Tag: Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 Rule of Presentation: Is It Still Relevant?

10-20-30 Rules

Guy Kawasaki

powerpoint presentation

Slide Deck Design

Apr 18, 2020

PowerPoint is a superb presentation tool that can be an effective visual aid for professional speakers when appropriately used. However, at the hands of inexperienced presenters who have no eye for design, it can pave the way for jarring and unattractive slides. Sad to say, the business world is teeming with mediocre pitch decks that just don’t do justice to the ability of PowerPoint as an excellent design tool. Luckily, there are people like Canva Chief Evangelist Guy Kawasaki, who can show the noobs how it should be done.

Kawasaki advocated the 10-20-30 Rule of PowerPoint, which banks on the idea that a presentation “should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.” Although Kawasaki originally meant it for entrepreneurs and startup business owners, this principle applies to all presentations. Following this guide can avoid basic design mistakes and ultimately stand out from the vast sea of lackluster presentations.

Array of 7 angled pitch deck slides showcasing SlideGenius's presentation design portfolio

Why the 10-20-30 Rule Is Still Relevant Today

Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 Rule is now more than a decade old—which, we can all agree, is a long time for any virtual rule to last, with the constant and almost abrupt changes that technology makes. Although PowerPoint is still the most recognizable presentation design software in recent history, it’s no longer the only one in the book. Several competitors have emerged, and they all have something relevant to offer. Apart from that, how people use PowerPoint has changed over time. What was invaluable ten years ago may not be as significant today.

This begs the question, “Does the 10-20-30 Rule still apply?” The answer to this is short and clear: YES. Here’s why.

1. Presenters still cram several ideas into one pitch deck

You’d think a lot would have changed in a decade. Well, in the case of slide design, nothing much has improved. Don’t get this wrong—agencies specializing in presentation design have emerged over the years and elevated the landscape. The individual presenters who have not fully maximized the use of PowerPoint still make the same mistakes. Despite professionals strongly advising against it, some presenters still cram multiple ideas into one pitch deck. They don’t even bother to filter out the unnecessary stuff and keep only the crucial points.

When Kawasaki first proposed the 10-20-30 Rule, he also suggested ten topics for the ten slides: the problem, the solution, the business model, the underlying technology, sales and marketing, the competition, the team, projections and milestones, status and timeline, and summary and call to action.

So, instead of filling each slide with unnecessary text, why not try to identify your salient points first and then make an outline based on them? Use as little text as possible to avoid overwhelming your audience with a barrage of ideas. If a slide isn’t necessary, do away with it. Remember, you are the star of your presentation, not the pitch deck or anything else. Make sure that all focus remains on you.

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2. People’s attention span is getting shorter

We’re in the age of social media, where the best content is short and fast, and people appreciate things that don’t take much time. Attention spans have become relatively more straightforward, so people are growing more impatient and expectant—a combination that is hard to satisfy. This is why when delivering a presentation, you should always be considerate of your audience’s time and level of interest. Even if you’re given an hour to present, prepare for a speech that doesn’t last longer than twenty minutes. You can use the extra time to set up your equipment or hold a Q&A session.

“But I have something significant to say!” you may argue. That doesn’t give you any reason to go beyond the suggested time frame. Look at the universally-renowned TED talks, for example. Speakers are expected to deliver their speeches in eighteen minutes or less, which doesn’t stop them from communicating brilliant ideas worth sharing. If you have an imposed time constraint, you’ll be forced to edit your speech meticulously until it’s down to the bare necessities. Trim down all the unnecessary stuff to put the essentials in the spotlight.

3. Readability is a crucial factor that’s still being sidelined

The number one rule of presentations is simple: The audience is the boss. Wherever you are in the presentation, you should always put the audience at the forefront of your mind. For instance, what the people in the front row see should also be seen clearly by those in the back row. Optimize the font size of your text to accommodate all of your viewers. When you see people squinting at your slide, take the hint that something’s not right.

Another reason why the thirty-point font rule should still be reinforced today is that it encourages you to limit the number of words you can put in each slide. As much as possible, don’t overload your slides with information. Remember that your goal is not to bombard your audience with ideas but to present them with a few that can improve their lives.

Is the 10-20-30 Rule Absolute?

Kawasaki didn’t mean for the 10-20-30 Rule to be followed religiously by all business presenters. Instead, he set it as a guideline for people who want to improve their pitch decks and, consequently, their presentations. The fact remains that each situation is unique, so there’s no hard-and-fast rule that applies to all.

Instead of asking how many slides you should have, ask how many you need. Also, instead of going with the twenty-minute rule, why not apply the one-third rule, which suggests that the length of your speech should be one-third of the time you’re given? That is, after all, the original idea that Kawasaki proposed. Lastly, you can bend the thirty-point-font rule without breaking it. It’s only the minimum font size recommended, so you can go higher as the number of words you use per slide decreases. Ultimately, you should consider the needs of your audience instead of mindlessly jumping on the bandwagon. What works for one may not always work for you.

Twelve years later, Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 rule is still as effective as ever. If every presenter applies these three timeless guidelines, the landscape of presentation design will be infinitely better.

Resources:

Dlugan, Andrew. “The 10-20-30 Rule: Guy Kawasaki on PowerPoint.” Six Minutes. June 10, 2010. sixminutes.dlugan.com/10-20-30-rule-guy-kawasaki-powerpoint

Jonson, Laura. “The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint: Does It Still Work?” SlideShare. January 13, 2016. blog.slideshare.net/2016/01/13/the-102030-rule-of-powerpoint-does-it-still-work

Kawasaki, Guy. “The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint.” Guy Kawasaki. December 30, 2005. guykawasaki.com/the_102030_rule

“Follow the 10-20-30 Rule for a Perfect PowerPoint Presentation.” Presentation Load. October 17, 2013. blog.presentationload.com/follow-10-20-30-rule-perfect-powerpoint-presentation

Apply the 10/20/30 Rule to Your PowerPoint Presentations Now

10-20-30 Rules

Guy Kawasaki

powerpoint rule

Jun 15, 2019

Guy Kawasaki is a successful venture capitalist who has been writing books about the trade since 1987.A few years back, he wrote a short blog advocating a simple rule for PowerPoint & pitch deck presentations. He called it the 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint.According to the 10/20/30 rule:

…a PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.

Kawasaki came up with this quick presentation style due to his line of business, citing how he’d often listen to dozens of pitches in a short period of time.However, even if you’re not in the venture capital business, the 10/20/30 rule can still be applicable to your goals.Given people’s increasingly shortening attention spans, keeping your presentation compact can save all of you time while still getting the meat of your message across.Here we expound on each of Kawasaki’s points. But first, the 10/20/30 Rule in his own words:

Rule #1: 10 Slides

Kawasaki pointed out that it’s challenging to comprehend more than ten concepts in a meeting.Most people assume that you need to be highly detailed in order to be impressive, but this isn’t always the case.The 10/20/30 rule also suggests that you use the ten slides to tackle all the topics important to your audience. For a venture capitalist, these topics are the following:

  1. Problem
  2. Your solution
  3. Business model
  4. Underlying magic/technology
  5. Marketing and sales
  6. Competition
  7. Team
  8. Projections and milestones
  9. Status and timeline
  10. Summary and call to action

Use this list as a guide when you’re trying to condense your presentations into neat, salient points.Depending on the type of presentation you’re giving, you can tweak these to fit your purpose, but try to keep your slides to a minimum, with a visible flow like the one above.

Rule #2: 20 Minutes

You should be done with your ten-slide presentation in twenty minutes.Kawasaki would often allot an hour to hear an entrepreneurial pitch, but most of the time gets lost in other things. (For instance, your laptop might take a while to sync with the projector.)Emergencies might also pull your audience away from the meeting. It’s best to keep your presentation short so that you’ll also have time to address questions and other concerns.

Rule #3: 30-pt Font Size

Kawasaki observed that the only reason people used smaller font sizes is to be able to cram huge chunks of text into a slide.In doing so, your audience may perceive that you’re not familiar with the material and that you’re using the PowerPoint as a teleprompter.The 10/20/30 rule forces you to use a larger font, so you can cut back on unnecessary details. Remember: you’re the one who has to do the talking, not your PowerPoint presentation.10 slides in 20 minutes using a font no smaller than 30 points. Easy enough, right?Are You Looking for a custom-designed PowerPoint Pitch Deck? Schedule a FREE presentation consultation now!Featured Image: Lostium Project via Flickr

Win First Impressions with Great PowerPoint Presentations

10/20/30 rule

first impressions

Guy Kawasaki

Powerpoint tips

ppt tips

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jun 22, 2015

First impressions are crucial in presentations, and PowerPoint can help you make a powerful impact when designed well. Here’s how to win your audience over from the start:

  1. Start with a Strong Visual Identity:
    • Why it works: Your opening slide sets the tone for the entire presentation. A visually appealing slide with strong branding immediately tells the audience that you’ve put thought into your content.
    • How to apply: Use high-quality images, consistent fonts, and brand colors. Keep the layout clean and minimalistic. The first slide should introduce the topic or key idea clearly and with style.
  2. Craft an Engaging Introduction:
    • Why it works: The first few seconds of your presentation are key to grabbing the audience’s attention. An engaging introduction piques interest and encourages the audience to invest their attention.
    • How to apply: Start with a provocative question, a relevant statistic, or a brief story that ties into your topic. Follow this with a concise agenda slide that outlines what to expect, so the audience knows the value of what’s to come.
  3. Use High-Impact Visuals:
    • Why it works: Research shows that audiences retain information better when it’s paired with strong visuals. By using charts, graphs, and infographics, you can present data in a way that’s easy to understand and memorable.
    • How to apply: Incorporate data visualizations, icons, and diagrams that support your message. Ensure that your slides aren’t cluttered—each slide should convey one idea at a time, keeping it clear and focused.
  4. Seamless Transitions and Flow:
    • Why it works: A presentation that flows smoothly keeps the audience engaged and makes the information easier to follow. Disjointed slides or awkward transitions can break audience concentration.
    • How to apply: Use simple transitions between slides (avoid overly flashy effects) and ensure that each point logically leads into the next. Summarize key points before moving on to new sections.
  5. End with a Strong Call to Action:
    • Why it works: A strong call to action motivates your audience to take the next step, whether it’s making a decision, following up, or implementing the strategies you’ve presented.
    • How to apply: On your final slide, clearly state what you want the audience to do next. Make the CTA bold and specific, and give them a reason to act, whether it’s contacting you, visiting a website, or applying a new strategy.

By mastering these principles, you can make an unforgettable first impression and maintain audience engagement throughout your presentation, helping you communicate effectively and achieve your objectives.

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]