1. Designing PowerPoint
Presentations
John Daley
© 2007

2. Overview
• Overviews
• Timing Dos
• Design
• Layout
• Contrast
• Lighting
• Fonts
• Visual animations
• Sound effects
# Don’ts

3. Overviews
# Don’t proceed
without a plan
• You might lose
control.

4. Overviews
Overview your
presentation
• Both your
audience and you
need a plan.

5. Time
# Don’t lose track
of time.
• Time flies…

6. Time
Plan for time
• Your audience needs a
clear and well paced
message

7. Slide Designs
# Don’t choose Mmm.. water
irrelevant fountains…
designs
E They are a
distraction.

8. Slide Designs
The design principles of
Choose suspension bridges…
your
design
mindfully
 What is your
main
message or
theme?

9. Slide Layout
# Don’t overcrowd your
layout
# Layouts that are busy
are difficult to absorb
# A busy layout is hard
to read
It’s all too much!
# Busy layouts are
inconsiderate of
audience needs
# And chances are you
won’t get through all
the detail
# And your audience
will get annoyed and
upset
# And no-one gains
from the presentation.

10. Slide Layout
Aah, that’s a
Provide space better picture.
in your layout
• Let your
audience consider
your message.

11. A good rule of thumb on layout…
• Maximum four dot points
• Per slide
• Maximum four (or so) words
• Per dot point

12. Contrasts
# Don’t use low contrasts
• These are hard to read.
• You might cause eye strain.

13. Contrasts
Use high contrasts
• These are easy to read
• Eyes can relax.

14. In a dark room…
Use light colour on a dark
background

15. In a well-lit room…
Use dark colour on a light
background

16. Red and green…
Great colour combo
Works for Rabbitohs
supporters
BUT
# Tricky on the eyes. QuickTimeª and a
GIF decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

17. If you want red and green…
This combo works
better
Even Rabbitohs
QuickTimeª and a
supporters would agree GIF decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
But beware
colour-blindness

18. Fonts…
# Don’t use fancy fonts
# Don’t use too many fonts
# Don’t use thin fonts

19. Fonts…
Use clean simple For example…
fonts Times
Arial
Comic Sans
Chalkboard
Century
Futura
Geneva
Gills Sans …

20. Visual animations…
# Don’t dazzle
# Don’t overdo
• Too much
animation is a
distraction.

21. Visual Animations…
Choose wisely
Less is more!
How will
animation reinforce
my message?

22. Use visual animations…
To make points
appear one at a time
Less is more!
To gradually reveal a
diagram or model
step-by-step
To make a point stand
out.

23. Code Meaning-Making
Rules Process
Genre Critical Literacy
Primacy, relevance and permeability
of all aspects to literacy and classroom approaches

24. Sound Effects…
# Don’t overdo it
Maybe I overdid it with
the gunshots, explosions and
• Too much noise is a breaking glass…
distraction
# You don’t want your
audience getting a
headache…
# Or rushed to hospital.

25. Sound Effects…
Choose wisely
• How will sound
effects reinforce
my message?
Check volume
control

26. Sound Effects…
Use
Sound
Effects
Sparingly
To highlight
Key points
QuickTimeª and a
GIF decompressor
are needed to see this picture.