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Making PowerPoint Slides

Avoiding the Pitfalls

of Bad Slides

GOAL

Make It EASY!

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Quick Tips

To make it easy for YOU

l To engage your audience
l Deliver a clear message
l Achieve your communications
goals

Straightforward Guidelines

l Content Structure (IBC Model)

l Slide Structure
l Formatting
- Fonts, Colors, Background
l Graphs/Charts/Tables
l Other Graphics
l Spelling and Grammar
l Closing

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Content Structure

Open Strong
Engage/Grab ‘em
Connect
Context

Content Structure

Context
l Start with contents / agenda slide (a map)
l Main topics only
l Follow agenda – don’t get lost! or lose them!

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Slide Structure

Goals
l Readability
l Memory Prompt

Slide Structure – Good

l 1-2 ideas per slide

l Bullets – NO sentences
l Use words you will speak
l Be concise: key words / phrases only

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Slide Structure – AVOID

l This page contains too many words for a

presentation slide.
l It is not written in correct bullet form, making it
difficult for your audience to read and for you to
present each point.
l Although there are the same number of points
on this slide as the previous slide, it looks
much more complicated.
l In short, your audience will spend too much
time trying to read instead of listening to you.

Slide Structure – AVOID

l This page has more white space. That doesn’t help.

l This page contains too many words for a presentation slide.

l It is not written in correct bullet form, making it difficult for

your audience to read and for you to present each point.

l Although there are the same number of points on this slide

as the previous slide, it looks much more complicated.

l In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to

read instead of listening to you.

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Slide Structure – Good

Show one idea at a time

– Help audience concentrate on you
– Prevent reading ahead
– Keep presentation focused

Slide Structure – Good

Note:
3 slides w/3 ideas
take no longer
than 1 slide w/3 ideas

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Slide Structure - AVOID

Don’t distract with animation

Slide Structure - AVOID

Do engage with meaningful

graphics or videos

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Fonts - Good

l Standard, san serif font (e.g., Arial)

l At least 18-point font
l Vary size by importance (e.g.)
Title - 36-pt
• Main idea - 28-pt
- Secondary idea - 24-pt

Fonts - AVOID

l If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written

l CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT

IS DIFFICULT TO READ
l Don’t use a complex font

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Color - Good

l Contrast enhances readability

– Ex: black on light background or light text on dark
l Color can reinforce your structure
– Ex: darker title and lighter text
l Alternate color can emphasize a point
– But only occasionally

Color - AVOID

l Low contrast is hard to read

l Color for ‘decoration’ distracts / annoys
l Multiple colors also distract
– Ex. different color for secondary ideas

l Trying to be creative can also annoy

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Background - Good

l Simple backgrounds

l Light or dark, not in-between

l Consistent throughout

l Meaningful images okay if subtle

Background – AVOID

Avoid backgrounds that distract or

diminish contrast
Avoid backgrounds that distract or
diminish contrast

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Graphs/Charts/Tables - Good

l Graphs / charts add interest and understanding

– Trends are easier to visualize
– Variations have greater impact
l Choose the right vehicle
l Title the graphic and identify components

Graphs/Charts/Tables

Choose the right vehicle

Make it EASY!

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Graphs/Charts/Tables - AVOID

Don’t Make it HARD

January February March April

Blue Balls 20.4 27.4 90 20.4
Red Balls 30.6 38.6 34.6 31.6

Graphs - Good
Items Sold in First Quarter of 2002

100
90
80
70
60
Blue Balls
50
Red Balls
40
30
20
10
0
January February March April

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Graphs – Don’t Make it HARD

100

90
90

80

70

60

Blue Balls
50
Red Balls

38.6
40
34.6
30.6 31.6
30 27.4

20.4 20.4
20

10

0
January February March April

Graphs – AVOID

l Title is Missing
l Font is too small
l Minor gridlines are unnecessary
l Color shading is counter-intuitive

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Spelling and Grammar

l Proof your slides for:

– speling mistakes
– the use of of repeated words
– grammatical errors you might have make

l Have a colleague double check

Close Strong

l Dedicate a slide to NAIL the Close

– Summarize key points (WIIF-T)
– Affirm recommendation

l Use effective and strong statements

– Audience most likely to remember your last words

(NAIL IT!)

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Be a Great PowerPointer

Make it EASY for the Audience

l Follow the IBC Model
l Format for readability
l Be concise and Speak what you Write
l NAIL the Close
Knock ‘em Dead!

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