Communicating for
Results
9e
13
Professional Visual Aids
Key Ideas
•Benefits of visual aids
•Selecting visual aids
•Designing visual aids
•Using PowerPoint
Copyright Cengage © 2011
1
Consider this . . .
The art of creating a PowerPoint
brief frequently has become a
substitute for real planning,
thoughtful discussion, and cogent
analysis.
Wooldridge, Order a PowerPoint Stand-down, Oxford, 2004 , p. 85
Copyright Cengage © 2011
2
PowerPoint Poisoning?
PowerPoint Case Study
 Read or describe the case study
 Answer the following questions:
How can PowerPoint presentations be
improved without banning them?
What lessons can public speakers learn from
this case study?
Copyright Cengage © 2011
3
Benefits of visual aids
 Improves listener memory
 Speeds comprehension
 Adds to speaker credibility
Percentage of
Audience Recall
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4
Types of Visual Aids
Audiovisual aids
Electronic and multimedia aids
Flip charts
Marker boards and chalkboards
Objects, models and handouts
Copyright Cengage © 2011
5
Using audiovisual aids
 Have them cued to right location
 Omit sound on videotape—use own words
 If sound necessary, check volume
 Insert clips into your PPT folder
 Limit clips to 15-30 seconds
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6
Using Electronic/Multimedia Aids
 Simplify, simplify, simplify—6 second rule!
 Use sounds sparingly, if at all
 Give transition before clicking to next slide
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7
Using Electronic/Multimedia Aids
 Maintain eye contact & conversational style
 Use light so you can be seen
 Bring a backup
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8
Using flipcharts and posters
 Include one idea per page
 Use water-based markers on flip charts or
leave blank pages between
 List all items, then discuss each in detail
 When finished, cover or reverse to blank
side
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9
Using marker and chalk boards
 Include one idea per page
 Use water-based markers on flip charts or
leave blank pages between
 List all items, then discuss each in detail
 When finished, cover or
reverse to blank side
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10
Using objects, models and handouts
 Make large enough to be seen
 Keep small enough to be easily displayed
 Usually wait until end of speech to pass
around or hand out copies
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11
PowerPoint Mistakes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reading off the slides (62%)
Text too small to read (47%)
Text color hard to read (43%)
Complete sentences (39%)
Too much motion (25%)
Charts too complex (22%)
Cypert 2007, Paradi, 2005
Copyright Cengage © 2011
12
Choose text or graphic visuals
Text visuals
Mainly for text or printed words
One or two pieces of clip art
Graphic Visuals
Organizational charts, diagrams, maps
Enough words to clarify visuals
Copyright Cengage © 2011
13
Number of visuals to use
Basic formula:
Length of the Speech +1 = maximum number
of visuals
2
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14
Selecting a type size
Title
Posters, flipcharts 3 in.
high
Subtitle
Text
2-2½ in. high 1½ in. high
Computer visuals 30-36 pt 24 pt
18 pt (24 if no subtitle)
Transparencies
30-36 pt 24 pt
18 pt (24 if no subtitle)
Slides
24 pt
14 pt (18 if no subtitle)
18 pt
Copyright Cengage © 2011
15
Selecting aTypeface
San serif–great for
titles & subtitles.
 Serif–readable when
small.
 Typefaces project a
tone or image.
Official
Times Roman
Sophisticated
Playful
Poster Bodoni
Friendly
Trendy
Bodoni
Garamond
Century
Elegant
Optima
Urban
Professional
Arial
Helvetica
Modern
Futura
Copyright Cengage © 2011
16
Design Tips for Text Visuals
4 to 6 lines of text
40 characters wide
Phrases not sentences
Same space at the top and bottom of
visuals
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17
Design Tips for Text Visuals
Simple typeface
Use photos/clip art, larger type and color
for emphasis
Upper/lowercase type
Copyright Cengage © 2011
18
Avoid Using ALL CAPS
Official
Word recognition comes mainly
from the upper half of the lowercase letters
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19
Design Tips for Text Visuals

YOU SHOULD USE ONLY FOUR TO SIX LINES OF TYPE PER VISUAL.

BE SURE TO LIMIT EACH LINE TO NOT MORE THAN FORTY CHARACTERS.

IT IS BEST TO USE PHRASES RATHER THAN SENTENCES.



USING A SIMPLE TYPEFACE IS EASIER TO READ AND DOES NOT
DETRACT FROM YOUR PRESENTATION.
IF YOU ALLOW THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE AT THE TOP OF EACH
VISUAL, YOU MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOUR LISTENERS TO FOLLOW YOU.
YOU CAN EMPHASIZE YOUR MAIN POINTS WITH COLOR AND
LARGE TYPE.
• IF YOU USE UPPER- AND LOWER CASE TYPE, IT IS EASIER TO READ
(How many rule violations can you find?)
Copyright Cengage © 2011
20
Types of graphic visuals
Organization charts
Flowcharts
Diagrams
Schematic drawings
Maps
Graphs
Cutaway Diagram
Copyright Cengage © 2011
21
Design Tips for Graphic Visuals
Limit data to what is absolutely necessary
Keep background lines and data points to
a minimum
Always use titles
Cutaway Diagram
Copyright Cengage © 2011
22
Limit data and Minimal background lines
This
Not This
Sales plummeted in 2005
Sales plummeted in 2005
100
100
60
40
20
Sales
60
40
Earnings
20
0
‘03
80
Sales
(In thousands)
(In thousands)
80
‘04
‘05
‘06
‘07
‘08
Dividends
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Copyright Cengage © 2011
23
Design Tips for Graphic Visuals
Make bars wider than spaces between
them
Always use headings
Group data when possible
Copyright Cengage © 2011
24
Group Data When Possible
Energy Costs
Energy costs
Other Expenses
$ 1.2 million
$ 3.6 Million
Not This
Profits
This
Energy Costs
Energy costs
$ 3.6 Million
Copyright Cengage © 2011
Profits
Raw materials
Consulting
Advertising
Debt interest
Administrative
Salaries
25
Make bars Wider than Spaces Between
This
Not This
Surfsailors Beat Competition
in 2005
Surfsailors Beat Competition
in 2005
Surfsailors
Surfsailors
Boardbees
Boardbees
Sandbaggers
Sandbaggers
Sunscouts
Sunscouts
Copyright Cengage © 2011
26
General Design Principles
Contrast
Color, size, line thickness, shape and space
the same
Contrast important to visual attraction
Contrast
Repeat visual elements of design through the
piece
Helps develop organization and unity
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27
General Design Principles
Used Cars
(817)555-1212
Connor Blake
6195 Del Ln.
Mansfield, Tx.
How could design principles
help this business card?
Copyright Cengage © 2011
28
General Design Principles
Connor Blake
Used Cars
6195 Del Lane
Mansfield, Texas
(817) 555-1212
Redesigned business card
Copyright Cengage © 2011
29
MORTGAGE COMPANIES
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
o INTEREST RATES
o POINTS
o ESCROW SHORTAGES AND OVERAGES
o MORTGAGE INSURANCE
o MORTGAGE BUY OUT
How would you improve this visual?
Copyright Cengage © 2011
30
Mortgages
What You Should Know . . .
Escrow Shortages and Overages
Mortgage Insurance
Mortgage Buy Out
Interest Rates
Points
FOR
SALE
Why is this visual better?
Copyright Cengage © 2011
31
Benefits of Using Color
Color visuals are more persuasive
Color advertisements are more persuasive
Colors add spatial dimensions
Colors produce emotional response
Copyright Cengage © 2011
32
Guidelines for Selecting Color
Use the same color scheme for all visuals in
speech
Know the difference between hue and
saturation
Hue – an actual color
Saturation – the amount of color for a selected
hue
Use different hues for unrelated items
Copyright Cengage © 2011
33
Guidelines for Selecting Color
Use single hue with different saturation for
related items
Use fully saturated hues for graphs and
charts
Use low saturated hues for backgrounds
and texts
Contrast text and figures with background
Copyright Cengage © 2011
34
Guidelines for Selecting Color
Avoid using colors that
look the same at a
distance
Limit the number of
colors you use
Avoid using opposites
on the color wheel next
to each other
Copyright Cengage © 2011
Twelve-Hue Color Wheel
35
Communicating for
Results
9e
13
Professional Visual Aids
Key Ideas
•Benefits of visual aids
•Selecting visual aids
•Designing visual aids
•Using PowerPoint
Copyright Cengage © 2011
36