The document provides dos and don'ts for creating effective PowerPoint presentations. It recommends keeping designs and content simple, with limited fonts, colors, animations and graphics. Text should be easy to read against backgrounds, follow a six-by-six rule, and enhance but not replace the core message. Consistency across slides in styles, transitions and formatting is important to produce a polished, unique presentation without distracting elements.

1. PowerPoint:
Do’s and Don’ts

2. Keep it Simple
This slide is extremely hard to
read.
 The background is too obnoxious and there are too many
words.
o There are too many different fonts and
colors.
The animation is very distracting and over the top.
 

3. Slide Design
•Don’t use design templates
– Customize your own
– Use AutoShapes
– Keep backgrounds simple

4. Colors
•Do pick contrasting neutral colors
– Avoid neon colors
•Dark room = dark background
•Light room = light background

5. Dark Background
•Example of dark background
•Use light text on dark background

6. Light Background
•Example of light background
•Use dark text on light background

7. Fonts & Text
•Do limit presentation to 2-3 fonts
– Use sans-serif for titles/headings
– Use serif for body
– Avoid script fonts
•Do use 28-32 pt font sizes
•Do limit fonts to 2-3 font sizes

8. Content
•Do limit text on each slide
– Six by six rule
•Don’t use sentences or periods
•Do capitalize
– First word of a bullet
– Each word in a title or heading

9. Pictures & Graphics
•Do use pictures for enhancement
– Worth more than 1,000 words
•Use graphics and clipart sparingly
– Overly used
– Show lack of creativity

10. Sounds & Movement
•Don’t use obnoxious animations or
transitions
– Only pick from Basic or Subtle
– Text should appear all at once
•Avoid unnecessary sounds
– Distract from message

11. Consistency
•Do keep slides consistent
– Same fonts
– Same background/design
– Same transitions/animations
– Same colors

12. Unique
•Do make your PowerPoint unique
– You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all

13. Presentation
•Don’t rely on PowerPoint
– Interact with the audience
– Use other visual aids if appropriate
•Do practice your presentation
•Do be sure your equipment works
– Have a backup plan ready

14. Keep it Simple
•Colors
•Animations/Transitions
•Sounds
•Content
•Pictures/Graphics