This presentation shows you a brief summary of basic Presentation design tips. The presentation used PowerPoint, but could is speaking specifically to any type of presentation.

1. What’s Wrong?
A PowerPoint Best and Worst Examples

2. Example: What’s Wrong?
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
• labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in
• voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla
pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non
proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.

3. Answer:
• Bullets too close together
• Too much per bullet
• Cognitive Overload
• Too much information presented at one time.
• See “Cognitive Load Theory”
• https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/cognitive-load-theory.htm
Kellyology:
If this slide is used for lectures, the learners will be distracted by reading the
information on the slide, or worse, the instructor would read the slide to
the students.

4. Better Example:
• Lorem ipsum
• labore et dolore
• laboris nisi ut aliquip
• voluptate velit esse cillum This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-SA

5. Summary
• Balanced
• Approx. same number of
words per bullet
• Short Bullets
• Graphic added
Kellyology
This slide is now well balanced with minimal words per bullet to
simply “jog the instructor’s memory” allowing him/her to
provide the majority of the content verbally. The learners are
not distracted by the information on the slide, it helps enhance
the presentation but is not THE PRESENTATION.
• Text moved to “Notes” section

6. Better Example:
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
• labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure
dolor in reprehenderit in
• voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui
officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

7. Summary
• Balanced
• Bullets are separated
• Graphic added
Kellyology
This slide is now balanced and spaced between bullet points.
The lengthy bullets show that the presentation is designed for
self-directed learning. Instructors who use this are more likely
to try to read from the slides.

8. Example: What’s Wrong
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua.
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo
• voluptate velit esse cillum

9. Example: What’s Wrong
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua.
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo
• voluptate velit esse cillum

10. Example: What’s Wrong
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua.
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo
• voluptate velit esse cillum

11. Example: What’s Wrong
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua.
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo
• voluptate velit esse cillum

12. Example: What’s Wrong
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua.
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo
• voluptate velit esse cillum

13. Answer
• Poor Contrast between words
and background
• Some are just PAINFUL!

14. Example: What’s Wrong
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
• voluptate velit esse cillum

15. Answer
• Contrast Issues
Kellyology
Laying words over an image is very difficult, especially if the image is full color with
multiple degrees of light and dark. There is no good color that will contrast against
all the variants. There are a few tricks you can use (See next slides for examples) like
adjusting the image to a dark or faded (washout) image or adding a “fill” to the
textbox. You can also add transparency to the image to wash it out. Simply play with
the settings until you find one that allows a good contrast.

16. Improved Example (Washout)
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
• voluptate velit esse cillum

17. Improved Example (Fill Textbox)
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• labore et dolore magna aliqua
• laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
• voluptate velit esse cillum

18. Example: What’s Wrong?
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• Labore et dolore magna aliqua
• Laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat
• Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non provident

19. Answer:
• Text is too small
• Can it be read from
the back of the room?
Kellyology:
Learners that struggle trying to read the text will be
distracted. It is likely this design was used to draw
attention to the graphic, but don’t forget the bullets are
important for the learners to see as well.

20. Improved Example 1 (Basic users)
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• Labore et dolore magna aliqua
• Laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat
• Excepteur sint occaecat
cupidatat non provident

21. Improved Example 2 (Advanced Users)
• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
• Labore et dolore magna aliqua
• Laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat
• Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non provident

22. • Full-size Image
• Fades to B&W wash
• Shaded textboxes
• Adds contrast to words
Kellyology
You can adjust the amount of time the image is visible before
the fade so. This allows the learners to see the image first
and then focus on the wording. The grey fill to the textbox
adds plenty of contrast to make the words easy to read.
Summary - Improved Example 2

23. How Do You Avoid This?

24. Conclusion:
• Countless options
• Follow simple rules
• Use your imagination
• Have FUN!
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY