What are the best ways to use slides for effective communication?

When I have public speaking engagements, I want my slides to be as engaging and entertaining as possible. The last think I want is for them to be dull, I want them to add to the impact of my talk and hold POWER. Here's my POWER acronym to help you: P-hotos Photos Photos. O-vercrowded slides are a NO. W-ork in powerful quotes, visual graphs & clips. E-xpress creativity through colour & graphics ( don't make your slides dull!) R-eflect on feedback from previous presentations and refresh your slides based on that !

Always start with a hook to capture your audience. Perhaps start with a question, factoid or anecdote. Refer the presentation to the audience needs/situation/reality Deliver your message clearly, stay on point, and deliver points in 3s Draw a clear conclusion and/or call to action. And encourage interaction with audience Q&A

To communicate effectively with slides, keep your design simple by limiting text, maintaining a consistent layout, and using readable fonts. Enhance visual appeal with high-quality images, clear graphs, and good color contrast. Engage your audience by telling a story, incorporating interactive elements, and using multimedia. Focus on one idea per slide, create a clear hierarchy of information, and summarize key points. Practice your presentation to control pacing and maintain eye contact with the audience. Ensure technical preparedness by backing up your presentation, testing equipment, and providing handouts if needed.

To create impactful slides, start by knowing your presentation’s purpose and your audience’s needs. Keep things simple with minimal text and focus on one idea per slide. Use visuals like images and charts to make your points clear and engaging. Highlight key points with bold text and colors. Ensure your slides flow logically with clear titles and summaries. Add multimedia and interactive elements to keep your audience engaged. Practice your delivery for smooth transitions, and make sure your slides are easy to read with large fonts and high-contrast colors.

a) In my experience, keeping slides simple is crucial for effective communication. b) Avoiding excessive text and focussing on key points helps keep the audience's attention and facilitates comprehension. c) For example, when using slides, limiting yourself to one idea per slide and using bullet points to highlight key information can increase the clarity of the message.

Keep slide content simple and visual. Audiences can't always follow a voice and read text at the same time. Since you'll be speaking to the audience, perhaps lead with simple visuals. The title of the slide can be the "take home message. And the content should be clear, simple, and focuses on demonstrating the point that you're trying to make

To make slides visually effective, keep text minimal and fonts readable, ensuring no more than six lines per slide. Use a visual hierarchy with contrasting colors for headings and body text. Incorporate high-quality, relevant images and maintain a consistent style. Focus each slide on one key idea. Engage with simple animations, ample white space, and data visualizations like charts for clarity. Use logical flow and storytelling with emotional images and interactive elements such as live polls. Ensure branding consistency with logos and color schemes. Practice to familiarize yourself with the content and timing for smooth delivery.

Draw on your slides. I learned this from Simon Bowen. When you draw, you draw them in and co-create. It becomes something collaborative rather than a one way download.

Aligning your delivery with effective slides involves thorough rehearsal, ensuring smooth transitions and familiarity with content. Use minimal text on slides to complement your spoken words, engaging visuals, and confident body language. Follow a clear narrative flow with a strong opening and closing. Actively refer to slides, use gestures, and incorporate interactive elements like questions and polls. Maintain visual consistency and explain data clearly. Encourage audience interaction and have a backup plan for technical issues. This cohesive approach enhances engagement and communication effectiveness.

I always advise presenters to use slides and visuals as a guide, and not as the primary method for telling the story. Slides prompt and remind presenters about key elements of the story, and they help to reinforce key elements. The should be simple and clear, visible to all in the room or online without the need to strain. They should be both elegant and eloquent, as another way to complement the presenter and presentation.