for but so extremely critical for people to buy into my professionalism and expertise. And it's simply more visually easy to digest. If the audience is jarred, they're less likely to care about what I say. Even these overlooked, small considerations are actually cornerstone to overall impact, I'm learning. They're like the subconscious, responsible for 90-95% of what choices we make, and we don't even realize it! It's the stuff that speaks to our instinctual and intuitive nature, to out 'subtle' bodies.
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Illustrations should be done in the same style.
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streamline the text and incorporate simple visual element
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moves to the message about quality, and then focuses on one beautiful grape from the “yield”:
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I talk about this in my art classes, the principle of design called Movement. I relate it to how your eyes travel or follow a path from one point to another, like connecting the dots.
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use contrast to focus attention
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I love silhouettes. White over black or another dark color is my favorite with silhouettes.
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your eye wouldn’t know where to begin, and the quote would have lost its power:
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Yes, just because space is there doesn't mean we must fill it. Spaciousness allows the audience to feel spacious. Period. Breatheability.
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if we’d paired the text with a larger or more detailed image,
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allows viewers to quickly ascertain a slide’s most important elements:
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visual unity look as though the same person created them
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Unity also helps to bring cohesiveness to the look of a brand. It all lends to the audience feeling you're competent, an expert, clear, and easy to work with.
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make your message feel cohesive
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consistent type styles, color, image treatment, and element placement throughout the slide deck
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To remember that it's important for consistency THROUGHOUT THE SLIDE DECK, entirely. This is why Slide Sorter view is so good. Placement and composition is important here, too.
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there’s beauty and clarity in restraint
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you’ll free people up
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to really hea
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and adopt
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Ultimately, this is what we want. Simplicity, relevant support of images to illustrate the INTENTION, spaciousness to make people feel free, easy, and cementing the info for recall and memory permanence...
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shiny, seductive elements
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Overwhelm can be remedied by remembering - Just because we CAN doesn't mean we should...
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Pretend as though you are an audience member
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Like in teaching, it's advisable to become the student before you introduce a subject.
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golden rule of PowerPoint presentations — always do what is right for your audience.
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Very few audiences enjoy paragraph-length bullet points
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I need to remember the very basics - don't I want my audience to actually ENJOY my presentation?! Of course I do! But I forget to lead with this, and I can't afford not to lead with this. After all, they could be doing a million other things with their time but if they're with me, and I'm up front, I sure need to overdeliver with high value in a way that makes them feeling 1) they're better for having been with me, 2) that they grew or learned in a way that they can apply easily into their lives, and that it 3)was not only not a waste of time, but was an EXPERIENCE...and they'd even come again!
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try to highlight the main point of each bullet point
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Think of it as an approach to rehearsing your slides
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What key part of each bullet point
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Focus on the
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cover details verbally that are not reflected in your bullet points
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one relevant
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Replace bullet points with images
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trick becomes finding just the right image
