Designing a PowerPoint Presentation A collaboration of the Media Center for the MSC I Students The Department of Medical Education FMHS
Overview Basic Concepts The Design Legibility Photos and Clip art
Slides should complement the presentation. should contain only main ideas. Probably the most important concept is that a slide presentation should complement the presenter's exposition, it is not there to carry the whole of the message, rather to be a partner with the presenter in the process of explanation.
Basic Concepts Slides should be consistent should contain one main idea In reality most audiences are incapable of ignoring the rest of the slide and will spend their time looking at it rather than listening to the teacher. One idea in more than one slide: yes,/ A further benefit is that regular slide changes help the speaker to keep the pace of the presentation going.
Slides Text and images must be relevant
Slides can kill! Probably the most important concept is that a slide presentation should complement the presenter's exposition, it is not there to carry the whole of the message, rather to be a partner with the presenter in the process of explanation. One idea per slide Information (text and images) on the slides should be relevant of the topic in question The bad example slide
The Design Ready templates Modified templates Original templates but Whatever design is chosen, it should be used consistently throughout the talk MS templates can be used as they are or modified to suit the presenter’s requirements. However, these are designed mainly for the business market and they are of unnecessarily complicated design for a lecture to a medical audience. It is probably better to design from scratch.
The Design Format and orientation Fonts Text Color and Contrast These are the main matters that need consideration at the basic design stage. Ideally the first steps in designing a set of slides should be carried out with pencil and paper (outline a plan) rather than at the computer keyboard. The time to switch, the computer on is when the basic design has been decided, or at least narrowed down to one or two concepts. It can take considerably longer to design from scratch with a computer than it does on paper.
Format On-screen show Portrait or landscape The 'comfort zone' White space Background Slide design If simplicity is the keynote in planning slides The design of any slide should include a sufficient margin of background around its edges, to provide a 'comfort zone'. Information or drawings that fill a slide to its edges make it look overcrowded and less comfortable to look at. In the same way that a slide needs a comfort zone, so the body of the slide needs 'white space'. Designers use blank areas on pages in order to help the reader through the data and to avoid the appearance of overcrowding. In the same way, the designer of slides should allow sufficient space for the information to be easily interpreted and assimilated by the viewer. Beware patterned backgrounds, which can reduce readability of text. The plain background or one with simple graduation of tint is ideal. Slide design: fix elements, rules, banners.
Fonts Serif vs. sans serif Be careful with variety Avoid CAPITALIZATION & underlining Italics, Bold & color for emphasis Consistency! Emphasis is best achieved by italics, size, weight or colour rather than underlining. / The problem with underlining is that it interferes with the descenders of the letters and thereby reduces the distinctness of the shape of the words. If underlining must be used, it should be achieved by using a separate rule that does not touch the text. Bullets at the start of new points are of considerable help to the viewer when used properly. They should be of appropriate size and colour and should be positioned with a hanging indent so that they are clear of the text they introduce. If the purpose of using bullets is to draw attention to points, there is little purpose to burying them among the text.
CAPITALISATION OF TITLE TEXT Capitalization Of Title Text Capitalization of Title Text Underlining for emphasis Italics for emphasis Bold for emphasis
72 point Tahoma 48 point Times New Roman Fonts Size 28 point Arial Narrow 24 point Arial Narrow 24 point Arial Narrow 18 point Arial Narrow 18 point Arial Narrow 18 point Arial
Text Spelling and grammar Line length and breaks Rule of six Get help! Avoid a bad wrap Rule of six Six words per line Six lines per slide Use spelling check, and if you ara not sure…ask! Rule of six, should be “maximun of”
Color Avoid too much colour Should have strong contrast Select two or three colors and their variations Color lends emotional impact to your presentations, but too much color or the wrong color can muddle your message. Most people don't know that the selection of individual colors is not as important as the relationships they create. Select colors with strong contrast to ensure that your message is presented clearly
Color and Contrast Contrast is an important tool for differentiating and emphasizing information. Just as you wouldn’t plant pale yellow flowers in front of a white wall if you wanted to see and enjoy them you would also not choose slightly contrasting colors for type and background
Text Text Text Text Text Text Color and Contrast Contrast is an important tool for differentiating and emphasizing information. Just as you wouldn’t plant pale yellow flowers in front of a white wall if you wanted to see and enjoy them you would also not choose slightly contrasting colors for type and background
Color and Contrast Text Legibility is determined by size of the text, font, style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides Text Legibility is determined by size of the text, font, style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides Legibility is determined by size of the lettering, choice of type face (font), style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides at first. Use the above guidelines to get rid of unnecessary text. Your audience can read faster than you can talk;
Color and Contrast Text Legibility is determined by size of the text, font, style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides Text Legibility is determined by size of the text, font, style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides Legibility is determined by size of the lettering, choice of type face (font), style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides at first. Use the above guidelines to get rid of unnecessary text. Your audience can read faster than you can talk;
Legibility Can you read everything from back row? Legibility is determined by size of the lettering, choice of type face (font), style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. Contrast is key to legibility. Make it BIG:
Legibility Bad example? Legibility is determined by size of the lettering, choice of type face (font), style, case, line length, line, word and letter spacing, and contrast with the background. We all tend to put too many words on our slides at first. Use the above guidelines to get rid of unnecessary text. Your audience can read faster than you can talk;
Photos and Clip Art Should be clear and suitable All images should be relevant PowerPoint library Online libraries A poor image can be worse than no image, and poor-quality images should not be used file size/s and format to use to produce the best output. Picture files that are too large will cause your program to work slowly and take up excess space on your disk or hard drive, picture files that are too small will result in jaggy, rastered images.
Photos and Clip Art The bad example slide
Legibility Control your content Main points only Limited use of color Keep it simple & be consistent Legibility Control your content Main points only Limited use of color Relevant images only
Thank you Questions? Comments? Ms Ivanna Lizarriturri, Graphic Designer, Media Center, ext 163