Tag: PowerPoint Design

4 Presentation Design Tips for Compelling and Creative Slides

PowerPoint Design

Powerpoint tips

presentation design

Oct 10, 2014

The way your slides look plays a crucial role in presenting a message that sticks with your audience. We’ve all heard of “Death by PowerPoint” – caused by dreadfully bland presentation that was made all the more unbearable by its use of repetitive visuals. If you want to capture the attention and interest of your audience, you will need to move against the pack.Each slide you present should contribute to the point you’re trying to deliver. Together, they should make for a visually engaging experience. Successful presentations are highlighted by slides with clever and unique designs.Here are 4 presentation design tips to help you achieve the same success:

Presentation Design Tip #1: Match slides with the story you’re telling

A presentation needs a compelling story. If you can create tension and conflict in the way you share your message, the audience will become more emotionally responsive to what you have to say. That’s why it’s important to have slides that highlight your story, and not distract from it. Avoid crowding your slides with too many elements. Allow your audience to take in every word you say, using the slides to visualize the message you’re sharing. Build your slides to match the structure of your story. Most importantly, punctuate important points through the use of powerful imagery.

Presentation Design Tip #2: Be clever with your use of color

Color is an important element in presentation design. The correct combination can create a cohesive look that will bring individual slides together. Choose colors that don’t clash, and select only a few shades per palette. Different colors also have a set of cultural meanings attached to them. If that seems interesting, take the extra step to incorporate a more symbolic dimension to your design.

Presentation Design Tip #3: Mind your use of charts and graphs

Charts and graphs can be used to represent data in a visually compelling manner. Be as simple and straight to the point as possible, or you’ll risk confusing the audience with too much information. Streamline your charts and graphs by picking out the data that’s most relevant to the point you’re trying to make. Also, it’s important to ask yourself if a chart or graph is necessary. Maybe it will be more effective if you just share the statistics you have using compelling and descriptive language.

Presentation Design Tip #4: Create a multimedia experience

Lastly, your presentation design can be more engaging if you can create a multimedia experience. Aside from using images and illustrations, you can also enhance your message through the use of short video clips. Or how about using animation to add a bit more drama? Another option is to increase audience interaction by incorporating polling tools and feedback forms to your PowerPoint deck. Featured Image: John Morgan via Flickr

Visual Simplicity is Captivating in Presentations

PowerPoint Design

presentation design

simplicity

visual simplicity

Oct 01, 2014

Visual simplicity is a powerful and captivating tool in presentations. By stripping away unnecessary elements and focusing on clarity, minimalist designs help the audience stay engaged and absorb the information more effectively. Here’s why visual simplicity works:

1. Enhances Audience Focus

  • Why it works: When a slide is cluttered with text, images, and graphics, the audience’s attention is divided. Simplicity narrows their focus to the essential message, making it easier for them to process and retain information. A clean design with minimal distractions allows the presenter to control what the audience focuses on.
  • Supporting evidence: According to John Medina’s Brain Rules, people remember more when information is paired with relevant visuals, but this is only true if the visuals are clear and uncluttered. Simplicity in visual design leads to better information retention.

2. Improves Comprehension

  • Why it works: Visually complex slides force the audience to work harder to understand the content. When slides are simple and only feature the necessary information, comprehension increases. The human brain prefers order and simplicity, making minimalist designs easier to follow.
  • Supporting evidence: Research by the Nielsen Norman Group shows that white space and visual hierarchy improve readability and comprehension. A simple, well-organized layout guides the audience’s eyes to the most important parts of the slide.

3. Creates a Professional and Polished Look

  • Why it works: Minimalist slides exude professionalism by conveying a sense of order and precision. They also give your presentation a modern, polished appearance. Simple slides show that you’ve curated the information thoughtfully, which can improve the audience’s perception of both the content and the presenter.
  • Supporting evidence: Business presentations by leaders like Steve Jobs at Apple have demonstrated the effectiveness of visual simplicity. Jobs’ presentations were known for using clean designs with very little text, focusing on high-quality visuals that reinforced the core message. This approach gave his presentations a sleek, professional edge.

Conclusion

By embracing visual simplicity, you create a presentation that is not only more engaging but also easier to understand and remember. It allows the audience to focus on what truly matters without being overwhelmed by unnecessary details, leading to a more compelling and professional delivery.

Sources:

  • John Medina, Brain Rules
  • Nielsen Norman Group on readability and comprehension in design
  • Case studies of Steve Jobs’ minimalist presentation style at Apple

How to Make a Simple Infographic Using PowerPoint SmartArt

infographics

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint tutorial

Sep 29, 2014

Infographics are a powerful way to present complex information visually. While you might think you need advanced graphic design software to create infographics, PowerPoint’s SmartArt feature allows you to design simple, effective infographics quickly and easily. Here’s how to create an infographic using SmartArt in PowerPoint.

1. Choose the Right SmartArt Graphic

The first step in creating an infographic is selecting a SmartArt layout that best fits your data. PowerPoint offers a wide range of layouts for different types of information, such as lists, processes, or hierarchies.Why It’s Important:

  • Matches Your Data: Choosing the right layout ensures that your data is presented clearly and logically.
  • Simplifies Design: SmartArt offers pre-designed templates that make the process fast and easy.

How to Do It:

  • Go to the Insert tab and select SmartArt.
  • Choose from the categories such as List, Process, Cycle, or Hierarchy based on the type of data you’re presenting.

2. Input Your Data

Once you’ve selected your SmartArt layout, the next step is to input your data. You can enter text directly into the SmartArt or use the text pane for a more structured input.Why It’s Important:

  • Organizes Information: Entering data into the SmartArt ensures that your information is structured and visually balanced.
  • Clarifies Your Message: Well-organized data helps convey your message more effectively.

How to Do It:

  • Click on the SmartArt graphic to open the text pane.
  • Input your data in the provided fields, using concise text to avoid clutter.

3. Customize the Design

PowerPoint allows you to customize your SmartArt by changing colors, shapes, and fonts to match your presentation’s theme or your company’s branding.Why It’s Important:

  • Enhances Visual Appeal: Customizing the design makes your infographic more visually engaging.
  • Reinforces Branding: Using your brand’s colors and fonts ensures consistency across all marketing materials.

How to Do It:

  • Click on the SmartArt Tools tab and use the Change Colors and SmartArt Styles options to customize your design.
  • Adjust fonts and sizes to make your infographic more readable and visually appealing.

4. Add Visual Elements

To make your infographic more engaging, consider adding icons or images that complement your data. Visual elements help break up text and make your infographic more dynamic.Why It’s Important:

  • Increases Engagement: Adding visuals makes your infographic more interesting and easier to understand.
  • Supports the Message: Icons and images help illustrate points and reinforce key messages.

How to Do It:

  • Go to the Insert tab, select Icons or Pictures, and choose relevant visuals to enhance your infographic.
  • Place icons or images near the corresponding text to maintain a clear and organized design.

5. Adjust the Layout

Once you’ve input your data and customized the design, you may need to adjust the layout to ensure that everything is properly aligned and visually balanced.Why It’s Important:

  • Improves Readability: A well-organized layout ensures that your infographic is easy to follow.
  • Enhances Aesthetics: A balanced design makes your infographic more visually appealing.

How to Do It:

  • Drag and resize the SmartArt elements to create more space between sections or adjust the proportions.
  • Use PowerPoint’s alignment tools to ensure that your infographic elements are evenly spaced and aligned.

Final Thoughts

Creating a simple infographic in PowerPoint using SmartArt is an easy and efficient way to visually represent data. By choosing the right layout, inputting clear and concise information, and customizing the design with visuals and colors, you can create an engaging infographic that enhances your presentation. With PowerPoint’s intuitive tools, even non-designers can create professional-looking infographics in just a few clicks.

3 Quick Ways to Turn Information into Visuals

infographics

information

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint ideas

visualization

Sep 25, 2014

As we know, it’s easier for our brains to process visual information. As Dr. John Medina writes on his website, “vision trumps all other senses.”

Within seconds of exposure, pictures beat sentences and words for recall. And in memory tests where people are shown hundreds of photos, they can remember 90% three days later – and 63% after a year.

So if you want to make your presentations memorable, you need to learn how to turn all your data and information into visuals that your audience can easily digest and understand. We’re living in the multimedia age. Today, there’s much more emphasis on images and graphics than there is on the written word. According to MarketingProfs, these are 3 quick methods that you can try to make your information more memorable:

Videos

What can be more engaging than watching something play out before your very eyes? Showcase product demos or customer testimonials through short video clips. You can even try your own hand with a short informative skit through animation. Get started by making use of free tools like Masher, Animoto, and Adobe Voice. If you’d rather just share a video you found through YouTube, you can check this tutorial to learn how you can add one directly to your PowerPoint slides.

Infographics

Another great way to visualize information is through the use of infographics. As we mentioned in the past, they’re an effective way to condense data in a way that’s easy to understand. Infographics are a fun combination of quirky illustrations and hard-hitting facts. To make one yourself, keep these pointers in mind and explore online tools like Visme and Piktochart. With a bit of creativity and customization, you can also make use of PowerPoint SmartArt.

Heat Maps

You’ve probably seen heat maps used in the weather report, where color intensity is used to pinpoint the temperature all over the country. For a presentation, you can also make use of a heat map to visualize data about your website. If, for example, you’re presenting about your online marketing methods, you can make use of Crazy Egg and Clicktale to make your own heat map. These sites will pull information from your websites and pages to show which areas have the most activity.

What other methods do you use to turn the information you have into eye-catching and interesting visuals? Share your thoughts through our social media channels linked below.

READ MORE: Three Ways to Visually Present Information (Without Spending a Fortune) – MarketingProfsFeatured Image: Armando Maynez via Flickr

Designing PowerPoint Decks for the Smartphone

interactive presentations

mobile-viewing

online presentations

PowerPoint Design

smartphones

Sep 24, 2014

Millions of Americans are glued to their smartphones. According to data gathered by Statista Dossier, there are currently around 163 million smartphone users in the US. The numbers are also expected to rise to 220 million by 2018. This comes as no surprise, considering that industry giants like Apple and Samsung release innovative new designs almost every year. In fact, Apple just released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.Luckily, it doesn’t take a lot of work to make sure that your PowerPoint decks are compatible for viewing on smartphones. All you have to do is follow these four basic rules:

1. Big and bold text

Matthew Smith / Note&PointEven if the iPhone 6 Plus has a screen size of 5.5 inches, that’s still a lot less room than where you’d commonly show a PowerPoint deck.  Make sure that the font type and size that you use is extremely readable. Go for 30 points or higher. Stylized fonts should always be larger than your usual sans serif text. You don’t want the audience to squint just to read what you’re trying to say.

2. High-contrast colors

Idan Gazit / Note&PointAnother way to increase the readability of your PowerPoint designs is through high-contrast colors. Use either a dark background with light-colored text or vice versa. Similarly, avoid using colors that are too bright. Try for a more muted palette with only a few vibrant pops of color every so often.

3. Powerful images over bullet points and paragraphs

Stephen P. Anderson / Note&PointDon’t overwhelm your target audience with too much text. Visualize your key points with powerful images instead. This will help keep your PowerPoint deck simple and straightforward. Don’t try to discuss too much concepts at one go. Explaining complicated concepts will require more sentences and paragraphs. If you feel like there’s something in your content that needs further explanation, simply link to other resources instead. You can also try to make a flowchart or an infographic using free online tools like Piktochart.

4. Simplicity

Stephen P. Anderson / Note&PointDespite the need for visuals, it’s also important that you don’t complicate your PowerPoint designs. Remember, you don’t have much space to work with. Always be mindful of white space and maintain balance in your design. You can still add some animations and transitions, but keep them to a minimum. Aim for a seamless viewing experience. Having too many elements will cause your presentation to lag.

The Takeaway

Smartphone users love the flexibility and convenience it offers. From your phone, you have access to a host of information. If you want to settle a silly argument, you can simply ask Siri for the answer. If you want to keep your work on track, there are plenty of apps that help you organize your ideas and to-do-list.Among the other things you can do on a smartphone is deliver and view a presentation. You can share your PowerPoint deck through SlideShare or Brainshark.In the boardroom, you won’t have to set-up a laptop and projector. With interactive apps like SlideShark and SlideKlowd, you can share your presentation directly to your audience’s devices.

Reference

“Smartphone Users in the US 2010-2019.” Statista. Accessed September 24, 2014.

Quick Reminders for the PowerPoint Decks in Your Event

conference

corporate events

powerpoint decks

PowerPoint Design

Presentations

Sep 23, 2014

You were given the opportunity to organize and host an event that would gather the brightest minds in your industry. The speakers you invited will share innovative ideas with an audience eager to gain new insights. As always, they’ll be using presentation decks to illustrate their key points. To ensure that their presentations end successfully, it won’t be a bad idea to set up some reminders on how they should prepare their slides. Here are just a few tips you can share with them, via experts interviewed by Forbes:

From Jonathon Colman:

Use Big Text for a Big Impact

Guy Kawasaki’s famous 10/20/30 rule of presentation design tells us not to use any text that’s smaller than 30 points. That’s great advice, but when you need your text to pop, make it big—really big! Use type that’s over 100 points or even larger, depending on your typeface. See how I use different type sizes to make my messages stand out in this presentation.

Find a Theme, Carry it Through

A lot of speakers use photography to illustrate their ideas. So when everyone uses great photos, how can you make yours stand out and have an impact on your audience? I recommend choosing photos that all use a similar style, subject, or other theme in common. See how I made a presentation using only photos of apples—really!

From Rick Altman:

Avoid Death by PowerPoint by doing these three things

When you witness Death by PowerPoint, most of the time it is because a presenter makes these three things all the same. He wants to use his slides as handouts, he writes speeches on his slides, he reads them word for word…say+show+give = all the same.But when presenter think about these three tenets separately, they begin to distinguish themselves from 99% of those giving presentations today. It becomes more work – you must speak without slide scripts, you must create slides and then separate handouts – but you will become so much better at each of the three tasks and your work will become more rewarding. And you give yourself an opportunity to create something extraordinary.

From Eddie Rice:

Your slides should be the supporting cast of your talk

Plan out what you will say before you create your slides and master that material before you start designing your slides. Your slides should be the “supporting cast” of your talk–not its main focus. The payoff comes in two ways: First, if something goes wrong with your presentation, you will still have a speech ready to give, and second, you be more confident as you give your talk because you will have already mastered its focus.

As we talked about in the past, a simple PowerPoint deck is the best way to give a memorable presentation. Encourage your speakers to move away from the text-heavy slides by telling them to keep their decks to roughly 10 slides. You can also suggest that they make use of different multimedia elements to emphasize key points. This will allow them to focus on their key points.

Reference

Fidelman, Mark. “20 World-Class Presentation Experts Share Their Top Tips.” Forbes. Accessed September 23, 2014. Featured Image: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung via Flickr

Applying Color Psychology to Your PowerPoint Designs

color psychology

PowerPoint Design

Sep 15, 2014

Color plays an important role in PowerPoint design. By choosing the correct palette, you can pull individual slides together and create a coherent design. Color also allows you to add a bit more life and interest to your slides. More than that, it can also be a subtle way to convey emotions and strengthen your message. Following the basic principles of color psychology, you can create PowerPoint designs that automatically connect with your audience.

What is color psychology?

Color psychology works around the premise that color has the ability to affect our feelings, moods, and behaviors. It follows these six basic principles:

  • Colors can carry specific meaning
  • Color meaning is either based on meaning that’s learned or biologically innate
  • The perception of a color causes evaluation automatically by the person perceiving
  • The evaluation process forces color motivated behavior
  • Color usually exerts its influence automatically
  • Color meaning and effect has to do with context

Applying color psychology to PowerPoint design

When deciding on a color scheme for your PowerPoint slides, consider these colors and what they mean:Red: The color red exudes intensity and energy. It’s also said to stimulate a faster heart rate. What else would you expect from a color associated with both passion and danger? Don’t use too much of it, or else you’ll risk overwhelming your audience with such a loud color. Try to temper it with more neutral shades like white or gray.Blue: Like the ocean, the color blue gives off a feeling of calm and relaxation.  Aside from its associations to tranquility, it also symbolizes loyalty. This is especially crucial for business presentations. If you want to build the trust of your audience, the color blue can help enhance your message.Green: Often associated with nature and the environment, the color green symbolizes abundance and life. These characteristics are important to convey during finance and investor presentations. The color green helps you convey a more positive outlook. It’s also said to be the color that’s “easiest” to the eyes. Some people also suggest that green can help jog their memory.Purple: Associated with royalty and luxury, this color portrays a feeling of dignity and exclusivity, which could be helpful for presentations in retail and real estate. It can also be appropriate for presentations in the creative industry.Black: Black is a powerful color, giving off a sense of sophistication. For presentations, make use of black when you want to deliver a more conservative and conventional message. As a background color, black can also serve as a great way to emphasize other colors in your slide. Because it’s neutral, you can pair it with other colors.

5 Crucial PowerPoint Design Mistakes to Watch Out For

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint mistakes

Sep 12, 2014

PowerPoint often gets a bad reputation. Thanks to all the lifeless presentations commonly given by professionals all over the world, the classic presentation software is said to be responsible for the death of innovation in boardroom meetings. But is it really the main culprit?Like any other tool, PowerPoint is only as powerful as its user. And these five things are probably the reason why your slides are putting people to sleep:

1. Default themes

Choosing from default themes will definitely make things easier for you. But it can also make your presentation look dull and unimaginative. Think about it. About 500 million people use PowerPoint. If each of them resorted to any of the themes available, just imagine how many presentations all look alike? Take the extra step to customize your own slides by learning more about the Slide Master function.You can also play around with the themes to produce your own custom template, or ask the help of a professional to make one for you.

2. Too much transitions and animations

Animations and slide transitions can definitely add an element of fun and novelty to your slides. But as the famous saying goes, too much of a good thing can also be a bad thing. Loading your presentation with one animation after the other will easily overwhelm your viewers. It will also make your slides look unprofessional.

3. Clipart

Clip art may have been an effective way to illustrate your points back when PowerPoint first launched in the 90’s. Make sure your slides aren’t stuck in the past by upgrading to a different way of adding visuals to your slides. The Internet provides an abundance of sources for images you can use. If you’re looking to amp up your creativity, you can give clip art a makeover by following this tutorial.

4. Too many bullet points

There’s nothing wrong with using bullets to list down key details. But using it throughout your presentation makes you look lazy and unorganized. According to bestselling author Seth Godin, bullet points also tend to cut off the logical progression of your arguments, so it’s better to just use them for listing.

5. Text in paragraph form

Bad PowerPoint slide via PC WorldOn the opposite side of the spectrum, some PowerPoint users insist on piling down lengthy paragraphs in their slides. This defeats the purpose of using a PowerPoint presentation. Your slides are supposed to visually enhance your presentation, so your audience can pick up on important points. It’s not there for you to use as a teleprompter.

What other PowerPoint design mistakes have to observed in meetings you’ve attended? List down your own ideas and share it with us via Twitter.

References

Kapterev, Alexei. “Death by PowerPoint.” Slide Share. Accessed September 12, 2014.”Most Presentations Aren’t Bullet Proof.” Seth’s Blog. Accessed September 12, 2014.Featured Image: Laurel L. Ruswwurm via Flickr

9 PowerPoint Questions to Help You Design the Best Slides

PowerPoint Design

PowerPoint questions

Sep 10, 2014

Creating a PowerPoint presentation begins with planning. You won’t be able to make an impact on any audience if your slides look sloppy. According to Dr. John Medina, thanks to our powerful sense of sight, visuals play an important role in engaging an audience. To make sure you achieve the outcome you’re hoping for, you’ll need to design a PowerPoint deck that speaks volumes about your content. If you feel like you’ve been in a staring contest with a blank slide for far too long, take a step back and try asking yourself these 9 PowerPoint questions:

1. What do I really want to say?

A lot of people make the mistake of starting their PowerPoint presentations right away, even before they begin structuring the ideas they want to deliver. The problem with this is that they easily get overwhelmed trying to organize their thoughts. They’ll soon end up with a PowerPoint deck that looks rushed and messy.Your PowerPoint deck needs to follow a logical order to give weight to your key points and arguments. You need to plan everything you want to say first. Always start by brainstorming. Outline all your ideas and work on a presentation storyboard.

2. What does the audience want to hear?

While sorting out your ideas, you should also consider the point of view of the audience. Since you’re trying to reach out to them, try to take into account what they’re expecting from you.For example, if you’re addressing senior executives within your company, make sure your presentation is concise and precise. The design of your PowerPoint deck should also suit their professional background.

3. How long should my PowerPoint presentation be?

The length of your PowerPoint deck depends on how much content you have.It’s important that you don’t bore the audience with over fifty slides, so be discerning with what you should and shouldn’t include in your deck. To make sure your deck doesn’t bloat to an unbelievable number of slides, minimize text and make use of images instead.

4. What type of visuals should I include?

After your content has been prepared, you can begin creating a PowerPoint deck. Focus on including plenty of visual elements to engage and entice the audience.Avoid using the default PowerPoint themes and make your design unique and interesting. Come up with your own color schemes and make use of high-quality pictures and illustrations.

5. Are charts and graphs necessary for my presentation?

Depending on the type of data you have, charts and graphs are crucial to your presentation. It’s always important to keep your PowerPoint deck simple and discernible.If you have data to present, include only the ones that are most crucial to supporting your arguments. It won’t help anyone if you have an entire table of numbers.

6. Should I play media files?

Considering everyone’s short attention spans, playing a quick video can help re-engage your audience after a short period of serious discussion.Keep in mind that videos and other media files can be quite distracting. If you’re planning to show your audience video clips, make sure it doesn’t last for more than five to seven minutes.

7. Should I use bullet points?

Bullet points are useful for listing things down, but don’t format all of your text this way. Use it to enumerate certain things in short phrases. Don’t list entire sentences or paragraphs.

8. What about animations and transitions?

Animations and transitions can add a bit of novelty to your PowerPoint presentations, especially if you can think of a creative way to use them.With a bit of imagination, you can come up with something that will entertain the audience. But as always, it’s better to use as little of these effects as possible.

9. What else can I do to make sure my slides look their best?

The outcome of your slides will depend on what you choose to do. If you’re willing to explore your creativity, you can come up with slides that perfectly echo the core of your message.It may seem easier to stick to your old PowerPoint habits, but if you take the time to let your imagination run wild, you’ll be rewarded with more audience engagement and interest.Check our portfolio to get some ideas.If you’re still running low on inspiration, contact us to work with a professional PowerPoint designer.

Reference

“Vision.” Brain Rules. Accessed September 10, 2014. Featured Image: Horia Varlan via flickr.com

How to Create Doodles with PowerPoint Shapes

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint shapes

powerpoint tutorial

Sep 08, 2014

PowerPoint isn’t just for serious business presentations—it’s also a surprisingly powerful tool for creating fun and creative visuals, including doodles. By using basic PowerPoint shapes and the drawing tools, you can create custom illustrations that add personality and flair to your presentation.Here’s how to create doodles using PowerPoint shapes:

1. Use Basic Shapes to Build Your Doodle

PowerPoint’s Shapes tool offers a variety of simple shapes—such as circles, squares, and lines—that you can combine to create doodle-like illustrations.Why It’s Important:

  • Encourages Creativity: Using basic shapes allows you to experiment with different combinations to create unique visuals.
  • Makes Custom Illustrations Accessible: Even if you’re not a skilled artist, you can create doodles using PowerPoint’s simple shapes.

How to Do It:

  • Go to the Insert tab and click Shapes to access a wide variety of shapes.
  • Start with basic shapes like circles for heads, lines for arms and legs, or triangles for hats, then layer and adjust them to create your doodle.

Example: Use a series of ovals, circles, and rectangles to create a simple doodle of a person or an object, such as a tree or house.

2. Customize Shape Colors and Outlines

To give your doodle a hand-drawn look, customize the colors and outlines of the shapes you use.Why It’s Important:

  • Adds Personality: Customizing the colors and outlines makes your doodle look less like default shapes and more like an original drawing.
  • Enhances Visual Appeal: Choosing fun, vibrant colors adds a playful touch to your doodles.

How to Do It:

  • Select a shape, then go to the Shape Format tab to customize the Fill Color and Outline.
  • Choose No Fill for a transparent look or apply a solid color for a more vibrant doodle.
  • Use the Dashes option under the Outline settings to create a sketch-like, dotted, or dashed line.

Example: Use a light pencil-gray outline with no fill to create a pencil sketch effect or bright colors for a cartoonish style.

3. Combine Shapes into a Single Doodle

Once you’ve arranged your shapes to create a doodle, you can group them together into a single object. This allows you to move, resize, and edit the doodle as a whole.Why It’s Important:

  • Simplifies Editing: Grouping the shapes makes it easier to move and resize the entire doodle without having to adjust individual elements.
  • Maintains Consistency: Grouped shapes stay together, ensuring that your doodle remains intact even if you make adjustments to the slide layout.

How to Do It:

  • Select all the shapes you’ve used in your doodle by holding down Ctrl and clicking on each one.
  • Right-click and choose Group to combine the shapes into a single object.

Example: After creating a doodle of a cloud using several overlapping circles, group the shapes together so you can resize or move the entire cloud as one object.

4. Add Hand-Drawn Effects with the Freeform Tool

If you want to add more detail or create a truly hand-drawn look, use PowerPoint’s Freeform Shape or Scribble tool to draw custom lines and shapes.Why It’s Important:

  • Adds Customization: The Freeform tool allows you to draw more intricate, freehand shapes that can’t be created with standard shapes.
  • Creates a Hand-Drawn Look: Using the Scribble tool can replicate the organic, uneven lines of a hand-drawn doodle.

How to Do It:

  • Go to Insert > Shapes and select Freeform Shape or Scribble.
  • Click and drag to draw freehand shapes or lines. Use the Shape Format tab to customize the color and outline of your drawing.

Example: Use the Freeform tool to draw custom squiggles, curves, or abstract shapes that give your doodle a playful, hand-drawn feel.

5. Animate Your Doodles

To add an extra element of fun to your doodles, you can animate them using PowerPoint’s animation tools.Why It’s Important:

  • Enhances Engagement: Animating your doodles makes your presentation more dynamic and visually interesting.
  • Emphasizes Key Points: Animations can help highlight or introduce important elements of your doodle at the right moment.

How to Do It:

  • Select your doodle and go to the Animations tab.
  • Choose an animation effect such as Fade, Bounce, or Zoom to bring your doodle to life.

Example: Animate a doodle of a lightbulb to “pop” onto the screen when introducing a new idea or concept in your presentation.

Final Thoughts

Creating doodles with PowerPoint shapes is a fun way to add originality and creativity to your slides. By experimenting with basic shapes, colors, outlines, and hand-drawn effects, you can make your presentations more engaging and visually appealing. Don’t forget to group your shapes and add animations to complete the effect!