Tips for Clear Presentation Design

If you want your next presentation to inform, engage, and stick, this is the framework you need….. One of my best reads (A summary) Fact: AI slide generators won’t save you. Powerful slides aren’t about automation. Slides aren’t filler. They’re the frame that holds your message; visually, cognitively, and emotionally. A single slide can speak more powerfully than 10 spoken minutes when done well. ——————————————— ➊ 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 ➜ A slide = one thought. No more. No less. 📌 Break complex ideas into digestible visuals. ➋ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲” ➜ If it takes longer than a minute to explain a slide… 📌 It’s doing too much. Cut or split it. ➌ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 ➜ “Results” isn’t a heading. 📌 Try: “This method increases accuracy by 37%.” ➍ 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 ➜ If you won’t speak to it, delete it. 📌 Every extra label is cognitive noise. ➎ 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 ➜ Add references as you build, not at the end. 📌 A polished slide acknowledges others. ➏ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝘀 ➜ Visuals aren’t decoration; they’re delivery tools. 📌 Avoid text-only slides. Always. ➐ 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 ➜ 6 elements max. 📌 Use white space, bold selectively, and avoid clutter. ➑ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 ➜ If they hear nothing, can they still see the takeaway? 📌 Assume your viewer is half-tuned in and still make an impact. ➒ 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 = 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 ➜ Your transitions reveal your thinking. 📌 Practicing reveals which slides don’t flow. ➓ 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 ➜ PDFs > animations. Backup slides > failed videos. 📌 Assume something will break and prepare for it. ——————————————— 📍Your slides are not your script. They’re not your paper. They’re your audience’s window into your idea. Make every second of their attention count. 💬 Which slide mistake are you guilty of and ready to fix? ♻️ Repost to help someone transform their next research talk. 📄 Reference: Naegle, K. M. (2021). Ten simple rules for effective presentation slides. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(12): e1009554. #PresentationTips #SlideDesign #AcademicCommunication

I was sitting in a meeting, and a graph popped up during the presentation. It had five different colors, two types of chart elements (bars and lines), and it told multiple stories. I didn’t know where to look. My eyes – and brain – eventually gave up. The five-second rule (not the one about dropping food on the ground!) came from user research, and it measures how effectively information is communicated to the audience within the first five seconds. Originally used for testing web pages, it is now a recommended guide for interactive visual images – like infographics, charts, etc. Before you insert a complex graph into a presentation, I beg you to step away from your Excel file and consider the following: ☑ Can an audience understand this in five seconds? ☑ Is there a better way to tell this in a narrative? ☑ Is the chart necessary? If so, how can it be simplified? Does it have a clear title? Easy elements to understand? Remember, the more data points you have in a visual, the harder it is for your audience to know where to focus. And, if they are trying to figure out an image, they aren’t listening to you! Also, you have the curse of knowledge. You’ve been staring at this data for longer than five seconds. You are assuming your audience will know more than they do! Data is only helpful IF your audience can understand it; otherwise, it’s a reason for them to tune out! What are your tricks for simplifying complex information in presentations? I break charts into one or two slides, and I tell a story with them. Your audience needs to know why this chart matters to them! (I also avoid all the fancy options like 3D and breaking up pie charts! Simplicity for the win!) #CommunicationTips Image credit: visme dot com

If you want to make your presentations more clear and memorable, try the “Seven-Word Rule.” This simple technique works with how the brain processes verbal information, helping your audience stay engaged and absorb complex ideas more easily. Here’s how it works: • Break your key points into chunks of around seven words. • Pause briefly between each segment to let the audience process. • Watch for non-verbal cues to gauge understanding. Here’s a simple example of the Seven Word Rule in action: Instead of saying: “Our annual growth exceeded the expectations we set for our company due to the expansion of our online activities and the enhancements we made to our customer service function.” Try this instead: “Our annual growth exceeded expectations. Our online presence played a key role. We also improved customer service.” Short. Clear. Memorable. This technique not only improves clarity but gives you the opportunity to assess your audience’s reaction to your response on a more granular level. It also has the remarkable ability to leave the impression that you are in full control of your message. A lengthy, obtuse, rambling statement kills your credibility. The Seven Word Rule approach elevates it. Try it in your next presentation — your audience will thank you! Art+Science Analytics Institute | University of Notre Dame | University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | University of Chicago | D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University | ELVTR | Grow with Google - Data Analytics #Analytics #DataStorytelling