Slide Show
The art of computer-aided
presentation
Information Technology Workshop
School of Public & Nonprofit Administration
Grand Valley State University
What we will look at
✦organization
✦slides
✦bullets
✦graphics
✦colors
✦fonts
✦timing
✦tips
organization
1. Attention getting Introduction
•
•
•
Tell personal story
Tell Joke
Ask question to audience
2. Objective
•
•
Describe the problem
Tell why audience should care
1
organization (cont)
3. Overview
•
Overview the main points
4. Content
•
•
•
One slide for each main point
Give examples, anecdotes, statistics
In a long presentation, create graphic to
visually identify sections
organization (cont)
5. Action Steps
•
Tell what audience should do
6. Conclusion
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•
•
Don’t say “in conclusion”
Summarize points
End with thought provoking quote or
anecdote
organization (cont)
7. Questions and Answers
•
•
•
•
Always leave some time
Expect that Q&A will have big impact on
audience opinion
Be prepared for common questions
Treat all questions with respect
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slides
✦one main point per slide
✦create graphical balance
➤left to right / top to bottom
➤upper left high priority / lower right low
priority
✦avoid overcrowding: rule of 7
➤up to seven lines per slide
➤up to seven words per line
bullets
✦allow only 1 or 2 levels
✦use strong verbs
✦keep same tense
✦use parallel structure
graphics
✦graphics should enhance point
✦Graphics can create emotions
✦Consider using large, full
screen images to go with each
point
➤Instead of bullet points
➤Before bullet points
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graphics
(cont.)
✦data charts
➤design to single, obvious point
➤limit to 4 lines, 5 bars,
6 pie slices
✦maps
➤keep labels extra large
✦ show the data graphic
AFTER verbalizing
its point
From Seth Godin Really Bad PowerPoint
(And How to Avoid it)
colors
✦Keep it simple
➤Choose only one or two vivid colors
➤Create different shades of these colors for
contrast and effect
➤Or use built-in pallets to find complementary
colors
✦use high contrast for text and background
➤slides: light text on dark background
➤overheads: dark text on light background
colors
(cont)
✦ Colors have connotations
➤Dark red: vigor, willpower, anger, leadership,
courage, longing, malice, and wrath
➤Gold: prestige, illumination, wisdom, and wealth
➤Dark green: ambition, greed, and jealousy
➤Light blue: health, tranquility, and understanding
➤Dark blue: knowledge, power, and integrity.
➤Dark purple: gloom and sadness
➤Black: power, elegance, formality, evil, and mystery
Source: www.color-wheel-pro.com
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colors
(cont.)
✦Avoid
➤Red/black brown/green, blue/black, and
blue/purple because of contrast
➤Red / green because about 10% of people
have red / green color blindness
✦Don’t use built-in design templates
fonts
✦ Make sure size is large enough, at least 24
point. Any smaller font will not be able to be
read
➤Title Font – between 36 and 44 point
➤Main Body Font – between 28 and 32 point
➤First Level Sub-Point Font – between 24 and
28 point
➤Second Level Sub-Point Font – between 24 and
26 point
fonts
(cont.)
✦avoid
➤Use 1-2 fonts per page
✦for readability use sans-serif font (fonts
without “feet,” e.g., arial, tahoma)
➤from a distance, serif (e.g., times new
roman) font and 'narrow' or condensed font
are more difficult to read.
serif
T T
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fonts (cont)
✦Avoid strange fonts
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh
uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng
is that the frist and lsat ltteers are at the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you
can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef
but the wrod as a wlohe.
fonts (cont)
✦ available fonts are PC specific
➤ Most common fonts in Windows include:
Sans-serif : Arial, Arial Black, Impact, Trebuchet
MS, Verdana, Tahoma
Serif: Georgia, Times New Roman
Monospace: Courier New
Cursive: Comic Sans MS
➤ When using unusual fonts, choose Save As, click
Tools, and then click Embed TrueType Fonts.
timing
✦every slide at least 10 seconds
✦no slide more than 1.5 minutes
➤Consider turning on the lights for “talks”
✦“show on click” bullets prevent audience
from reading ahead
✗ No silly acrobatics
✗ No stupid bullet tricks
✗ No obnoxious noises
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tips
✦ Think of presentation material in 3 parts:
1. The notes the speaker will use (which
should be seen only by the speaker).
2. The slides the audience will see.
3. Handouts that will be taken away for later
study.
tips
(cont.)
✦Spell check
✦print out audience notes 3 per page
✦rehearse presentation
✦check out equipment in advance and have
a back-up plan
✦use remote mouse to change slides
conclusion
✦ Secrets to good PowerPoint:
➤Address your audience
➤Clear, focused content
➤Clean, readable slides
➤Simple, original design
✦ Use PowerPoint to “frame” presentation, but
don’t allow it to compete with the presentation
✦ do what I say, not what I do
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