Creating Effective Presentations

Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much text. Stick to short bullet points or concise statements. A good rule of thumb is the 6x6 Rule: no more than 6 bullet points per slide, and no more than 6 words per line.

Of course, some rules are meant to be strictly adhered to, and others require some flexibility. A better aim is to have one focus per slide. Let's take a look.

With the two slides presented side-by-side, the focus is the same, but one is text-dense and distracts the viewer from the topic. The right slide, with just the key point highlighted, gives the viewer of the presentation a cue of what the speaker is talking about.

Visual aids enhance understanding. Use images, charts, and graphs to simplify complex concepts. Make sure your visuals are high resolution and relevant to the content you're presenting. Stick to the following when selecting visuals:

• Ensure Relevance: Choose images, graphs, or icons that directly support or clarify your content. Visuals should enhance understanding, not distract from your message.

• Use High-Resolution Images: Avoid pixelated or blurry visuals. Opt for high-quality, high-resolution images to maintain a professional look on larger screens.

• Favor Simplicity: Choose clean, uncluttered visuals that are easy to interpret at a glance. Complex graphics can confuse or slow down your audience’s comprehension.

• Be Consistent in Style: Stick to a uniform visual style throughout your deck—whether it’s illustrations, photos, or icons. This creates a cohesive and polished look.

• Respect Copyrights: Always use visuals you have permission to use, such as royalty-free images, licensed content, or original graphics to avoid legal issues.

Let's take a look at some tabular data versus a graph representing the data. Which is better for gaining insight?

Anscombe's Quartet is probably the most used dataset to explain how important data visualization and how appropriate graphics are in presentations. It is easier to gain insights and draw conclusions when the appropriate visuals are selected.

Readable text is crucial. Use sans-serif fonts like Arial or Calibri for clarity. Keep font sizes large enough to be read from the back of a room (at least 24pt for body text and 30pt for headings).

• Use Sans-Serif Fonts for Headers: Fonts like Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri are clean and easy to read, making them ideal for headers and titles.

• Ensure Readability: Choose fonts that are clear and legible even from a distance. Avoid overly decorative fonts that can be difficult to read in large rooms.

• Prioritize Font Size: Ensure font sizes are large enough for your audience to see clearly—at least 30pt for headers and 24pt for body text.

• Stick to Two Fonts: Limit your presentation to one font for headers and one for body text to maintain a consistent, professional look.

• Check for Contrast: Ensure your text color stands out against the slide background. Dark text on light backgrounds, or vice versa, enhances readability.

Here are some helpful websites for choosing stunning font pairings:

•  Serif fonts for headers
• Color Contrast Checker

Consistency in colors, fonts, and layout makes your presentation look professional. Choose a simple color scheme, ideally with 2-3 main colors, and stick to it throughout the deck.

• Use a Unified Color Scheme: Stick to 2-3 primary colors throughout the presentation to maintain a cohesive visual identity and avoid distractions.

• Keep Fonts and Sizes Consistent: Use the same font styles and sizes for headers, subheaders, and body text on all slides to create a harmonious look.

• Align Text and Elements: Ensure text, images, and graphics are aligned consistently across all slides for a clean, organized appearance.

• Repeat Slide Layouts: Stick to a few consistent slide templates or layouts (e.g., title slide, content slide, image slide) to maintain visual flow.

• Standardize Visual Styles: Use similar types of images, icons, or illustrations across your slides to create a uniform aesthetic.

• Maintain a Consistent Tone: Ensure the language, level of formality, and tone of voice remain consistent throughout your presentation to avoid confusing the audience.

Notice how each of the tabs of this section all start with ACTION words (also known as verbs?)? That's called parallelism (Remember that from 11th Grade English class?!). Writing or beginning sentences with a parallel structure enhances clarity, improves readability, strengthens impact, shows organization, and boosts engagement.

While animations and transitions can add interest, overuse can distract your audience. Use animations to reveal bullet points or elements step by step, but keep it minimal and purposeful.

• Keep it simple: Avoid overwhelming your audience by using too many different animations on a single slide. Subtle effects like "Fade" or "Wipe" are often more effective than flashy or complex ones​

• Match the tone of the presentation: Ensure that the animation style suits the overall theme and message of your presentation. For professional or corporate presentations, choose understated animations that won’t distract from the content​

• Use animations to guide attention: Animations can help direct your audience’s focus to key points, especially in sequential builds or when revealing data incrementally​

  Be consistent: Stick to a unified style throughout your slides to maintain a polished look. Consistency with one or two animation types helps avoid a disjointed feel​

• Test for timing and flow: Always preview your animations to ensure they run smoothly and don’t interfere with the pacing of your presentation​

   

   

Summarize your key points at the end of your presentation. A strong call-to-action or a thought-provoking question can leave a lasting impression on your audience.