Making a presentation which has an impact on the audience seems like a daunting task. The most important factors are the design of the presentation, the layout, the font used, and the color combination. A presentation does not need to be appealing, but rich in context i.e. it should convey the desired information and purpose to the targeted audience with minimum hassle.
A good PowerPoint presentation is like a good argument. It shows coherent structure and uses visual and textual evidence to reinforce its claim. PowerPoint is a multi-media format—incorporating elements of written, oral, and visual communication—whether you are working to streamline text, bullet-point an argument, or manage blank space it is important to understand your contents and context. The basic design rules are:
Rule 1: Use blank space to group or separate items
Rule 2: Use visual balance to please the eye
Rule 3: Create contrast to make objects stand out
The simpler the design the better the chances of conveying the contents and meaning through the presentation, however one must keep in mind not to clutter the slides with information which is over-whelming and creates confusion in minds of the audience. It is important to communicating complex ideas in a clear, accessible, and memorable format. Before making a presentation it would be a good idea to keep the following factors in mind:
- Slide layout – Choosing or making a template which fits the subject to be communicated
- Choose fonts and colors for legibility – Use of colors i.e. backgrounds, fonts and texts
- Defining a template through slide masters, templates & themes – create a better template by creating a theme to be used throughout the presentation
- Create effective charts, graphs, tables & diagrams
- Insert images and hyperlinks wherever required
Emphasis should be placed on maintaining visual and grammatical parallelism, optimizing text and image display, organizing information effectively, and animating for optimum effect. Avoid using vibrant colors which takes the focus off the text of the presentation. By focusing on making good choices about everything from blank space to color, a presentation can be designed that enhances and underscores the content and objectives of their verbal argument.
Check out our post on the Importance and Impact of colors on websites and be sure to leave us feedback.
