1. TOP 10
POWERPOINT RULES
Information from “10 Slide Tips”
by Garr Reynolds
10 slide tips from Garr Reynolds
Source: Stan Cox https://www.flickr.com/photos/sportsstan/2554586972/
Keeping slides simple with be better for the audience. Don’t be afraid to use negative space and have practically nothing on the slide. Too much clutter will cause confusion and frustration.
Keep the text to a minimum, and definitely do not just read off the bullets. Be prepared to elaborate on the minimal text on the slides.
Some animation is ok, but keeping it to a minimum is much better. Slide transitions and animations will make the powerpoint not relaxing to listen to and watch. This will lose your audience.
USE HIGH QUALITY GRAPHICS! Nothing is worse than seeing a big blurry image on a PowerPoint slide. This is unprofessional and just terrible to look at.
Templates are boring and everyone is familiar with them. Avoiding them will make your PowerPoint fresh and new.
Think about how detailed the charts need to be. Typically, the less information, the better. Only include needed information and avoid using extra information that has nothing to do with the point you are trying to make.
Make sure the color schemes used on slides are not overbearing and confusing. Consult the color wheel to figure out which colors go well together, and never overload a slide with too much color variation.
Make sure all the fonts used are pleasing to the eye and easy to read within the context of the slide. San Serif fonts are a safe bet to use.
Using video and/or audio will break up the average flow of a PowerPoint, which can be a good thing. It encourages cognitive learning and will engage the audience more than just your voice will.
Make sure the order of slides make sense as well as the material on the slides. This will make your presentation that much better!