Avoid Boring PowerPoint Presentations

Have you been in the audience during a terrible PowerPoint presentation?

Have you ever been guilty of death by PowerPoint?

I create and present PowerPoint shows all the time. Mine have gone from snoring and boring to alive and engaging. It starts with the basics.

Here are ten keys to help you improve your PowerPoint presentations:

1. Simplify Content. Focus on conveying one key point per slide to avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information. Don't overwhelm your audience with information. You can always have a handout with detailed information.

2. Use High-Quality Images: Incorporate relevant and high-resolution images to enhance visual appeal and help convey your message effectively. But do not violate copyrights. Use public domain images, subscribe to a quality image site, or buy a royalty-free library.

3. Limit Text: To maintain audience engagement, use bullet points sparingly and opt for concise phrases or keywords instead of lengthy sentences. I often create PowerPoint presentations with only images and no words. Why? You deliver the message, and you want the audience to focus on you. The PowerPoint images are "notes" to trigger the next thought.

4. Choose Legible Fonts: Select easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, and avoid using decorative fonts that may be difficult to read. Pay attention to contrast so fonts are readable.

5. Consistent Design: Use the same color scheme, font styles, and slide layouts throughout your presentation to maintain a consistent design theme. Avoid unnecessary animations, as they detract from your message.

6. Add Visuals and Multimedia: Include charts, graphs, videos, and infographics to illustrate data and make your presentation more dynamic and engaging.

7. Practice Visual Hierarchy: Use visual hierarchy techniques such as font size, color contrast, and placement to emphasize essential points and guide the audience's attention. Visual hierarchy refers to the arrangement or organization of visual elements in a design or composition to convey a sense of importance and guide the viewer's attention. It uses design principles such as size, color, contrast, alignment, and proximity to create a structured layout that helps users understand the content hierarchy and navigate information more easily. Visual hierarchy is commonly used in graphic design, web design, user interface design, and other visual communication fields to enhance the overall user experience and make the Content more engaging and accessible.

8. Use Transitions Wisely: Incorporate subtle slide transitions and animations to enhance the flow of your presentation without distracting from the Content.

9. Practice Timing: Rehearse your presentation to ensure that your pacing is appropriate and that each slide is displayed for adequate time for audience comprehension. Practice, practice, practice!

10. Engage with the Audience: Encourage participation through interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or Q&A sessions to foster engagement and interaction. You can use tools like Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, Poll Everywhere, Mentimeter, or Slido to engage your audience and enhance your message.

These are the keys to effective PowerPoint creation and use. The KISS method (Keep It Short and Simple) works better than 20 bullet points per slide. Practice these key basics the next time you create your PowerPoint!

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Walt Hansmann is a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) with over 35 years in Instructional Design and Training Facilitation.

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