Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentations Avoiding DEATH BY POWERPOINT Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentations Adapted from Victor Chen, ERAU

Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentation Big Simple Consistent Clear Summary

Make it Big (Text) This is Arial 44 This is Arial 36 This is Arial 32

Make it Big (Text) This is Arial 44 This is Arial 36 This is Arial 32 Too Small This is Arial 12 This is Arial 18 This is Arial 24 This is Arial 32 This is Arial 36 This is Arial 44

Too many different font sizes Keep It Simple (Text) Too many colors Too Many Fonts and Styles Too many different font sizes

Keep It Simple (Text) List main ideas only – bullets Avoid full sentences 20 word rule Speak the details

Too detailed ! Keep It Simple (Text) Instructional Technology: A complex integrated process involving people, procedures, ideas, devices, and organization, for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems in situations in which learning is purposive and controlled (HMRS 5th ed.) Too detailed !

Much Simpler Keep It Simple (Text) Instructional Technology: Offers solutions to problems in learning Involves people, procedures & tools (HMRS 5th ed.) Instructional Technology: Much Simpler

Keep It Simple (Picture) Artwork may distract your audience Artistry does not substitute for content

Keep It Simple (Sound) Sound effects may distract too Use sound only when necessary

Keep It Simple (Transition) This transition is annoying, not enhancing "Appear" and "Disappear" are better

Keep It Simple (Animation) 7 ft Too distracting !

Keep It Simple (Animation) 7 ft Simple & to the point

Make It Clear (Capitalization) ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE DIFFICULT TO READ Upper and lower case letters are easier

Make It Clear (Fonts) Italics are difficult to read on screen Normal or bold fonts are clearer Underlines may signify hyperlinks Instead, use colors to emphasise

Make It Clear (Colors) This is a good mix of colors. Readable! This is a bad mix of colors. Low contrast. Unreadable! This is a good mix of colors. Readable! This is a bad mix of colors. Avoid bright colors on white. Unreadable!

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract This tick draws attention

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract These differences distract!

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract This implies importance 

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract Confusing differences!

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract This surprise attracts

Be Consistent Differences draw attention Differences may imply importance Use surprises to attract not distract These distract!

In Summary Big Simple Clear Consistent “The purpose of using visual aids is to enhance your presentation, not upstage it.” Lenny Laskowski PowerPointers.com

What’s Wrong With This Slide? 2. The data suggest that the high-level wells tap interconnected, though bounded, aquifers whose rate of water level decline is inversely proportional to its volume. Future well drilling for high-level potable sources must include accurate, well-designed aquifer tests that will aid in the determination of geologic boundaries to provide information on the geometry of the aquifer. 3. The data suggest that there may be more than geological mechanism that created the high-level aquifer. 4. The data suggest that there is a water level pattern observed in the high-level wells with Keopu being the “drain” for the ground-water flow system. The ground-water flux south of Keopu is to the north, and north of Keopu, the ground-water flow is to the south. 5. Some high-level wells do exhibit quasi-stable water levels, and show little variation over time. Use of long-term water level transducers in these wells should continue in conjunction with long-term water level transducers in those wells that show water level decline. Real time correlation between water levels in the wells with climatic conditions measured at Lanihau Rain Gage will provide better insight into the behavior of the potable high-level aquifers.