CH5: Making the Most of PowerPoint as a Design and Presentation Tool

“No amount of flashy display can have the genuine impact of a meaningful, logical message delivered effectively.”

Use of Animation

• •Use Animation only to control the delivery of message or help the audience with the message.
• •Do not overuse animation or add it just because you can.
• •Use logic to direct your animation
• •Avoid use of several different animation techniques in one presentation. •Make sure to test your animation before presentation.

CH5: Employ Fundamental Graphic Content and Design Principles

This section focuses specifically on the content and design principles that you should follow whenever creating data or text charts for leadership presentations.

Conveying Messages Clearly & Effectively

• Keep charts simple but meaningful.
• Include only one main message per chart or slide.
• Make sure your chart title captures the "so what?"

Selecting the Most Effective Colors

• Keep them simple and select colors that work well together.
• Ensure the colors are easy to see when placed against each other
• Check text color, in particular, to see that it contrasts with background colors sufficiently to be clearly legible
• Make sure the colors support the image you want to project and the message you want to convey.

Selecting the Most Effective Fonts

• Go for contrast in the background and fonts and in Autoshapes or any objects or text placed next to each other.
• Use a dark background (dark blue or black) for computer-projected presentations.
• Use a white, cream, yellow, or light gold font on these dark backgrounds.
• Use only a sans serif font, such as Arial, in computer- or overhead-projected presentations.
• Make your font at least 20 points for text and 28 points for titles (depending on the size of the room)
• Do not use the following:
• All caps in titles or text
• Initial caps expect in titles
• Underlining
• Red font on blue backgrounds

CH5: Select & Design Effective Data Charts

For data charts to add to your presentation or document, you first need to clarify your message and then you can determine the type and content of the graph that will add to, support, or explain that message best.

Below are practice guideline for creating data charts by Edward Tufte, Yale University statistician and author of several books on graphic design

• Show the data
• Induce the viewer to think about substance rather than methodology, graphic design, the technology of graphic production, or something else.
• Avoid distorting what the data have to say
• Present many numbers in a small space
• Make large data sets coherent
• Encourage the eye to compare the different pieces of data
• Reveal the data at several levels of detail, from a broad overview to the fine structure.
• Serve a reasonably clear purpose: description, exploration, tabulation, or decoration.
• Be closely integrated with the statistical and verbal descriptions of a data set.

CH5: Recognize When to Use Graphics

Graphic should never be gratuitous; they should always be purposeful. They should add to the content of the presentation or the document. For presentations, in particular, graphics should supplement the content and never detract from it. They are not meant to replace the speaker.

Specifically, graphic should serve the following purpose:

• •Reinforce the message
• •Provide a road map to the structure of a presentation
• •Illustrate relationships and concepts visually
• •Support Assertion
• •Emphasize important ideas
• •Maintain and enhance interest