Presentation DesignPrinciples of

Tips on how to think like a designer

John FallonPresentation Skills Consultant

Designing in PowerPoint

Designing in PowerPoint

Signal vs Noise Ratio (SNR)

Ratio of relevant to irrelevant information on slide

Goal is to have high SNR

High SNR causes less deterioration of the message

Deterioration… can be caused by inappropriate charts, ambiguous labels unnecessary emphasis of lines, shapes,

symbols or logos that don’t support the message

Deterioration could be…lines in tables and charts or

footers and logos

If a message could be designed with fewer elements, then there is no point

in using more

Clarity should be your guiding principle

AmericaAsia

AfricaAustralia

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Winter

Summer

Fall

WinterSummerFall

3d charts appear less accurate and can be difficult to comprehend

Put a logo on the first and last slide

If you want people to hear and understand your visual message,

the answer is not to add more clutter but to remove it all

Bullet points are not usually effective in a

live talk

Use bullet points rarely or after considering other options for

displaying information

Picture Superiority Effect…

Pictures are remembered more than words

Use the Picture Superiority Effect to improve the recognition and recall of

information

Use pictures and words together to reinforce information for

optimal effect

The effect is strongest when

pictures represent common,

concrete things

Visual imagery is a powerful mnemonic device which helps

learning and increases retention and is

memorable

Use Quotes…

“To beor not to be,

that is the question”

Use quotes for support

Make them short and legible

Quotes add credibility

Use an image and a quote

“You must be the change you wish to see in

the world”

- Ghandi

Pick an image related to the quote and the size of the slide

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself”

– Franklin Delano

Roosevelt

Empty Space…

Empty space implies

elegance and clarity

Empty space conveys a

feeling of high quality,

sophistication and importance

By combining words and images, the eye will be drawn to the image first

Keeping Your Eye on the Clock

Images guide the viewers

eye

Balance in design is important

The way to achieve balance is to use empty space

The viewer should never have to

“wonder” where to look

A well designed slide has a clean starting point and guide

the viewer through the design

Empty space can be dynamic

and active

Conscious use of empty space can bring motion into

your design

Try using asymmetrical

designs

Asymmetrical designs activate empty space, make the design more interesting, are more informal and are

dynamic

Symmetrical designs aremore staticand createfeelings of formality

or stability

Good presentations incorporate presentation visuals that mix

symmetrical and asymmetrical

Use large images that “bleed” off the slide

Use grids and the rule of thirds

Where lines cross are “Power Points”

Place your subject on a power point

Big 4: Contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity

Contrast…

Contrast gives design energy

Contrast can be created…

by manipulation of space

Contrast can be created…

through color choices

Contrast can be created…through text selection

Contrast can be created…by positioning of

elements

Every good design has a strong and clear focal point with clear contrast among

elements

Designs with strong contrast attract interest

Weak contrast is boring and can be confusing

Every single element of a design can be manipulated to create contrast

Repetition…

Repetition will bring a clear sense of unity, consistency and

cohesiveness

Repetition is using elements to make the design viewed as part of a whole

Examples are background

and type

Do not overuse repetition…built in templates and

templates that have background elements that will become boring

Alignment…

Never allow your design to look like something was placed randomly

Alignment is about obtaining unity among elements on a single slide

Try to align elements on a

slide

Unaligned slides look less sophisticated and

unprofessional

Proximity…

Proximity is about moving elements closer or farther apart

to achieve a more organized look

Related items should be grouped together

Audience will assume items not near each other are not closely related

Audiences will tend to group similar items near to each other into a single

unit

Don’t make the audience “think” about the wrong stuff like slide organization or design priority

Design matters

Design isn’t about

decoration

or ornamentation

Design is about making communication as easy and clear for

the viewer is possible