The document outlines essential principles for effective slide design, emphasizing that slides should be visually oriented rather than text-heavy. Key rules include using appropriate templates, limiting word count, employing sans serif fonts, carefully selecting graphics, and ensuring good contrast between text and background. The overarching message is to create slides that enhance, rather than detract from, the presenter's message.

1. Basic Slide Design Adapted from Save our Slides by William Earnest

2. Buy the Book! Earnest, W (2007). Save our Slides. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt

3. Guiding Principle: Slides are a visual medium, not a textual medium

4. Rule 1: Pick a good template or theme

5. Good Template Characteristics Light background color (dark backgrounds acceptable if VERY dark)

6. Good Template Characteristics Uniform background color

7. Good Template Characteristics Complementary design elements

8. Good Template Characteristics No blue backgrounds!

9. Bad Template Characteristics Medium colored backgrounds

10. Bad Template Characteristics Backgrounds that shift color

11. Bad Template Characteristics Distracting design elements

12. Templates to avoid: Blue Diagonal

13. Templates to avoid: Whirlpool

14. Templates to avoid: High Voltage

15. Templates to avoid: Marble

16. Templates to avoid: Ribbons

17. Templates to avoid: Topo

18. Acceptable Templates: Bold Stripes

19. Acceptable Templates: Straightedge

20. Acceptable Templates: Eclipse

21. Acceptable Templates: Network

22. Acceptable Templates: Echo

23. Acceptable Templates: Edge Which is what this is

24. When are dark backgrounds acceptable? Very brightly lit rooms Screen has lights shining on it Need to use a color scheme that requires a dark background

25. One Acceptable Dark Background: Refined

26. Rule 2 Limit the number of words

27. Basic Principle PowerPoint is not a word processor

28. Basic Problem We put too many words on our slides—it is as if we either think our audiences need to see the text, or we need it as speakers because we are too unprepared to present orally, or we just don’t think about it. Well—think about it. When we read all these words to our audiences we tell them that we think they are too stupid to read things on their own.

29. Basic Problem (cont.) We put too many words on our slides—it is as if we either think our audiences need to see the text, or we need it as speakers because we are too unprepared to present orally, or we just don’t think about it. Well—think about it. When we read all these words to our audiences we tell them that we think they are too stupid to read things on their own. Doesn’t this look stupid?

30. Basic Problem (cont.) We put too many words on our slides—it is as if we either think our audiences need to see the text, or we need it as speakers because we are too unprepared to present orally, or we just don’t think about it. Well—think about it. When we read all these words to our audiences we tell them that we think they are too stupid to read things on their own. Doesn’t this look stupid? It does to me

31. Basic Problem (still continued) We put too many words on our slides—it is as if we either think our audiences need to see the text, or we need it as speakers because we are too unprepared to present orally, or we just don’t think about it. Well—think about it. When we read all these words to our audiences we tell them that we think they are too stupid to read things on their own. Doesn’t this look stupid? It does to me Maybe I should read it again?

32. Remember: VISUAL MEDIUM

33. What if highway signs were designed like PowerPoint? Directions to the nearest towns: Measured in miles Including the exit number With directional indicators St. Peter 12 miles The exit will be on the left Le Sueur 28 miles The exit will be on the right

34. Instead of like highway signs? St. Peter 12 Le Sueur 28 Jordan 45 Shakopee 54

35. Exit

36. 5 rules for fewer words Key words 40 words or less Big Font Symbols and abbreviations 3-5 bullets

37. Rule 3: Use San Serif fonts San Serif: Arial Serif: Times

38. Rule 4: Treat Graphics with care Most packaged clip art is BAD

39. So what is good? Look on the Office website for better stuff: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx Use pictures rather than clipart

40. Images matter

41. Where to get pictures? Try Everystock http://www.everystockphoto.com/ Warning: ADULT CONTENT (That means naked people)

42. And sometimes naked dolls

43. Rule 5 Contrast text, graphics and background

44. Dark text on a light background Light text on a dark background Good

45. Simultaneous contrast Simultaneous contrast Bad

46. The end?

47. Go forth and multiply