This document provides an overview of designing effective visual presentations. It discusses taking information and creating meaningful stories for audiences. The key principles of visual communication design discussed are simplicity, using empty space, contrast, alignment, flow, proximity, and hierarchy. Specific techniques are presented like using grids, the rule of thirds, and arranging elements to guide the audience's attention. Designing slides with these principles in mind can help audiences better understand the core message.
"Illustrating" Digital Learning Objects (DLOs) and Learning ResourcesShalin Hai-Jew
Words are still often the core basis for the building of digital learning objects, to structure shared communications. Think slideshows, articles, electronic books, and others. Less common are visuals or the conceptualization of visuals for learning contents. Perhaps what visuals are used is what is on hand from a Creative Commons search or whatever project-based visuals may be on hand. This session discusses how visual thinking comes into play in some instructional designs to inform on which visuals are used, whether born-digital or digitized (scanned or photographed from analog form). This presentation argues for a more purpose-minded approach in thinking of visuals (from teaching and learning foci, data, maps, human groups, fieldwork, lab imagery, and others) when creating learning contents.
See->Sort->Sketch : Pen & Paper Tools to get from Research to Design : IA Sum...Kate Rutter
In the world of user experience, learning about your customers is key to making great stuff. But design research reports are dense and boring. Unlock the power of sketching and pen and paper tools to create research outputs that are vibrant, sticky and that reflect personality, human perspective and that move seamlessly into design.
IA Summit 2010 presentation
Pen & Paper Tools for getting from Research to DesignKate Rutter
In the world of user experience, learning about your customers is key to making great stuff. But design research reports are dense and boring. Unlock the power of sketching and pen and paper tools to create research outputs that are vibrant, sticky and that reflect personality, human perspective and that move seamlessly into design.
SXSW 2010 panel.
"Illustrating" Digital Learning Objects (DLOs) and Learning ResourcesShalin Hai-Jew
Words are still often the core basis for the building of digital learning objects, to structure shared communications. Think slideshows, articles, electronic books, and others. Less common are visuals or the conceptualization of visuals for learning contents. Perhaps what visuals are used is what is on hand from a Creative Commons search or whatever project-based visuals may be on hand. This session discusses how visual thinking comes into play in some instructional designs to inform on which visuals are used, whether born-digital or digitized (scanned or photographed from analog form). This presentation argues for a more purpose-minded approach in thinking of visuals (from teaching and learning foci, data, maps, human groups, fieldwork, lab imagery, and others) when creating learning contents.
See->Sort->Sketch : Pen & Paper Tools to get from Research to Design : IA Sum...Kate Rutter
In the world of user experience, learning about your customers is key to making great stuff. But design research reports are dense and boring. Unlock the power of sketching and pen and paper tools to create research outputs that are vibrant, sticky and that reflect personality, human perspective and that move seamlessly into design.
IA Summit 2010 presentation
Pen & Paper Tools for getting from Research to DesignKate Rutter
In the world of user experience, learning about your customers is key to making great stuff. But design research reports are dense and boring. Unlock the power of sketching and pen and paper tools to create research outputs that are vibrant, sticky and that reflect personality, human perspective and that move seamlessly into design.
SXSW 2010 panel.
Sketching matters. Paul Goode and Mark Kraemer discuss ways to get faster and more accurate by incorporating a "sketch" attitude into problem solving. Drop the document debt and build a picture.
Tired of “death by PowerPoint”…endless slides, bullet points, and text being read aloud? Alas…there is life after death by PowerPoint! Learn how best to connect with an audience or students based upon how the brain processes information. You will develop brain-friendly presentations that help organize and integrate information.
Stephen Few\'s presentation from the Malofiej 19 summit. This was an international competition and summit dedicated to journalistic infographics. Very good information.
The powerpoint that coincided with the lecture on CARP. These are the main design principles that you will be graded on during the length of this course so study up.
Handout for "Proven Presentation Techniques", an InfoComm approved workshop b...Thomas Zangerle
This workshop will show you how you can transform your ideas into convincing interactive presentations. The most important elements of successful presentations, training sessions and meetings are straightforward to name, but not always quite so easy to implement. It's essential for the presenter to capture and maintain the attention of the audience, to present effectively, create interest, encourage excitement and to captivate the participants. In this training session we will explore how you can increase understanding and retention in a presentation. You will receive background information based on scientific research, about improving communication techniques and about the workings of the brain. You will also see examples of best practices, effective communication, and presentation designs, all of which contribute to the creation of long-lasting impressions.
This is an introduction to the most important psychology concepts from the perspective of UX and their application to video games and software.
These slides were prepared by Dr. Marc Miquel. All the materials used in them are referenced to their authors.
Sketching matters. Paul Goode and Mark Kraemer discuss ways to get faster and more accurate by incorporating a "sketch" attitude into problem solving. Drop the document debt and build a picture.
Tired of “death by PowerPoint”…endless slides, bullet points, and text being read aloud? Alas…there is life after death by PowerPoint! Learn how best to connect with an audience or students based upon how the brain processes information. You will develop brain-friendly presentations that help organize and integrate information.
Stephen Few\'s presentation from the Malofiej 19 summit. This was an international competition and summit dedicated to journalistic infographics. Very good information.
The powerpoint that coincided with the lecture on CARP. These are the main design principles that you will be graded on during the length of this course so study up.
Handout for "Proven Presentation Techniques", an InfoComm approved workshop b...Thomas Zangerle
This workshop will show you how you can transform your ideas into convincing interactive presentations. The most important elements of successful presentations, training sessions and meetings are straightforward to name, but not always quite so easy to implement. It's essential for the presenter to capture and maintain the attention of the audience, to present effectively, create interest, encourage excitement and to captivate the participants. In this training session we will explore how you can increase understanding and retention in a presentation. You will receive background information based on scientific research, about improving communication techniques and about the workings of the brain. You will also see examples of best practices, effective communication, and presentation designs, all of which contribute to the creation of long-lasting impressions.
This is an introduction to the most important psychology concepts from the perspective of UX and their application to video games and software.
These slides were prepared by Dr. Marc Miquel. All the materials used in them are referenced to their authors.
VDIS10015 Developing Visual Imagery - Lecture 2Virtu Institute
In this lecture we will discuss how to develop and refine
drawing and other visual representation tools that can be
used to create original imagery. We will look at different
ways of creating image as well as ways to improve our
skills. These skills are physical but also cognitive tools for
professional practice. Our focus is on the development of
drawing rather than a particular level of drawing technique.
We introduce Learning Presentation design principles that incorporate theories of Adult Learning. These presentation principles and approaches can be adapted by researchers, teachers, and students for use in classrooms, conferences, and communities, whether F2F, hybrid, or online environments. We collaborate with participants by sharing knowledge and experience to create personalized strategies for maximizing learning while using presentation platforms. For this showcase we draw on our work with future faculty and current staff to demonstrate Learning Presentations as scaffolds for showcasing ideas, guiding learning, and engaging learners.
Ilene D. Alexander
Christina I. Petersen
E-Learning Balancing Act: Good vs Efficient development-web_version092010tmharpster
Is faster always cheaper? What's the hallmark of truly EFFECTIVE e-learning? What does the research say about what's effective? This presentation outlines what makes e-learning effective and offerideas on ways to balance good design with efficient development that yields "good" results.
Political theology has been part of Christianity (and religion) for thousands of years. What is it? When did the Great Separation occur? Should Christianity stay clear of political theology?
Still Point: Communication as Communion Barry Casey
Communication is the heart of the learning community. This is a meditation on communication for communion with one another through humility, grace, and faith.
Paradigm Communities: How Science and Religion Change Barry Casey
How do science and religion change? One way is through paradigm shifts. Here's a sociological/philosophical look at both—with a current case in point in one religious denomination.
What's a good definition for the Real? Philosophers and others have come up with many definitions to try to explain what lies under the surface of appearances--what is really real in a shifting world.
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, delivered as lectures to his students at his Lyceum over 2,000 years ago, provide a profound examination of human nature and the ends to which our conduct should be directed. Virtue is at the heart of his practical view of happiness (eudaimonia) as the point of life.
From Koheleth and Aristotle to Bentham and John Stuart Mill, happiness is seen as the end or goal of a good life. Here's the relation between happiness and ethics according to Mill.
Of all the virtues, reverence may be the one least regarded. But it is vital for our humanity and for the strength of our communities. Here's why . . .
Ethics of Persons: Kant, Buber, and MarcelBarry Casey
Our relationships with others are always ground for ethics. Here are three major philosophers who point the way to an ethic of persons: Immanuel Kant, Martin Buber, and Gabriel Marcel.
AmeriCare - Poverty and the Health Care SystemBarry Casey
American health care lags far behind most industrialized countries in many categories. This deck looks at the connections between poverty and a broken health system.
Hope sustains us in the moments of suffering and points us to the future. The Sabbath experience is a paradigm of this suffering hope that works in the world.
DURAble: Creating a Memorable Informative SpeechBarry Casey
Here's how to create a memorable—and durable—informative speech by creating desire, building understanding, strengthening remembering, and applying the information.
Flow — the psychology of optimal experience — is the theory developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on how we can develop a continual sense of joy, creativity, and total involvement with life. Created with Haiku Deck: www.haikudeck.com
Making tough choices: Four Ethical ParadigmsBarry Casey
What is an ethical dilemma? How can we tell an ethical dilemma from the usual procedures or policies? And why is a true dilemma different from a simple choice between right and wrong?
White wonder, Work developed by Eva TschoppMansi Shah
White Wonder by Eva Tschopp
A tale about our culture around the use of fertilizers and pesticides visiting small farms around Ahmedabad in Matar and Shilaj.
Visual Style and Aesthetics: Basics of Visual Design
Visual Design for Enterprise Applications
Range of Visual Styles.
Mobile Interfaces:
Challenges and Opportunities of Mobile Design
Approach to Mobile Design
Patterns
Connect Conference 2022: Passive House - Economic and Environmental Solution...TE Studio
Passive House: The Economic and Environmental Solution for Sustainable Real Estate. Lecture by Tim Eian of TE Studio Passive House Design in November 2022 in Minneapolis.
- The Built Environment
- Let's imagine the perfect building
- The Passive House standard
- Why Passive House targets
- Clean Energy Plans?!
- How does Passive House compare and fit in?
- The business case for Passive House real estate
- Tools to quantify the value of Passive House
- What can I do?
- Resources
ARENA - Young adults in the workplace (Knight Moves).pdfKnight Moves
Presentations of Bavo Raeymaekers (Project lead youth unemployment at the City of Antwerp), Suzan Martens (Service designer at Knight Moves) and Adriaan De Keersmaeker (Community manager at Talk to C)
during the 'Arena • Young adults in the workplace' conference hosted by Knight Moves.
Book Formatting: Quality Control Checks for DesignersConfidence Ago
This presentation was made to help designers who work in publishing houses or format books for printing ensure quality.
Quality control is vital to every industry. This is why every department in a company need create a method they use in ensuring quality. This, perhaps, will not only improve the quality of products and bring errors to the barest minimum, but take it to a near perfect finish.
It is beyond a moot point that a good book will somewhat be judged by its cover, but the content of the book remains king. No matter how beautiful the cover, if the quality of writing or presentation is off, that will be a reason for readers not to come back to the book or recommend it.
So, this presentation points designers to some important things that may be missed by an editor that they could eventually discover and call the attention of the editor.
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In this slides I explain how I have used storytelling techniques to elevate websites and brands and create memorable user experiences. You can discover practical tips as I showcase the elements of good storytelling and its applied to some examples of diverse brands/projects..
Creating Clarity 3.0: How to Design Great Visual Communication
1. Every day we are drenched with information. Bits, bytes,
chunks—it comes flying at us from all directions. We have to
take it in, create something with it, and communicate through
it. But information is not enough. Thatʼs not all that people
want. . . .
We’re in the Meaning business--taking these slices
of information and creating meaning with them.
People are hungry to hear a story with
meaning. . . .
They want the whole orange!
2. Welcome to Creating Clarity: How to Design Great
Visual Communication. Today we’re going to look
at three things: basic principles of visual
communication; building a visual presentation; and
designing effective slides. We’ll also look at
communicating with numbers and cutting through
the noise.
Research shows that we learn better from words
and pictures together than from either words or
picture alone. Visual and verbal information are
processed in different parts of the brain—so they
don’t compete with each other. [Cook, M. P. “Visual
Representations in Science Education: The Influence of Prior Knowledge and Cognitive
Load Theory on Instructional Design Principles.” Science Education, 90(6) 1073-1091,
2006.].
Our visual systems and our brains
instinctively process and act upon
images. . . But here is where our
differences are so interesting.
3. For some, more visual learners, the image gives
rise to the thought. For others, those with a more
verbal learning style. . .
—the creative spark might jump from thought to
image.
However we learn, the goal is to move from idea to
story. . .
4. So. . . . what’s your story?
We’ll look at three steps to designing a
presentation. . .
Imagining the story, which can involve
brainstorming (whether in a group or by yourself),
building the presentation (researching, outlining),
and designing your slides (arranging text and
images on the slide).
But first, a couple of facts about visual perception.
Our perception is selective; our attention is drawn
to contrasts.
5. Second, we are drawn to familiar patterns. We look
for what we know and expect to find. In fact, we
are pattern-making creatures.
Let’s try a little experiment. I’m going to show you
the next slide for three seconds. I want you to draw
from memory as many of the shapes as you can.
You can use the back sides of your handout.
Random shapes confuse the eye. . .
6. Now let’s try it again. I’ll show you the next slide
for three seconds and you draw as many shapes
from memory as you can. Ready. . . .?
7. I bet you did better this time. The only difference
between the two slides is the arrangement. We clustered
them together in a pattern of shapes. That is sometimes
called “chunking,” and it is a graphic phenomenon that
can help us learn. We attempt to find order and patterns
in a visual scene—and if there isn’t an apparent one we’ll
create one. [Smith, Robin M. (2008). Conquering the Content: A Step-by-Step
Guide to Online Course Design. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 67-68.]
With selective perception and pattern recognition in
mind, let’s turn to the process of building a
presentation.
The first step is to set your imagination free,
brainstorming, gathering in ideas, massaging
them, digging down to find images, metaphors,
associations you can sort through. . . You know
best the places where you are most creative and
relaxed.
8. Think it through during your commute. . .
Take some time by yourself. . .
Take flight in your imagination. . .
9. Work from the inside out. . .
Discover the heart of the story, the essential idea
you want to get across.
Work the idea down to its simplest, clearest form.
10. Then sit down and begin researching your
presentation. Work from your central idea. Develop
the steps toward your goal. Get coffee.
One way to work in this stage is with Sticky Notes.
Sticky notes have several advantages: they’re
bright, they’re small, and they can be moved easily.
If you can’t get one idea on a note it’s probably too
complicated.
Keep it simple at this stage. Using Sticky-Notes is
quicker, more versatile, and more tactile than
trying to work in PowerPoint. And it’s more tactile
—you can touch your ideas and move them around.
11. Then begin to work in KeyNote or PowerPoint.
Follow your outline and draw together the words
and images. And that leads us to the third stage—
designing the slides.
In any visual communication there are three
elements: the message, the delivery, and the form.
We’re focusing today on form—slides on the
screen. We’ll begin with two general principles of
design. . . .
The first is simplicity. . . a good principle for visual
design, for teaching and learning, and for life in
general. We process images more directly and
more efficiently than we do text. So when we
combine text and images, less is more. We want
clarity, grace, and balance.
12. One way to create simplicity is through the Signal-
to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The goal is to have the
highest signal-to-noise ratio possible. The better
the signal the less noise; the less noise the clearer
the signal. Cut out the non-essentials from the
background.
Here’s an example of fairly high noise, low signal.
One problem is that we lose some of the letters
against the yellow of the strap.
Another version: the opacity of the photograph has
been scaled back to 40% and the text size has been
expanded. It’s not ideal but it’s an improvement.
13. By contrast here is a typical death-by-PowerPoint
slide, jammed full of information that mostly just
confuses people. Noise is anything in
communication that interferes with understanding
the message. It could be the color of the headline,
the background (what does the Golden Gate Bridge
have to do with this?), or the columns of text that
we have to read through. The goal is to have the
highest signal-to-noise ratio possible in your
Another example of screaming noise on a slide.
Here’s a chart with all the bells and whistles—full
3-D images, a grid of numbers, shadows,
reflections, a fancy piece of work.
And potentially confusing.
Lots of noise, not much signal.
14. We’ve simplified it by using 2-D bars, dropping the grid,
highlighting the title and bringing out the numbers. A lot more
signal, a lot less noise. . . But there’s still something confusing
about this slide. What is it? There’s no discernible order. It
doesn’t descend from greater to lesser nor is it alphabetical by
country. We try to find a pattern that makes sense and we can’t.
And that introduces subtle noise into the slide.
Here is more clarity, more signal, less noise. We
want to highlight Japan’s low rate of obesity: why
not descend from greater to lesser and bring the
low rate to our attention by using color and
shading to distinguish between the best and the
others? High signal, lower noise. . .
15.
16. The second general principle is the use of empty
space, also called negative space or white space.
The urge to fill all the space on a slide with
information may be overwhelming—but resist!
Empty space in a design is not “nothing.” It’s a
“something” that gives your slides elegance and
power. Think of it as your conscious canvas for the
imagination.
17. An example of the use of white space and contrast through
color. This fact is taken from Harper’s Index, Harpers Magazine.
February, 2009, 13.
18. In any presentation there are three essential
elements—the slides, your notes, and the
handouts. The notes are there to support you when
you need them and using handouts means you
don’t have to load your slides up with text—and
your audience can relax and pay more attention to
the combination of words and pictures.
So with our two general principles in mind—
simplicity and the use of empty space. . .
—I want to talk about designing effective slides.
I’m going to give you five elements you can use to
design your presentations.
19. Contrast, alignment, flow, proximity, and hierarchy
—each have something to add to our slides. I’ll be
flipping fairly quickly through examples of each to
give you some idea of how they can be used.
Contrast simply means difference. And we notice
differences, even the smallest ones. Contrast is one
of the most powerful design elements because
almost anything can be contrasted with something
else.
So . . . here are some ways we can draw contrast in
our slides.
20.
21. An example of contrast using size and shade.
Another example of contrast using color, size, and
shade.
22. Another example of using contrast. I reduced the opacity of the
image so the text would have more prominence. Taken from
Cox-Foster, Diana and vanEngelsdorp, Dennis. “Saving the
Honeybee.” Scientific American, April, 2009, p. 44.
A second tool is alignment—connecting elements
on a slide. Nothing should look like it was dropped
or placed there randomly. The eye tries to make
the connections and quickly sees things that are
out of line.
One way to ensure good alignment is through the
use of grids, a practice that is fundamental in good
design. A common pattern is a three-column grid,
although four-column and even five-column grids
can be used.
23. As Nancy Duarte says, “A grid system provides a
flexible way to organize content.” After you sketch
it out on paper a few times you can learn to eyeball
it on the slide surface.
The “rule of thirds” is derived from photography
and is used to compose and frame shots.
Viewfinders often have a built-in grid which allows
the photographer to place the subject off-center
but in relation to other objects within the shot.
Grids give you more options for placement while
achieving balance and creating a clear flow and
point of focus.
Since the figure dominates we can build the slide
by adjusting the text blocks in relation to the
figure. And a simple 3-column grid allows us to
play around with the text until we get the flow and
balance we want.
24. Grids also give us some constraints to work within.
Pushing the 30/5 up the slide, for example, creates
a natural triangle between that block, the leaper,
and the text block at the bottom. Without the grid
that placement might be much more random and
more confusing.
Flow is about arranging the information on a slide
in the order that you want it to be processed. In the
West we generally read from left to right, top to
bottom. You can direct the eye to process the
information by the way that you organize the
elements on the slide.
25. Normally, we read in the Z pattern we see here.
Like this. . . . But if our eyes are drawn by
contrasting shapes, sizes, light sources and so on,
we may break out of this pattern. If you want your
audience to break the pattern then arrange the
elements so that it’s clearly a feature and not a
mistake.
So by placement and contrast you can reverse the
usual flow. . . .
26. Like this.
Another guideline in the concept of flow is that you
don’t position someone walking out of a slide or
away from the text. It’s a way of focusing and
intensifying the impact of the message.
But occasionally it’s good to break the rules.
Normally, we’d expect the man to be walking into
the frame.
27. —like this.
But here the relationship of the text to the image
of the man suggests something else—a subtext to
the words of the title. We can suggest through
positioning that audiences must be persuaded,
their attention must be captured and kept.
The principle of proximity says that we group
related objects together so they’ll be perceived as a
group and not as unrelated elements. I’m going to
combine this principle with our final one,
Hierarchy, to show how this works in designing a
slide.
28. Hierarchy defines the relationship of the elements.
Proximity pulls them together: hierarchy defines
how they get along. A useful metaphor here is that
of parent to child. Every element in a hierarchy is
the child of the element above it or the parent of
the one below it.
The parent dominates. . . .
Everyone is equal. . .
29. Or there are differences. . . .
We can see this clearly when we look at a title slide.
There’s not much here to catch the eye nor to tell
us which is the most important information. We’re
seeing four elements that seem to have no clear
relation to each other. Let’s see how the principles
of Hierarchy and Proximity can clarify the message.
Here there is a separation between the elements;
now they’re clustered in three blocks, two text
blocks and the logo, and there is contrast of size
and shade.
30. More changes. . . . The text blocks are aligned to
the right instead of centered to give it movement
and asymmetry. We’ve created some interest by
increasing the size of the headline and using
shading to distinguish one word—clarity.
The final version: a deep contrast between the
background fill and the text. Again, we’ve used
asymmetry, shading, and one touch of color in the
bottom right—the exit point for the eye flow. This
is a more interesting and effective slide; the use of
proximity and hierarchy has made it easy to
comprehend.
So those are the elements in composing a slide. A
quick review of the principles and the elements . . .
31. I want to acknowledge and recommend the work of
four authors and their books. All of these books
are beautifully designed, well-written, and should
be in the library of anyone who creates visual
presentations.
These are two places online that have slide illustrations. You
pay a fee per slide at iStockphoto.com but slides from
Morguefile.com are free. There are many other sites for slides
but these are two that I’ve had good experience with.
So those are some of the ways you can create
clarity in your presentations. Think visually. . .
show us your story!
Editor's Notes
Every day we are drenched with information. Bits, bytes, chunks—it comes flying at us from all directions. We have to take it in, create something with it, and communicate through it. But information is not enough. That’s not all that people want. . . .
We’re in the Meaning business--taking these slices of information and creating meaning with them. People are hungry to hear a story with meaning. . . .
They want the whole orange!
Welcome to Creating Clarity: How to Design Great Visual Communication. Today we’re going to look at three things: basic principles of visual communication; building a visual presentation; and designing effective slides. We’ll also look at communicating with numbers and cutting through the noise.
Research shows that we learn better from words and pictures together than from either words or picture alone. Visual and verbal information are processed in different parts of the brain—so they don’t compete with each other. [Cook, M. P. “Visual Representations in Science Education: The Influence of Prior Knowledge and Cognitive Load Theory on Instructional Design Principles.” Science Education, 90(6) 1073-1091, 2006.].
Our visual systems and our brains instinctively process and act upon images. . . But here is where our differences are so interesting.
For some, more visual learners, the image gives rise to the thought. For others, those with a more verbal learning style. . .
— the creative spark might jump from thought to image.
However we learn, the goal is to move from idea to story. . .
So. . . . what’s your story?
We’ll look at three steps to designing a presentation. . . Imagining the story, which can involve brainstorming (whether in a group or by yourself), building the presentation (researching, outlining), and designing your slides (arranging text and images on the slide).
But first, a couple of facts about visual perception. Our perception is selective; our attention is drawn to contrasts.
Second, we are drawn to familiar patterns. We look for what we know and expect to find. In fact, we are pattern-making creatures.
Let’s try a little experiment. I’m going to show you the next slide for three seconds. I want you to draw from memory as many of the shapes as you can. You can use the back sides of your handout.
Random shapes confuse the eye. . .
Now let’s try it again. I’ll show you the next slide for three seconds and you draw as many shapes from memory as you can. Ready. . . .?
I bet you did better this time. The only difference between the two slides is the arrangement. We clustered them together in a pattern of shapes. That is sometimes called “chunking,” and it is a graphic phenomenon that can help us learn. We attempt to find order and patterns in a visual scene—and if there isn’t an apparent one we’ll create one. [Smith, Robin M. (2008). Conquering the Content: A Step-by-Step Guide to Online Course Design. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 67-68.]
With selective perception and pattern recognition in mind, let’s turn to the process of building a presentation.
The first step is to set your imagination free, brainstorming, gathering in ideas, massaging them, digging down to find images, metaphors, associations you can sort through. . . You know best the places where you are most creative and relaxed.
Think it through during your commute. . .
Take some time by yourself. . .
Take flight in your imagination. . .
Work from the inside out. . .
Discover the heart of the story, the essential idea you want to get across.
Work the idea down to its simplest, clearest form.
Then sit down and begin researching your presentation. Work from your central idea. Develop the steps toward your goal. Get coffee.
One way to work in this stage is with Sticky Notes. Sticky notes have several advantages: they’re bright, they’re small, and they can be moved easily. If you can’t get one idea on a note it’s probably too complicated.
Keep it simple at this stage. Using Sticky-Notes is quicker, more versatile, and more tactile than trying to work in PowerPoint. And it’s more tactile—you can touch your ideas and move them around.
Then begin to work in KeyNote or PowerPoint. Follow your outline and draw together the words and images. And that leads us to the third stage—designing the slides.
In any visual communication there are three elements: the message, the delivery, and the form. We’re focusing today on form—slides on the screen. We’ll begin with two general principles of design. . . .
The first is simplicity. . . a good principle for visual design, for teaching and learning, and for life in general. We process images more directly and more efficiently than we do text. So when we combine text and images, less is more. We want clarity, grace, and balance.
One way to create simplicity is through the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The goal is to have the highest signal-to-noise ratio possible. The better the signal the less noise; the less noise the clearer the signal. Cut out the non-essentials from the background.
Here’s an example of fairly high noise, low signal. One problem is that we lose some of the letters against the yellow of the strap.
Another version: the opacity of the photograph has been scaled back to 40% and the text size has been expanded. It’s not ideal but it’s an improvement.
By contrast here is a typical death-by-PowerPoint slide, jammed full of information that mostly just confuses people. Noise is anything in communication that interferes with understanding the message. It could be the color of the headline, the background (what does the Golden Gate Bridge have to do with this?), or the columns of text that we have to read through. The goal is to have the highest signal-to-noise ratio possible in your slides. More signal, less noise. Anything we can do to simplify the viewing experience will be welcomed.
Another example of screaming noise on a slide.
Here’s a chart with all the bells and whistles—full 3-D images, a grid of numbers, shadows, reflections, a fancy piece of work. And potentially confusing. Lots of noise, not much signal.
We’ve simplified it by using 2-D bars, dropping the grid, highlighting the title and bringing out the numbers. A lot more signal, a lot less noise. . . But there’s still something confusing about this slide. What is it? There’s no discernible order. It doesn’t descend from greater to lesser nor is it alphabetical by country. We try to find a pattern that makes sense and we can’t. And that introduces subtle noise into the slide.
Here is more clarity, more signal, less noise. We want to highlight Japan’s low rate of obesity: why not descend from greater to lesser and bring the low rate to our attention by using color and shading to distinguish between the best and the others? High signal, lower noise. . .
The second general principle is the use of empty space, also called negative space or white space. The urge to fill all the space on a slide with information may be overwhelming—but resist! Empty space in a design is not “nothing.” It’s a “something” that gives your slides elegance and power. Think of it as your conscious canvas for the imagination.
An example of the use of white space and contrast through color. This fact is taken from Harper’s Index, Harpers Magazine. February, 2009, 13.
In any presentation there are three essential elements—the slides, your notes, and the handouts. The notes are there to support you when you need them and using handouts means you don’t have to load your slides up with text—and your audience can relax and pay more attention to the combination of words and pictures.
So with our two general principles in mind—simplicity and the use of empty space. . .
— I want to talk about designing effective slides. I’m going to give you five elements you can use to design your presentations.
Contrast, alignment, flow, proximity, and hierarchy—each have something to add to our slides. I’ll be flipping fairly quickly through examples of each to give you some idea of how they can be used. Contrast simply means difference. And we notice differences, even the smallest ones. Contrast is one of the most powerful design elements because almost anything can be contrasted with something else.
So . . . here are some ways we can draw contrast in our slides.
An example of contrast using size and shade.
Another example of contrast using color, size, and shade.
Another example of using contrast. I reduced the opacity of the image so the text would have more prominence. Taken from Cox-Foster, Diana and vanEngelsdorp, Dennis. “Saving the Honeybee.” Scientific American, April, 2009, p. 44.
A second tool is alignment—connecting elements on a slide. Nothing should look like it was dropped or placed there randomly. The eye tries to make the connections and quickly sees things that are out of line.
One way to ensure good alignment is through the use of grids, a practice that is fundamental in good design. A common pattern is a three-column grid, although four-column and even five-column grids can be used.
As Nancy Duarte says, “A grid system provides a flexible way to organize content.” After you sketch it out on paper a few times you can learn to eyeball it on the slide surface.
The “rule of thirds” is derived from photography and is used to compose and frame shots. Viewfinders often have a built-in grid which allows the photographer to place the subject off-center but in relation to other objects within the shot. Grids give you more options for placement while achieving balance and creating a clear flow and point of focus.
Since the figure dominates we can build the slide by adjusting the text blocks in relation to the figure. And a simple 3-column grid allows us to play around with the text until we get the flow and balance we want.
Grids also give us some constraints to work within. Pushing the 30/5 up the slide, for example, creates a natural triangle between that block, the leaper, and the text block at the bottom. Without the grid that placement might be much more random and more confusing.
Flow is about arranging the information on a slide in the order that you want it to be processed. In the West we generally read from left to right, top to bottom. You can direct the eye to process the information by the way that you organize the elements on the slide.
Normally, we read in the Z pattern we see here.
Like this. . . . But if our eyes are drawn by contrasting shapes, sizes, light sources and so on, we may break out of this pattern. If you want your audience to break the pattern then arrange the elements so that it’s clearly a feature and not a mistake.
So by placement and contrast you can reverse the usual flow. . . .
Like this.
Another guideline in the concept of flow is that you don’t position someone walking out of a slide or away from the text. It’s a way of focusing and intensifying the impact of the message.
But occasionally it’s good to break the rules. Normally, we’d expect the man to be walking into the frame.
— like this.
But here the relationship of the text to the image of the man suggests something else—a subtext to the words of the title. We can suggest through positioning that audiences must be persuaded, their attention must be captured and kept.
The principle of proximity says that we group related objects together so they’ll be perceived as a group and not as unrelated elements. I’m going to combine this principle with our final one, Hierarchy, to show how this works in designing a slide.
Hierarchy defines the relationship of the elements. Proximity pulls them together: hierarchy defines how they get along. A useful metaphor here is that of parent to child. Every element in a hierarchy is the child of the element above it or the parent of the one below it.
The parent dominates. . . .
Everyone is equal. . .
Or there are differences. . . .
We can see this clearly when we look at a title slide. There’s not much here to catch the eye nor to tell us which is the most important information. We’re seeing four elements that seem to have no clear relation to each other. Let’s see how the principles of Hierarchy and Proximity can clarify the message.
Here there is a separation between the elements; now they’re clustered in three blocks, two text blocks and the logo, and there is contrast of size and shade.
More changes. . . . The text blocks are aligned to the right instead of centered to give it movement and asymmetry. We’ve created some interest by increasing the size of the headline and using shading to distinguish one word—clarity.
The final version: a deep contrast between the background fill and the text. Again, we’ve used asymmetry, shading, and one touch of color in the bottom right—the exit point for the eye flow. This is a more interesting and effective slide; the use of proximity and hierarchy has made it easy to comprehend.
So those are the elements in composing a slide. A quick review of the principles and the elements . . .
I want to acknowledge and recommend the work of four authors and their books. All of these books are beautifully designed, well-written, and should be in the library of anyone who creates visual presentations.
These are two places online that have slide illustrations. You pay a fee per slide at iStockphoto.com but slides from Morguefile.com are free. There are many other sites for slides but these are two that I’ve had good experience with.
So those are some of the ways you can create clarity in your presentations. Think visually. . . show us your story!