Avoiding “Death by PowerPoint”

AVOIDING “SLOW DEATH BY POWERPOINT”

Creating Effective Presentations

DESIGNING EFFECTIVE VISUAL PRESENTATIONS

Consistent

Simple

Content 1st

Clear

Tell a Story

Summarize

Progressive

THE GOLDEN RULES

Content 1st PowerPoint 2nd

Tell a Story!

CONTENT 1ST

CONTENT 1ST Keep the focus on the content, story, and

Presenter PowerPoint is just the tool to tell the story Don’t make PowerPoint the FOCUS

TELL A STORY

TELL A STORY

In order to engage your audience, they must understand the STORY you are telling: Where are we now?

Beginning Where do we want to end up?

End How are we going to get there?

Middle

TELLING A STORY

A Good StoryA Bad Story

KEEP IT SIMPLE

KEEP IT SIMPLE: SIZE

This is Arial 12 This is Arial 18 This is Arial 24 This is Arial 28 This is Arial 32This is Arial 36 This is Arial 44

Too Big, except for Titles

Too Small

Just Right for Content

KEEP IT SIMPLE - STYLE Too many different colours Too Many different Fonts and Styles

Too many different sizes

KEEP IT SIMPLE - CONTENTInstructional Technology:

A complex integrated process involving people, procedures, ideas, devices, and organization, for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems in situations in which learning is purposive and controlled(HMRS 5th ed.)

Too detailed and wordy !

KEEP IT SIMPLE - CONTENT

A complex processinvolving people, procedures & toolsfor analyzing problems & creating solutionsin learning situations(HMRS 5th ed.)

Instructional Technology:

Much Simpler

KEEP IT SIMPLE - CONTENT

A complex process Involves people, procedures & tools Used for analyzing problems & creating

solutions Applies to learning situations (HMRS 5th ed.)

Instructional Technology:

even Better!

THE 6 X 7 RULE

The 6 x 7 rule No more than 6 lines of Text per slide No more than 7 words per line

KEEP IT SIMPLE - TABLES

Delhi Mumbai GoaJanuary 11,532,234 14,123,654 3,034,564February 1,078,456 12,345,567 16,128,234March 17,234,778 6,567,123 16,034,786April 16,098,897 10,870,954 7,940,096May 8,036,897 10,345,394 14,856,456June 16,184,345 678,095 4,123,656July 8,890,345 15,347,934 18,885,786August 8,674,234 18,107,110 17,230,095September 4,032,045 18,923,239 9,950,498October 2,608,096 9,945,890 5,596,096November 5,864,034 478,023 6,678,125December 12,234,123 9,532,111 3,045,654

Too detailed !

Falling Leaves Observed

KEEP IT SIMPLE - TABLES

In 106 Delhi Mumbai GoaJanuary 11 14 3February 1 12 16March 17 6 16April 16 10 7May 8 10 14June 16 0 4July 8 15 18August 8 18 17September 4 18 9October 2 9 5November 5 0 6December 12 9 3

Much Simpler

Falling Leaves Observed (in Millions)

KEEP IT SIMPLE - GRAPHS

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Goa

Mumbai

Delhi

Too Busy & detailed !

Falling Leaves Observed

0

10

20

30

40

50

January March May July September November

GoaMumbaiDelhi

Much Simpler

Keep It Simple - GraphsFalling Leaves Observed

KEEP IT SIMPLE - IMAGES

Images can distract your audience

• Pictures are NOT a substitute for Content

• Too many images detracts from your message

KEEP IT SIMPLE - IMAGES

• Images MUST be relevant to the content

Ex: The Research Process

Not Relevant! Relevant!

KEEP IT SIMPLE - IMAGES

Images should be used to CLARIFY content

KEEP IT SIMPLE - SOUND

Sound effects can be very distracting and annoying

• Use sound only when necessary!

KEEP IT SIMPLE - TRANSITIONS

This transition is annoying, and distracting ….

• Simple transitions, such as Appear and Disappear ,are effective and help you ... Tell Your Story

KEEP IT SIMPLE - ANIMATIONS

2 mToo distracting !

• This animation is annoying, and distracting ….

KEEP IT SIMPLE- ANIMATIONS

2mSimple & to the point

• Simple animations can be effective and help you ...Tell your Story

MAKE IT CLEAR

MAKE IT CLEAR - CAPITALS

WRITING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS IS TOO DIFFICULT TO READ

Regular Sentence Case with Upper and lower case letters is easier to read

MAKE IT CLEAR - FONTS

ZZbusy clear

• Use Readable Fonts• Serif fonts have projecting “serifs” at

the end of the strokes – they are harder to read

• Sans-serif Fonts are simpler, and easier to readSerif Font

Times

Sans-Serif Font

Arial

MAKE IT CLEAR - STYLES

Use colour, Bold, and Size to emphasize points NOT Distract

Italics are difficult to read on screen Normal or bold fonts are clearer BOLD font should be used sparingly, for

emphasis ONLY Underlining is confusing and should ONLY be

used for hyperlinks

MAKE IT CLEAR – NUMBERED LISTS

Use numbers for lists with a logical sequence

For example:

How to put an elephant into a fridge?1. Open the door of the fridge2. Put the elephant in3. Close the door

MAKE IT CLEAR – NUMBERED LISTS

How to put a giraffe into a fridge?1. Open the door of the fridge2. Take out the elephant3. Put the giraffe in4. Close the door

MAKE IT CLEAR – BULLETED LISTS

Use Bullets to list points about a topic

Use bullets to show a list without Priority Sequence Hierarchy, …..

MAKE IT CLEAR - COLOR

Use contrasting colours to help content stand out

Light on dark or dark on light Use complementary colours

MAKE IT CLEAR - CONTRAST

Use contrasting colours Light on dark vs dark on light Use complementary colours

low contrast

high contrast

MAKE IT CLEAR - CONTRAST

Use contrasting colours Light on darkUse complementary coloursDark on light

MAKE IT CLEAR - CONTRAST

Use contrasting colours• Light on dark vs dark on light • Use complementary colours

These colours are NOT complementary

MAKE IT CLEAR - CONTRAST

Use contrasting colours• Light on dark vs dark on light • Use complementary colours

These colours are complementary

MAKE IT CLEAR - SIZE

Size implies importance

MAKE IT CLEAR - SIZE

Size implies importance

MAKE IT CLEAR – FOCAL POINT

Focal points direct attention

MAKE IT CLEAR – FOCAL POINT

Focal points direct attention

BE PROGRESSIVE

Complexity of Interactions

Mode of Instruction

Individual Pair Group

DirectInstruction

GuidedInquiry

DiscoveryLearning

IndividualInstructive

Tools

IndividualConstructive

Tools

SocialConstructive

Tools

SocialCommunicative

Tools

Informational Tools

BE PROGRESSIVE – SPOON FEED

Too much at Once!

Complexity of Interactions

Mode of Instruction

Individual Pair Group

DirectInstruction

GuidedInquiry

DiscoveryLearning

IndividualInstructive

Tools

IndividualConstructive

Tools

SocialConstructive

Tools

SocialCommunicative

Tools

Informational Tools

BE PROGRESSIVE – SPOON FEED

Progressive & focused

BE PROGRESSIVE – FOCUSED

Floppy disk

User interface

CPU

I/O Error

Backup system

Software

Mouse

Debugger

Function key

Main Storage

Too much at once, Unfocused

BE PROGRESSIVE – FOCUSED

Floppy disk

User interface

CPU

I/O Error

Backup system

Software

Mouse

Debugger

Function key

Main Storage

Progressive & focused

BE CONSISTENT

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention

Differences can imply importance

Use surprises to attract not distract

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention Differences can imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract

This difference draws attention

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention Differences may imply importanceo Use surprises to attract not distract

These differences distract!

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention• Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract

Small differences can imply importance

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention• Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract

Too Many differences is Confusing!

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract

A small surprise attracts

BE CONSISTENT

Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract

Too many distracts!

IN SUMMARY

Content 1st, PowerPoint 2nd

Tell a Story Big Simple Clear Progressive Consistent

WHEN CREATING

Focus on the Content Make sure the audience understands the

Story Use text to communicate your message Use visuals to support, not to distract Use Images to simplify and clarify Use Animations to demonstrate concepts

& relationships Use sounds only when absolutely

necessary Think about the people in the back

WHEN PRESENTING

Speak loudly and clearly with fluctuation

Direct your words to all aspects of the room

Maintain eye contact with your audience

Don’t read the slides, use them for reference

Ask questions to engage your audience

Practice before a neutral audience Be particular about the time givenLeave time for questions