Guidelines for designing and delivering slide presentations

I’ve compiled guidelines for designing and delivering face to face digital presentations. This can can help you avoid the major presentation pitfalls.

 

 

Presentation Design

• Background. Use a white background with black text or vice versa.
• Font size. Use 32 point font or larger.
• Font face. Use a sans serif font such as Arial.
• Color. Avoid the rainbow. Use color sparingly.
• Titles. Avoid title case lettering for slide headings.
• Text. Follow 6 x 6 rule: 6 lines per slide, 6 words per line.
• Layout. Select a slide layout that best maximizes the view of your content.
• Slide transitions. Avoid. If needed, use only the “cut” or “fade” slide transitions.
• Animation. Use to show the evolution of a trend, pattern, or process. Avoid animating too many objects on the screen simultaneously.
• Images. Use images that add to your presentation (and with attribution). Avoid clip art.
• Graphics. Show structures, processes, and flows with graphic charts (e.g., smart art). Avoid adding shadows and minimize the use of color.
• Videos. Use brief “explainer” videos to introduce complex processes or concepts.
• Multimedia. Embed audio/video within the presentation rather than opening another application, such as YouTube.
• Live demos. A presentation should not be a live demonstration of software, etc. Pre-record “demonstrations” and embed (at least as a backup).
• Aspect ratio. Use 16:9 for widescreen and 4:3 for standard displays.

Presentation testing and delivery

• Plan for failure. Bring a backup of your slides on a USB and email yourself a copy. Bring
  an HDMI and VGA adapter for your laptop. If you need sound, ensure there are speakers available.
• Functionality test. Test your slides beforehand (links working? sound? video? animation? projection?)
• Readability test. Ensure all slides are readable from the back of the room.
• Clicker. Use a wireless clicker to advance the slides.
• Projection. Always show your slides in full screen using slide show view.
• Presenter notes. View your sides in presenter view to see your notes and project the side show view to your audience.
• Presenter position. Avoid standing in front of the slides.
• Presenter narration. Avoid reading off the slides; use talking points.
• Handouts. Avoid printing out the slides as handouts; consider a one-page handout instead.

References

Godin, S. (2007). Really bad PowerPoint (and how to avoid it). Available at: http://www.sethgodin.com/freeprize/reallybad-1.pdf

Wong, D. (2011). The Wall Street Journal guide to information graphics: The dos and don’ts of presenting data, facts and figures. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.