What are the best practices for using visual aids in presentations?

LinkedIn opens a can of worms with this question. You’re given a dumpster full of data which you have to turn into bold statements, bullet points, graphs, case studies, etc. Purpose of your prez is to engage other humans and feed them a pre-chewed, curated synthesis of the monster. Visuals are your friends. The perception that many slides is bad is totally wrong. There’s not such thing as too many slides. If you have a spreadsheet to present, split the rows and columns into as many slides as you need. Use compelling visuals that add up to your prez. Do not just decorate, imagine a slide showing a table with 10 columns x 20 rows, and then a tiny picture of Hello Kitty in the corner ?? I’ve seen TED Talks doing that. Not really, but yeah.

Visuals (in a live presentation) are a supplement to a learning experience. Visuals are also for the listener and not a que card for the speaker. With that being said… One word. One image. One chart. One focus is a powerful way to use slides in a presentation that’s accompanied by a presenter. If you have 3 main points, place them in separate slides. If you have three examples, place them on separate slides. There is no such thing as too many slides but there is a such thing as too much information on one slide.

The mind is a image processor not word processor. Use clear visual images that relate to your topic. Keep it simple with less clutter and limited text. Images and Graphics: Use high-resolution images, diagrams, and graphics. Avoid pixelated or low-quality visuals. Charts and Graphs: Use charts and graphs to present data clearly. Choose the right type of chart (e.g., bar, pie, line) that best represents your data. Avoid showing anything that is too complex or difficult to read.

Use your images to contribute to storytelling. Images can be used to emphasise a point, to give a visual perspective that words can't or tie a ribbon around a sequence you want people to retain. Importantly, if we want to invoke an emotional reaction in our audience, we must choose these visual aids wisely. In preparation I always ask myself, "will they care?" If a clip gives more to the audience than to me, I'd consider it :)

If an image or graphic can explain better what 200 words do, the choice is easy. I'm a copywriter and learned that less words are always more.

As a beginner we forget to make a typography which can add something new and appealing to the designs. Hence, make sure you practice that you can follow the best design pattern. Sometimes Every dot in your designs make it stand out.

High quality images are important but, also make sure that you can make usage of every raw file you are receiving. Thus, go for both raw and available content over the internet.

High-quality images are important because otherwise they can be distracting the audience, as they are trying to figure the image out and are not listening to you at that moment. Keep in mind - a clear message needs clear content and clear visuals.

Uma coisa que considero relevante é fazer o público ler, entender e aplicar aquilo que o texto tem por objetivo: nteragir com o público. Ser coeso e claro faz toda a diferen?a.

Utilizar o mínimo de texto possível sempre me trouxe ótimos resultados! Creio que usar o texto apenas de apoio para lastrear o tema, ordem e ritmo da apresenta??o seja a melhor maneira de construir o entendimento do ouvinte, pois se ele estiver focado em ler, n?o conseguirá captar o que você tem a dizer.

This is my favorite thing to use! If I can capture an illustration or a personal story in a photo, gif, simple framework, or video… that is the preference over words. Words as visuals are helpful as long as it is very little. Short phrases, single words, or short lists work for me.

One thing I've found to be effective in terms of presentations is using visuals to summarise and explain the data/text. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and it's absolutely true. The human mind perceives images at a quicker pace and also remembers it over a longer period of time! When there's a whole load of text, we tend to skim through it instead of reading it carefully as opposed to when we see a visual, it immediately explains the whole concept without overloading our system.

Em minhas apresenta??es e palestras, tento sempre abusar de anima??es e vídeos curtos, que mostrem além do que se pode ver normalmente, como vistas explodidas, processos exemplificados e grafismos de dados. Para dar a real no??o de escala do que estou explicando.

Many students have difficulty with Executive Function skills such as transitioning smoothly from one activity to another, adapting to changes in routine, and following multi-step instructions (among other things). Using visual cues are a helpful way to build these skills.

Rehearse with Visuals Practice Timing: Rehearse your presentation with the visuals to ensure your timing aligns with the slides. Always do a technical check: Test the equipment and software beforehand to avoid technical issues during the presentation. In no circumstances talk to the screen as you will lose eye contact with the audience. Have the laptop in front of you and look at the audience, there is no need to look behind you and talk to the screen

Practice using your visuals, the same way you are practicing talking through your presentations. Nothing is more distracting than a video not working or a picture not showing. It will distract your audience and it might get you off track too.

With doing any presentation and using visual aids. I always remember the approach News at Ten. Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and summarise what you have told them. This keeps it consistent, and people will remember better. If you have a catchy opening statement that can get them listening to you quickly. Remember WIFM (What's in it for me)

Pra mim, o foco de uma apresenta??o ou palestra, vai além de empurrar informa??es nos ouvintes, consiste em moldar a maneira de pensar de quem me ouve, pois se cada um tiver uma linha de raciocínio própria, sobre aquilo que estou falando, ao término da apresenta??o, teremos dezenas de interpreta??es diferentes sobre o mesmo assunto, e as vezes dúvidas ou certezas enviesadas. Portanto construir uma linha única de pensamento com a plateia, torna a palestra mais envolvente e proveitosa.

So, I recently gave this workshop where I ensured, I emphasized the importance of visual aids (slides, graphs, videos etc). I showed two slides—one cluttered with text and another with a few key points and a relevant image. Guess which one grabbed attention? Yep, the second slide. It was like a breath of fresh air compared to the text-heavy one. The key takeaway was to keep visuals simple, relevant, and engaging. They should complement your speech, not overshadow it. Plus, I stressed how much practicing visuals is key to ensure a seamless flow during the actual presentation. So, less is definitely more when it comes to visual aids! For more, tune into the podcast - Communicate101 Speaking Writing Tips