Visual Aid Tips

Using PowerPoint slides can be a powerful presentation aid, but poorly done slides can distract audience members from your presentation rather than emphasize it. Follow these tips to create the perfect visual aid.

  1. Use color. Color coding a bar chart or line graph helps the viewer understand the numbers. Bright color adds dramatic effect and creates associations in the minds of the audience.
  2. Use bullet points or key word rather than complete sentences. The audience will be distracted if they are trying to read complete sentences and listen to you at the same time. Try eliminating articles such as “the”, “and” and “a”. Focus on the concept, not the words!
  3. Keep it simple. Busy frames will distract your audience. Limit yourself to one or two simple fonts (Times New Roman, Arial). Use white space and follow the 6x6 rule: no more than six words to a line, and no more than six lines on a frame.
  4. Do not use too many frames. Your frames are only an aid to support your message. For a 20 minute presentation, do not exceed 16 frames (that’s less than one frame per minute).
  5. Use pictures, charts, graphs, etc. A picture is worth a thousand words.
  6. Use a large font. The audience should not have to squint to read the frame. Try using a minimum of 36 point font for titles and 34 point font for the bullets.
  7. Proofread your slides. Double check for spelling, typos and grammatical errors, and have someone else check as well.

Speaking Tips

  1. Make eye contact. Talk to your audience, not to the screen. You may reference the screen, but remember to turn back to the audience to explain the point. This also ensures that you will be talking into your microphone the whole time.
  2. Use the slides as guides. Avoid reading directly from your slides. They are there to serve only as guidelines for your spoken presentation.
  3. Practice beforehand. Be comfortable with your presentation. Practice a few times so that you are familiar with the material and the timeframe. Momentary silence while switching slides is fine, but be ready with your next point by the next slide.
  4. Be yourself.