How to make great slides for a presentation, if you are not a designer

Learn design is now easier than ever.

Directly from a laptop or smartphone, you can access online courses and classroom design booksWhere the buzz words tells about the use of a modular grid, and the golden section, the theory of colors and combinations of fonts.

But if you have the time and desire to sink into the design and vorstku to make a good presentation? And more importantly, whether you want to do this?

To make a good presentation, you do not need to be a designer - just to be on the side of the listener, learn to clean up the excess and focus on the essentials.

Step 1. Start with history, not slides

The master class, record which you can watch for free, I advise you to first write and draw the slides by hand.

What for? To transform the chaos of text and data in an interesting story.

Pain. Long and difficult, suitable only for very important speeches.

Decision. Immediately outline the draft in PowerPoint / Keynote, but do not hesitate about design. Fill the necessary slides content. After this test the resulting prototype: switch viewing mode and try to make a presentation to run an imaginary audience. If the switching slide logical inconsistencies arise, reverse the slides, add or remove content.

The slides should support your presentation, and not vice versa. At this stage, proceed with broad strokes, make decisions quickly, and do not be afraid to throw out the content in a basket - it's a draft that nobody except you will not see.

Always keep in mind the purpose of your presentation. If the slide does not meet this goal, ruthlessly you get rid of him.

Step 2. One slide - one thought

What for? The listener read out at once, what you want to say to him. According toA Detailed Look Into Being Successful on SlideShare Slideshare, to slide it was convenient for perception on it should be no more than 25-30 words. Count the number of words in your presentation and make conclusions.

Pain. Fear clean slide, and a desire to show everything at once.

Decision. Do not overload the slide and at the same time your audience. Meet "rule five-year baby "- your slide should be read in 10-15 seconds. This will help you sense header. Do not describe the title that is on the slide, - specify output that should make your audience.

Do not be afraid to share information on individual slides, it is not necessary to create complex for the perception of design. Give content to stay free. You can step through each element of the show.

Step 3. Determine the purpose of the slide

What for? Slide helps you to influence the audience and to seek understanding. For this purpose, the slide design in line with its intended use.

Pain. I want to fill slides nonsensical elements to become "beautiful": be sure to insert a photo in the background, or add icons to a frightening list of 20 items.

Decision. Read a short book "contact point: Presentation"And take note of the four slide function:

1. Remind

No difficult visualization. Sufficiently pure to slide digit or phrase.

2. To impress

The main slide element - an image that helps to create emotion. If possible, place it on the whole width of the screen, otherwise the effect is lost. To hold the attention and enhance the effect, you can use the video.

3. explain

A large amount of text, you can replace the scheme or table. Try to remove all the unnecessary elements and control attention: the listener must understand where to look for what you want to emphasize.

Icons for the scheme, you can download online FlaticonAnd set pieces for PowerPoint - in duarte Diagrammer.

4. prove

Use charts wisely - limit the number of elements and do not create a rainbow of colors. Your task - to show not a chaos of data, results and conclusions.

Step 4. Place your order

What for? Help listeners to answer the question "Where to look?" To quickly come to an understanding.

Pain. On the slide, many elements, and they are arranged randomly, without a hint of alignment.

Decision. Build a hierarchy. The main element - this is the title, make it big. But do not forget that after the participants to read the title, it should be clear on what to watch next. Create a focal point: Use color, shape or size. The most important elements can be identified, so that your audience know what to see first.

Step 5. Consciously repeat steps 1-4

The best way to figure out whether to get a good presentation - is to call a friend or colleague and do a test run. So you will understand how to interpret the content and spend rehearsal.

During the presentation, and watch carefully how listeners interact with slides. Here they did not understand your diagram, and then have 20 minutes to explain the circuit. Ask for feedback and make the following presentation better. With this skill of creating presentations will be your competitive advantage.

The main thing - to approach consciously presentations: build a training algorithm, which will be useful to you, test and implement new ideas and technology.

Successful presentation - it's not a pretty picture, and a tool that helps you to create mutual understanding and solve the problem.

Checklist to help make the presentation easier to read

• Logo only on the title and the final slides - it will help to save valuable screen space.
• On the slide, there are no elements, the purpose of which you can not explain.
• Numbering no slides. It is needed only if the presentation will need to print.
• The presentation is not used for more than two fonts, and a better one.
• The font is easy to read and quick.
• On the slide, there is no "rainbow" of colors. In an ideal - one color for emphasis, a maximum of two.
• You have used at least animation, and complex transitions - they are more distracting than helpful.
• At the end of the presentation instead of "Thank you" write call to action: what you want from the person who looked or listened to your presentation.

see also

• 10 errors that spoil any presentation →
• A simple way to keep the logic of public speaking →
• How to attract the attention of the audience during a public performance →