Visual Aids
Many people claim that slide decks are like index cards. They help guide the speaker and serve as a safety net if a speaker loses their place in the presentation. This is a misconception that couldn't be farther from the truth. The slide deck is a supplement only, so don’t allow a PowerPoint to drive your presentation or, worse, distract the audience from your message. After you’ve outlined your speech, take out pencil and paper and sketch what your slide show will look like, identifying visuals that will 1) make your content more easily digested, 2) create sign posts to help your audience follow along, or 3) project emotional weight that words alone can’t. Don’t be afraid to include blank slides when you want the audience’s attention solely on you!
The function of a slide is to help the audience with the following:
- Follow along with the speaker
- Visualize complex concepts that the speaker is describing
- Provide emotional weight when words alone are insufficient
Download the PDF worksheet Slide Deck Final Checklist to help you as you read the information below.
Tips:
Succinct Text
Think of slides as billboards. If your audience can’t understand your slide’s main idea in less than 5 seconds, prune the text away. Your audience can read faster than you speak, so they will read while you talk and will become bored waiting for you to catch up to them if you put your talking points on each slide.
Pruning strategies include:
- Converting text into images or icons
- Using index cards or post-it notes to design each slide
- Researching “slide design” or look at other slides for inspiration
- Removing content from your slide until you get to a point where if you remove one more thing, the audience won’t understand your main idea.
Clean Slide = No Clutter = Easy to Read
- Utilize White Space. If you MUST have a lot of information on display, try to break it up over a series of slides or convert text to icons.
- Strong Contrast through Color. When you use a light slide background, be sure to use dark text and vice versa. If you choose to use a dark background with light text, make sure that the lighting in your presentation room will not cause glare that makes your text unreadable.
- Font Matters. Always choose a clear, legible font that can be read from across the room. Don’t sacrifice clarity for a cute design. Remember, the purpose of a slide show is to make your content clearer for the audience.
Animation
Animation should be used sparsely. There should always be a purpose behind animation on a slide; otherwise, you risk distracting your audience and taking their attention away from your words and the message you’re communicating.
Recommended animation uses:
- Complex process where motion helps describe a concept
- Ending or beginning the presentation using fade in fade out
- When highlighting an important idea or set of ideas
Dig Deeper
Watch more
Presenting with Powerpoint
Links to an external site.
- Presenting with PowerPoint: Dr. Keri Stephens shares some of her favorite PowerPoint tips.
Create Slides People Will Remember
Links to an external site. - Create slides people will remember: Nancy Duarte shares strategies for building slide decks that engage your audience
Read more
Do Your Slides Pass the Glance Test by Nancy Duarte - Do your slides pass the glance test: Nancy Duarte encourages presenters to follow these easy steps to trim back slide deck content.
Public Speaking Project - In Ch. 13 of The Public Speaking Project, Sheila Kasperek provides tips for using visual aids effectively in a presentation.
Pro Tip:
You can create a custom slide design in either Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides by selecting View and then clicking on Slide Master. Slide Master allows you to create a standard template that changes all slides such that you do not need to make changes to each slide.
Interested in a one-one consultation with an expert to review your communication assignment, rubric, or activities? Looking for a workshop on teaching oral competency? How about a Public Speaking 101 workshop for your students? Visit the Sanger Public Speaking Center webpage Links to an external site.or send a message to: slc.speaking@austin.utexas.edu. Our team looks forward to empowering you and your students!