what is the 5 5 5 rule for presentation

5/5/5 Rule | How and Why to Use It with Best Examples in 2024

Ellie Tran • 05 Apr 2024 • 7 min read

So, how to avoid bulky slides? Put a finger down if you have… 

• …done a presentation in your life.
• …struggled with summarising your content 🤟
• …rushed while preparing and ended up throwing every single bit of text you have on your poor little slides 🤘
• …made a PowerPoint presentation with loads of text slides ☝️
• …ignored a display crammed with text and let the presenter’s words go in one ear and out the other ✊

So, we all share the same problem with text slides: not knowing what’s right or how much is enough (and even getting fed up with them sometimes). 

But it’s no longer a big deal, as you can look at the 5/5/5 rule for PowerPoint to know how to create a non-bulky and effective presentation.

Find out everything about this type of presentation , including its benefits, drawbacks and examples in the article below.

Table of Contents

• What is the 5/5/5 rule for PowerPoint?
• Benefits of the 5/5/5 rule
• Cons of the 5/5/5 rule

Frequently Asked Questions

More tips with ahaslides.

• Types of presentation
• What is 7×7?
• 10 20 30 Rule

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What Is the 5/5/5 Rule for PowerPoint?

The 5/5/5 rule sets a limit on the amount of text and the number of slides in a presentation. With this, you can keep your audience from being overwhelmed with walls of text, which can lead to boredom and searching elsewhere for distractions.

The 5/5/5 rule suggests you use a maximum of:

• Five words per line.
• Five lines of text per slide.
• Five slides with text like this in a row.

Your slides shouldn’t include everything you say; it’s a waste of time to read out loud what you’ve written (as your presentation should only last under 20 minutes ) and it’s incredibly dull for those in front of you. The audience is here to listen to you and your inspiring presentation, not to see a screen that looks like another heavy textbook. 

The 5/5/5 rule does set boundaries for your slideshows, but these are to help you keep your crowd’s attention better.

Let’s break down the rule 👇

Five words on a line

A good presentation should include a mix of elements: written & verbal language, visuals, and storytelling. So when you make one, it’s best not to centre around the texts only and forget everything else.

Cramming too much information on your slide decks doesn’t help you at all as a presenter, and it’s never on the list of great presentation tips . Instead, it gives you a lengthy presentation and disinterested listeners.

That’s why you should only write a few things on each slide to trigger their curiosity. According to 5 by 5 rules, it’s no more than 5 words on a line.

We understand that you have a bunch of beautiful things to share, but knowing what to leave out is as important as knowing what to put in. So, here’s a quick guide to help you do this with ease.

🌟 How to do it:

• Use question words (5W1H) – Put a few questions on your slide to give it a touch of mystery . You can then answer everything by speaking.
• Highlight keywords – After outlining, highlight keywords that you want your audience to pay attention to, and then include them on the slides.

Take this sentence: “Introducing AhaSlides – an easy-to-use, cloud-based presentation platform that excites and engages your audience through interactivity.”

You can put it in fewer than 5 words in any one of these ways:

• What is AhaSlides?
• Easy-to-use presentation platform.
• Engage your audience through interactivity.

Five lines of text on a slide

Text heavy slide design is not a wise choice for a fascinating presentation. Have you ever heard of the magical number 7 plus/minus 2 ? This number is the key takeaway from an experiment by George Miller, a cognitive psychologist.

This experiment implies that a human’s short-term memory typically holds 5-9 strings of words or concepts, so it’s hard for most ordinary people to remember more than that in a really short period of time.

That means that 5 lines would be the perfect number for an effective presentation, as the audience can grasp important information and memorise it better.

• Know what your key ideas are – I know you’ve put tons of thought into your presentation, and everything you’ve included seems so vital, but you need to settle on the main points and summarise them in a few words on the slides.
• Use phrases and sayings – Don’t write the whole sentence, simply pick out the essential words to use. Also, you can add a quote to illustrate your point instead of throwing everything in.

Five slides like this in a row

Having a lot of content slides like this can still be too much for the audience to digest. Imagine 15 of these text-heavy slides in a row – you’d lose your mind!

Keep your text slides to a minimum, and look for ways to make your slide decks more engaging.

The rule suggests that 5 text slides in a row are the absolute maximum you should make (but we suggest a maximum of 1!)

• Add more visual aids – Use images, videos or illustrations to make your presentations more diverse.
• Use interactive activities – Host games, icebreakers or other interactive activities to connect with your audience.

Instead of giving your audience a lecture, try brainstorming together to give them something different that helps them remember your message longer! 👇

Benefits of the 5/5/5 Rule

The 5/5/5 not only shows you how to set a boundary on your word counts and slides, but it can also benefit you in many ways.

Emphasise your message

This rule ensures that you highlight the most critical information to deliver the core message better. It also helps to make you the centre of attention (instead of those wordy slides), which means the audience will be actively listening and understanding your content better.

Keep your presentation from being a ‘read-out-loud’ session

Too many words in your presentation can make you dependent on your slides. You’re more likely to read that text out loud if it’s in the form of long paragraphs, but the 5/5/5 rule encourages you to keep it bite-sized, in as few words as possible.

Alongside that, there are three no-nos you can gain from this:

• No classroom vibe – With 5/5/5, you won’t sound like a student reading everything for the whole class.
• No back to the audience – Your crowd will see your before more than your face if you read the slides behind you. If you face the audience and make eye contact, you’ll be more engaging and more likely to make a good impression.
• No death-by-PowerPoint – The 5-5-5 rule helps you avoid common mistakes while making your slideshow that can make your audience tune out quickly.

Reduce your workload

Preparing tons of slides is exhausting and time-consuming, but when you know how to summarise your content, you don’t have to put too much work into your slides.

Cons of the 5/5/5 Rule

Some people say that rules like this are made up by presentation consultants, as they earn a living by telling you how to make your presentations great again 😅. You can find many similar versions online, like the 6 by 6 rule or 7 by 7 rule, without knowing who invented stuff like this.

With or without the 5/5/5 rule, all presenters should always strive to reduce the amount of text on their slides. 5/5/5 is pretty simple and doesn’t get to the bottom of the problem, which is the way you lay out your content on the slides.

The rule also tells us to include, at most, five bullet points. Sometimes that means filling a slide with 5 ideas, which is way more than the widely held belief that there should be only one idea in a fall. The audience might read everything else and think of the second or third idea while you’re trying to deliver the first one.

On top of that, even if you follow this rule to a tee, you might still have five text slides in a row, followed by an image slide, and then a few other text slides, and repeat. That’s not appealing to your audience; it makes your presentation just as stiff.

The 5/5/5 rule can sometimes go against what is considered good practice in presentations, like having visual communication with your audience or including some charts, data , photos, etc., to illustrate your point clearly.

The 5/5/5 rule can be put to good use, but it does have its own pros and cons. There is still a bit of a debate here on whether it’s worth using, but the choice is yours. 

Alongside using these rules, check out some tips to help nail your presentation.

Engage your audience better with your slides, learn more on AhaSlides interactive features today!

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How to reduce text-heavy slide design?

Be concise at everything like minimizing texts, headings, ideas. Instead of heavy texts, let’s show more charts, photos and visualizations, which are easier to absorb.

What is 6 by 6 rule for Powerpoint presentations?

Only 1 thought per line, no more than 6 bullet points per slide and no more than 6 words per line.

A lifelong learner, a traveller and content creator eager to explore the best of both worlds: the real and virtual one full of interactive activities with AhaSlides.

More from AhaSlides

WHITNEY D. WALTER

PowerPoint Made Easy with the 5 5 5 Rule

Whitney D. Walter

Looking for an easy way to create a more compelling PowerPoint presentation? Look no further than the 5 5 5 rule! This simple guideline makes it easy to lay out your slides in a clear, organized way that draws attention to the most important information.

Experts suggest that using this method – one of the many similar ones out there – will result in a better experience for your audience and better results for you as a presenter.

It can keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Use images or icons to tell the story., what exactly is the 5 5 5 rule.

Simply put, the 5 5 5 rule (often written as the 5/5/5 or 5-5-5 rule) means that on each slide you should have no more than 5 lines of text. Within each line, there should be no more than 5 words. And finally, there should be no more than 5 text-heavy slides in a row.

5/5/5 Rule Powerpoint Example

Benefits of Using This Rule

Using this simple rule allows you to limit the amount of text on your slides which can be beneficial for many reasons.

You can focus on the main points.

Instead of putting all of your detailed ideas on each slide, this rule reminds you to focus on the main ideas and stops you from committing a major PowerPoint faux pas – reading directly from the screen.

Why shouldn’t you read from the slide?

First, directly from your presentation creates an extremely boring experience for your audience. They came to see you, not to read along with a slide.

Second, it’s often very difficult to read from a slide anyway, so you’re likely to make mistakes or lose your place.

Third, and most importantly, it takes away your chance to make eye contact with the audience and connect with them on a personal level.

So next time you’re giving a presentation, remember not to read directly from the PowerPoint slide – it’ll be better for both you and your audience.

And an added bonus? When you aren’t reading directly from the slide, you are encouraged to explain your ideas through storytelling which is a much better way to relay information.

In fact, studies have shown that our brains naturally look for stories and patterns to help us understand information.

Your audience will be more engaged.

Since your audience won’t be busy reading all of the text on your slide while you’re presenting, they will be more inclined to actually listen to what you’re saying.

Better yet, they will have the opportunity to be more engaged by responding to the things you’re saying or asking questions.

Remember, more than five text-heavy slides in a row will simply be a distraction for your audience and a guaranteed way to lose their interest.

You’ll end up with more professional-looking presentations.

If you’re looking for a quick and simple way to make your presentation look more professional the first thing you should do is evaluate whether you are using an unnecessary amount of text.

Professional presentations typically use clean and easy-to-skim designs. This means taking advantage of negative space (aka purposely leaving empty space on the slide).

If you’ve ever had to create a presentation in rush you know how stressful it can be.

The same is true for those who are new to using PowerPoint and those who are simply not comfortable with its capabilities.

Using this rule can make creating a presentation much less stressful because it gives you a guideline to work off of.

It also minimizes how much time you’ll spend on adding content to the slide because you know that each slide will have no more than 25 total words. (5 lines of text with 5 words each=25 total words.)

If you’re not sure where to start, add your thoughts for each slide to the Notes pane first and then copy/paste only the most necessary information to the actual slide.

How to Use This Rule Effectively

Include high-level, key data points..

Not sure what to include for the “main points” mentioned above? Think about the 5Ws; who, what, where, when, and why.

Try to avoid including information that doesn’t answer one of these questions.

Use headings, short phrases, and common abbreviations.

Using a heading is a great way to summarize the information that will be shown on a particular slide.

Within the slide, locate any complete sentences and determine whether they can be summarized with a short phrase instead.

Here’s an example.

Full Sentence: Our annual earnings were up 10% compared to last year.

Summarized: Annual Earnings: +10% YOY

(In this example, YOY means “year-over-year” which is a frequently used abbreviation in business.)

As you can see, the summarized version allows you to use less text. It also makes it easier for the audience to retain information and recall it later.

You can also remove text from your slide altogether by replacing it with images, icons, or easily recognizable symbols.

There have been numerous studies that show audiences remember information supported by images at a far higher rate than those told with text alone. Use this to your advantage!

Similarly, icons and symbols can easily replace text in many situations.

For example, text that says “this is important” can be replaced with a caution symbol. Text that says “key dates” can be replaced by a calendar icon.

Other Related Questions

What is the 2 4 8 rule in PowerPoint?

The 2 4 8 (also seen as 2/4/8 or 2x4x8) rule is another similar technique used by presenters to organize their slides.

This rule states that you shouldn’t spend more than 2 minutes presenting each slide. Each slide should contain no more than 4 main ideas or bullet points. Each idea or bullet should have 8 words or less.

This approach helps presenters to stay focused on their key points and avoid getting lost in too much detail or extraneous information.

By prioritizing the most important messages, you can ensure that their audiences will take away from the presentation only the most essential information.

What is the 10 20 30 slideshow rule?

The 10 20 30 (or 10/20/30) rule is another set of guidelines for creating effective presentations.

This rule means that your presentation should contain 10 slides total slides, last no more than 20 minutes, and use a font size of no less than 30 points.

The 10/20/30 rule was created by Guy Kawasaki, a venture capitalist and it has since been adopted by many business professionals.

While it’s not a hard-and-fast rule, it is a good general guideline to follow when creating presentations.

What is the rule of 7 in PowerPoint?

Also called the 7×7 rule, it means that for every slide, there should be no more than 7 lines of text or bullet points and no more than 7 words per line.

What is the 6 by 6 rule?

It is nearly identical to the 7×7 rule mentioned above. The 6 by 6 rule (or 6×6) means that for every slide, there should be no more than 6 lines of text or bullet points and no more than 6 words per line.

How many slides is a 5-minute presentation?

Generally speaking, a 5-minute PowerPoint presentation should have somewhere around 5 to 7 slides . This is an ideal number because it strikes the right balance between being concise and providing enough information to engage your audience.

Ultimately, how many slides you need in your presentation will depend on a variety of factors, including the nature of your topic and the specific goals of your presentation.

But with careful planning and clear communication, you can create an effective 5-minute PowerPoint that will help you achieve your objectives and “wow” your audience.

How do you plan a 5-minute presentation?

Planning a 5-minute presentation can be daunting and you might be wondering “how many slides should a 5-minute presentation be?”.

Here are a few steps you can take to make sure you make the most of your time.

First, determine the purpose of your presentation . Are you trying to educate, entertain, or persuade your audience?

Once you know the purpose of your talk, you can begin to plan what to include.

It is important to be concise and clear in your presentations, so plan to focus on just one to three main points . Make sure that you can provide a quick but impactful story (or any supporting evidence) to drive each point home.

Finally, practice your presentation several times before delivering it . This will help you ensure that you stay within the time limit and that your talk flows smoothly while also making sure you don’t forget any important details.

By following these tips, you can plan an effective 5-minute presentation that is sure to engage your audience.

Time to clap it up because you’ve just added some serious productivity-boosting info into your PowerPoint toolkit. Want to dive into even more tips for reducing text? Download the full, free cheatsheet here.

The 5/5/5 rule is a powerful tool for creating effective PowerPoint presentations. It can help you to summarize your ideas, makes your slides more visually appealing, and can even result in increased audience engagement during your presentation.

So when it’s time to draft your next presentation, keep the 5/5/5 rule in mind. It may take a bit of patience to get the process down but, once you do, you’ll see what a significant difference it can make.

Have you used this rule – or similar rules – when creating presentations? Do you know of any other rules that help with efficiency and design? Drop a comment below and let’s talk about it!

Whitney is a recognized Professional Development Expert, professional speaker, and the founder of Harness Your Power. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Florida State University and a Microsoft PowerPoint Specialist certification. She has been featured in Yahoo Finance, AOL, Authority Magazine, Business Insider, Fox and more. Read more.

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The 5/5/5 Rule for Presentations: How to Use it and Examples

Last updated on April 10th, 2024

In today’s fast-paced world, delivering effective presentations is more important than ever. Whether you are presenting to colleagues, clients, or conference attendees, the ability to communicate your message clearly and concisely is essential.

One proven method for creating visually appealing presentation slides is the 5/5/5 Rule. This rule is designed to streamline the presentation design process and keep your audience engaged. By following the 5/5/5 Rule, you’ll be able to create presentation slides that are both visually appealing and informative, leading to more successful presentations.

What is the 5/5/5 Rule?

The 5/5/5 Rule is a simple yet powerful guideline for creating presentation slides that are easy to understand and visually engaging. The rule breaks down into three components:

5 words: Limiting 5 words per line

When creating slide templates, it’s essential to prioritize readability. By limiting the number of words on a single line to five, you ensure that your text is easy to read and comprehend, even from a distance. This constraint forces you to be concise and choose your words carefully, ultimately leading to clearer and more effective communication.

The first “5” in the 5/5/5 Rule also encourages presenters to use succinct, powerful language. By condensing your message into a few essential words, you increase the likelihood that your audience will remember and understand the key points of your presentation.

5 lines: Limiting lines of text per slide

Too much text on a single slide can overwhelm your audience, making it difficult for them to process and retain the information being presented. By limiting the number of text lines to five, you reduce the cognitive load on your audience, allowing them to focus on the most important aspects of your message.

Visually appealing slides are crucial for keeping your audience engaged. When you limit the number of text lines on a slide, you create more white space, which can make your presentation slides look cleaner and more professional. This increased visual appeal can help maintain your audience’s attention and contribute to the overall success of your presentation. You can combine this idea with the rule of threes for presentations .

5 slides: Limiting consecutive slides with text

To keep your audience engaged, it’s important to break up long stretches of text-heavy slides. By limiting the number of consecutive slides with text to five, you encourage the use of visuals, multimedia, and other forms of content that can help maintain interest and enhance understanding.

Incorporating visuals such as images, infographics, charts, and videos into your presentation can help illustrate complex concepts and reinforce key points. You can separate essential parts of your presentations into different topics, then keep up to 5 slides in each section. Following the third “5” of the 5/5/5 Rule ensures that your presentation is balanced, engaging, and informative.

Benefits of the 5/5/5 Rule for Presenters

Implementing the 5/5/5 Rule in your presentation design process can lead to several benefits, including:

1. Enhanced audience focus

By reducing the amount of text on your slides and incorporating more visuals, you can help your audience focus on the essential aspects of your message. This focused attention can lead to increased understanding and retention of your presentation’s key points.

2. Improved information retention

When you simplify your slides and present information in a clear, concise manner, your audience is more likely to remember what you’ve shared. The 5/5/5 Rule helps you distill complex ideas into easily digestible slides, increasing the likelihood that your audience will retain the information long after your presentation has ended.

3. More effective communication

The 5/5/5 Rule encourages presenters to be mindful of their audience’s needs and attention spans. By following this guideline, you can communicate your message more effectively, making it easier for your audience to understand and engage with your content.

4. Reduced cognitive load

Limiting the amount of text on your slides and interspersing visuals helps reduce the cognitive load on your audience. When they are not overwhelmed by information, they can better process and remember the key points of your presentation.

How to Implement the 5/5/5 Rule in your own Presentations?

To incorporate the 5/5/5 Rule into your presentation design process, consider the following steps:

1. Analyzing your content

1.1 Identifying key points. Before you start designing your slides, take the time to identify the most important points of your presentation. This process will help you determine what information to include on your slides and how to structure your content effectively.

1.2 Simplifying complex ideas. Once you have identified your key points, consider ways to simplify and distill complex ideas into easy-to-understand concepts. This will make it easier for your audience to grasp your message and increase the likelihood that they will retain the information.

2. Designing your slides

2.1. Emphasizing brevity and clarity. As you design your presentation slides, focus on keeping your text concise and clear. Use the 5x5x5 Rule to guide you in limiting the amount of text on each slide, prioritizing readability and visual appeal.

2.2. Using visuals and multimedia effectively. Incorporate visuals, such as images, graphs, and videos, to support your message and engage your audience. Be mindful of the third “5” in the 5/5/5 Rule, and ensure that you break up long stretches of text-heavy slides with visually appealing and informative multimedia content.

3. Balancing text and visuals

3.1. Knowing when to break the rules. While the 5/5/5 Rule is a helpful guideline, it’s essential to recognize that there may be instances when it’s appropriate to deviate from it. Depending on the complexity of your topic or the needs of your audience, you may need to adjust the rule to suit your specific situation.

3.2. Tailoring your approach to your audience. Consider the preferences and expectations of your audience when designing your slides. Some audiences may appreciate a more text-heavy approach, while others may respond better to visuals and multimedia. Be flexible and adapt your presentation design to meet the needs of your audience.

Relevant Facts Related to 5/5/5 Rule for Presentations

• Attention spans: According to a study conducted by Microsoft, the average human attention span has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2013, which is shorter than a goldfish’s attention span (Microsoft, 2015). The 5/5/5 Rule for presentation helps presenters deliver information concisely, catering to these shorter attention spans and improving audience engagement.
• Information overload: A study by the University of California, San Diego, estimated that the average American consumes about 34 gigabytes of data daily (Bohn & Short, 2009). The 5/5/5 Rule for presentation design helps presenters avoid overwhelming their audience with excessive information, allowing them to focus on key points and better retain the presented content.
• Visual learning: According to research, 65% of the population are visual learners (Bradford, 2016). By implementing the 5/5/5 Rule, presenters can create a balanced mix of text and visuals, enhancing understanding and information retention for a majority of the audience.
• Presentation effectiveness: A study from the University of Tennessee found that presentations using visual aids were 43% more persuasive than those without (Vogel et al., 1986). By limiting consecutive text-heavy slides, the 5/5/5 Rule for presentations encourages the use of visual aids, which can improve the overall effectiveness of a presentation.
• Cognitive load: Reducing cognitive load by simplifying information is an essential aspect of effective instructional design (Sweller, 1994), also relevant with the ADDIE model . The 5/5/5 Rule addresses this by limiting words per line and lines per slide, making it easier for the audience to process and retain the presented information.

The 5/5/5 Rule is a powerful presentation design tool for creating visually appealing and effective presentation slides. By limiting the amount of text on your slides, incorporating visuals and multimedia, and tailoring your approach to your audience, you can improve the overall success of your presentations. As you embark on your next presentation design process, consider implementing the 5/5/5 Rule to enhance your PowerPoint slides or Google Slides, and make your message more engaging and memorable for your audience.

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• May 26, 2021

PowerPoint 101: The 5/5/5 Rule

When it comes to presentations, we believe that content should drive design. That is, the way that you structure and organize your presentation should follow the needs of the content, rather than a rigid structure.

But this is a lot of work, and isn’t always easy, particularly if you are still learning the ropes of presentation design and storytelling. That’s where rules come in. If you’re struggling to get started, or are unsure of how best to structure a PowerPoint presentation, rules can offer an easy on-ramp to help you get going. And the 5/5/5 Rule is both one of the simplest and most effective.

What is the 5/5/5 Rule

The 5/5/5 Rule explains what it is right in the name: when creating slides for your presentation, use at most:

5 words on a single line

5 lines of text on a single slide.

5 slides that apply the first two rules in a row

Now, let’s take a closer look at each part of the rule, and see how it helps build a better presentation.

Presentations are multi-dimensional. They rely on a combination of written words, spoken language, and visual storytelling to effectively communicate information. So if you are writing out lengthy, complete sentences in order to make sure that “all the information is there,” you are missing the point (and the value) of PowerPoint.

By applying the “5 words per line” rule, you’re ensuring that your writing stays sharp and clear, and that the audience is focused more on you than on the screen. As we noted in our blog 3 ways to up your PowerPoint game , too much content can actually lead to less information retention, which is very counterproductive.

When we are designing PowerPoints for clients, we have our own general rule we try to follow: one idea per slide .

That’s because people tend to think of a slide as a single unit of content. This tells the brain to keep those ideas together, creating associations between bits of info and helping us to cement them in our minds. And if a seminal piece of neuroscience is true, we can hold “ seven, plus or minus two ” pieces of short-term information in our brains.

By limiting yourself to 5 lines of text, not only are you helping to make your presentation more effective, you’re also helping your audience to internalize more of the information your trying to share.

(No more than) 5 slides that apply the first two rules in a row

If you followed the first two rules to the letter on every slide in your PowerPoint, you could still have way too much content for an effective presentation. So if you catch yourself relying too heavily on the first two 5’s, you should take a step back and look for ways to vary your content.

This could mean trimming back certain slides to reduce the amount of content, adding in more images/infographics, or simply removing some slides altogether.

When to use the 5/5/5 Rule

The purpose of this rule isn’t to blindly apply it to every PowerPoint you make. Rather, it’s to force you to take a step back and carefully consider each slide you’re creating for it’s content as well as keep the audience’s considerations front and center.

It’s also a great way to outline your content. If you’re ever feeling stuck on how to get started with a big presentation, creating content within the 5/5/5 Rule can help you to structure your presentation just enough that you can ignore the rule.

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• Storytelling

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Breaking Down the 5/5/5 Rule in PowerPoint Presentation Design

5/5/5 Rule Design PowerPoint Presentation Presentation Design Team Presentation Designers

Creating a successful and effective PowerPoint presentation is a skill that is extremely valuable in any professional environment. Whether you are a student or a corporate executive, the ability to craft a visually appealing and informative presentation can be essential in order to effectively communicate your message. While most people understand basic presentation design, corporate presentations require a more in-depth approach. Thankfully, there is a simple rule that can make creating an effective presentation much easier. The 5/5/5 rule in PowerPoint presentation design is an easy-to-follow formula that will help to ensure that your presentation is well-organized, concise, and engaging. You’ve already heard of Guy Kawasaki and his 10/20/30 rule which we covered in our previous article - The Importance of the 10/20/30 Rule for PowerPoint Presentations . In this article, we will explore the 5/5/5 rule and its practical applications.

The 5/5/5 Rule Explained

When it comes to creating a PowerPoint presentation, it’s important to remember that less is often more. While it’s tempting to include every piece of information and visual design element available, this almost always backfires. Too much clutter and a busy design can overwhelm your audience, making it difficult for them to stay focused on the content. This is where you should consider using the 5/5/5 rule in PowerPoint presentation design. This rule provides a simple way to design slides that will capture and keep the audience’s attention.

All you need to know and remember are these 3 key points:

Stick to putting down only 5 words on a single line

Stick to having no more than 5 lines of text on a single slide, stick to putting in only 5 slides that apply the first two rules in a row.

Let’s explore these in a little more detail so that you can go about creating simple yet effective PowerPoint presentations.

Whenever you create a PowerPoint presentation, it’s important to remember that the goal is to communicate your message or information to a large audience. You must keep in mind that merely throwing every bit of information you have onto your slides is not going to have desirable results. Not only will it look cluttered and disorganized, but it can also make your presentation less effective and less memorable.

The key to delivering an effective presentation is to keep it concise, organized, and visually appealing. This is why the old adage of "less is more" is so important. By limiting yourself to only five words per line on your slides, you ensure that the information on each slide is sharp and clear and that the audience is focused on you rather than the screen.

Using only five words per line also ensures that your audience will be able to quickly absorb and understand the information being presented. Keeping your slides simple also makes your presentation look more professional and organized, which will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Creating a PowerPoint presentation can be a tricky task. You have a limited amount of time to convey a message or communicate information. Therefore it's essential to be able to convey your message in a crisp and concise manner so that your audience is able to easily understand it. Unfortunately, when there’s a lot of material to be communicated, the tendency is to cram each slide with information, which is an ineffective approach.

The average person is only able to retain between seven and nine pieces of short-term information in their brains at one time. If a slide contains more than this, the audience won’t be able to retain any of the information. This is why it’s important to limit the information to no more than 5 lines of text per slide. This will make the information on each slide easier to understand, absorb, and retain.

Not only that, but it will also help your audience to focus better on the information you’re sharing. The fewer words and points on each slide, the easier it will be for your audience to keep track of and stay engaged. You can also add visuals or videos to break up the monotony of text slides, as these can be more effective in communicating your message.

By keeping a few simple guidelines in mind, you can ensure that your PowerPoint presentation design is effective, thus conveying the message or information you want to get across. Limiting yourself to 5 lines of text per slide, and adding visuals and videos can help your audience to stay engaged and understand the information better.

Presentations are often most effective when they are concise. The 5/5/5 rule in PowerPoint presentation design is a popular way to ensure that presentations stay on track and remain engaging. The rule states that each slide should have a maximum of 5 words per line, with just 5 lines per slide, and there should be no more than 5 slides in total.

For larger organizations, however, this rule can be difficult to follow. It can actually be tricky to limit the number of slides to just 5. However, it’s still possible to create an effective presentation by ensuring that the content is relevant and easy to understand. It may be necessary to trim back some of the slides to reduce the amount of content and make the presentation more concise. Here's a small tip: if you want to make the presentation more engaging, use visuals such as images, infographics, graphs, and charts in place of certain slides.

Ultimately, the 5/5/5 rule in PowerPoint presentation design is a great way to keep presentations focused and engaging. Unfortunately, larger organizations may not be able to adhere to it strictly. However, if they can ensure that the content is relevant and easy to understand, these organizations can still create effective presentations without having to stick to the rule.

Utilizing the 5/5/5 Rule in PowerPoint Presentation Design Effectively

You can definitely use the 5/5/5 rule to create effective presentations, but don't blindly use it. Depending on the audience, purpose, and size of the presentation, the number of slides and content can vary greatly. Therefore, it is important to consider what information is actually necessary for the audience. This rule is, in fact, a great way to create basic presentations and structure larger presentations. When you use it, you ensure that you provide the audience with the content necessary for a great experience.

Overall, our presentation design team at Deck Sherpa is committed to creating effective and impactful presentations for our clients. We know how to apply the 5/5/5 and 10/20/30 rules to create effective presentations that will make a lasting impression. If you're interested in learning more about our services or have any questions, please visit our website or contact us for a quote. We look forward to helping you create a powerful and impactful presentation.

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PowerPoint Tips  - Simple Rules for Better PowerPoint Presentations

Powerpoint tips  -, simple rules for better powerpoint presentations, powerpoint tips simple rules for better powerpoint presentations.

PowerPoint Tips: Simple Rules for Better PowerPoint Presentations

Lesson 17: simple rules for better powerpoint presentations.

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Simple rules for better PowerPoint presentations

Have you ever given a PowerPoint presentation and noticed that something about it just seemed a little … off? If you’re unfamiliar with basic PowerPoint design principles, it can be difficult to create a slide show that presents your information in the best light.

Poorly designed presentations can leave an audience feeling confused, bored, and even irritated. Review these tips to make your next presentation more engaging.

Don't read your presentation straight from the slides

If your audience can both read and hear, it’s a waste of time for you to simply read your slides aloud. Your audience will zone out and stop listening to what you’re saying, which means they won’t hear any extra information you include.

Instead of typing out your entire presentation, include only main ideas, keywords, and talking points in your slide show text. Engage your audience by sharing the details out loud.

Follow the 5/5/5 rule

To keep your audience from feeling overwhelmed, you should keep the text on each slide short and to the point. Some experts suggest using the 5/5/5 rule : no more than five words per line of text, five lines of text per slide, or five text-heavy slides in a row.

Don't forget your audience

Who will be watching your presentation? The same goofy effects and funny clip art that would entertain a classroom full of middle-school students might make you look unprofessional in front of business colleagues and clients.

Humor can lighten up a presentation, but if you use it inappropriately your audience might think you don’t know what you’re doing. Know your audience, and tailor your presentation to their tastes and expectations.

Choose readable colors and fonts

Your text should be easy to read and pleasant to look at. Large, simple fonts and theme colors are always your best bet. The best fonts and colors can vary depending on your presentation setting. Presenting in a large room? Make your text larger than usual so people in the back can read it. Presenting with the lights on? Dark text on a light background is your best bet for visibility.

Don't overload your presentation with animations

As anyone who’s sat through a presentation while every letter of every paragraph zoomed across the screen can tell you, being inundated with complicated animations and exciting slide transitions can become irritating.

Before including effects like this in your presentation, ask yourself: Would this moment in the presentation be equally strong without an added effect? Does it unnecessarily delay information? If the answer to either question is yes—or even maybe—leave out the effect.

Use animations sparingly to enhance your presentation

Don’t take the last tip to mean you should avoid animations and other effects entirely. When used sparingly, subtle effects and animations can add to your presentation. For example, having bullet points appear as you address them rather than before can help keep your audience’s attention.

Keep these tips in mind the next time you create a presentation—your audience will thank you. For more detailed information on creating a PowerPoint presentation, visit our Office tutorials .

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PowerPoint 101: best tricks to use the 5/5/5 rule

PowerPoint 101: best tricks to use the 5/5/5 rule. When creating a PowerPoint presentation, there are many elements that we can use to optimise our slides. There are rules that can help us structure and organisation our presentation better.

Also, if you find creating a PPT presentation for your business in the UK challenging, why not use the rules? In case you didn’t know, they are the best option or the easiest way to create a compelling presentation with accurate information. For example, there is the 5/5/5 rule, which is one of the simplest, and in this post, we will give you the best tips for its use. But first, we must tell you what the 5×5 PowerPoint rule is.

What is the 5/5/5 rule?

• 5 lines of text per slide.
• 5 words on one line.
• Only 5 slides should contain the two rules in a row .

For a better understanding, let’s see in detail what each rule consists of:

5 lines of text per slide

When designing a PowerPoint presentation for your business, you must have one idea per slide. Why? People typically view a slide as a single unit of content. This tells the brain to keep those ideas together by creating bits of information that will then be consolidated in our minds. Going by neuroscience, we all have limits in information processing capacity.

For this reason, by limiting a text to 5 lines and helping your presentation have better results , your audience can internalise the information you plan to share.

5 words on one line

PowerPoint presentations are considered to be two-dimensional. This is because they are made up of a combination of written words, visual narration, and spoken language to provide the information you want to convey. The objective is that all the information is there, but in an attractive way and without losing value.

When you apply this rule, you can ensure that you will include clear writing, and the audience will focus more on you and not on the screen. It is essential to remember that a presentation with much content leads to less retention of information, which is ultimately very counterproductive for your company.

Only 5 slides should contain the two rules in a row

Once you follow the two rules we have already explained for your PPT slides, you will likely have too much content, and your presentation is not effective enough. Therefore, you can revise to vary your content even if you have used the previous rules.

What do we mean by this? You can trim the information on some of the slides to reduce the written content and add more images, charts, and infographics. In some cases, you can also remove some slides if they are not needed.

What are the benefits of the 5/5/5 rule?

Highlight your message, Best tricks to use the 5/5/5 rule.

As a rule, it ensures that the most important information is highlighted to convey the main message. It also helps make this information the centre of attention so that the audience actively listens and understands the message.

Reduce your workload, Best tricks to use the 5/5/5 rule.

Making a lot of slides is exhausting, and it will take a lot of time, time that you may not have. Now, when you know what the rules are and understand how to reduce your content, you won’t have to make a lot of effort to make a quality presentation adjusted to your company’s needs.

Avoid making your presentation sound like “reading aloud.” Best tricks to use the 5/5/5 rule.

When you add many words to your presentation , chances are you’ll always rely on your slides. You will likely read all the text that appears, while the 5/5/5 rule will keep it short by cutting down as many words as possible. This way, you won’t look like a student reading a presentation in the classroom. Much less, the audience will only see your back while you turn to see everything your slides say.

What are the cons of the 5/5/5 rule?

In effect, this rule tells us that we should add a maximum of 5 bullet points, which means that we should add 5 ideas on a slide. Many prefer to believe that one idea per slide is better. The reason is that the audience may be reading the other ideas while you are just presenting the first one.

Also, if you follow this rule to the letter, you can end up with 5 text slides in a row, including an image slide and then other text slides, and repeat. This is usually not the most attractive thing for your audience.

In many cases, the 5/5/5 rule can go against what should be a good practice in presentations. For example, include photos, graphics, or other elements. Even have visual communication with your audience .

How about the 5/5/5 rule for PowerPoint presentations?

If you need a PowerPoint presentation to tell the story or show the products or services of your company, at BluCactus, we can help you. PowerPoint presentations have many benefits, and we can create a design that fits your goals and personalised information. Contact us right now to tell you more about this service that works within any marketing strategy and for any business model.

To stay up to date with everything related to digital marketing, we invite you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

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Support and tips for thesis students

The 5/5/5 rule explained: a starting point for great presentations

Key message.

The 5/5/5 rule states that slides should not contain more than 5 lines of text, each line should not contain more than 5 words, and the presentation should not contain more than 5 text-heavy slides in a row. If you want to apply this rule, it can help to use a lot of graphics, to identify keywords, and to avoid writing full sentences.

The 5/5/5 rule

If you are reading this, it is quite likely that you have ever experienced “ death by powerpoint “. It means that you have witnessed a powerpoint presentation that was impossible to follow and extremely boring, even though the topic may have been very interesting. As a presenter, you definitely want to prevent this from happening to your audience.

One of the most common causes of death by powerpoint is the use of large amounts of text on the slides. Luckily, there is a very simple rule that can prevent this to happen: the 5/5/5 rule (or five by five by five rule). This rule states that:

• slides should contain no more than 5 lines
• each line should contain no more than 5 words
• the presentation should not contain more than 5 text-heavy slides in a row

Applying these rules makes sure that you’re audience can focus on what you are saying, instead of having to read large amounts of text on the slide. The 5/5/5 rule forces you to keep it simple , and to only include information on the slide that is necessary for the audience to understand your take-home message. In addition, it prevents that you are going to read everything from your slides, which can come across as boring and unprepared.

Tips for applying the 5/5/5 rule

Applying the 5/5/5 rule is not always easy, especially if you are used to include detailed information on every slide. Here are some quick tips to get started.

Use graphics A picture says more than a thousand words. Try to capture your message in a figure, a graph, or a diagram. Such graphics are much more effective in supporting what you want to bring across, and they make it much more likely that your audience will remember it.

Use only keywords For each slide, try to identify a limited number of keywords that are directly connected to your main message. For every word that you consider to include in your presentation, ask yourself: “Does the audience really need this word to understand what I mean?” If the answer is no, you should probably not include it. Just focus on what the audience really needs to know.

Avoid full sentences Text on a slide should support what you are saying, but it should not be exactly what you say. The text on the slide does not have to be readable by itself, it only needs to make sense in support of your presentation.

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PowerPoint 101: Best tricks to use the 5/5/5 Rule

PowerPoint 101: B est T ricks to U se the 5×5 PowerPoint rule. When creating a PowerPoint presentation, there are many elements that we can use to optimize our slides. Some rules can help us structure and organize our production better.

If you find creating a PowerPoint presentation challenging, use the rules! Rules are the easiest way to create a compelling presentation with accurate information, such as the 5/5/5 rule, which is one of the simplest, and in this post, we will give you the best tips for its use. But first, we must tell you what the 5×5 PowerPoint rule is.

What is the 5/5/5 R ule?

As its name suggests, the 5/5/5 PowerPoint rule follows the following aspects:

• Five lines of text per slide.
• Five words on one line.
• Only five presentation slides should contain the two rules in a row.

For a better understanding, let’s see in detail what each rule consists of:

Five L ines of T ext per S lide

When designing a PowerPoint presentation for your business, you must have one idea per slide. Why? People typically view a slide as a single unit of content, which tells the brain to keep those ideas together by creating bits of information that will consolidate in our minds. Going by neuroscience, we all have limits in information processing capacity.

For this reason, by limiting a text to 5 lines and helping your presentation have better results, your audience can internalize the information you plan to share.

Five W ords on O ne L ine

When you apply this rule, you can ensure that you will include clear writing and the audience will focus more on you and not on the screen.

Remember that a presentation with much content leads to less retention of information, which is ultimately very counterproductive for your company.

Only Five S lides S hould C ontain the T wo R ules in a R ow

Therefore, you can revise to vary your content even if you have used the previous rules.

What do we mean by this? You can trim the information on some slides to reduce the written content and add more images, charts, and infographics.

In some cases, you can also remove some slides if they are not needed.

What are the B enefits of the 5/5/5 R ule?

Highlight your message

As a rule, the essential information gets highlighted to convey the main message.

It also helps make this information the center of attention so that the audience actively listens and understands the message.

Reduce Y our W orkload

Avoid M aking Y our P resentation S ound like “ R eading A loud.”

You will always rely on PowerPoint slides when you add many words to your presentation . You will likely read all the text that appears, while the 5/5/5 rule will keep it short by cutting down as many words as possible. This way, you will not look like a student reading a presentation in the classroom. Much less, the audience will only see your back while you turn to see everything your slides say.

What are the C ons of the 5/5/5 R ule?

In effect, this rule tells us that we should add a maximum of five bullet points, which means that we should add five ideas on a slide. Many prefer to believe that one idea per slide is better. The reason is that the audience may be reading the other ideas while you are just presenting the first one.

Also, if you follow this rule to the letter, you can end up with five text slides in a row, including an image slide and then other text slides, and repeat. Usually, this is not the most attractive thing for your audience.

In many cases, the 5/5/5 rule can go against what should be good practice in presentations . For example, include photos, graphics, or other elements. Even have visual communication with your audience.

How A bout the 5/5/5 R ule for PowerPoint P resentations?

If you need a PowerPoint presentation to tell the story or show the products or services of your company, at BluCactus Canada, we can help you. PowerPoint presentations have many benefits, and we can create a design that fits your goals and personalized information. Contact us right now to tell you more about this service that works within any marketing strategy and for any business model.

To stay up to date with everything related to digital marketing, we invite you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

You might also like

Leave a Reply

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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PowerPoint 101: Best tricks to use the 5/5/5 Rule

PowerPoint 101: B est T ricks to U se the 5×5 PowerPoint rule. When creating a PowerPoint presentation, there are many elements that we can use to optimize our slides. Some rules can help us structure and organize our production better.

If you find creating a PowerPoint presentation challenging, use the rules! Rules are the easiest way to create a compelling presentation with accurate information, such as the 5/5/5 rule, which is one of the simplest, and in this post, we will give you the best tips for its use. But first, we must tell you what the 5×5 PowerPoint rule is.

What is the 5/5/5 R ule?

As its name suggests, the 5/5/5 PowerPoint rule follows the following aspects:

• Five lines of text per slide.
• Five words on one line.
• Only five presentation slides should contain the two rules in a row.

For a better understanding, let’s see in detail what each rule consists of:

Five L ines of T ext per S lide

When designing a PowerPoint presentation for your business, you must have one idea per slide. Why? People typically view a slide as a single unit of content, which tells the brain to keep those ideas together by creating bits of information that will consolidate in our minds. Going by neuroscience, we all have limits in information processing capacity.

For this reason, by limiting a text to 5 lines and helping your presentation have better results, your audience can internalize the information you plan to share.

Five W ords on O ne L ine

When you apply this rule, you can ensure that you will include clear writing and the audience will focus more on you and not on the screen.

Remember that a presentation with much content leads to less retention of information, which is ultimately very counterproductive for your company.

Only Five S lides S hould C ontain the T wo R ules in a R ow

Therefore, you can revise to vary your content even if you have used the previous rules.

What do we mean by this? You can trim the information on some slides to reduce the written content and add more images, charts, and infographics.

In some cases, you can also remove some slides if they are not needed.

What are the B enefits of the 5/5/5 R ule?

Highlight your message

As a rule, the essential information gets highlighted to convey the main message.

It also helps make this information the center of attention so that the audience actively listens and understands the message.

Reduce Y our W orkload

Avoid M aking Y our P resentation S ound like “ R eading A loud.”

You will always rely on PowerPoint slides when you add many words to your presentation . You will likely read all the text that appears, while the 5/5/5 rule will keep it short by cutting down as many words as possible. This way, you will not look like a student reading a presentation in the classroom. Much less, the audience will only see your back while you turn to see everything your slides say.

What are the C ons of the 5/5/5 R ule?

In effect, this rule tells us that we should add a maximum of five bullet points, which means that we should add five ideas on a slide. Many prefer to believe that one idea per slide is better. The reason is that the audience may be reading the other ideas while you are just presenting the first one.

Also, if you follow this rule to the letter, you can end up with five text slides in a row, including an image slide and then other text slides, and repeat. Usually, this is not the most attractive thing for your audience.

In many cases, the 5/5/5 rule can go against what should be good practice in presentations . For example, include photos, graphics, or other elements. Even have visual communication with your audience.

How A bout the 5/5/5 R ule for PowerPoint P resentations?

If you need a PowerPoint presentation to tell the story or show the products or services of your company, at BluCactus, we can help you. PowerPoint presentations have many benefits, and we can create a design that fits your goals and personalized information. Contact us right now to tell you more about this service that works within any marketing strategy and for any business model.

To stay up to date with everything related to digital marketing, we invite you to subscribe to our weekly newsletter .

You might also like

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Leave a reply cancel reply.

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5 golden rules of PowerPoint design

april 30, 2024

by Deb Ashby

Wondering how to design the perfect PowerPoint presentation? It's easier than you think–just follow five simple rules to get started:

1. Consider using templates

When building a slide deck, it’s important to maintain consistency throughout. We want to ensure we are using consistent font styles, colors and themes. This can be tricky when designing from scratch, so why not start from a template?

Microsoft Create contains hundreds of pre-made, customizable PowerPoint templates, which means you don’t have to start from scratch and the fonts and colors are already set for you.

Simply choose a template from the gallery, customize it as needed, and you are done!

2. No walls of text

We’ve all seen PowerPoint presentations where slides contain too much text. The human brain struggles to listen and read at the same time. If you are presenting to an audience, keep the text on slides to a minimum.

Consider employing the “5-5-5" rule. No more than 5 lines, no more than 5 words, no more than 5 minutes. Think short and sharp memory joggers instead of rambling paragraphs.

Where possible, consider replacing text with visuals to represent your point. People remember images more than words.

3. Be mindful of colors and fonts

No one wants their audience to leave with a headache after an hour of straining to read slides. We need to ensure that our presentation is easy to read for everyone – even for those in the nosebleed seats at the back! Think about the font you are using. Is it appropriate for the presentation? What about the font size? Can people at the back easily read? What about people with visual impairment? Ensure all text is at least 24pts.

When it comes to color, ensure all slides have good contrast. Dark backgrounds should have light font and vice versa.

4. Use animation sparingly

Animation can really liven up an otherwise flat presentation. However, it should be used thoughtfully and sparingly. Too much of the wrong type of animation with objects flying in and zooming around the screen, while fun, can look confusing and unprofessional.

Animation should be subtle (especially for pitch decks and other formal presentations). With every animation you add, ask yourself, "Is this going to enhance my presentation or distract from it?"

5. Engage your audience

When presenting to an audience, there is usually an awkward time before the presentation begins while the speaker waits for everyone to arrive. During this time, people may start scrolling on their phones or get distracted with work emails, and it can be hard to pull the audience back.

To avoid this issue, work to grab your audience's attention before the presentation even starts. Instead of just having the title slide on the screen, consider creating "kiosk slides." These are a series of slides that contain a combination of interesting things for the audience to look at or engage with. Maybe you have an interesting image? A funny quote or fun facts? Or maybe there is a question you want them to think about prior to the session?

Create these slides and have them automatically cycle round before the presentation starts.

Related topics

• Presentation Design

PowerPoint Rules You Should Follow

• By: Kelly Allison

If you want your PowerPoint presentation to move, compel, and inspire, then it’s important that you make it unique and creative. That being said, there are a distinct set of rules and guidelines you can (and should) follow that make it much easier to nail your presentation every single time.

The following rules aren’t designed to limit your creativity; they’re designed to make it shine even brighter.

Stick to 5/5/5 Slides full of long blocks of text are exhausting for your audience and more than likely will cause them to tune out. To avoid tiring (and boring) your audience, stick to the 5/5/5 rule. That means allowing no more than five words per text line, having no more than five lines of text per slide, and never having more than five text-heavy slides in a row.

Contrast Your Colors More than anything, you want your slides to be as readable as possible. And a good trick to make certain of that is to always use a high contrast between your text and your background. White font on a black background or dark blue on a yellow background are good examples of high contrasts that make it easy for your audience’s eyes to read what you’re presenting.

Follow 10/20/30 It’s no secret that humans have short attention spans, especially now that most of us are carrying smartphones around all day. Rather than try to force your audience to pay attention for too long, which is always futile, follow the 10/20/30 rule for your next presentation: Present 10 slides in 20 minutes using a 30-point font on each slide. This helps you work with their short attention span rather than against it.

Keep Designs Simple Busy patterns and highly-detailed images might look great up close, but more often than not, they look chaotic and confusing from the perspective of your audience. Using simple flat images and solid colors in lieu of crazy patterns makes it a lot easier for your audience to focus only on you and your message.

Adhere to 1-6-6 Given that bullet points make it harder for your audience to pay attention, we recommend staying away from them as much as possible. When you do use them, though, make sure to do so following the 1-6-6 rule. That means each slide should have one main idea, no more than six bullet points, and a maximum of six words per point. This ensures your content is sharp and concise.

Skip the Fancy Fonts Just as you should keep your patterns and images simple, you should do the same with your fonts. Resist the urge to include anything too stylized, like script or curly-cues, and instead incorporate clean, standard fonts that will be clear and easy for your audience to read from afar.

Add Consistency to Your Simplicity In addition to keeping your fonts and images simple, you’ll also want to make them consistent to achieve a cohesive, professional look. Pick just a handful of colors and fonts, say three or four, and use them throughout your presentation without straying. This ensures your presentation looks clean and cohesive rather than busy and chaotic.

Want more hands-on help designing your next presentation? Then check out Ethos3’s presentation design services .

Kelly Allison

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The Essential 5 Rules of Effective PowerPoint Presentations

PowerPoint presentations have become a cornerstone of modern communication, whether in the boardroom, the classroom, or the conference hall. When PowerPoint is used effectively, it can elevate your message, making your message engaging, clear, and memorable. There are 5 simple rules to follow to ensure your presentation doesn’t become a dreaded “death by PowerPoint” experience. In this blog, we’ll quickly explore these five essential rules of creating compelling and impactful PowerPoint presentations.

Rule 1: Keep It Simple

One of the cardinal sins in PowerPoint presentations is overcrowding your slides with text, bullet points, and too many visuals. The first rule is to keep it simple. Each slide should have a single, clear message. Use concise language, bullet points, and minimal text to convey your points. Visuals should be clean and uncluttered. Simplicity enhances comprehension and retention.

Rule 2: Visualize Your Data

Data is a critical element in many presentations, but raw numbers can be overwhelming. Rule number two is to visualize your data. Use charts, graphs, and diagrams to represent your data in a visually engaging way. Choose the right type of visualization for your information, ensuring it’s easy to understand at a glance. Well-crafted visuals make your data more accessible and memorable.

Rule 3: Tell a Story

The most compelling presentations are those that tell a story. Rule three is all about storytelling. Structure your presentation like a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction, build your narrative with supporting points, and conclude with a memorable takeaway or call to action. A well-structured story captivates your audience and helps them connect with your message.

Rule 4: Design Matters

Effective design is crucial to a successful PowerPoint presentation. Rule four is all about design. Choose a consistent, visually appealing template. Use fonts, colors, and imagery that align with your message and branding. Ensure that text is legible and that visuals are high-quality and relevant. Good design enhances professionalism and keeps your audience engaged.

Rule 5: Practice and Rehearse

No matter how well your slides are designed, the delivery is equally important. Rule five emphasizes practice and rehearsal. Familiarize yourself with the content, so you can present confidently and naturally. Rehearse your timing, transitions, and any interactive elements. Anticipate questions and prepare for them. Practice helps you connect with your audience and come across as a confident, knowledgeable speaker.

Mastering the art of PowerPoint presentations requires following these five fundamental rules: simplicity, data visualization, storytelling, design, and practice. These rules can transform your presentations from dull and forgettable to compelling and impactful. By keeping your slides clear and uncluttered, visually representing data, weaving a narrative, paying attention to design, and practicing your delivery, you can create presentations that inform, engage, and leave a lasting impression on your audience. The next time you create a PowerPoint presentation, remember these rules to ensure your message shines.

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Ftc rule barring non-compete agreements likely will fail.

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Washington, UNITED STATES: The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) building is seen 19 September 2006 ... [+] in Washington, DC. US President Woodrow Wilson signed the FTC Act into law on 26 September 1914. AFP PHOTO/PAUL J. RICHARDS (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)

In a significant move, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule on April 23 by a 3-2 vote, banning most non-compete clauses in employer-employee contracts as an “unfair method of competition.”

Little changed from a proposed version of the rule released in January 2023. ( An FTC fact sheet provides an overview of the final rule.) The final rule would preempt state laws that currently govern non-competes, and it will surely face judicial challenges for exceeding the FTC’s legal authority. Indeed, in voting against it, new FTC Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Andrew Ferguson stated that the rule is defective on statutory and constitutional grounds. The rule also raises substantial economic questions.

The rule will be subject to legal challenges as soon as it is published in the Federal Register. If struck down in federal court, which is likely, non-compete legal oversight would revert to state law and the FTC would have to go back to the drawing board. A more limited rule informing workers of non-compete requirements before signing employment contracts could make economic sense and be far more likely to pass legal muster.

Non-Compete Policy – A Federal Or State Matter?

FTC Chair Lina Khan asserts that non-competes harm innovation and competition by blocking workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of talent pools to build and expand.

In January and March 2023, the FTC obtained litigation settlements with four firms who agreed to drop their non-compete restrictions, alleging that the settling parties had used “unfair methods of competition” in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act. The settlements, however, applied only to the matters at hand and did not create binding legal precedents.

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Non-competes historically have been evaluated case-by-case through state law adjudication. As Mercatus Center Labor Economist Liya Palagashvili and I pointed out last year , “many states have restricted non-competes to prevent abuses, to define the circumstances in which they will or will not enforce non-competes, and to ensure procedural protections.” A few states ban non-competes, and the policy experimentation allows alternative approaches to be compared and thus helps welfare-enhancing best practices to emerge. Individual states can tweak their approaches in reaction to new information.

In contrast, as economist Brian Albrecht points out , “the FTC’s total ban of non-competes replaces the decision making of businesses and workers, as well as the oversight of state governments, with a one-size-fits-all approach.” Such an approach prevents legal policy from taking into account new information.

The Non-Compete Rule In A Nutshell

The new rule is very broad. As the FTC’s original press release announcing the proposed rule explains , it bars employers from:

· entering into or attempting to enter into a non-compete with a worker

· maintaining a non-compete with a worker

· representing to a worker, under certain circumstances, that the worker is subject to a noncompete

It would require employers to rescind existing non-competes and actively inform workers that these agreements are no longer in effect. (The final rule allows businesses to retain existing non-competes with senior executives, while barring future such arrangements.) Other types of employment restrictions could be subject to the rule if FTC enforcers decided they are so broad in scope that they function as non-competes.

The rule does not apply to entities outside the FTC’s statutory jurisdiction, including financial institutions, air carriers, and certain non-profits.

It would take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. Firms must fully comply 180 days after publication, but enforcement likely will be delayed by the legal challenges.

Economic Policy Problems Posed By The Rule

The FTC made no convincing economic showing supporting the rule. There is also compelling evidence, not addressed by the FTC, that suggests the rule could harm innovation.

In an April 2023 public interest comment, Mercatus Center labor economist Liya Palagashvili and I evaluated the economic research relied upon by the FTC. We noted that two prominent labor economists the agency cited extensively, Norman Bishara and Evan Starr, were “concerned” that bans on non-competes “are being made without the proper empirical foundation.”

The proposed rule also failed to cite FTC staff economist John McAdams , who had demonstrated that there is no research consensus on whether non-competes positively or adversely impact training, wages, information sharing, firm entry, and innovation.

Furthermore, we document work by multiple economists ignored by the FTC indicating that a ban would reduce innovation by reducing human capital investments (training of high-skilled workers) and the necessary R&D.

In addition, the economic costs of a non-compete ban could have negative national security implications, according to a June 2023 Center for Strategic and International Studies paper coauthored by former Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Andrei Iancu. This research concludes that non-competes “stem the transfer of valuable IP from U.S. firms to foreign competitors … This strengthens the U.S. innovation system and enhances the United States’ economic growth, global competitiveness, and national security.”

Legal Obstacles Confronting the Rule

The non-compete rule will face major legal obstacles, as detailed in a 2021 article I wrote with Andrew Mercado and a 2023 dissent by then-FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson. (New FTC Commissioners Holyoak and Ferguson share Commissioner Wilson’s concerns, a fact that reviewing courts are sure to note.)

First, the statutory provision the FTC relies upon, Section 6(g) of the FTC Act, makes only a passing reference to the authority to issue rules embedded in a list of investigative powers. This fact, combined with the FTC Act’s failure to provide sanctions for Section 6(g) rule violations, strongly suggests that Congress did not intend to authorize substantive agency rulemaking.

Second, judicial deference to the FTC’s claimed rulemaking authority appears unlikely. The Supreme Court’s 2021 decision in AMG Capital Management v. FTC took a narrow view of FTC power in denying it the ability to obtain monetary relief as part of an injunction under Section 13(b). A similarly narrow reading here would doom the non-compete rule.

Third, according to former Commissioner Wilson, the FTC lacks the authority to issue a non-compete rule. She argues that the rule runs afoul of the Supreme Court’s holdings that reserve “major questions” to Congress and would involve an unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority.

An Alternative Rule That’s Both Legal and Beneficial

As Mercado and I explained, a narrower FTC rule requiring businesses to proffer their non-compete agreement before a contract is signed would stand a good chance of being upheld. It would allow employers to continue to preserve the benefits of non-compete agreements and enable employees to more fully consider the ramifications when deciding whether to accept an employment offer.

The rule could be issued under Section 19 of the FTC Act, which (unlike Section 6(g)) authorizes the FTC to enact substantive rules to combat unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The mutual benefits to employers and employees could allow the FTC to demonstrate that these exceed the costs, as required by Section 19.

The Road Forward

Businesses may, of course, choose to eliminate their non-competes immediately to avoid rising future confrontations with the FTC. Others may choose watchful waiting. After all, there is a high probability that the rule will eventually be struck down.

In any event, some time will pass before we see legal resolution of the non-compete issue. It’s also possible that, if administrations change, future FTC leadership withdraws the rule.

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Cinco de Mayo 2024: What is Cinco de Mayo and why does the US celebrate? Here's what we know

Cinco de Mayo literally means “the fifth of May” in Spanish, and it lands on Sunday in 2024. It’s not just a day to party, though.

It commemorates a significant time in history for Mexico, as well as a civil rights movement in America.

What is Cinco de Mayo? Why do we celebrate ? Here's what to know.

What is Cinco de Mayo?

This day is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. It celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, during the French-Mexican War, according to History .

Is Cinco de Mayo Mexican Independence Day?

It celebrates a pivotal point in the county's history, but Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day.

Mexico gained independence from Spanish rule in 1810, and its Independence Day is observed on September 16.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of the Battle of Puebla during the French-Mexican war that lasted between 1861 and 1867.

Study up on Cinco de Mayo: 5 fun things you (probably) didn't know about Cinco De Mayo

What was the Battle of Puebla?

In 1861, Benito Juárez served his term as President of Mexico while the country drowned in debt after years of internal strife. It was his responsibility to fix those payments to European governments. But he put those repayments on hold due to lack of funds, according to the Library of Congress .

Upset and demanding repayment, Spain, France, and Britain sent naval forces to Mexico (the United States did not have involvement due to the Civil War).

After Juarez negotiated and explained that a war would further devastate Mexico’s economy, Spain and Britain pulled out after being promised repayment in the future.

However, France remained and attempted to colonize Mexico.

Ignacio Zaragoza, a Texas-born general, led the Mexican forces. Though their army lacked supplies, they managed to be much more strong-minded than the well-equipped French. France wrongly assumed the Mexicans would surrender. 

France eventually ran out of artillery and lost far more troops than Mexico, resulting in their withdrawal of forces from Puebla on May 5, 1862. A big part of this loss was due to a lack of aid and allyship from the Confederate states during the Civil War.

Though the French-Mexican war lasted until 1867, this day was considered a morale-booster for the Mexicans and has been celebrated ever since. 

Cinco de Mayo menu: Three easy recipes to get you in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo

Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in America? 

Enjoying this history lesson? You might be surprised to hear this — Cinco de Mayo isn’t the biggest holiday in Mexico itself. But it is widely celebrated in Mexican-American culture.

The celebration of Cinco de Mayo began as a form of resistance to the effects of the Mexican-American War in the late 19th century. The holiday gained popularity during the Chicano Movement — a social movement advocating for the better treatment and civil rights of all Mexicans in America — of the 1960s and 1970s.

The struggle of the Chicano movement is linked to Cinco de Mayo, as both celebrate the resistance to a foreign invader.

What is Cinco de Mayo? The holiday's origin and why it's celebrated in Mexico, US

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FTC Announces Rule Banning Noncompetes

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Today, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule to promote competition by banning noncompetes nationwide, protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC’s final rule to ban noncompetes will ensure Americans have the freedom to pursue a new job, start a new business, or bring a new idea to market.”

The FTC estimates that the final rule banning noncompetes will lead to new business formation growing by 2.7% per year, resulting in more than 8,500 additional new businesses created each year. The final rule is expected to result in higher earnings for workers, with estimated earnings increasing for the average worker by an additional $524 per year, and it is expected to lower health care costs by up to $194 billion over the next decade. In addition, the final rule is expected to help drive innovation, leading to an estimated average increase of 17,000 to 29,000 more patents each year for the next 10 years under the final rule.

Noncompetes are a widespread and often exploitative practice imposing contractual conditions that prevent workers from taking a new job or starting a new business. Noncompetes often force workers to either stay in a job they want to leave or bear other significant harms and costs, such as being forced to switch to a lower-paying field, being forced to relocate, being forced to leave the workforce altogether, or being forced to defend against expensive litigation. An estimated 30 million workers—nearly one in five Americans—are subject to a noncompete.

Under the FTC’s new rule, existing noncompetes for the vast majority of workers will no longer be enforceable after the rule’s effective date. Existing noncompetes for senior executives - who represent less than 0.75% of workers - can remain in force under the FTC’s final rule, but employers are banned from entering into or attempting to enforce any new noncompetes, even if they involve senior executives. Employers will be required to provide notice to workers other than senior executives who are bound by an existing noncompete that they will not be enforcing any noncompetes against them.

In January 2023, the FTC issued a  proposed rule which was subject to a 90-day public comment period. The FTC received more than 26,000 comments on the proposed rule, with over 25,000 comments in support of the FTC’s proposed ban on noncompetes. The comments informed the FTC’s final rulemaking process, with the FTC carefully reviewing each comment and making changes to the proposed rule in response to the public’s feedback.

In the final rule, the Commission has determined that it is an unfair method of competition, and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, for employers to enter into noncompetes with workers and to enforce certain noncompetes.

The Commission found that noncompetes tend to negatively affect competitive conditions in labor markets by inhibiting efficient matching between workers and employers. The Commission also found that noncompetes tend to negatively affect competitive conditions in product and service markets, inhibiting new business formation and innovation. There is also evidence that noncompetes lead to increased market concentration and higher prices for consumers.

Alternatives to Noncompetes

The Commission found that employers have several alternatives to noncompetes that still enable firms to protect their investments without having to enforce a noncompete.

Trade secret laws and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) both provide employers with well-established means to protect proprietary and other sensitive information. Researchers estimate that over 95% of workers with a noncompete already have an NDA.

The Commission also finds that instead of using noncompetes to lock in workers, employers that wish to retain employees can compete on the merits for the worker’s labor services by improving wages and working conditions.

Changes from the NPRM

Under the final rule, existing noncompetes for senior executives can remain in force. Employers, however, are prohibited from entering into or enforcing new noncompetes with senior executives. The final rule defines senior executives as workers earning more than $151,164 annually and who are in policy-making positions.

Additionally, the Commission has eliminated a provision in the proposed rule that would have required employers to legally modify existing noncompetes by formally rescinding them. That change will help to streamline compliance.

Instead, under the final rule, employers will simply have to provide notice to workers bound to an existing noncompete that the noncompete agreement will not be enforced against them in the future. To aid employers’ compliance with this requirement, the Commission has included model language in the final rule that employers can use to communicate to workers. 

The Commission vote to approve the issuance of the final rule was 3-2 with Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Andrew N. Ferguson voting no. Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter , Alvaro Bedoya , Melissa Holyoak and Andrew N. Ferguson each issued separate statements. Chair Lina M. Khan will issue a separate statement.

The final rule will become effective 120 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Once the rule is effective, market participants can report information about a suspected violation of the rule to the Bureau of Competition by emailing  [email protected] . 

The Federal Trade Commission develops policy initiatives on issues that affect competition, consumers, and the U.S. economy. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Follow the  FTC on social media , read  consumer alerts  and the  business blog , and  sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts .

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Here’s why USPS employees should follow ethics rules

A new video shows common lapses and how to avoid them.

The Postal Service has released a video that shows the importance of ethical behavior on the job.

The video addresses three common types of ethical lapses: mail destruction, mail theft and misuse of postal property.

The four-minute animated video reminds employees they have a duty to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail. Willful acts of mail theft, delay and destruction affect the public’s trust in USPS and hurt the organization’s reputation.

Additionally, the video emphasizes proper use of Voyager cards, which should be used to purchase fuel for postal vehicles. The cards are regularly audited and tracked and should never be used to buy fuel for a personal vehicle, drinks or snacks.

The video, available on the Link website and the Ethics Blue page , will be shown to employees throughout the organization this week and next.

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Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. Here’s what passengers can expect.

By Christine Chung

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

“Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them — without having to ask,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement, adding that the changes would not only save passengers “time and money,” but also prevent headaches.

The department’s new rules, Mr. Buttigieg said, will hold airlines to clear and consistent standards when they cancel, delay or substantially change flights, and require automatic refunds to be issued within weeks. They will also require them to reveal all fees before a ticket is purchased.

Airlines for America , a trade group representing the country’s largest air carriers, said in a statement that its airlines “abide by and frequently exceed” D.O.T. consumer protection regulations.

Passenger advocates welcomed the new steps.

Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims, called it a “massive step forward and huge improvement in consumer rights and protection” that brings the United States closer to global standards in passenger rights.

Here’s what we know about the D.O.T.’s new rules, which will begin to go into effect in October.

There’s now one definition for a “significant” delay.

Until now, airlines have been allowed to set their own definition for a “significant” delay and compensation has varied by carrier . Now, according to the D.O.T., there will be one standard: when departure or arrival is delayed by three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

Passengers will get prompt refunds for cancellations or significant changes for flights and delayed bags, for any reason.

When things go wrong, getting compensation from an airline has often required establishing a cumbersome paper trail or spending untold hours on the phone. Under the new rules, refunds will be automatic, without passengers having to request them. Refunds will be made in full, excepting the value of any transportation already used. Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in the original form of payment, whether by cash, credit card or airline miles. Refunds are due within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payments.

Passengers with other flight disruptions, such as being downgraded to a lower service class, are also entitled to refunds.

The list of significant changes for which passengers can get their money back also includes: departure or arrival from an airport different from the one booked; connections at different airports or flights on planes that are less accessible to a person with a disability; an increase in the number of scheduled connections. Also, passengers who pay for services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are then unavailable will be refunded any fees.

Airlines must give travel vouchers or credits to ticketed passengers unable to fly because of government restrictions or a doctor’s orders.

The vouchers or credits will be transferable and can be used for at least five years after the date they were issued.

Fees for checked baggage and modifying a reservation must be disclosed upfront.

Airlines and ticket agents are now required to display any extra fees for things like checking bags or seat selection clearly and individually before a ticket purchase. They will also need to outline the airline’s policies on baggage, cancellations and changing flights before a customer purchases a ticket.

The rules, which apply to all flights on domestic airlines and flights to and from the United States operated by foreign airlines, have varying start dates.

For example, automatic refunds must be instituted by the airlines within six months. But carriers have a year before they’re required to issue travel vouchers and credits for passengers advised by a medical professional not to fly.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Pillay: Israel is helped by ‘powerful States’ in violation of Palestinians’ rights

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When tensions erupted in East Jerusalem in April 2021 at the beginning of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, daily clashes involving Palestinians, Israeli settlers and Israeli forces led to spiraling violence and death. In response, the Human Rights Council set up a top panel of independent rights experts to investigate reports of violations of international law.

Today, more than ever amid the ongoing war in Gaza, this independent commission of inquiry has its work cut out. We took a closer look at its role, speaking to its chair , former UN Human Rights Commissioner and judge Navi Pillay, who provided fresh insight into the developing situation and what’s happening in the field of international law.

“Every country and every member of the United Nations is equal in terms of their obligations to observe international law,” she told UN News .

Background to the ‘Day of Rage’

In 2021, the imminent threat of forced eviction of Palestinian families from their homes – initiated by Israeli settler organisations – provoked unrest in and around the Old City of Jerusalem.

This later extended to the wider occupied West Bank, culminating in a “Day of Rage” on 14 May 2021, when Israeli forces killed 10 Palestinians, the highest number recorded at that time by the UN in a single day.

These tragic events led the Human Rights Council to “urgently establish an ongoing, independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of international human rights law leading up and since 13 April 2021”.

Expanded complicity probe

Three years on, the Commission ’s mandate has become broader, particularly since Hamas-led terror attacks on southern Israel on 7 October, which killed some 1,200 people and left more than 250 taken hostage prompting the intense bombardment of Gaza by Israeli Defense Forces.

To date, more than 34,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and over 77,700 Palestinians injured, according to the enclave’s health authorities, while deadly clashes have resumed in the occupied West Bank .

The Commission’s mandate now includes additional issues, including reporting on States that transfer military and other weapons to Israel, raising questions about potential complicity in violations of international law.

Its chair brings years of experience. Ms. Pillay previously served as the first non-white woman judge of the High Court of South Africa, as a judge on the International Criminal Court and President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Rwanda recall

Ms. Pillay said a unique aspect of the current situation in the Middle East is that evidence of war crimes is being gathered in real time, meaning that the world is conscious of the events unfolding.

“I have experience of apartheid era crimes in my own country,” she said. “I served as a judge and president of the Rwanda Tribunal. The Rwandan genocide occurred over 100 days and the world didn’t even know that it was happening. So, in the courtroom, we had to rely very much on recollections of what had happened.”

She said that’s not the case with the ongoing situation in Gaza.

“Here, things are very different, and that’s why it’s so much more shocking,” she insisted.

First to call for a ceasefire

Nobody could have predicted what happened on 7 October and what has followed, the rights expert continued, noting that the Commission was “the first” on 10 October to issue a statement calling for a cessation of hostilities.

This was “long before other organs of the UN spoke up”, she said, “long before the political organs of the UN reacted. Even now, we have the Security Council resolution, the last one calling for a ceasefire, and yet the United States representative feels that resolution does not have any validity.”

It’s disturbing, she continued, when one country continues to violate international law with the help of powerful States who say they support human rights.

“It’s very disturbing if one country gets away with that.”

Suggested caption: Large parts of Gaza, following seven months of Israeli bombardment, stand in ruins in May 2024.

Growing need for the rule of law

The veteran human rights expert believes that there is a resurgence of – and a growing need for – the rule of law, a trend highlighted by an unprecedented number of applications before the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) since its creation in 1945.

She said South Africa’s recent petition to the ICJ alleging that Israel’s actions in Gaza violate the Genocide Convention signals a significant development in the application of universal jurisdiction. It also marks the first time that a third country has brought an application to the ICJ, she noted.

“How come it’s only now that the occupation itself is being challenged, that the ICJ had not been asked to give legal advice on the lawfulness of the occupation itself and [on] the responsibilities of States towards an unlawful endeavour?” Ms. Pillay asked.

Surge of genocide allegations

“The call to rely on the rule of law has been there a long time,” she said. “I see now that we have a surge of this – countries bringing genocide allegations against other countries because of their military support. We have not seen this before and questioning the lawfulness of the occupation [is] also new, and I hope that that trend spreads.”

Earlier this month, Nicaragua brought a case to the UN’s top court to stop German military and other aid to Israel, alleging that it was enabling acts of genocide and violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The court ultimately rejected the request .

“Israel would not have been able to continue with this level of actions against Palestinians [and] violations of Palestinian rights had they not had the help of other States in terms of military aid,” Ms. Pillay said.

Above all, she highlighted, is the obligation incumbent on all nations to uphold international law.