1. I. GUIDELINES FOR A BETTER POWER POINT PRESENTATION
A presentation is a great way to demonstrate what you’ve learned — hours of
study condensed into a few short minutes. But great presentations aren’t just
about great content. They’re also about design.
Good presentation design won’t fix bad content. However, bad design can ruin an
otherwise exemplary presentation.
So what should you do? You’ve checked the box for pitch perfect content. But
your design is lacking and your deadline is looming. It’s time to read through
these tips for great class presentation design.
Without any prior presentation design experience, you can create a presentation
that looks as good as it sounds (and hopefully helps you bag those top grades
too!). What’s more, these presentation skills will serve you well throughout your
college years and your professional life to come.
Here’s how to ace your presentation design…
1. Consistency — but not monotony
2. Avoid too much text
3. Highlight important keywords
4. Make use of charts and graphs
5. Use visual communication strategies
6. Adapt to your environment
7. End strong
Tip 1: Consistency — but not monotony
We’ve all been there. Sitting in front of a PowerPoint presentation with slide after
slide in exactly the same layout.
What happens? You drift off. You sneak a look at your mobile. You stop engaging
with the content of the presentation.
So how can you stop your presentation from suffering a similar fate? You engage
your audience with varied but consistent design. Here’s what that means:
Mix it up
2. Vary your slide layout and how you present your content. One slide may have just
bullet points, another only images, and another with a mixture of text and
pictures.
Keep it consistent
Variety is a good thing. But not if it ends up making your presentation look
muddled and unprofessional. So stick to the same font and color scheme. And
make sure the same design features run through the whole of your presentation
to create a cohesive look and feel.
Get the right mix of variety and consistency in your presentation design and
you’ll find it easier to catch and maintain the attention of your audience.
Tip 2: Avoid too much text
Text-heavy presentation slides are a big no-no. You end up reading from the
slides rather than presenting. And your audience ends up either overwhelmed or
just plain bored.
While it’s tempting to showcase all your hard-earned research and knowledge,
your class presentation slides shouldn’t include everything you want to
communicate.
Instead, treat your slides as a support for what you plan to say; a visual aid that
helps to bring a little extra clarity to your verbal points.
That means using your slides to highlight just the main points. You can do this
by:
Getting rid of bullet points
Wordy bullet points defy the point of bullet pointing. So break up your bullets by
presenting one per page. Use icons instead of bullets to bring life to your text. Or
try splitting your text into columns to prevent bullet point overload.
Maintaining white space
When we talk about white space, we mean the parts of a slide that don’t feature
any text, photos, or illustrations. Maintaining a good proportion of white space on
3. your slides helps your audience to understand the content (and it looks better
too!).
Tip 3: Highlight important keywords
Within your text, you should draw attention to keywords. This will make it even
easier for your audience to understand and absorb the key points of your
presentation.
Bold fonts, contrast colors, highlight text with a background color — these are all
really easy ways you can make your keywords stand out. Just avoid using all
capital letters as this comes across as YELLING!
Tip 4: Make use of charts and graphs
We all love a good stat. Charts and graphs are a great way to present quantitative
evidence and confirm the legitimacy of your claims. They make your presentation
more visually appealing and make your data more memorable too.
But don’t delve too deep into the details. Providing an overview of key data
insights is the best approach if you’re planning to hold an audience’s attention.
Your chart will only be up on the screen for minutes, if not seconds. So adopt a
less is more approach. You can do this by customizing your chart and
highlighting the stuff that matters most. Color, arrows, bold text — these are all
ways you can draw attention to important data.
As well as making your presentation more engaging, customizing charts to fit
with your overall design has the added benefit of making your presentation look
more professional.
Tip 5: Use visual communication strategies
Speech and text aren’t the only ways we can communicate an idea. Your
presentation visuals can do a lot of the talking for you. By visuals, we mean
images, graphs, videos, infographics and even the fonts you use.
4. Content with visual elements is easier to process and more accessible too. It’s
also really good at creating emotion in your audience. It’s the backbone of great
presentation design.
Interested in giving your presentation a visual communication edge? Start by
taking a look at these visual communication tips.
Tip 6: Adapt to your environment
Think about where you’ll be delivering your presentation. How big is the room?
What shape is it? What is the lighting like? Practical considerations like these
should always be taken into account when coming up with a class presentation
design.
If your presentation space is very well-lit, creating a strong contrast between your
presentation text and background will make the text more legible.
If your classroom is huge, increasing the size of your font and any graphic
elements will ensure your presentation can be seen even by those sitting right at
the back.
Take some time to consider your surroundings and then design your
presentation accordingly.
Tip 7: End strong
Go out with a bang! The conclusion of your presentation should be a call to
action. Use direct language and make impactful summary points.
And if your content ends on a strong note, so too should your presentation slide.
Create a slide design that carries as much weight as your words by including big
text, big images, and/or a boldly colored background.
5. II. How to Prepare for A Presentation (Guiding Principles)
Preparing for a presentation is much like preparing for a journey. It requires anticipation,
organization, and a clear understanding of the destination.
This step-by-step guide will provide you an insight in to creating engaging, clear, and
visually appealing PowerPoint presentations. Creating a compelling and informative
experience for the audience through PowerPoint presentation is an essential skill,
whether you're a student, a business professional, or an educator. A good PowerPoint
presentation can effectively communicate your ideas, engage your audience, and
support your speech or discussion.
Here’s a detailed guide to crafting presentations that are not only informative but also
captivating. By following this guide will help you discover expert tips on how to prepare
for a presentation, from understanding your audience to mastering delivery with the
assurance that your message is not only heard but also resonates.
Understanding Your Audience
Audience Analysis
Before you begin crafting your presentation, you must first understand who will be
receiving your message. Consider the following:
Who are they?
Knowing the demographics and professional backgrounds of your audience can guide
the tone and style of your presentation.
What is their level of expertise?
Adjust the complexity of your information based on their familiarity with the topic.
What are their expectations?
Understand what your audience hopes to gain from your presentation, whether it’s
learning something new, solving a problem, or finding inspiration.
Tailoring Content to Audience Needs
Once you understand your audience, tailor your content to meet their specific needs:
Adjusting complexity: Simplify complex topics or delve deeper based on the
audience's expertise.
Focusing on relevant topics: Highlight information that is most relevant to the
audience’s interests or professional needs.
6. Defining the Purpose of Your Presentation
Setting Clear Objectives
Define what you want to achieve with your presentation. Are you aiming to inform,
persuade, or entertain? Establishing this early on will guide your content development:
Key messages and takeaways: What are the one or two key messages you want the
audience to remember?
Aligning Goals with Audience Expectations
Ensure your objectives align with what the audience expects to receive:
Ensuring relevance and engagement: Make sure the content is relevant and will
engage your audience from start to finish.
Conducting Thorough Research
Gathering Relevant Information
Research is the backbone of any strong presentation:
Finding credible sources: Use reputable sources to build the foundation of your
presentation.
Collecting data and examples: Support your points with data and real-world examples
that reinforce your message.
Verifying Facts and Figures
Accuracy is crucial:
Ensuring accuracy: Double-check your data and sources.
Avoiding misinformation: Be vigilant in ensuring all information is current and
accurate.
Crafting a Strong Outline
Structuring Your Presentation
Organize your content with a clear structure:
Introduction, body, and conclusion: Present a logical flow that smoothly transitions
from one point to the next.
Logical flow of ideas: Ensure each section naturally leads to the next.
Highlighting Key Points
Make your presentation memorable by focusing on the essentials:
Focusing on essential information: Highlight key points throughout to make them
stand out.
Avoiding overload: Do not overwhelm your audience with too much information at
once.
7. Designing Effective Visual Aids
Creating Engaging Slides
Visuals can significantly enhance understanding:
Using visuals to enhance understanding: Include images, graphs, and charts that
complement your spoken words.
Maintaining a clean and simple design: Avoid cluttered slides to keep your
audience’s attention focused.
Incorporating Multimedia Elements
Multimedia can add a dynamic element to your presentation:
Videos and audio clips: Use these to break up your presentation and maintain
engagement.
Interactive elements: Incorporate polls or quizzes to interact with the audience.
Practicing Your Delivery
Rehearsing Your Presentation
Practice makes perfect:
Timing your speech: Ensure your presentation fits within the allotted time.
Refining your delivery style: Work on your pacing, tone, and body language.
Seeking Feedback
Feedback is invaluable:
Practicing in front of peers: Gather constructive criticism to refine your presentation.
Making necessary adjustments: Use the feedback to make final tweaks to your
presentation.
Overcoming Presentation Anxiety
Techniques for Managing Nervousness
Stay calm and collected:
Breathing exercises: Use these to manage stress.
Positive visualization: Imagine a successful presentation to boost confidence.
Building Confidence Through Preparation
The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel:
Knowing your material thoroughly: Familiarity breeds confidence.
Preparing for potential questions: Anticipate questions and prepare your answers.
Technical Preparation
Familiarizing Yourself with Equipment
Avoid technical glitches:
8. Testing projectors and microphones: Ensure all equipment works properly.
Ensuring compatibility with devices: Check that your presentation is compatible with
the provided hardware.
Having a Backup Plan
Always be prepared for the unexpected:
Preparing for technical failures: Have a backup of your presentation in multiple
formats.
Printing handouts: Provide physical copies of your presentation as a fallback.
Engaging Your Audience
Developing Strong Opening and Closing Statements
Make a lasting impression:
Capturing attention from the start: Begin with an interesting fact or story.
Leaving a lasting impression: End with a strong call to action or a thought-provoking
question.
Encouraging Audience Interaction
Make your presentation a two-way conversation:
Asking questions: Engage the audience with direct questions.
Facilitating discussions: Encourage audience participation to make your session
more interactive.
Evaluating Your Performance
Self-Assessment Techniques
Learn from every presentation:
Reviewing your performance: Reflect on what went well and what didn’t.
Identifying areas for improvement: Focus on these areas in your next presentation.
Learning from Feedback
Feedback is a gift:
Listening to audience feedback: Take note of audience reactions and comments.
Applying lessons to future presentations: Use this feedback to continuously
improve.
Conclusion
A good PowerPoint presentation is well-planned, well-practiced, and well-delivered. By
understanding your audience, organizing your content thoughtfully, designing your
slides for clarity and impact, and rehearsing your delivery, you can ensure that your
presentation is successful and engaging.
9. Always aim for simplicity, clarity, and visual impact, and you'll be able to communicate
your message effectively and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Thorough preparation is key to delivering a successful presentation. Recap the main
points covered, and encourage continuous practice and improvement. Remember, each
presentation is an opportunity to refine your skills and connect more effectively with your
audience.
