Category: Design

You’re Doing It Wrong: PowerPoint Rules You Should Be Following

Guy Kawasaki

Nancy Duarte

powerpoint rules

Seth Godin

Jun 08, 2015

For years now, people have been relying on PowerPoint to communicate ideas, sell products, facilitate meetings, and conferences. Many presenters, however, still fall short and end up with lousy, poorly designed slides that do nothing but torture their audience. Thankfully, there are experts in the field who have set the rules or standards for others to follow.[sg-blog-modules module=three]After a quick search, we found two sets of the most popular PowerPoint rules that many people subscribe to. Both may not be all-encompassing but they are excellent guidelines, nonetheless.

Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint

Guy Kawasaki is a venture capitalist, among other things. If we’re going to talk about quality and importance of simplicity in presentation design, he’s the go-to, well, Guy. He practically listens to hundreds of pitches all the time, making him knowledgeable of what works and doesn’t. For him, a PowerPoint presentation should:

  • Feature 10 slides or less
  • Last no more than 20 minutes
  • Contain font not smaller than 30pt

This rule is applicable to pitches and office meetings. And because most people cannot absorb more than 10 concepts in a single meeting, it is best that you limit your presentation to 10 slides. The 20-minute duration should give you enough time to host a Q and A discussion afterwards. A 30-point typeface will make information on a slide large enough to be readable without making it look too crowded.

Seth Godin’s Five Rules for Creating Amazing Presentations

Seth Godin is a man of many interests and as a public speaker, he’s no stranger to PowerPoint presentations. He even wrote an e-book about it. If you want to create an amazing presentation, here are the points we have taken from the book:

  1. Use no more than six words on every slide (If you include too much text, the audience will simply read the slides ahead of you).
  2. Do not use cheesy images and look for professional stock photos instead.
  3. Avoid fancy transitions such as dissolves, spins, etc, as these can be distracting, making you seem less professional.
  4. Use sound effects, but not the built-in types. You may want to rip from CDs or use the “Proust effect.”
  5. Do not provide print collateral at the start of the meeting. You want your audience to focus on the presentation, not read ahead of you.

Great presentations can trigger the right emotions, inspire change, and move people. These two sets of rules can raise the level of your next presentation from boring to life-changing. You don’t need to choose between the two, though. Applying both of them is sure to produce excellent results. But whatever you do, here’s another rule for you to remember. This one’s from presentation expert Nancy Duarte: Never deliver a presentation you would not want to sit through. Now, if there’s One PowerPoint Rule to rule them all, that would be it.[sg-blog-modules module=two]

PowerPoint Design Lessons from Iconic Brand Logos

brand logos

Lessons

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint lessons

Jul 21, 2014

A logo is crucial for any brand. The most iconic ones are easily recognizable, encompassing the story of an entire brand. Consumers don’t need to take much time to discern it. A good logo can tell them a lot about a certain product or service with just a single look.The same thing should be said about your PowerPoint design. Like McDonald’s famous golden arches and Nike’s Swoosh, an effective PowerPoint deck can speak volumes without being too complicated or overwrought.Here are a few PowerPoint design lessons we can learn from the most iconic brand logos:

Be consistent with your message

In 2010, Gap launched a new logo on their official website, but it didn’t last long. Customers took to social media to complain about the change. Loyal fans threatened to stop shopping at Gap stores. They felt the new logo didn’t portray the classic American feel they’ve come to love about the clothes. A week later, after an attempt to crowdsource a better design, the company reverted back to its original logo.Gap’s mistake was to move away from the message their consumers love most about their brand. The stories their clothes told was that of timelessness. The new logo certainly felt disjointed from their identity.Similarly, your PowerPoint design should always be coherent with the core message you want to impart. Choose colors, images, and other design elements that are consistent with the theme of your presentation. For example, if you’re presenting in a more corporate setting, it would be inappropriate to use loud and bright colors.

Tell a good story

Did you know that Apple’s iconic logo was inspired by Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity? Seems pretty fitting for a company who has pioneered several innovations in the past several years. Apple’s first logo showed a picture of Newton under an apple tree and incorporated a quote from Wordsworth that said, “Newton… a mind forever voyaging through strange seas of thought…alone.” Steve Jobs later asked to have it replaced with a sleeker and simpler design that still represents the same narrative.As we’ve mentioned previously, a presentation can benefit from a great story. But you can also apply the same philosophy to your PowerPoint design by following the example of Apple’s logo. Enhance your slides with images or illustrations that have their own story. Choose an icon that may have symbolic significance (like the apple), or a picture that is composed with its own narrative. Don’t go with easy choices like cheesy stock photos.

Keep it simple

The original Google logo was created in 1998 using GIMP, a free graphics program. It showed the word Google in the Baskerville typeface with each letter in a different color. The logo evolved over time, but it kept its simplicity. Today, the Google logo is among the most recognizable. Despite its minimal design, it tells a powerful story. Ruth Kedar said of her design: “We ended up with the primary colors, but instead of having the pattern go in order, we put a secondary color on the L, which brought back the idea that Google doesn’t follow the rules.”Just like Google’s logo, your PowerPoint design should remain simple. It’s not just about keeping your design easy on the eyes. It’s also important to make sure that your audience can easily pick up your key points without getting distracted by too many elements.

Map Out Your Presentation With Mind Mapping

ConceptDraw

iMindMap

mind mapping

Rick Enrico

Jun 13, 2014

Mind mapping is a powerful tool for organizing ideas visually, making it easier to structure presentations and communicate complex information. By creating a mind map, you can break down topics into manageable parts, find connections between concepts, and create a logical flow for your presentation. Here’s how you can use mind mapping to enhance your presentations.

1. Organize Your Thoughts Visually

Mind maps allow you to organize your ideas in a visual format, with a central theme or topic branching out into subtopics. This structure helps you see the big picture while also breaking down specific details.Why It’s Important:

  • Simplifies Complex Topics: Mind maps help you break down large, complex topics into smaller, more digestible parts.
  • Provides Clarity: The visual format allows you to clearly see the relationships between ideas and ensures nothing important is overlooked.

How to Do It:

  • Start with the main topic of your presentation in the center of the map, then branch out to key points and subpoints.
  • Use colors, images, or symbols to differentiate ideas and make the mind map easier to read.

2. Create a Logical Flow

A well-structured mind map helps you organize your presentation in a logical sequence. By seeing how your ideas connect, you can create a clear and cohesive flow that guides your audience through the presentation.Why It’s Important:

  • Improves Flow: Mind mapping ensures that each section of your presentation flows logically into the next, creating a cohesive narrative.
  • Engages the Audience: A clear, well-organized presentation is easier for your audience to follow and understand.

How to Do It:

  • Use the mind map to outline the order of your presentation, ensuring that each point builds upon the last.
  • Identify the natural transitions between sections and use these to guide the flow of your presentation.

3. Identify Gaps and Connections

Mind mapping allows you to identify any gaps in your content or areas where additional information might be needed. It also helps you see connections between ideas that you may not have considered initially.Why It’s Important:

  • Ensures Comprehensive Coverage: Mind maps help you identify any areas that need more detail or explanation.
  • Strengthens Arguments: Finding connections between ideas can help you build stronger, more cohesive arguments.

How to Do It:

  • As you create your mind map, look for any gaps in your branches where additional points or explanations are needed.
  • Draw connections between related ideas to strengthen the overall argument or narrative of your presentation.

4. Use Mind Maps for Audience Interaction

Mind maps can also be used as an interactive tool during your presentation. By displaying a mind map on a slide, you can show the audience the structure of your presentation and walk them through each section in a clear, visual format.Why It’s Important:

  • Engages the Audience: Visual aids like mind maps keep your audience engaged by providing a clear overview of your content.
  • Helps the Audience Follow Along: Showing the overall structure of your presentation helps the audience understand where each section fits within the bigger picture.

How to Do It:

  • Display a simplified version of your mind map at the beginning of your presentation to provide an overview.
  • Refer back to the mind map as you move through each section to remind the audience of the overall structure.

5. Adapt Your Mind Map into Slides

Once your mind map is complete, you can easily adapt it into individual PowerPoint slides. Each branch of the mind map can become a new slide or section of your presentation, providing a ready-made outline to guide your slide creation.Why It’s Important:

  • Streamlines Slide Creation: Mind maps provide a clear structure that makes it easier to translate ideas into individual slides.
  • Maintains Cohesiveness: Following the structure of the mind map ensures that your slides flow logically and consistently.

How to Do It:

  • Take each main branch of your mind map and create a slide or section for it in your presentation.
  • Use the subtopics from each branch to guide the content of each slide, ensuring that the presentation follows a logical sequence.

Final Thoughts

Mind mapping is an invaluable tool for organizing your ideas, structuring your presentation, and ensuring a clear, logical flow of information. By visually breaking down complex topics and identifying connections between ideas, you can create a presentation that’s easy for both you and your audience to follow. Whether you’re brainstorming new content or refining an existing presentation, mind mapping can help you build a more cohesive and engaging presentation.

Why It Matters to Have a Quality Healthcare PowerPoint

healthcare industry

healthcare powerpoint

powerpoint presentation

professional powerpoint

May 28, 2014

A smiling elderly male doctor with white hair and beard is wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He stands in a bright room with large windows behind him, reminiscent of the clean aesthetics often used for animations in pitch decks.

In the healthcare industry, effective communication is essential for educating patients, training professionals, and presenting critical data. A high-quality PowerPoint presentation can make a significant difference in delivering complex information clearly and engagingly. Whether you’re a healthcare provider, researcher, or administrator, a well-crafted PowerPoint can enhance understanding, support decision-making, and improve outcomes.

Here’s why it matters to have a quality healthcare PowerPoint:

1. Clarity in Communicating Complex Information

Healthcare often involves the presentation of intricate and technical data, such as medical procedures, research findings, or treatment plans. A quality PowerPoint breaks down these complexities into clear, digestible content, allowing both healthcare professionals and non-experts to understand and act on the information.

Why It Matters:

  • Improved Understanding: Medical terminology and data can be overwhelming. A well-designed presentation uses visuals, such as charts, infographics, and diagrams, to simplify and explain concepts clearly.
  • Consistency: Quality PowerPoints ensure that the same accurate and standardized information is communicated, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or errors.
  • Audience Engagement: Well-organized slides with clear, concise content make it easier for your audience to stay focused and grasp the key points.

Example:

When explaining a new surgical technique, using a step-by-step visual diagram along with brief, clearly written descriptions can help both medical staff and patients better understand the procedure and its benefits.

2. Professionalism and Credibility

In healthcare, credibility and professionalism are paramount. A polished, professional PowerPoint presentation demonstrates that the presenter has prepared thoroughly and takes the subject matter seriously. It reflects the quality and reliability of the institution, research, or practice being presented.

Why It Matters:

  • Building Trust: Whether addressing colleagues, stakeholders, or patients, a high-quality presentation builds trust and shows that you are organized, knowledgeable, and credible.
  • Reinforcing Expertise: A well-crafted PowerPoint enhances the presenter’s authority on the topic, ensuring that the audience perceives the information as accurate and reliable.
  • Consistent Branding: For institutions, consistency in presentation design, colors, and logos reinforces the brand and reflects a professional, organized approach.

Example:

When presenting a new hospital policy to the board, a sleek, well-organized PowerPoint with clear data visualization and consistent branding helps position your institution as professional and forward-thinking.

3. Better Patient Education

Patients often need clear, concise, and visually engaging information to understand their diagnoses, treatment options, or medical procedures. A well-designed PowerPoint presentation can significantly enhance patient education efforts, empowering them to make informed decisions about their health.

Why It Matters:

  • Simplifying Medical Jargon: Many patients find medical terminology confusing. A quality PowerPoint can use visuals, such as illustrations or animations, to explain complex medical terms in a way that is easy to grasp.
  • Visual Aids for Learning: People learn better with visuals. For example, using an infographic to show the process of managing a chronic condition makes the information more accessible and memorable.
  • Improved Compliance: Patients who understand their treatment options or care plans are more likely to comply with medical advice, leading to better health outcomes.

Example:

A PowerPoint presentation on diabetes management for newly diagnosed patients could include simplified graphics on how insulin works, interactive slides for tracking blood sugar, and step-by-step guides on dietary adjustments.

4. Enhancing Training and Education for Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals are continually learning—whether through medical training, continuing education, or research updates. High-quality PowerPoint presentations are essential tools for conveying important information in an organized and efficient manner, ensuring that learning is effective.

Why It Matters:

  • Retention of Information: Visuals, summaries, and well-structured slides help healthcare professionals retain complex medical information more effectively.
  • Standardized Learning: A professional PowerPoint ensures that all training sessions, whether conducted in person or remotely, deliver the same high-quality content.
  • Interactive Learning: Incorporating quizzes, case studies, or interactive elements into a presentation encourages active participation, improving engagement and knowledge retention.

Example:

In a medical training session on handling emergency situations, a PowerPoint presentation with case scenarios, decision-making flowcharts, and interactive assessments can help medical professionals apply what they’ve learned in real-world situations.

5. Data Visualization for Research and Analysis

In healthcare research, data plays a crucial role. Whether you are presenting clinical trial results, patient outcomes, or research findings, high-quality data visualization in your PowerPoint presentation helps make the information understandable and actionable.

Why It Matters:

  • Clarity in Data Representation: A well-designed PowerPoint can present large datasets in a clear and concise way, using charts, graphs, and tables to highlight key insights.
  • Highlighting Trends and Comparisons: PowerPoints help audiences see important trends, comparisons, or correlations that may not be immediately apparent in raw data.
  • Supporting Decision-Making: Accurate and clear data visualization allows stakeholders to make informed decisions about research directions, policy changes, or clinical practices.

Example:

A researcher presenting the results of a clinical trial could use bar graphs to show comparative outcomes between a new treatment and standard care, making it easier for the audience to evaluate the efficacy of the new approach.

6. Effective Collaboration and Decision-Making

Healthcare often involves collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, including doctors, nurses, administrators, and external partners. A high-quality PowerPoint can facilitate better communication and collaboration by providing clear, structured information that everyone can follow and understand.

Why It Matters:

  • Aligned Understanding: A professional presentation ensures that all team members, regardless of their role or background, are aligned with the same information and can make decisions based on a unified understanding.
  • Simplified Communication: For teams working on complex healthcare initiatives, a well-organized PowerPoint simplifies communication by presenting data, strategies, and goals in a clear and structured manner.
  • Facilitating Discussions: PowerPoint slides can help guide discussions, ensuring meetings stay focused and productive.

Example:

In a strategy meeting about improving hospital operations, a PowerPoint presentation that outlines data, goals, and action plans helps all team members contribute to the discussion and collaborate effectively on decision-making.

7. Supporting Public Health Education and Awareness

Public health campaigns, whether about vaccinations, disease prevention, or lifestyle changes, rely on effective communication. High-quality PowerPoint presentations can play a pivotal role in educating the public and increasing awareness about important health issues.

Why It Matters:

  • Reach a Wider Audience: A visually engaging and clear PowerPoint can be used in community health seminars, schools, or public webinars to effectively reach diverse audiences.
  • Increasing Retention: Simplified slides with key messages and visuals increase the likelihood that your audience will remember the information and act on it.
  • Consistent Messaging: Ensuring that your presentation is well-designed and accurate means that your messaging will remain consistent, even when presented by different healthcare providers.

Example:

A public health presentation on flu prevention could use infographics to show how flu viruses spread, highlight the importance of vaccinations, and offer simple tips for maintaining hygiene during flu season.

Conclusion

A high-quality healthcare PowerPoint presentation is essential for effectively communicating important information in a clear, organized, and engaging way. Whether educating patients, training healthcare professionals, presenting research, or collaborating on decisions, a well-designed PowerPoint enhances the understanding, professionalism, and impact of your message. Investing time in creating a visually appealing, well-structured presentation can improve communication, lead to better outcomes, and build trust with your audience.

Designing a ‘How It Works’ Slide That Works

how it works

Powerpoint

PowerPoint slide

presentation slides

slide design

May 20, 2014

Do you find it difficult to explain to someone how a product, service, or process works? If your business involves selling new products or you’re constantly introducing new service features, then you’ll need an easy way to explain things. This is where the “How It Works” slides come in.Explaining how certain things work is one of the most common uses of presentation slides. Done right, a “how it works” PowerPoint can be effective for product demos, process flow illustrations, or pitching a business idea. To help you get started out, here are some ways you can make this type of slide work:

Lay it out

PowerPoint has several types of slide layouts. The default type comes with two boxes: The text box at the top, which is for the title of the slide, and the middle box, which is a multipurpose placeholder for text, graphics, or any content types.For this purpose, however, you may choose the blank layout type and then simply insert the content that you need. Or better yet, as with the above slide, choose the Title Only template before putting all the other elements. To enhance the effect of your slide, feel free to choose from the Shapes and SmartArt Graphics.

Be consistent with colors

This one is pretty basic although there are still those who take it for granted. Buffer‘s Leonhard Widrich writes about how color schemes can affect our perception of a brand. The more recognizable colors have effectively been associated with specific brands, while those that were more difficult to point out didn’t have such a good color combination.Similarly, presentation slides should have similar color schemes as they can affect the overall impact of your message.Using varying combinations for different slides can confuse your audience. So for best results, make the color scheme of your How It Works slide consistent with the rest of your deck. This also applies to the slide itself. Looking at the above sample, you’ll notice that the color of the iVoteLIVE logo is consistent with that of the template. Apart from that, most of the imagery (i.e., photos and graphics) have similar shades of colors. This makes the slide pleasant to look at.

Take it easy with texts

This is another common concern and when it comes to How It Works slides, we can’t stress enough its importance. The purpose of slides is to describe visually something you can’t explain verbally. Why spend 15 minutes explaining a new feature, when a couple of images will take you just a few seconds, right?If you’re going to include some texts, make sure not to mix up the fonts and font sizes just for the heck of it. Otherwise, your slide will appear visually confusing. Take a look at the sample again. While the format of the texts describing the consumers is different from the texts indicating the features (iVoteLive computer interface, Live Program Broadcasts), they still work because each group has specific purpose.In short, they are not randomly mixed up.

The Takeaway: Engage with imagery

In general, images can make it easier for people to understand and remember ideas. So use relevant imagery instead of text in parts where you think a visual element would work better. When using images, though, be sure that they are of appropriate quality.For scanned images, the ideal resolution is between 150 dpi (when precise color reproduction is not required) and 300 dpi (if you need higher quality images).As much as possible, do not take images from the Internet as they usually of a very low quality and might pixelate when projected on a screen. 

Reference

Widrich, Leonhard. “Why Is Facebook Blue? The Science of Colors in Marketing.” The Huffington Post. January 16, 2014. Accessed May 20, 2014.

Why We Are Different: Creating A Slide That Highlights Your Competitive Edge

competitive edge

presentation slide

why we are different

May 15, 2014

One of the most important slides in any business presentation is the one that highlights your competitive edge. This slide should clearly communicate what sets you apart from your competitors, whether it’s a unique product feature, exceptional customer service, or a disruptive business model. It needs to be concise, compelling, and backed by solid evidence.Here’s how to create a slide that effectively communicates your competitive advantage:

1. Identify What Truly Sets You Apart

The first step is identifying the unique selling proposition (USP) of your business. What do you offer that your competitors can’t? This could be anything from patented technology, specialized expertise, customer loyalty, or exclusive partnerships. Focus on the real differentiators, not generic claims.How to Do It:

  • Be Specific: Avoid vague statements like “We offer great customer service” and instead provide quantifiable evidence or real-world examples.
  • Focus on the Customer: Highlight what makes your product or service more valuable to the customer compared to competitors.

Example: Instead of saying, “We provide fast delivery,” you could say, “Our proprietary delivery system guarantees delivery within 24 hours in 95% of orders, 3x faster than the industry average.”

2. Use Data to Support Your Claims

It’s not enough to simply state what makes your company different—you need to provide data to back it up. Use metrics, testimonials, or third-party validation to add credibility to your competitive claims.How to Do It:

  • Show Market Comparisons: Use charts or graphs to visually compare your product’s performance, pricing, or user ratings against competitors.
  • Include Testimonials or Reviews: Adding a testimonial or customer quote can humanize your competitive edge and provide social proof.

Example: Include a chart comparing your product’s customer satisfaction rating (e.g., 4.9/5) against competitors, emphasizing how your company consistently ranks higher.

3. Highlight Your Unique Process or Technology

If your competitive edge is rooted in a proprietary process, technology, or intellectual property, dedicate part of the slide to explaining this uniqueness. Make sure it’s clear how this differentiator impacts the customer experience or market positioning.How to Do It:

  • Use Diagrams: If your advantage is based on a technical process, consider using a simple diagram to explain it visually.
  • Simplify the Jargon: Avoid using overly technical language. Keep it simple and relatable, focusing on how it benefits the end-user or client.

Example: Showcase your patented technology with a simple visual explaining its efficiency, and follow it with a few bullet points outlining how it reduces costs or speeds up delivery for customers.

4. Visualize Competitive Analysis

One of the most effective ways to illustrate your competitive edge is by using a competitor matrix or a visual comparison chart. This allows your audience to quickly see how you stand out in key areas.How to Do It:

  • Competitor Matrix: Create a table that compares your product with competitors across several key categories (e.g., price, features, support, quality).
  • Highlight Strengths: Make sure your strongest features stand out, either by using color highlights or checkmarks for areas where you outperform competitors.

Example: Include a competitor comparison matrix that shows your product has more features at a lower price point, highlighting it with checkmarks and bold text.

5. Show the Impact on the Market

Communicate the broader impact your competitive edge has on your target market. Does it increase your market share, make you the leader in a specific niche, or allow you to expand into new territories? Show investors or stakeholders why this matters for future growth.How to Do It:

  • Project Market Share Growth: Use a graph to project how your competitive edge is expected to drive market share growth over the next 3–5 years.
  • Highlight Customer Retention: If your advantage helps you retain customers better than competitors, provide data on customer retention rates and satisfaction.

Example: Display a chart showing projected market growth, indicating that your product’s unique features will allow you to capture 25% of the market within three years.

Final Thoughts

Both a winning speech supported by an engaging PowerPoint presentation and a compelling slide highlighting your competitive edge require clarity, focus, and strong visuals. The key to success is keeping your audience engaged, demonstrating your unique value, and supporting your claims with real data. Whether you’re delivering a speech to a large audience or pitching to investors, these tools help you communicate your message more effectively and leave a lasting impression.

Why We Are Different: Highlighting Your Competitive Edge

competitive edge

presentation slide

why we are different

May 15, 2014

Today, most mainstream markets are becoming more saturated and difficult to penetrate, especially for budding entrepreneurs. This leads to companies and brands simply imitating each other in terms of features and benefits. But for those in these precarious market situations, customers have heard it all, and they’re not that impressed.Defining your competitive edge can help establish your unique position in the market. With clearly defined benefits and features, your customers will know what really makes you a cut above the competitors and what steps you need to take to maintain that position.Here’s how you can craft a slide stating your specific advantages:

Say it Fast

The “Why We Are Different” slide is a common fixture in corporate profile presentations.Ironically, many organizations use the same strategy in describing the things that differentiate them from the crowd: They use bullet points. Enumerating your best qualities isn’t exactly the best way to present your competitive edge. If you can say it one sentence, the stronger your impact will be.This doesn’t mean that you’ll be leaving out important details from your slide. It only means compressing the important points in one non-highfalutin and simple-to-understand sentence. Since we’re talking about customers who are tired of hearing the same things over and over, a brief but enlightening slide is a breath of fresh air for their tired gaze. Try to be as concise as possible in your slide. Don’t go off on tangent unless necessary.

Back it Up

Another effective way to describe your edge over the competition is this: Don’t make it about the competition.Make it client-driven. You can do this by identifying your customer base and describing the solution to their problem.For most of your customers, you are the ideal provider not because of flashy advertising or due to popular choice, but because you are able to address their needs and challenges. In an interview with LoyalBlocks’ Ido Gaver, Kevin Daum enumerates the ways you can back up your statements and show your sincerity.Show people that their loyalty to you has perks—whether it’s in terms of addressing them personally, or giving them perks like promos and freebies. Build and maintain your competitive edge on that opportunity.

Say it Loud

Now that you have an idea of what your competitive edge really is, it’s time to declare it to the world using your slide. You don’t need to use big, highfalutin words.Simple words would be enough, as long as they sound sincere, not condescending and inappropriate. Use images to support your text. Make sure they are relevant and do not detract from what you want to say. An effective slide that aims to set you apart from the competition will only succeed if you bring together strategic techniques to the table.

Be Creative with Your Deck: Tips on Creating An Effective Team Slide

pitch presentation

team slide

May 13, 2014

Introducing your team is a key component of many presentations, whether for a pitch, company overview, or project proposal. A well-designed team slide should not only showcase who’s on the team but also convey their roles, skills, and the value they bring to the project. Instead of a plain list of names and titles, make your team slide engaging and visually appealing.Here are some creative tips for designing an effective team slide:

1. Use Photos for a Personal Touch

Including team members’ photos adds a personal touch to your presentation, helping the audience connect with the individuals behind the project. This is especially useful in pitches or client presentations.Why It’s Effective:

  • Personalizes the Team: Photos make the team feel more real and approachable.
  • Enhances Credibility: People are more likely to trust and engage with presentations that showcase the actual individuals involved.

How to Do It:

  • Use high-quality, professional headshots for each team member.
  • Ensure consistency in photo style—either all black and white or color to maintain visual harmony.

2. Highlight Roles and Expertise

Don’t just list names and titles—highlight each team member’s role and their unique expertise. This adds depth to the slide and demonstrates the team’s collective capabilities.Why It’s Effective:

  • Showcases Value: Highlighting individual roles and skills demonstrates the team’s expertise and relevance to the project.
  • Builds Confidence: Audiences are more likely to trust your team when they understand each member’s qualifications.

How to Do It:

  • Include a brief description of each team member’s role and area of expertise.
  • Consider adding a fun fact or key achievement to make the slide more engaging.

3. Organize with a Clear Layout

A cluttered team slide can confuse your audience. Organize the team members in a clean, easy-to-read layout. You can use grids, circles, or other shapes to group team members together.Why It’s Effective:

  • Improves Clarity: A clear layout ensures your audience can quickly identify team members and their roles.
  • Enhances Visual Appeal: A well-organized slide looks more professional and is easier to follow.

How to Do It:

  • Arrange team members in a grid, with photos and names aligned in rows or columns.
  • Use clear, readable fonts for names and titles, and avoid overcrowding the slide with text.

4. Add a Team Structure or Hierarchy

If you’re presenting a large team or project hierarchy, visually represent the structure with a flowchart or organizational chart. This helps the audience understand who’s responsible for what.Why It’s Effective:

  • Clarifies Reporting Lines: An organizational chart visually communicates team structure and roles within the project.
  • Simplifies Complex Teams: It’s easier for the audience to understand large or complex teams when they can see the hierarchy.

How to Do It:

  • Create a simple flowchart that shows each team member’s position within the organization.
  • Use lines or arrows to indicate reporting relationships or areas of responsibility.

5. Use Icons and Graphics

Adding icons or simple graphics next to each team member’s name or role can make your slide more engaging and visually interesting. Icons can represent roles, skills, or departments.Why It’s Effective:

  • Enhances Visual Appeal: Icons break up text and add a creative touch to the slide.
  • Simplifies Information: Using icons can quickly communicate key information about team members without overwhelming the audience with text.

How to Do It:

  • Use relevant icons to represent each team member’s role or department (e.g., a computer icon for the IT team or a graph for a finance role).
  • Keep the icons simple and consistent in size and style.

6. Tell a Story with Your Team

Instead of just listing team members, tell a story about how the team came together or why they’re uniquely suited for this project. This approach makes the team slide more engaging and memorable.Why It’s Effective:

  • Creates Engagement: Storytelling helps build a connection with the audience and makes the team more relatable.
  • Builds Credibility: A story about the team’s qualifications or past successes strengthens the audience’s trust in your capabilities.

How to Do It:

  • Include a short narrative about the team’s background, shared experience, or key achievements.
  • Keep the story concise and relevant to the presentation’s goals.

7. Add Interactivity (For Digital Presentations)

If your presentation is digital or interactive, consider making the team slide clickable. Viewers can click on each team member’s photo to see more information, such as a bio or LinkedIn profile.Why It’s Effective:

  • Adds Depth: Interactive elements allow the audience to explore more detailed information about the team without cluttering the slide.
  • Encourages Engagement: Clickable links or profiles make the slide more interactive and engaging.

How to Do It:

  • Hyperlink each team member’s photo to their LinkedIn profile or a separate slide with more detailed information.
  • Ensure the links are easy to find and use, especially in a digital format.

Final Thoughts

Your team slide is an opportunity to showcase the people behind your project and demonstrate their value to your audience. By using high-quality visuals, highlighting roles and expertise, and incorporating creative design elements like icons or stories, you can create an engaging and effective team slide that leaves a lasting impression.

Helpful Tools for Designing Presentations

presentation tools

Presentations

May 01, 2014

Have you ever been impressed by an exceptional presentation that it made you wonder how the presenter had done it? We’re going to let you in on a secret.Behind every successful presentation are a bunch of design and productivity tools. To give you some ideas, here are some of the tools for designing presentations that experts commonly use:

For organizing ideas

Taking down notes is an essential part of the brainstorming process to come up with presentation ideas. Many of us, however, are not used to putting thoughts on paper anymore. In this case, a mind mapping software will come in handy. Mind mapping involves drawing bits of information in diagram form instead of writing them in complete sentences. And in place of pen and paper, you can use a software application to create the diagrams.Xmind is the one of the most popular mind mapping software out there. It’s packed with so many features yet easy to use. Best of all, it’s free.This program lets you create a concept map from scratch or with the help of its templates. Apart from the templates, it also comes with a number of charts that you can choose from for different purposes. This makes Xmind not only one of the best tools for designing presentations but it is also great for improving your productivity in general.

For creating attractive graphs and charts

Data-driven presentations can be hard to pull off. Failure would mean exposing your audience to torturous, boredom-inducing barrage of information. The best workaround would be to use charts and graphs. Creating such visuals can be tiresome, though. Especially for those of us who are not that good with Microsoft Excel. Thankfully, there’s a tool that can serve as a guide in the process of creating charts.Oomfo is a plugin for Microsoft PowerPoint that helps users create engaging charts in presentations. With its user-friendly interface, you can create a wide range of charts that range – from the basic bar types to the more complicated ones such as the interactive waterfall chart.

For taking screenshots

Incorporating some screenshots in your presentation can help illustrate the points you are trying to make. However, you can’t simply rely on the Print Screen key on your keyboard. Sure, it’s handy but it offers a very limited capability. For one, you will have to paste the captured screenshot into an image editor such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop before you can save or manipulate it. For a more efficient solution, you may want to check out Skitch.Skitch is a screen capture tool that doesn’t just take a screenshot but also allows you to annotate it if you need to clarify your point further. You may choose to instantly save the screenshot as a JPG, BMP, PNG, or TIFF file. Skitch also lets you perform modifications to your screen shots. You can resize, flip, crop, and rotate the resulting images and archive them for use at a later date.

Creating a presentation involves more than just putting together a bunch of PowerPoint slides. With the right tools, a professional presenter can make his presentations remarkable and effective in getting his message across.

Adobe Programs for Enhancing Presentation Designs

Adobe programs for PowerPoint

Illustrator

Photoshop

ppt tips

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius Blog

Apr 28, 2014

As we all know, PowerPoint presentations are highly useful for sharing information. We use it to educate, train, motivate, or even to sell. Not all pitch deck presentations are created equal, though. To be effective, your slide decks should be well organized and carry strong visuals. And when it comes to creating visual elements, practically no other tools are as powerful as the Adobe programs.Below are some of the Adobe applications that can enhance your next presentation design:

Adobe Photoshop

Microsoft PowerPoint is considered the industry standard for presentation tools. Adobe Photoshop, on the other hand, continues to set the bar for image editing. When you combine the features of these programs, you have a great chance of creating an effective presentation.Custom backgrounds are among the great things that presenters can create with Photoshop. While you can always use PowerPoint’s preloaded templates, your presentation will only end up looking bland and generic. A Photoshop-created background, on the other hand, will allow your presentation to stand out and look professional.To create your own background, simply choose an image that you want to use. Open it in Photoshop and edit it accordingly. After saving your personalized background image, insert it into the PPT by right-clicking on the slide and then selecting “Format Background.”  One reminder, though. Make sure that the image you use is appropriate to the theme of your presentation design. Otherwise, it will distract your audience.

Adobe Illustrator

Illustrator can produce just about any type of images, making it perfect for web graphics, marketing collateral, and, of course, PowerPoint presentations. A vector-based tool, Illustrator is quite different from Photoshop (which is raster-based). This means it works using lines and curves unlike Photoshop, which does its job on a pixel level.Using vectors created in Illustrator has some advantages over Photoshop-edited images. For one, vector objects are scalable. You can change their size without worrying about quality loss.When you create an image in Illustrator, make sure to save it for PowerPoint. To do this, click File and then select “Save For Microsoft Office.” Choose a location for the file, then enter a filename before clicking Save. This command allows you create a PNG file that can be used not only in PPT but also in other Microsoft Office applications.If you need to customize the PNG settings to improve resolution, transparency, or background color, you can just choose Export instead of the Save for Microsoft option.

Saving Files

Graphics imported into PowerPoint usually fall into two main categories: The Bitmap or Paint-Type and the Object-Oriented or Draw-Type.It’s recommended that you choose widely used Bitmap types such as .JPG, .BMP, or .TIF files. Unusual files like QuickTime compressed, PICT, and EPS don’t often translate very well. So when you save or export images, determine the file type carefully to ensure a great looking final image.

References

Akhter, Aquil. “60 Beautiful Logo Design Tutorials And Resources.” Smashing Magazine. April 30, 2009. Accessed April 28, 2014.Bear, Jacci Howard. “What Is the EPS File Format?” About.com. Accessed April 28, 2014.