Standing Out from the Crowd

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

• Using Text
• Using Graphics
• Using Special Effects
• Introducing Subjects Gradually

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Using Text Effectively
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Make text
BIG
5
Make Text Big
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

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How to Check Font Size

• Look at slides from 6 7 feet away
• If you can read it, youre good-to-go

Photo by Jeff Bettens
Photo courtesy Stock.xchng
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Headlines bigger than text

• Headlines should
• be bigger than text
• Headlines 40-44 pt.
• Text 24-32 pt.

Photo courtesy of Stock.xchng
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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

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Make Fonts Clear
T
T
Sanserif font
Serif font
Easy to read
Hard to read
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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

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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.
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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.
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Use Bullets Effectively

• Use bullets to show a list without
• Priority
• Sequence
• Hierarchy, ..

From Chen, Victor. Effective PowerPoint Design.
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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

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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 brains
  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!
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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
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Keep Text Simple

• 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

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Use Contrasting Text

• Use contrasting colours

This is hard to read.
This is easy to read.
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Use Contrasting Text

• Dark on light better than light on dark

This is easy to read.
This is even easier to read.
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Use Differences

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

The check draws attention
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Do Not Use Too Many

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

Too many differences distract
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Different Colors for Focus

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

This implies importance
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Too Much Color Distracts

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

Too many differences Distract
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Using Graphics
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Do Not Overuse Graphics

• Graphics may distract your audience

• Artistry does not substitute for content

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Be Consistent in Style

• Graphics have different looks

• Graphics and photos dont mix well

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Be Consistent in Style

• Graphics have different looks

• Use graphics that have similar styles

This graphic doesnt fit
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Use Big Pictures

• Big pictures imply importance
• Big pictures are easier to see
• Big pictures have greater impact

Photo by Jason Hochman
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Use Focal Points

• Focal point directs attention

To here
Photo from http//www.sxc.hu
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Focal Points Emphasize

• Focal point lead the eye

Photo from http//www.sxc.hu
Off the page
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Make Simple Charts
RAM sales after Vista released
Month BuyBest USA Comp City Circuit
February 12,652.446 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
July 7,654,244 12,207,222 12,234,567
August 16,678,910 11,234,456 6,543,423
Too much detail
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RAM sales after Vista released
Simple is Easier to Read
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
July 14,654 12,207 12,235
August 16,679 14,234 15,543
Much easier to process
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Make Simple Graphs
RAM sales after Vista released
Too much detail
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Graphs Should Be Simple
RAM sales after Vista released
Much easier to process
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Use Special Effects Wisely
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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

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Use Animations for Effect
This is a photograph.
Too distracting !
This is clipart
Photograph by Randy Aryanto.
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Keep Animation Simple
This is a photograph.
This is clipart
Not distracting
Photograph by Randy Aryanto.
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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 http//www.animationfactory.com
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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 http//www.photos.com
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Surprise Emphasizes

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

This surprise attracts
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Do not Overdo Surprise

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

These distract
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Use Sound Carefully

• Sound effects may distract too

• Narration or soft background music better

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Introduce Content Gradually
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Advance Organizer
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
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Advance Organizer
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
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G-E-O Triangle
Teacher recalls a great lesson observer
recognizes a bad lesson
Both teacher and observer recognize a bad lesson
Goal
competence
satisfaction
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
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G-E-O Triangle
Goal
satisfaction
competence
Experienced
Observed
realism
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G-E-O Triangle
Goal
Both teacher and observer recognize a good lesson
?
?
Experienced
Observed
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G-E-O Triangle
Goal
?
?
Both teacher and observer recognize a bad lesson
Experienced
Observed
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G-E-O Triangle
?
Goal
Experienced
?
Teacher recalls a great lesson observer
recognizes a bad lesson
Observed
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G-E-O Triangle
?
Goal
Observed
?
Teacher recalls a rotten lesson observer
recognizes a pretty good one lesson
Experienced
G-E-O Triangle Slides Courtesy of Dr. Howard Jones
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Summarizing

• Use text effectively
• Use graphics effectively
• Use special effects carefully
• Introduce content gradually

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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.
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References

• Atkinson, C. (n.d.). Sociable media. Retrieved
  August 4, 2007 from http//www.sociablemedia.com/
• Bajaj, B. (n.d.) Using text effectively in
  PowerPoint. Retrieved August 10, 2007 from
• http//pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArti
  cle.asp?ID543
• Burmark, L. (2007). Visual literacy Learn to
  see, see to learn. Thornburg Center for
  Professional Development http//www.tcpd.org/Burm
  ark/Books/VisualBook.html
• Chen, V. (n.d.). Designing effective PowerPoint
  presentations http//www.uctl.canterbury.ac.nz/d
  ocuments/presentation.ppt

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• Sommerville J. (n.d.). Peak communication
  performance. Retrieved August 6. 2007 from
  http//desktoppub.about.com/od/microsoft/bb/powerp
  ointrules.htm
• Using PowerPoint effectively (n.d.). Retrieved
  August 6, 2007 from http//www.worsleyschool.net/s
  cience/files/powerpoint/page.html