Guidelines for Preparing Slides

1. Guidelines for Preparing Slides By Instructional Computing Facility Harvard University Modifications/additions by Bill Tobin, WJT Associates

2. Company logo, formats etc. • Make sure the slide’s background layout leaves enough room for your presentation.

3. Company logo, formats etc. • Make sure the color of the company logo doesn’t clash with the color of your typeface or the predominate color of your illustrations.

4. Company logo, formats etc. • The company logo will not add to credibility or close the sale. Make sure the logo doesn’t so overwhelm the slide that the Logo becomes the presentation.

5. The first slides The title slide should contain the topic to be presented. On a separate slide include the specific topics/arguments/ justifications covered in the presentation. Subsequent slides should follow the points of the first and second slides.

6. Use Bullets, Not Numbers • Bullets imply no significant order • Use numbers only to show rank or sequence

7. No More than One Topic per Slide What about that hockey game last night, eh?

8. No More than One Topic per Slide It is easier to have many simple slides to explain a topic than one with too much information.

9. No More than One Topic per Slide As a rule of thumb no slide should remain projected for longer than 30 seconds. 1 hour presentation = 120 slides 45 minute presentation with 15 minutes for questions = 90 slides

10. 60 60 0 break 45 60 = 3.75 hours 30 60 0 break 45 60 = 3.25 hours COUNT SLIDE For Day long seminar 8:00–9:00–10:00-10:15-11:00-12:00 12:00-12-30 LUNCH Without questions 12:30–1:00–2:00-2:15-3:00-4:00-5:00 7 hours Questions during the presentation will add to average cycle time. Recommended* AM = 150-225 Slides PM = 130-195 Slides *without count or title slide

11. COUNT SLIDE For sales presentations Ideal time for most slides Without questions Slides of this length are considered wallpaper by the audience (boring) Questions during the presentation will add to average cycle time.

12. Use the 6 X 6 rule: 6 lines of text 6 words per line

13. Allow plenty of room around borders and (readable) illustrations

14. Select Readable Type SizeThis is 40 point • Minimum 36 point for titles • 24 point for body text(almost unreadable for most uses) • This is 32 point 45 point 40 point 35 point 30 point 25 point 20 point 15 point 10 point

15. Adjust Lettering to discriminate or emphasize • Add backgrounds to the body element • emphasize important statements or words with bold, italic, larger size or different fonts. • Make titles a larger type size than body elements

16. Choose Background Color Carefully • Use the same color consistently throughout the presentation when presenting one topic or theme • Use light letters on a dark background

17. Choose Background Color Carefully • Use different background colors if the presentation covers diverse topics i.e. Topic one: Managing the warehouse. Topic two: Additional equipment requirements • Use contrasting letters to the background

18. To determine if a slide is legible when projected, If you can read it out loud in 5 seconds or less, it is probably OK

19. If you have to turn your back on the audience to read the slide, it has too much information.

20. Long sentences require small type and are usually not as understandable as only using KEY phrases. The presentation should not be self explanatory. The Presenter should do the explaining. To sum up: • Only use key phrases • Explain them verbally

21. Colors • Avoid placing saturated primary colors (red, green or blue) adjacent to each other. • They may create a third color where the two colors meet.

22. Use Solid Colors instead of fill Patterns on Charts • Patterns on bars or pie slices cause confusion. • Solid colors convey a clear bold message

23. Charts Graphs and Visuals • Line graphs with multiple lines should be animated putting one line over the next so that the total graph is explainable. • Graphs, equations etc. should be readily understood. If not, use several slides instead of dwelling on one for a long time.

24. We will now proceed directly to the wedding Feast Animation • Animation brings variety SO LONG AS every slide doesn’t have the same type of animation. • Vary the type of animation you use. • Don’t animate every slide. • Don’t put Animation behind text. The audience will look at movement and NOT read the text

25. Your Slides are Not your Presentation • Your slides are a focus for your presentation • Your presentation is not proof of your request, argument, or justification

26. Your Slides are Not your Presentation • Your handout is proof • You present your proof with slides to focus interest on what you think is important

27. You can’t stop talking • But: You can’t stop talking • Recall: You cannot start talking until the audience has finished reading (don’t use long sentences or complex charts)

28. You can’t stop talking • So: You end up reading your slide to the audience. • Whichis: Really annoying

29. You can’t stop talking • Note: Your reading the key phrases should prompt you to explain the slide. • Whichis: Why you have the presentation in the first place.

30. Additional equipment • Use a radio frequency or infrared slide changer. This allows you to walk away from the computer while you are talking.

31. Additional equipment • The best laser pointers are GREEN LASERS. Their beam is more intense and brighter. (In some countries they are considered weapons and are illegal)

32. Additional equipment • Have a flip chart and dry markers near so that you can explain something your slide didn’t. • Have extra markers in case one dries out

33. Additional equipment • If possible use a lapel microphone with remote broadcast if you are speaking to more than 30 people. Make sure you know how to turn it on and off.

34. Additional equipment • Have spare laser pointers and microphones available if the current ones go dead.

35. Additional equipment • Make sure the presentation room is dark or light enough to see your slides BEFORE your presentation.

36. Use Simple Tables to Present Numbers

37. Clipart • Use Clipart minimally. • Clipart can enhance your presentation, highlight certain points, and add richness. HOWEVER don’t be cute, silly or inappropriate.

38. Clipart • ONLY Add Clipart where appropriate • If ever

39. Pictures and Bitmaps Must be large enough to ready and understand almost immediately. (can you find Libya?)

40. When done creating your presentation use SPELLCHECK.Use SPELLCHECK on your written handouts. Write in plain declarative sentences using simple English. Try to avoid ‘Corpspeak’ or ‘Technobabble’ terms if possible.

41. Questions and answers Option #1 (most convenient) – hold all questions until the end of the presentation. Advantages: You can finish your presentation before you run out of time. Disadvantages: You may be requested to further explain a slide that you have to hunt for.

42. Questions and answers Option #2 (can be time consuming) – Invite/allow questions during the presentation. Advantages: The question will be timely using the slide currently on the screen. Disadvantages: You must be careful on time management otherwise you may not have finished your presentation before you run out of time

43. Questions and answers Option #3 (least polite but most convenient) – Allow questions only on the current slide but warn class you will not go back to explain a previous slide. Advantages – keeps the questions on point. You don’t have to hunt for the slide in question. Disadvantages – You may seem rude and abrupt.

44. Questions and answers With a good handout, you can briefly answer the question then refer to your handout for an in-depth explanation.

45. HANDOUTS • Your handout is a written explanation of the presentation. • NEVER use a copy of your slides as the handout. It doesn’t enhance anything. • You can illustrate your handout using slides but ONLY if they are readable when reduced to the size that you’ve inserted into the text. • Handouts can have complex tables. They are easier to read than when projected.

46. Rehearse until the presentation is second nature.Do a trial presentation with someone as a check on timing, informationpresented and readabilityof the slides before the real presentation.

47. The last slide It is not professional to leave the last slide on the screen or have the computer show ‘End of slideshow; Click to exit’. Have your last slide say “Thank you” or your last two slides say “Thank you” “Questions?”

48. Does she respect me? Is he really that smart? Questions? If they’re not too hard