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Skye Learning

5 PowerPoint Rules of Thumb

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Is there anything worse than sitting in the audience during a presentation, as the speaker reads word-for-word from a series of PowerPoint slides? Does he really not understand that you can read the slides for yourself? Why not just print out a set of slides for everyone in the audience and let you all continue on with your day?

Using PowerPoint slides can actually be a wonderful enhancement to your presentation, but only if you know how to use them properly. Here are some basic rules to consider in order to keep your audience engaged.

Rule #1: Think before you act

Before deciding to use PowerPoint slides as a visual aid, ask yourself a few basic questions: Will these slides be a helpful tool in organizing my ideas? Are there visual images and graphics that would help me communicate my key points? Would this specific audience be receptive to a visual presentation? If you cannot answer "yes" to all of these questions, then you should consider alternate ways to present your information.

Rule #2: Avoid text-heavy slides

Keep the content of each slide short and sweet. Use bullet points rather than paragraphs. Highlight only the key concepts; you can (and should) elaborate on the fine points during your talk.

Rule #3: Use simple colors and fonts

Extreme color choices and fancy fonts can be distracting and make it difficult for the audience to focus on your key points. Choose a simple background color and make sure that any text and graphics show up clearly against that background. And think twice before using a red font or ALL CAPS, which can often signal warning or danger in a reader's mind.

Rule #4: Be consistent

Keep the design of each slide consistent throughout the presentation. Background colors, fonts, and the number and size of images should not vary wildly from one slide to the next. The slides as a whole—particularly if you are printing them out and distributing them—should feel like one cohesive unit.

Rule #5: Don't rely on the slides

Like death and taxes, technological difficulties are a certainty of modern life. You need to know your material cold, so you'll be prepared in the event that you cannot show your slides during the presentation due to power failures, faulty computer programs, or other technological gremlins. Remember that your spoken words should be the "meat" of the presentation; the slides are just optional enhancements, and you should be able to carry on without them.

By keeping these rules in mind, you can create and deliver PowerPoint presentations that are memorable... in a good way.

Skye Learning PowerPoint for Business Course

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Topics: Communication , Career Skills , PowerPoint

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COMMENTS

  1. Simple rules for better PowerPoint presentations

    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.

  2. The Rules of PowerPoint Presentations: Creating Effective Slides

    Tips: Use bullet points rather than paragraphs. Limit each slide to one key idea or point. Avoid unnecessary effects like transitions between every slide. For more information on creating a truly compact presentation, check out our article on the 10-20-30 rules for presentations.

  3. Your Guide to Last-Minute Presentation Prep - IEEE-USA InSight

    This works to your favor when you have to give a last-minute presentation, because you reduce the amount you need to prepare. Instead of going broad on 10+ topics, you go deep on just a handful. A good rule of thumb is assuming your audience will only be able to absorb around three key points before they get distracted or lose track of what has ...

  4. The most important rule for visual presentations is to keep ...

    Minimize text. Your slides will be much more effective if you use the fewest words, characters, and pictures needed to tell your story. Long paragraphs make the audience strain to read them, which means they are not paying attention to you.

  5. PowerPoint Rules of Thumb - MindEdge

    Rule #2: Avoid text-heavy slides. Keep the content of each slide short and sweet. Use bullet points rather than paragraphs. Highlight only the key concepts; you can (and should) elaborate on the fine points during your talk. Rule #3: Use simple colors and fonts.

  6. 5 PowerPoint Rules of Thumb - Skye Learning

    Using PowerPoint slides can actually be a wonderful enhancement to your presentation, but only if you know how to use them properly. Here are some basic rules to consider in order to keep your audience engaged. Rule #1: Think before you act

  7. Ten Simple Rules for Making Good Oral Presentations

    A good rule of thumb would seem to be that if you ask a member of the audience a week later about your presentation, they should be able to remember three points. If these are the key points you were trying to get across, you have done a good job.

  8. 8 rules of effective presentation - SlidePeak

    Rule #1. Use the content to make your audience engaged. First of all, you should offer an engaging, well-structured, and successfully submitted content. This is the most significant part of your presentation design, and it’ll be evaluated in the first place.

  9. The Essential 5 Rules of Effective PowerPoint Presentations

    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.

  10. 10 Simple Rules for Crafting Effective Presentation Slides

    The cardinal rule of effective presentation slides is to keep them simple. Avoid cluttering your slides with excessive text or visuals. Instead, focus on conveying your message concisely and clearly. Use bullet points, short sentences, and impactful visuals to get your point across without overwhelming your audience.