Typography is the art and technique of arranging text on a page or a screen. It can make a big difference in how your slides look and how your audience perceives your message. In this article, you will learn some basic principles and tips on how to use typography to improve your slide design.
The font you choose for your slides should match the tone and purpose of your presentation. For example, if you are giving a formal or professional presentation, you should avoid fonts that are too casual, playful, or decorative. Instead, opt for fonts that are clear, simple, and elegant. Some examples of fonts that work well for presentations are Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, and Times New Roman. On the other hand, if you are giving a creative or informal presentation, you can experiment with fonts that are more expressive, unique, or fun. Some examples of fonts that add personality to your slides are Comic Sans, Papyrus, or Handwriting.
It's also important to evaluate the readability of a font when choosing it. Is there a clear visual difference between the I's and L's? Are the lowercase z's overly stylish and closely resembling the y's?
Based on thousands of presentations, I have found that a good picture with one, two or no words enables the audience to focus on what you are saying. The better the picture component of your presentation, the more imprint it and your words convey. This also allows for the same deck to be delivered to different groups.
The font choice is critical and should always be appropriate for the use case however I can safely say, unless you are purposefully looking to upset graphic designers, never, ever, use Comic Sans or Papyrus for any project!
Contrast and hierarchy are two important concepts in typography that help you create visual interest and emphasize key points. Contrast is the difference between two elements, such as font size, color, weight, or style. Hierarchy is the order of importance of the elements, such as title, subtitle, body text, or bullet points. To create contrast and hierarchy, you can use different fonts, sizes, colors, weights, or styles for different elements. For example, you can use a larger, bolder, or darker font for your title than for your body text. You can also use a different font or style for your subtitle or bullet points than for your body text. This way, you can draw attention to the most important information and guide your audience through your slides.
Alignment and spacing are two aspects of typography that affect the readability and balance of your slides. Alignment is the way your text is arranged horizontally or vertically on the slide. Spacing is the amount of space between the letters, words, lines, or paragraphs of your text. To align and space your text, you can use the tools and options available in your presentation software, such as PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides. The most common types of alignment are left, right, center, and justify. The most common types of spacing are kerning, tracking, leading, and margin. You should align and space your text in a way that makes it easy to read and scan, and that fits well with the layout and design of your slides.
Clutter and overload are two common pitfalls in typography that can make your slides look messy and confusing. Clutter is the excess of elements, such as text, images, graphics, or colors, that compete for attention and distract from the main message. Overload is the excess of information, such as words, sentences, paragraphs, or bullet points, that overwhelm the audience and reduce their retention and comprehension. To avoid clutter and overload, you should use the principle of simplicity and the rule of three. Simplicity means that you should use only the essential elements and information that support your message and remove anything that is unnecessary or redundant. The rule of three means that you should limit each slide to one main idea and three supporting points, and use no more than three fonts, colors, or styles on your slides.
Keep it simple. It is as important to raise questions as it is to inform. One great image per slide should be the goal. The presenter's knowledge and delivery are the most important components of any learning environment.
The final step in using typography to improve your slide design is to test and adjust your typography according to the context and feedback. The context includes the size and resolution of the screen or projector, the distance and angle of the audience, the lighting and background of the room, and the time and duration of the presentation. The feedback includes the reactions and responses of the audience, the questions and comments they have, and the evaluations and suggestions they give. To test and adjust your typography, you should preview your slides on the actual device and setting that you will use for your presentation, and ask for feedback from a friend, colleague, or mentor. You should also review your slides after your presentation and note what worked well and what could be improved.