Design Better Slide Decks (11-09-2023)

November 9, 2023

This week, we want to talk about something that most of us cannot run from...creating slide decks. Whether they're needed for a class you’re teaching or a project that you’re running, well-designed slide decks act as a visual aid to exemplify, organize and emphasize the ideas in your presentation. Your audience's level of focus and engagement could increase after simple, yet thoughtful edits to your slide decks.

Here are 4 characteristics of better slide decks for better presentations:

1. Legibility: Can the audience easily read and understand the content?
   1. Pick a font style that's simple and in a size that's big enough to read
   2. High contrast between text and background color (e.g. black on white)
2. Brevity: Can you present this info in a simpler, more concise way?
   1. Leave white space and limit the amount of text and images per slide
   2. Use visuals for data instead of just text descriptions when possible
   3. Put details in the Speaker Notes section instead of on the slide itself
3. Visual Hierarchy: Is the information sorted in a logical reading order?
   1. Consider size as a visual tool to rank importance (e.g. bigger/bolder font = more significant info)
   2. Numbered lists and bullet points follow logical sequence or grouping
4. Unity: Are related elements of the presentation styled similarly?
   1. Use a theme
   2. Ensure slide deck style follows a pattern (e.g. differentiate title slide styling from info slide styling)

Here is an example that demonstrates the 'Before' and 'After' for applying the design habits outlined above.

Before:

After:

As always, if you have any questions about the tips covered above, please email us to ask a question or schedule a meeting. 

Stephanie Eusebio & Kat Muñoz