Presentation about slide design, given at ANU July 2014

1. “IMPRESSIVE MEYERS, BUT LET’S STICK TO YOUR QUANTITATIVE PROJECTIONS”
WELCOME TO
Designing Effective Presentations

2. HELLO
my name is

3. HELLO
my name is
I AM A

5. TODAY I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT
What is Effective Slide Design?
Using Type, Images and Color
Some Information Design Basics

6. Slides are not a document

7. The audience will either listen or read
(AND YOU READ THIS FASTER THAN I CAN SAY IT)

8. Less stuff on slide = Less turning your back

9. > 75 WORDS = DOCUMENT 50 WORDS = TELEPROMPTER VISUAL AID = PRESENTATION
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY DRAWING ON SETH GODWIN

10. Less content shows confidence in your content

11. Text heavy slides are boring
(AND MAKE YOUR CONTENT LOOK BORING)

13. (DON’T MAKE A ‘SLIDEUMENT’*)
Handouts are an alternative
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY DRAWING ON GARR RENYOLDS

14. TELEPROMPTER VISUAL AID
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY DRAWING ON SETH GODWIN

15. ACADEMIC
CONFERENCE
COMMERCIAL
PITCH
3MT

16. ‘Simple’ is not always so simple
Making effective slides will take
longer than you think
(36–90 HOURS FOR A ONE HOUR PRESENTATION WITH 30 SLIDES)
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

17. THE KEY TO KEEPING SLIDES SIMPLE
Figure/Ground

18. Jane Austen was an English novel-
ist whose works of romantic fiction,
set among the landed gentry, earned
her a place as one of the most widely
read writers in English literature.
GROUND
FIGURE

19. Signal to Noise Ratio

20. Maximize Signal Minimize Noise

21. Avoid complicated shapes behind text

22. Avoid strong colors in the background
Unless your type contrasts

23. Avoid bright colors on white
(ESPECIALLY IF YOUR TYPE IS SMALL AND/OR THERE IS A LOT OF IT)

24. Use less contrasty patterns like this one

25. or use sizeWHICH CAN (SORT OF, MOST OF THE TIME) OVERCOME A CONTRASTY BACKGROUND

26. Line stuff up and don’t mix alignments

28. Avoid ‘panel-itis’

31. Don’t ‘sprinkle’

32. CREATE
FOCUS

33. Hierarchy

34. Hierarchy helps the audience read in the right order
So they will understand your main point
THIS SLIDE IS FOR THE FOUCAULT THEORISTS

35. or making
things bigger
Making
things
brighter
Create hierarchy by
placing stuff at the
top of the page or…

36. Negative space does not need to be filled

37. It creates visual
‘breathing space’

38. WORKING WITH
type/image/color

39. Images have ‘negative space’ too

40. Serif OR Sans Serif
(and typefaces who can’t decide)

41. typefacescommunicate

42. People disagree least with: Baskerville
SOURCE: ERROL MORRIS, NEW YORK TIMES 2012

43. People disagree the most with: Comic Sans
SOURCE: ERROL MORRIS, NEW YORK TIMES 2012

44. Contrast between thick and thin strokes is hard to read

45. Minimal contrast is easier to read

47. Gill Sans Ultra Bold
Comic Sans
Optima
Papyrus
Futura
BrushScript
Times New Roman

48. Do not compress or extend type
(YES, EVEN TO FIT STUFF ON THE SLIDE!)

49. Use weight for emphasis
rather than changing the typeface

50. Don’t use more than three typeface changes
on
one single SLIDE

52. Becarefulwithjustifiedtype.
Especially when in a box

53. Animations can be distracting
(USE THEM SPARINGLY)

54. Transition noises can be cheesy
(THEY CHEAPEN THE TONE)

55. Avoid clip art and cheap looking cartoons

56. use high quality images

57. Don’t distort images

58. Size images so they can be aligned

59. This is not ‘more interesting’ it’s just messy

60. Avoid Visual Clichés

61. SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

62. COLOR HAS CULTURAL AND PERSONAL MEANING
Red = Death? Life + Creativity? Happiness? Danger?
(BUT IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE, CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT)

63. THERE ARE ONLY 5 WAYS TO ORGANIZE INFORMATION
LATCH

64. LOCATION
ALPHABETICAL
TIME
CATEGORY
HIERARCHY

65. Arrange data by the ‘story’ you want to tell:
Location / data flow about distance/geography

66. Arrange data by the ‘story’ you want to tell:
Location / data flow about distance/geography
Alphabetical / good for non-linear/‘miscellaneous’ information

67. Arrange data by the ‘story’ you want to tell:
Location / data flow about distance/geography
Alphabetical / good for non-linear/‘miscellaneous’ information
Time / sequence/change over time

68. Arrange data by the ‘story’ you want to tell:
Location / data flow about distance/geography
Alphabetical / good for non-linear/‘miscellaneous’ information
Time / sequence/change over time
Category / arrange by similarity or relatedness

69. Arrange data by the ‘story’ you want to tell:
Location / data flow about distance/geography
Alphabetical / good for non-linear/‘miscellaneous’ information
Time / sequence/change over time
Category / arrange by similarity or relatedness
Hierarchy / common measure (highest to lowest, best to worst)

70. NANCY DUARTE’S RULES ABOUT SHOWING DATA
Tell the Truth
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

71. NANCY DUARTE’S RULES ABOUT SHOWING DATA
Tell the Truth
Get to the Point
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

72. NANCY DUARTE’S RULES ABOUT SHOWING DATA
Tell the Truth
Get to the Point
Pick the right tool for the job
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

73. NANCY DUARTE’S RULES ABOUT SHOWING DATA
Tell the Truth
Get to the Point
Pick the right tool for the job
Highlight what’s important
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

74. NANCY DUARTE’S RULES ABOUT SHOWING DATA
Tell the Truth
Get to the Point
Pick the right tool for the job
Highlight what’s important
Keep it simple
SOURCE: NANCY DUARTE IN SLIDEOLOGY

75. Pick the Right Tool for the Job
Bar Charts / compare items

76. Pick the Right Tool for the Job
Bar Charts / compare items
Line Graphs / show trends over time

77. Pick the Right Tool for the Job
Bar Charts / compare items
Line Graphs / show trends over time
Pie Charts / emphasize proportions

78. Pick the Right Tool for the Job
Bar Charts / compare items
Line Graphs / show trends over time
Pie Charts / emphasize proportions
Flowcharts / show process and connectedness

79. Scale 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Skill Development 86% 77% 90% 96% 92% 89% 92%
Goals and Expectations 75% 80% 83% 88% 92% 87% 88%
Examination 74% 62% 72% 77% 79% 80% 78%
Supervision 64% 65% 70% 80% 74% 72% 75%
Infrastructure 52% 44% 60% 68% 67% 65% 74%
Intellectual Climate 45% 34% 49% 54% 56% 55% 59%
Overall Satisfaction 68% 69% 73% 87% 85% 78% 75%

81. Highlight what’s important

82. 100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
%
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS
EXAMINATION
SUPERVISION
INFRASTRUCTURE
INTELLECTUAL CLIMATE
OVERALL SATISFACTION

83. Remember: Signal to Noise

86. Nancy Duarte’s book: Slideology
slideology.com
Really Bad Powerpoint by Seth Godin:
sethgodin.com/freeprize/reallybad-1.pdf
presentationzen.com
Typeface Research:
opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/
2012/08/08/hear-all-ye-people-hearken-o-earth/

87. Any Questions?