Visuals are powerful tools to enhance your presentation skills, but they can also backfire if you don't evaluate them properly. In this article, you'll learn what are the most common mistakes when evaluating your visuals, and how to avoid them.
One of the biggest challenges when creating visuals is finding the right balance between quantity and quality. Too many visuals can overwhelm your audience, distract from your message, and reduce your credibility. Too few visuals can make your presentation boring, vague, and hard to follow. To avoid this mistake, you need to plan your visuals carefully, align them with your objectives, and use them to support your key points, not to replace them.
There must always be a balance which correlates to the Project goals. Will be the message be to instruct, compel or impact the viewer? Will the use of more images "speak" the message or will it hurt and muddy the direction of the project? These are things to consider.
Another common mistake when evaluating your visuals is using visuals that are not suitable for your topic, audience, or context. For example, using childish cartoons for a serious business presentation, or using outdated graphs for a current issue. These visuals can confuse, offend, or mislead your audience, and damage your reputation. To avoid this mistake, you need to select your visuals wisely, make sure they are accurate, relevant, and respectful, and check them for any potential bias, errors, or inconsistencies.
I like to use icons in presentations. When I choose an icon, I see a clear connection and alignment with the concept I've paired it with. That doesn't mean that my audience will necessarily see the connections that I see. I did a collaborative presentation with a colleague recently and didn't understand the icons he chose. He saw connections that I did not. My advice? Try out your icon (or other visual) on people who could be members of your audience, and even on people not connected to your work (e.g., family), then assess whether they see the alignment between icon and concept. "Field testing" your visuals in this way will give you confidence that they will work in your presentation.
A third common mistake when evaluating your visuals is using visuals that are either too complex or too simple for your audience. For example, using jargon-filled charts for a non-technical audience, or using oversimplified diagrams for an expert audience. These visuals can frustrate, bore, or insult your audience, and undermine your authority. To avoid this mistake, you need to adapt your visuals to your audience's level of knowledge, interest, and expectations, and use clear, concise, and compelling visuals that convey your message effectively.
If a viewer has to think too much on What the Idea or Message is then it has failed. There must be enough visuals to attract, maintain and move a viewer for it to become a successful Project.
A fourth common mistake when evaluating your visuals is ignoring the design and layout aspects of your visuals. For example, using clashing colors, illegible fonts, or crowded images. These visuals can hurt your audience's eyes, distract from your content, and lower your professionalism. To avoid this mistake, you need to follow some basic design principles, such as contrast, alignment, hierarchy, and balance, and use consistent, readable, and attractive visuals that enhance your presentation.
This is important and often forgotten for graphs and charts. Chances are that the graph you spent hours making in Excel and copied straight into your presentation will be hard to read at the back of the room. (Tips: set the size of the graph in cm. Adjust to make it readable. Paste as an image to preserve formatting.)
With the use of AI and free design apps, the focus on "content" and quality is becoming blurred. A business can be drastically hurt by projecting the wrong message or image. A person with access to design software or apps does not make that person a designer. Being able to produce something and do it effectively are two things completely different than the other. Coloring books are for children. A project should attract not repel with overuse of any elements.
A fifth common mistake when evaluating your visuals is skipping the testing and practicing stages of your presentation. For example, not checking if your visuals work on different devices, formats, or settings, or not rehearsing how to use them in your speech. These mistakes can lead to technical glitches, awkward transitions, or poor delivery. To avoid these mistakes, you need to test your visuals beforehand, make sure they are compatible, functional, and accessible, and practice how to integrate them smoothly and confidently in your presentation.
Testing visuals, is incredibly important when it relates to testing the ability to see certain colours on different screens. What may look vibrant and distinct on your laptop screen, may not translate to the projector that you'll be sharing your important message to the company on. Where possible, test and practice how your visuals look on the screen that you'll be presenting on. If that's not possible, and you're also unable to change the system preferences to align accurately, you can try to pick colours with high contrast (e.g. dark backgrounds with yellow or white text) to have a better chance of it being readable when you need it.
A sixth common mistake when evaluating your visuals is depending too much or too little on your visuals. For example, reading from your slides, or ignoring them altogether. These mistakes can make your presentation dull, impersonal, or disconnected. To avoid these mistakes, you need to use your visuals as a complement, not a substitute, for your verbal communication. You need to maintain eye contact, engage your audience, and use your voice, body language, and emotions to reinforce your visuals.
The most common mistake when evaluating your visuals is breathing your own exhaust. Also known as pride of ownership. Thinking that since you created the visuals they are good. Another trap is the 'curse of knowledge.' You know what message your visuals are meant to convey. Ask someone who has never seen them before to tell you what message they get from each visual. Listen for common responses. When most people get the message you've intended, you're on the right track.