1. Standing Out from the Crowd
Effective PowerPoint Design
Adapted from Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentations by Victor Chen

2. Effective Presentations
Using Text
Using Graphics
Using Special Effects
Introducing Subjects Gradually

3. Using Text Effectively

4. BIG
Make text

5. Make Text Big 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

6. How to Check Font Size Look at slides from 6 – 7 feet away
If you can read it, you’re good-to-go
Photo by Jeff Bettens
Photo courtesy Stock.xchng

7. Headlines bigger than text
Headlines should
be bigger than text
Headlines: pt.
Text: pt.
Photo courtesy of Stock.xchng

8. Using Font Styles Never use all caps
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE DIFFICULT TO READ
Upper and lower case letters are easier
Use san serif fonts
Verdana
Arial
Helvetica

9. T T Make Fonts Clear Easy to read Hard to read Sanserif font

10. Use Easy-to-read Fonts
Serif fonts are difficult to read on screen
Sanserif fonts are clearer
Italics are difficult to read on screen
Normal or bold fonts are clearer
Underlining signifies hyperlinks
Instead, use colours to emphasize

11. Make Lists Clear Use numbers for lists with sequence For example:
How do you put an elephant into a fridge?
1. Open the door of the fridge
2. Put the elephant in
3. Close the door
From Chen, Victor. Effective PowerPoint Design.

12. Make Lists Clear How do you put a giraffe into a fridge?
1. Open the door of the fridge
2. Take out the elephant
3. Put the giraffe in
4. Close the door
From Chen, Victor. Effective PowerPoint Design.

13. Use Bullets Effectively
Use bullets to show a list without
Priority
Sequence
Hierarchy, …..
From Chen, Victor. Effective PowerPoint Design.

14. Avoid Too Many Fonts and Styles
Keep Text Simple
Follow the 666 rule
No more than 6 lines per slide
No more than 6 words per line
No more than 6 text slides in a row
Avoid TOO many colors
Avoid Too Many Fonts and Styles

15. Way too many details! Do Not Overdo Text
Lindstrom (2000) states that each of the optic nerves uses 1,000,000 nerve fibers to send information simultaneously to the cerebral cortex of the brain. In contrast, each auditory nerve consists of only 30,000 fibers. In the brain’s cortex, about 30 percent of the nerve cells are devoted to visual processing, whereas touch accounts for eight percent and hearing only three percent. Humans experience the world visually, reading five times faster than the average person speaks and registering a full-color image, a megabyte of data in a mere fraction of a second. In addition, seeing photos often triggers emotional responses in individuals.
Way too many details!

16. Much Simpler to follow Use Bullets to Explain
Eyes have 1,000,000 fibers to brain.
Process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
Ears have 30,000 fibers to the brain.
Words processed sequentially.
Images processed simultaneously..
Much Simpler to follow

17. Keep Text Simple Headline Times New Roman The most elegant design
Uses same font throughout
Emphasizes differences using style
Bold, italic, bold italic, normal
Or headlines one font, text another:
Headline Times New Roman
Text Arial

18. Use Contrasting Text This is hard to read. This is easy to read.
Use contrasting colours
This is hard to read.
This is easy to read.

19. This is even easier to read.
Use Contrasting Text
Dark on light better than light on dark
This is easy to read.
This is even easier to read.

20. Use Differences Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
The check draws attention

21. Do Not Use Too Many Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
Too many differences distract

22. Different Colors for Focus
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
This implies importance

23. Too Much Color Distracts
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
Too many differences Distract

24. Using Graphics

25. Do Not Overuse Graphics
Graphics may distract your audience
Artistry does not substitute for content

26. Be Consistent in Style Graphics have different looks
Graphics and photos don’t mix well

27. Be Consistent in Style Graphics have different “looks”
Use graphics that have similar styles
This graphic doesn’t “fit”

28. Use Big Pictures Big pictures imply importance
Big pictures are easier to see
Big pictures have greater impact
Photo by Jason Hochman

29. Use Focal Points Focal point directs attention To here…
Photo from

30. Focal Points Emphasize
Focal point lead the eye
Photo from
Off the page…

31. RAM sales after Vista released
Make Simple Charts
RAM sales after Vista released
Month
BuyBest
USA Comp
City Circuit
February
$ 12,
$ 23,456,654
$ 3,123,456
Mar
$ 11,234,456
$ 12,654,321
$ 16,678,910
April
$ 14,321,444
$ 6,543,423
$ 12,123,543
May
$ 16,188,888
$ 11,654,545
$ 9,944,444
June
$ 4,736,799
$ 12,234,567
$ 10,876,678
July
$ 9,234,345
$ 1,554,165
$ 1,123,456
August
$ 8,732,355
$ 12,344,343
$ 12,123,456
$ 7,654,244
$ 12,207,222
Too much detail

32. RAM sales after Vista released
Simple is Easier to Read
RAM sales after Vista released
Dollars in 103
BuyBest
USA Comp
City Circuit
February
12,652
13,457
14,123
Mar
11,234
12,654
16,679
April
14,321
11,543
12,124
May
16,189
11,655
12,944
June
9,737
12,234
10,877
July
9,234
11,554
11,123
August
10,732
12,344
12,123
14,654
12,207
12,235
14,234
15,543
Much easier
to process

33. RAM sales after Vista released
Make Simple Graphs
RAM sales after Vista released
Too much detail

34. Graphs Should Be Simple
RAM sales after Vista released
Much easier to process

35. Use Special Effects Wisely

36. Use Transitions Carefully
This transition is annoying, not enhancing
So is this
And this, too.
"Appear" and "Disappear" are better
Fade can be used (sparingly)
Zoom can be used more sparingly

37. Use Animations for Effect
This is a photograph.
Too distracting !
This is clipart
Photograph by Randy Aryanto.

38. Not distracting Keep Animation Simple This is a photograph.
This is clipart
Not distracting
Photograph by Randy Aryanto.

39. Animated Gifs Distract
Surgery as a Career
Requires substantial school after baccalaureate
Allows you to work in hospital or private practice
Can specialize in surgical area
Pays well
Distracting
Animated gif from

40. Not Distracting Focus is on Content Surgery as a Career
Requires substantial school after baccalaureate
Allows you to work in hospital or private practice
Can specialize in surgical area
Pays well
Not Distracting
Photo from

41. Surprise Emphasizes Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
This surprise attracts

42. Do not Overdo “Surprise”
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
These distract

43. Use Sound Carefully Sound effects may distract too
Narration or soft background music better

44. Introduce Content Gradually

45. Advance Organizer Too much at once data data data data data data
Integrative Integrative Integrative
Reconciliation Reconciliation Reconciliation
Too much at once
data data data data data data data
Integrative Reconciliation
data
data data data data data data data
data data data data data
data data data
Slide courtesy of Dr. Howard Jones

46. Advance Organizer A bit easier to follow data data data data data data
Integrative Integrative Integrative
Reconciliation Reconciliation Reconciliation
A bit easier to follow
data data data data data data data
Integrative Reconciliation
data
Integrative Reconciliation
data data data data data data data
data data data data data
data data data
Slide courtesy of Dr. Howard Jones

47. G-E-O Triangle Goal Experienced Observed
Both teacher
and observer recognize a bad lesson
Teacher recalls a great lesson; observer recognizes a bad lesson
Goal
satisfaction
competence
Experienced
Observed
realism
Teacher recalls a rotten lesson; observer recognizes a pretty good one lesson
Teacher recalls a great lesson; observer recognizes a bad lesson

48. Goal G-E-O Triangle Experienced Observed satisfaction competence
realism

49.   Goal G-E-O Triangle Experienced Observed
Both teacher and observer recognize a good lesson  
Experienced
Observed

50.   Goal G-E-O Triangle Experienced Observed
Both teacher and observer recognize a bad lesson
Experienced
Observed

51.   Goal G-E-O Triangle Experienced Observed
Teacher recalls a great lesson; observer recognizes a bad lesson
Observed

52.   Goal G-E-O Triangle Experienced Observed
Teacher recalls a rotten lesson; observer recognizes a pretty good one lesson
Experienced
G-E-O Triangle Slides Courtesy of Dr. Howard Jones

53. Summarizing Use text effectively Use graphics effectively
Use special effects carefully
Introduce content gradually

54. Some Final Words Communication is the purpose
Use text to support communication
Use pictures to simplify complex concepts
Use animations for complex relationships
Use visuals to support, not to distract
Use sounds only when absolutely necessary
From Chen, Victor. Effective PowerPoint Design.

55. References
Atkinson, C. (n.d.). Sociable media. Retrieved August 4, 2007 from
Bajaj, B. (n.d.) Using text effectively in PowerPoint. Retrieved August 10, 2007 from
Burmark, L. (2007). Visual literacy: Learn to see, see to learn. Thornburg Center for Professional Development:
Chen, V. (n.d.). Designing effective PowerPoint presentations:

56. Sommerville J. (n. d. ). Peak communication performance
Sommerville J. (n.d.). Peak communication performance. Retrieved August from
Using PowerPoint effectively (n.d.). Retrieved August 6, 2007 from