A 411 to presentation design geared towards advertising done by me for Frank Striefler.
It is a compilation of thoughts from the leading presentation designers namely Garr Reynolds & Nancy Duarte.
To download the original Presentation Design 411 book to print or look, go to http://www.recyclednapkin.com/presentations/Presentationdesign411.pdf
7. But it is only as useful as
it is understandable
In this age of overstimulation and short attention spans, the simplest way
to make it understandable is to make it visual.
Speaking visually makes our information easy for our audience to
understand, and is critical to communicating quickly and effectively.
9. If a business is a decision factory, then the presentations
that inform those decisions determine their quality.
Marty Neumeier
Presentations are always high-stakes, and the clients deserve the
absolute best. It is not only about helping our audience to see what we are saying,
but using strong visual grammar that engages all their senses to convince them to adopt our
point of view, and help them become as excited as we are. People don’t
just digest information thrown at them. Designing a presentation is about helping them digest the information by creating
a desire for our clients to want more of what we are offering them. It is only as good
as they are designed. It is easy to tell when an
agency has design as a systemic value system. From advertising to presentation slides, you can tell which companies
cherish design and value their brand. But more importantly, presentations are often the very last
impressiona client has of us before making a decision.
10. With media being any space between idea & audience, and
with us wanting to use each medium to its full potential, our
presentations should reflect the agency in terms of design.
11. Table of Contents
6 Common Deadly Sins
Design
Story
Symphony
Empathy
Play
Meaning
Thoughtful
Clutter
Images
White Space
1 Message a Slide
3-Second Rule
Quotes
Background
Type Size
Standard Templates
Clipart
Bullets
Competing Backgrounds
Animation Effects
Slideument
Plan Analog
Find the Central Point
Understand your Audience
Craft a Story
6 Principles of Presentation
Planning
Design
Appendix
Credits
Line-setting
Contrast
Stats & Graphs
Rule Thirds
“Z” Rule
Repetition
Grids
Handouts
Final Thought
12.
13. 6 Deadly Sins
Standard Templates
Clipart
Bullets & Sub-bullets
Competing Backgrounds
Animation Effects
Slideument
6 Deadly Sins
14. Standard Templates
It’s a trap
Chances are the standard template will not suit your unique situation, and, even if they
did, they probably have already been seen more than a thousand times by our clients.
It encourages two-line titles and sub-sub-sub-sub-points and most importantly, does not
let the design help tell our story.
Deadly Sin 1
15. Clipart, Stock Image & Wordart
Just hurts
If the thought of using cheesy generic stock images, clipart, wordart
or 3D charts and objects crosses your mind, you need a vacation.
Deadly Sin 2
16. Bullet Points
A lazy man’s tool
The “traditional way” of doing presentations with slides full of bullet lists have been going on for so
long it has become a part of corporate culture. It simply is “the way things are done.” Bullet points are
a listing tool, not a storytelling tool. Despite the fact that it is not effective, bullets are still the prevailing
structure of most slides.
No one can do a good presentation with slide after slide of bullet points. It creates obstacles between
our audiences and us, making our presentations formal and stiff.
Deadly Sin 3
17. Competing Background
Makes it messy
Backgrounds are intended as a surface on which to place elements. They are not in
themselves a work of art. Do we want our clients to see the background? Or our message?
Deadly Sin 4
18. Animation Effects
It’s a distraction
Nobody wants to see how a chart is built or swirls of flying
alphabets. Having the newest effects in Power Point does not mean
we have to use them. Does it add to our story? If not, leave it out.
Deadly Sin 5
19. Slideument
It’s not a document
Our biggest mistake is using every inch of space on a page and filling it up
with text, boxes, clipart, charts, footers and the company logo. It becomes
a slideument, not a slide.
The slideument is not effective, is not efficient, and it is definitely not pretty.
Deadly Sin 6
22. Design
Not only function
Design starts at the beginning, not at the end; it is not an afterthought. It is not
only about decoration and ornamentation, it is about organizing information in a
way that evokes emotion and makes it clearer to understand.
It is not only about the form, or the function. It is about how form interacts with
function. It is just like a bento box; it not only holds the right amount of food, it
places it in a way that attracts you.
Presentation Principle 1
23. Story
Not only argument
Stories have always been how humans have communicated, but somewhere along the
way, storytelling has been marginalized as child’s play. It is how we imbue narratives
and stories into our arguments to make our pitch both rational and emotional.
Presentation Principle 2
24. Not only focus
In an age where information is ever-increasing, being an expert in
a single subject matter is inadequate. The difference is the ability
to utilize the whole mind - logic, analysis, synthesis, and intuition to
find the “relationships between relationships.”
Symphony
Presentation Principle 3
25. Empathy
Not only logic
It allows us to see and feel from our audiences’ perspective. It makes
sure how and what we say is perceived the way it was intended to be.
It involves not just standing in their shoes, but also the way we build our
presentations.
A winning pitch does not only make a rational argument or an emotional
sale, it does both.
Presentation Principle 4
26. Play
Not only seriousness
Play allows you to start with a child’s mind, where there are vast possibilities
rather than vast limitations. Each presentation is different, and should be
approached from a different angle. But in many, playfulness and humor,
from creation to execution, go a long way in not only keeping out clients
entertained, but interested in our ideas.
Presentation Principle 5
27. Not only accumulation
Our clients did not come to our presentation to see us, they came to
find out what we can do for them. It is not about the solutions we could
provide, but the right solutions we should offer.
Meaning
Presentation Principle 6
28.
29. Planning
Plan Analog
Find your Conclusion
Understand the Audience
Craft a Story
Planning
FAILING TO PLAN,
IS PLANNING TO FAIL.
30. Presentation software was never intended to be a brainstorming
or drawing tool. By using pen and paper, you are freed from
the limits of the software.
Planning> Plan Analog
Plan Analog
Sticky Note Architecture
Using sticky notes to plan out the structure of your slides may be old-school,
but it allows you to see the big picture as you build your slides digitally. It
allows ideas to be captured, sorted, and rearranged as needed.
31. Planning> Find Your Conclusion
Find Your Conclusion
To communicate our information effectively, we must first articulate the
conclusions we want our audiences to adopt. It is about knowing our story
so well that, if we have 30 seconds to “sell” our message to the CEO in an
elevator, we could.
32. Understand the Audience
Audience Needs Map
What are they like?
Why are they here?
What keeps them up at night?
Can you solve the problem?
What do you want them to do?
How might they resist?
How can you best reach them?
This is similar to the target market. Knowing the demographics &
psychographics of who our intended audiences are plays a part in
the storytelling planning as well as the visuals we would choose.
Planning> Understand the Audience
33. Craft a Story
Good stories have interesting, clear beginnings; provocative,
engaging content and a clear conclusion.
We have to craft a story - which is the most effective, memorable,
and appropriate for our particular audience. Make them aware
that they have a gap in their knowledge and then fill that gap with
the answers to the puzzle.
Take them on a journey.
Planning> Craft a Story
36. Thoughtful Design
Design> Thoughtful Design
Design is thoughtful, and at its core, is about solving problems,
whatever the problem is, from squeezing oranges to communicating
effectively. Designers strive to solve the problems and communicate it
in the most effective and efficient way.
Every decision is intentional while reason and logic underpin the
placement of every element on the slide.
37. Clutter is the Failure of Design
The more we add, the more diluted and less effective the design of our slides are.
How much does it cost to add a slide? $0.00. If you have a lot of content, break
it down into different slides.
Design> Clutter
38. Images tell a thousand words, but are those thousand words
the ones we want to share? They can also serve as both the
background and foreground, making the overall visual more
dynamic and unified with a clearer and more dramatic look.
Images
Design> Visuals
39. Design> White Space
WHITE SPACE
EMPTY SPACE
is the purpose of
it lets your content
think “subtract,” not “add.
”
BREATHE
40. 1 Message a Slide
Our audiences will read the first 1-2 points but by the time we are on our third point, they
would have zoned out. If all our points are important, should they not warrant their own slide?
Design> 1 Message a Slide
42. Quote Pages
Design> Quote Pages
Audiences like to get beyond the spoken word and see a simple reminder
of what we are saying. They add credibility to our story and are useful
springboards to the next topic.
Remember to keep it short, they do not want to read an entire paragraph
from a screen.
43. Background
Dark Vs. Light
Design> Background
does not influence ambient lighting
fewer opportunities for shadows
objects can glow
good for large venues
bad for handouts
brightens up the ambient
illuminates the room
no opportunity for dramatic lighting
good for smaller venues
works well for handouts
44. Size 30 is a rule of thumb, but always stand in the back of your venue and
click through all the slides so you know what people in the back row will see.
There is a minimum size limit, but no maximum limit. Do not be afraid to use
the power of big fonts. They have a big impact, but use them with restraint.
Using them regularly dilutes the impact.
Type Size
DON’T
BE A
WIMP!
Design> Type Size
45. Design> Line-setting
It is the details that separate bad design from good design. Related items should be grouped
together so that audiences will not need to “work” to figure out which caption goes with which
visual. Line-setting the text aids the audiences in figuring out where their eyes should go next.
Line-setting
46. Contrast
By contrasting an object against the others, you automatically create
attention and bring the audience’s eyes to that object. Contrast can
be created by a change in color, size and even object.
Design> Contrast
47. Statistics & Graphics
Data slides are not really about the data, they are about the meaning of the
data. It is better to use just parts of the data that truthfully and accurately support
your point. It is just laziness on the presenter’s part to put everything on one slide.
Design> Statistics & Graphs
48. Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a simplified version of the golden mean that photographers
use to frame their shots. Divide the slide into thirds vertically and horizontally. The
4 points (called “power points”) where there lines intersect are the points where
your focus is drawn.
Design> Rule of Thirds
49. “Z” Rule
Since young, we have been taught to read from top left
to bottom right. Consequently we have trained our eyes
to “naturally” look in this way.
Design> Layout
50. Repetition
Repetition simply means using similar elements throughout the design of
your presentation. It gives a sense of unity, consistency and cohesiveness.
Design> Repetition
51. Grids
Create a simple grid where you can adapt all your designs. This
way, you can align elements throughout your presentation giving
it a clear design balance, flow, focus, natural cohesiveness and
aesthetic quality that is not accidental but purposefully designed.
Design> Grids
52. Handouts
Design> Handouts
Many presenters design their slides so that they can simply use their presentation as
a handout. Slides are speaker-support material and are thus completely incapable of
standing by themselves. Handouts on the other hand have to work by themselves. They
are two very different mediums.
By creating a proper handout, you will not feel compelled to include everything in
your slides. It should be distributed after your talk, you do not want the audience to be
reading the material instead of listening to you.
53. Design> Final Thought
For those who have Keynote, and especially because we are
an Apple agency, we should use the Keynote remote app as it
demonstrates our products and tech-savvyness.
Final Thought
http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/staff-picks/keynote-remote.html
55. 36-
90hrs
Time Estimate for Developing a Presentation
Research &
Collect Input
6-20hrs
Audience
Needs Map
1hr
Generate Ideas
via Sticky notes
2hrs
Organize Ideas
1hr
Get Colleague
Critiques
1hr
Rehearse, Rehearse,
Rehearse
20-60hrs
Sketch out Structure
or Storyboard
2hrs
Even if it is not specific to us, take note of the total
hours needed to do a generic presentation.
56. Books to Read
Written by Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte Design,
this book is full of practical approaches to visual
story development that can be applied by anyone.
The book combines conceptual thinking and
inspirational design, with insightful case studies
from the world’s leading brands.
Internationally acclaimed presentation designer,
Garr Reynolds, shares his experience in a
provocative mix of illumination, inspiration,
education, and guidance that will change the way
you think about making presentations.
57. Videos to Watch
Guy Kawasaki illustrates a mini-set of rules to
conquer typical Power Point low-legibility, visual
boredom and inability to augment the presentation
being delivered.
Nancy Duarte, the founder of the leading
presentation design firm, illustrates how to go
from producing drab powerpoints to dazzling
presentations.
Garr Reynolds, presentation design expert, shares
his experience in a mix of inspiration, education,
and guidance that will change the way you think
about making presentations.
58. Presentations to Check out
Tips and tricks on how to create better stories for
your next presentation.
TED talks present Hans Rossling, who shows us a
new way of displaying statistics and information.
How do I start when creating a presentation?
What are the things to focus on? How should I
approach the design? This presentation tries to
answer these questions.
Al Gore’s presentation about global warming
was very effective due to its ability to inform mass
amounts of people through a simple and intuitive
approach.
Fighting death by Power Point... How to not make a
presentation that bored your audience to death.
59. Web sites to Visit
Blog.duarte.com is regularly updated with the
latest events, competitions, and tips & tricks about
presentation design.
Slideshare.com is an online presentation-sharing
web site that allows users to upload their
presentations, share comments and exchange tips.
60. Workshops to Consider
Presentation//reboot is a $675, 6-hour seminar about
presentation design and it covers everything form slide
design to delivery. It is held by presentation experts
Nancy Duarte and Garr Reynolds.
The slide:ology workshop is a 6-hour workshop
that is held monthly and taught at Duarte’s office.
It covers the presentation from conceptualization
to design.
62. Other Presentation Styles to Consider
It is not an official method per se, but many people credit Stanford law
professor Lawrence Lessig for making it famous. There are no limits to the
number of slides and they usually move very fast. Below is a great example
where there are over 243 slides but the presentation is 15 minutes long.
This is Guy Kawasaki’s rule of maximums. Every presentation should only
have 10 slides, be longer than 20 minutes, and have a minimum of 30 point
font size.
It is a presentation style that limits each presenter to 20 slides a presentation, 20
seconds a slide, totalling 6 minutes and 40 seconds for the each presentation.
This is a basic guide that should not be followed to the teeth. Following it
word for word will produce disastrous results.
http://randomfoo.net/oscon/2002/lessig/free.html
Lessig Method 1-7-7
10/20/30 Pecha Kucha
63. A Friendly Reminder
People are limited to a 20 minute attention span per “information venue,” be it slides, prototypes or boards.