design principle in powerpoint presentation

Presentation design principles for better PowerPoint design

Written by: Richard Goring
Categories: PowerPoint design , PowerPoint productivity
Comments: 17

design principle in powerpoint presentation

I’m often asked how to make presentations more effervescent. How they can have more fizz. Or, worst of all, “Can you make my presentation pop?” Well, the answer is yes. By applying some key principles of presentation design , you can make your PowerPoint design really standout and deliver both a more ‘popping’ – but also more effective – presentation.

I’ve split this out into a couple of topics, across two broad categories. One is presentation design, which is really the core graphic design principles that work across any form of visual communication. The other I’ve classed as PowerPoint design, which is a little more specific to using PowerPoint as a tool to create or deliver content. All the ideas have practical applications in PowerPoint, but I thought this breakdown was potentially useful.

Presentation design with images

What if I told you that your presentations could look like these examples?

They’re all using images to enhance your PowerPoint design, both by looking good, but also contributing to the story and helping your audience understand your messages. We’ll get more into the visual storytelling aspect of this later, so for now, just think about the quality of your images. All of these come from one of my favourite free stock photo sites, Unsplash , which gives you royalty free images for commercial use, and they’re all beautiful.

So, it’s not just a case of dropping nice images on the slide. You need to understand how to lay them out well, and use the crop, colour, and artistic effects tools in PowerPoint to treat the images appropriately, and give your presentation a professional look.

To see how we’ve created these kinds of slides, check out the image crop , and crop to zoom and full bleed step-by-step guides. Simple, but considered use of the crop tool can work wonders with your PowerPoint presentation design.

Presentation design incorporating white space

Big, bold, flood fill images are great, and an easy way to make your slides stand out. But it’s not all about pictures and Presentation Zen; inevitably you’ll need to place other content onto your slides, whether that’s facts, figures, charts, or even dare I say it… bullet points. This is where the use of white space in presentation design becomes crucial.

White space is not about purely adding ‘white space’ onto your slide. This one has plenty of it, but it still looks terrible:

It’s about creating areas of contrast, with clear focal points to draw your attention to the important parts, and even create a flow and hierarchy across your slide.

This example gives you that luxurious feel of the full bleed image, but crops it so that the focal point – the watch – is off to one side, leaving plenty of white, or ‘negative’ space around the arm for your content. The two sections work nicely together, and we’ve anchored the text in a content placeholder and given it some structure too, by actually reducing the size of the text to give it more room. Again, we’ve got a full tutorial on how to incorporate white space like this here .

Presentation design using grids

Grids are pretty much design 101, and to be honest, I’m surprised that we’ve got this far into presentation design without me having brought them up. You’ll likely be familiar with grids from magazines and newspapers – these mainly use column grids. The page is divided into columns and then content is designed to sit across these columns in any combination, which balances the content.

Well, the same thing applies to PowerPoint presentation design: a grid system helps to lay out your content in clear, easy to follow areas.

You can use a grid to create distinct sections, such as telling the start, middle, and end of a story. It’s much easier for your audience to follow, as everything is better organized.

And, it helps bring text into line – if you have any – which is important as it minimizes distractions for your audience when trying to read.

Using a grid also helps you decide where to position content, as there are only so many places that you can put things. Here, for example, one third of the slide has been taken up with the supporting image, so we’ve created a grid within a grid to lay out the three pie charts, which helps to create a feeling of harmony and sophistication:

And don’t think that your divisions have to be straight along the gridlines. Here’s an example that doesn’t apply the rule exactly, but still works really well.

Also, by using a grid, you achieve a consistent feel across all your slides for overall presentation design cohesion.

What does all of that mean? Well, you can transform a slide like this:

It’s really quick and easy to do in PowerPoint too, and you can see our tutorial on using grids and the guide tools in PowerPoint to bring your presentation design up a level.

Presentation design with colour themes

Another key presentation design principle is colour. Setting the right colour palette is essential, as it gives everything a consistent feel, allows you to adhere to your brand, and can give you the ability to assign meaning to specific colours to help your audience understand things. The best way to handle colours in PowerPoint is to set your template correctly and use a colour theme. You can find out how to change your PowerPoint colour theme here . It’s really quick and easy to do. Once you’ve done it, the theme will save with the file (or template), so you don’t need to worry about it again.

Once set, you can use colour in interesting ways to convey meaning.

For example, a heat map is a great way to show data ranges, like metrics, using a scale, rather than just plain numbers. That’s more helpful to your audience, as it allows them to immediately see both the absolute and relative values, rather than having to spend time deciphering it.

You can also use colour to focus attention.

In complex data sets, using contrast colours can help to highlight primary datasets. Here, for instance, you can clearly see the main data series, compared to the ‘everything else’ data series.

Again, once you’ve set your colour theme, using these techniques as part of your presentation design is pretty easy, and you can find more specific guidance on how to manipulate colours in PowerPoint here .

PowerPoint design with text formatting

With your grids, colours, and white space considered from a high-level presentation design perspective, you now get into the specifics of creating slides in PowerPoint. As much as you, I, and your audiences, love presentations that make use of effective visuals, we know there are always going to be slides that are stuffed to the gills with boring text and even boring-er bullet points.

But, by applying the presentation design techniques already mentioned, you can fairly easily transform your text-heavy slide into something that’s far easier on the eye:

By using grids, appropriate colour, and white space, your PowerPoint slide design could look like this. Breaking out the text with decent paragraph spacing helps your audience parse the content more efficiently. Everything is easier to follow with consistent fonts and the use of colour highlighting. And the white space around the content actually gives the slide greater impact – particularly the use of the large margins around the text, created by the contrasting placeholder. There are a great many more options, and for ten in-depth typography techniques, check out this post . But if you’re just looking for nice fonts to use, this rundown of ten of our favourite fonts for presentations is a must-read.

As you’ve probably come to expect by now, this is something you can do using only PowerPoint, and you can see how in this tutorial on text formatting .

PowerPoint design to manipulate images

While it’s not Photoshop, PowerPoint has some neat tools to manipulate images.

What if I were to tell you the picture you see here had been constructed out of this…

PowerPoint design tools for images are all found on the Format tab on the ribbon. There are plenty of options to choose from, but only some actually enhance your design. For PowerPoint design tools, you should really focus on the left-hand side of the ribbon. The good features include the Remove Background tool, which does what its name suggests. The Color section allows you to put a colour wash over everything, but also, at the bottom of the menu, you can choose Set Transparent Color, which will remove a single colour from any image, which is how I’ve cut out the phone image in this example. Artistic Effects are generally terrible, except blur (which is great for changing focus on an image) and the Transparency tool – newly available in Office 365 – which makes pictures transparent. For a full tutorial on making the above example image, watch this short video .

PowerPoint design with visual storytelling

And finally, my favourite thing is to use these design techniques as part of visual storytelling, which helps dramatically improve your presentation.

Think about how you can use an image to convey meaning, as well as provide aesthetic appeal. For instance, you could use a skyscraper being constructed to show elements that are taking you higher, with labels up the building showing the key metrics:

Or use a common sight from underground stations – the advertising boards on escalators – to show a data series increasing. The image also gives the figures room to breathe:

It doesn’t need to be complicated, and this example has been constructed from an image, some text, and an arrow, to show the 20% of business highlighted on the office photograph:

And of course, we have a short video tutorial to show you exactly how to do it. Sometimes, just finding the right image can be a real help coming up with the right PowerPoint design ideas, but you may also want to look to other design resources for inspiration .

The main thing to remember about effective presentation design is that you probably don’t have the time to create a totally new concept each time, or a mood board for your work. These ideas, especially the PowerPoint design ideas, are all about helping you create beautiful and effective presentations quickly, with minimal effort. A solid basis in design principles – coupled with a few PowerPoint tricks -will set you on your way. So, hopefully next time someone asks you to make a presentation ‘pop’ you can uncork the champagne and tell them you already have.

Richard Goring

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LOVE LOVE this . .. so helpful and fun to work with. .

Your design concepts and tips were highly recommended by BiancaWoods.weebly.com and after downloading a template and reading your articles – now I see why.

Impressive resources!

Brilliant, thanks so much! Bianca is pretty awesome too. Glad that we’re all able to share with the community.

Nice way of explaining the information

Richard I have been following you since I met you at an ATD regional conference. You have always responded generously with the best in class PowerPoint tutorials and aids. Thank you for your excellence.

You’re most welcome, thanks so much!

Really useful and inspiring presentation.

It’s helped me see how to go beyond the mechanics of what PowerPoint can do towards creating a compelling and coherent design and story

This was really engaging, beautiful and extremely useful. Looking forward to using ideas into my slides.

The way you showed the Before and After is fantastic.

Very useful read .short video of 7 minutes on presentation is great to improve our presentation skills

Very creative and inspiring! You continue to amaze me with the quality of your desin6!

Really nice ideas – solid information. Thanks.

Amazing tutorials. Thank you for so generously sharing your skills, tips, and creativity!!

very interesting topic and very well presentation,thanks for this blog

very interesting topic

Excellent session as usual.

Thank you Richard for your amazing presentation! Very helpful.

Mastering PowerPoint presentation design principles: An expert agency’s guide.

In the realm of professional and educational presentations, PowerPoint stands out as a tool of immense popularity and versatility. However, the effectiveness of a PowerPoint presentation hinges not just on the content , but significantly on the design principles applied. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the art and science of leveraging design principles to transform your PowerPoint slides from mundane to magnificent.

Understanding and applying these principles is not just about making slides aesthetically pleasing; it’s about enhancing the clarity, impact, and persuasiveness of your message. Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or new to PowerPoint, this guide offers invaluable insights into how design can be your ally in crafting presentations that captivate and communicate effectively.

As we explore the fundamentals of design principles, the effective utilisation of colour and typography, strategic incorporation of visuals and graphics, thoughtful slide layout and spatial arrangement, and purposeful animation, you will gain a toolkit of techniques to elevate your PowerPoint presentations. Each section is designed to build your understanding and skills, enabling you to apply these principles with confidence and creativity.

Embark on this journey with us to master the presentation design principles that will bring your PowerPoint presentations to life, making them not only more engaging but also more memorable and impactful.

Understanding the fundamentals of PowerPoint presentation design principles

When it comes to crafting effective PowerPoint presentations, the role of design principles cannot be overstated. These principles are the cornerstone of creating not only visually appealing slides but also ones that enhance the communication and retention of your message. In this section, we explore the three pivotal presentation design principles: balance, contrast, and alignment, and their application in PowerPoint presentations.

Balance: This principle refers to the distribution of visual elements in a slide. A balanced layout provides stability and structure, making the content easily digestible. In PowerPoint, balance can be achieved through symmetrical or asymmetrical layouts. A symmetrical layout offers a sense of harmony and formality, ideal for corporate presentations. On the other hand, an asymmetrical layout, which uses an uneven distribution of elements, can create a more dynamic and interesting visual appeal, perfect for creative or educational presentations.

Contrast: Contrast is the art of making elements stand out by using opposing characteristics, such as light and dark colours, large and small text, or different textures. In PowerPoint, effective contrast can be employed to draw attention to key points and guide the viewer’s eye through the slide. For example, using a bold colour for important text against a muted background can ensure that your audience focuses on the main message.

Alignment: This principle is about arranging elements in a slide in a way that creates a visual connection between them. Proper alignment in PowerPoint slides not only makes them more professional and polished but also aids in creating a logical flow of information. Aligning text and images along specific axes can help create a clean, organised look, making it easier for your audience to follow along.

Incorporating these fundamental presentation design principles in your PowerPoint presentations can significantly enhance their effectiveness. A well-designed slide not only captures attention but also helps convey your message in a clear, compelling manner. As you progress through your presentation creation process, keep these principles in mind to ensure that your content is not just seen but also remembered.

Effective utilisation of colour and typography

The strategic use of colour and typography is vital in creating engaging and effective PowerPoint presentations. This section delves into how these elements can be utilised to enhance the visual appeal and readability of your slides.

Colour psychology and palette selection: Colours are not just aesthetic choices; they evoke emotions and can significantly impact the perception of your presentation. Understanding colour psychology is crucial. For example, blue often conveys professionalism and trust, making it an excellent choice for business presentations, while green can be associated with growth and health. When selecting a colour palette, aim for a harmonious balance that aligns with the tone and content of your presentation. Tools like the colour wheel can help in choosing complementary colours that enhance visual coherence.

Consistency and brand alignment: Consistency in colour usage helps in creating a cohesive presentation. If your presentation is for a specific brand or organisation, aligning with its colour scheme can reinforce brand identity. This consistency also aids in audience retention as it provides a visually unified journey through your presentation.

Typography matters: The choice of font and text styling plays a crucial role in readability and audience engagement. While selecting fonts, consider the context and tone of your presentation. Serif fonts, like Times New Roman, often suggest formality and are suitable for traditional presentations. Sans-serif fonts, like Arial, offer a modern and clean look, ideal for more contemporary topics. Remember, legibility is key. Avoid overly decorative fonts and maintain a font size that is readable from a distance.

Balancing font styles and sizes: Use different font sizes and styles (like bold or italic) to create a visual hierarchy in your text, guiding the viewer’s attention to the most critical parts of your slide. However, maintain a limit on the number of different fonts used to avoid a cluttered or disjointed appearance.

By thoughtfully combining colours and typography, you can significantly elevate the impact of your PowerPoint slides. These elements, when used effectively, not only grab attention but also make the information more accessible and memorable to your audience.

Incorporating visuals and graphics strategically

Visuals and graphics, when incorporated correctly, can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your PowerPoint presentations. This section will explore how to select and integrate these elements for maximum impact.

The power of visual communication: Visuals can communicate complex information quickly and memorably. The key is to choose images and graphics that are directly relevant to your content. For instance, using a chart to depict statistical data can be far more impactful than simply listing the numbers.

Quality over quantity: Always opt for high-quality images and graphics. Blurry or pixelated visuals can detract from the professionalism of your presentation. However, be mindful of the quantity. Overloading slides with too many visuals can lead to clutter, making it hard for the audience to focus on the essential elements.

Consistency in style: Consistency is as important in visuals as it is in colour and typography. Ensure that all your visuals follow a similar style or theme. This could mean using the same filter for all images, similar illustration styles, or consistent iconography. This uniformity helps in creating a cohesive visual narrative throughout your presentation.

Graphs and charts for data representation: When presenting data, graphs and charts are invaluable. They provide a visual representation that can make complex information more digestible. Ensure these are clearly labelled and easy to understand at a glance. Tools like PowerPoint’s built-in chart features can be very effective for this purpose.

Integrating visuals with text: While visuals are powerful, they need to be balanced with the text. Use visuals to complement or emphasise your written content, not replace it. The text and visuals should work in tandem to convey your message effectively.

Incorporating visuals and graphics thoughtfully into your PowerPoint slides can transform the way your audience interacts with your content. It’s about finding the right balance and ensuring that each visual element serves a purpose in reinforcing your message.

Slide layout and spatial arrangement

The layout and spatial arrangement of elements on your PowerPoint slides play a crucial role in how your message is perceived and understood. This section focuses on strategies for organising content in an aesthetically pleasing and logical manner.

The importance of white space: One of the most overlooked aspects of slide design is the use of white space, or negative space. This space, free from text and graphics, is not wasted. Instead, it helps to reduce clutter and allows your audience to focus on the key elements of your slide. Proper use of white space can bring a sense of elegance and clarity to your presentation.

Logical flow of information: Arrange the elements on your slide in a way that guides the viewer’s eye naturally through the content. This can be achieved by aligning text and visuals in a logical sequence, such as left-to-right or top-to-bottom, following the natural reading pattern. Ensure that the most important information takes precedence both in size and positioning.

Consistent layout across slides: Consistency in the layout across different slides aids in maintaining a coherent narrative. Use a similar structure for each slide, whether it’s the placement of the title, text, or images. This consistency helps your audience to follow the presentation without getting lost or distracted by varying layouts.

Balancing elements: Balance is key in slide design. A slide that is too heavy on one side can feel unbalanced and distracting. Aim for an even distribution of text and visuals, ensuring that each slide feels harmonious and well-composed.

Responsive design for different displays: Keep in mind that your PowerPoint presentation might be viewed on various screens and devices. Ensure that your layout is responsive and looks good on different display sizes. This might mean avoiding overly intricate details that could get lost on smaller screens.

A well-thought-out slide layout and spatial arrangement can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your presentation. It’s not just about making slides look good; it’s about using design to guide and reinforce your message.

Animating with purpose

Animations and transitions in PowerPoint can be powerful tools when used purposefully. This section explores how to use these features to add value to your presentation without overcomplicating or distracting from the main message.

Selective use of animations: The key to effective use of animations is moderation. Choose animations that serve a specific purpose, such as emphasising a key point, illustrating a process, or showing changes over time. Avoid using animations merely for decorative purposes as they can distract from the content.

Consistency and subtlety: Maintain a consistent style of animations throughout your presentation. Using too many different types of animations can create a disjointed experience for your audience. Opt for subtle animations that complement the content rather than overpower it.

Timing is crucial: The timing of animations can significantly impact the flow of your presentation. Animations that are too slow can drag the pace, while too fast animations might confuse the audience. Adjust the timing to match the rhythm of your speech and ensure that each animation is synchronized with what you are saying.

Transitions between slides: Just like animations within slides, transitions between slides should also be used judiciously. Choose transitions that match the tone of your presentation and use them consistently. For most professional presentations, simple transitions like ‘Fade’ or ‘Push’ are preferable as they are less distracting.

Testing on different devices: Before finalising your presentation, test the animations on different devices and screens to ensure they work smoothly. This is especially important if you are presenting in a setting where you are not using your own device.

Using animations and transitions thoughtfully in PowerPoint can enhance the storytelling aspect of your presentation, making it more dynamic and engaging. Remember, the goal is to aid in the communication of your message, not to overshadow it.

In the world of PowerPoint presentations, presentation design principles are more than just guidelines; they are the framework that breathes life into your slides. Throughout this guide, we’ve explored the essentials of design—from the fundamental principles of balance, contrast, and alignment, to the nuanced use of colour, typography, visuals, and animations. Each element plays a pivotal role in transforming standard presentations into extraordinary visual narratives.

Remember, the goal of applying these design principles is not merely to create aesthetically pleasing slides, but to enhance the communication and impact of your message. A well-designed PowerPoint slide can captivate your audience, simplify complex information, and leave a lasting impression.

As you embark on your next PowerPoint project, keep these principles in mind. Experiment with balance, play with colours, choose your typography wisely, strategically place your visuals, and animate with purpose. With practice and attention to these guidelines, you’ll be able to craft presentations that are not only visually stunning but also effective in conveying your message.

In the dynamic landscape of presentation design, continuous learning and adaptation are key. Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in PowerPoint design to keep your presentations fresh and engaging. Remember, the best presentations are those that connect, communicate, and resonate with the audience.

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Part 2: Design Principles

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This presentation is designed to introduce you to simple principles that can be used to create new PowerPoints and to revise existing ones. Basic principles such as these apply to all visual creations, from word processing documents to posters, and will enhance your understanding of what it means to put together an effective visual presentation.

6.3 Formatting Microsoft PowerPoint Slides: Layout and Design Principles

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Format the layout of each slide
Understand best practices in design principles

It’s time to transform the five slides from My Life in a Snapshot by manipulating the layout and adding options. Formatting the layout of each slide in Microsoft PowerPoint is the process of adding, subtracting, and/or adjusting the arrangement of elements such as text, images, and shapes on a slide. You may want to format the layout of a slide in PowerPoint to make it more visually appealing and effective for your audience. PowerPoint includes many options for altering the layout of the slide. The slide layout can be changed by using the tool on the Home tab in the Slides command group . From the Home tab, select Layout tab from the Slides command group. Here, you will see a listing and image of the layout options.

We have used three types of layouts in My Life in a Snapshot . Here are some commonly used slide layouts:

Title Slide : This layout includes a title and subtitle and is typically used for the first slide of a presentation .
Title and Content: This layout includes a title, subtitle, and one or two content boxes that you can use for text or media. This layout is typically used to give an overview of the presentation and the main topics to be covered.
Comparison: This layout includes two content boxes, which can be used to present different types of information, such as text and images, or to compare and contrast two pieces of information.
Section Header: This layout is used to create a slide that can be used as a header for a section of a presentation. It typically includes a title and subtitle, with a distinctive design.
Content with Caption: This layout includes a content box and a caption box, which can be used to present a single image or other media and provide additional information about it.

These common PowerPoint slide layouts can help you create a clear and effective presentation structure. You can add, remove, or customize placeholders as you need, as well as use combinations of these layouts to create a unique, personalized presentation. PowerPoint also offers a variety of built-in slide layouts that you can use to create different types of slides.

Formatting Layout

When you design your slide layouts, arranging text boxes and other objects becomes key in making sure they are positioned in an effective manner. In this section, we will review the Alignment Guides option within the View tab and discuss the numerous built-in layout designs that PowerPoint can offer.

Alignment Guides

As stated previously, getting things to look exactly how you want them to appear next to each other is crucial to maximizing the design power of PowerPoint. But it can be difficult to align objects with other objects on a single slide, or objects with text, using only your mouse. Under the View tab, you will find a helpful alignment tool that you can access by checking the Guides box. When this box is checked, there will be two dashed lines on the presentation slide, one centered vertically and the other centered horizontally.

When you hover your mouse over one of these lines while holding down the Ctrl key, the cursor turns into a double line with arrows. Drag the line to where you want one guideline to be and let go of the mouse. When you do this, another line is created.

Hold down the Option key, not the Ctrl key, to turn your cursor into a double line with arrows.

You can continue to add guidelines anywhere on your slide to insert and align objects, text boxes, photos, and so forth. (In the section on Adding Visuals and Features to Microsoft PowerPoint Slides , we will cover inserting objects and images.) See Figure 6.23 for a visual example of what the guides look like after adding them to a slide. (If you see that the Guides box is checked but no lines are apparent, just uncheck it and check it again. That will usually bring the guides back into view.)

Link to Learning

Not every presentation has to be delivered by a person. There are many reasons why creating a self-running presentation is valuable. Many companies will design a presentation that can be left unattended in a booth or kiosk, at a trade show or convention, or saved as a video and sent to a client list. A self-running presentation can also help address time-related constraints. Read Microsoft’s steps for creating a self-running slideshow in PowerPoint to learn more.

Design Principles

In this section, you will learn about some basic design principles that are best practices for designing your own slides or choosing a theme for your presentation. You’ll find out how to use proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast, and white space to make your design elements stand out.

In photography, proximity refers to nearness —the distance between the camera and the subject being photographed. In the context of PowerPoint , it refers to the distance between the audience and the subject matter being presented. You can control the relative proximity within a PowerPoint slide. In photography, proximity can affect the composition of the photograph by changing the relative sizes of the elements in the frame. For example, if the camera is positioned close to a small subject, the subject may appear larger in the frame; if the camera is positioned farther away, the subject may appear smaller. The proximity of the camera to the subject can also influence the overall look of the photograph. A photograph taken from a close distance may have a more intimate or detailed appearance, while one taken from farther away may have a more distant or expansive look.

Proximity is an important consideration in designing PowerPoint layouts because it can affect the composition, perspective, and overall look of each slide. In Figure 6.24 , you can see two different sizes of the budget sheet. The first one is effective for an overall view of what the document looks like. The second one is more effective if you want the audience to be able to read it. If so, it’s preferable to zoom in as close as possible to that content.

Aligning objects or text on a page adds organization and creates a sense of cohesion, making your content in general more usable. When alignment exists on a slide, the human eye knows where to focus, and the slide is more comfortable to view. In PowerPoint, alignment is the way that text, images, and other elements are positioned on a slide. Proper alignment is important because it helps to create a cohesive, professional-looking presentation. When elements on a slide are aligned, they are more visually balanced, which can make the slide look more organized and appealing to the audience. Properly aligned elements can help guide the viewer’s eye and create a natural flow from one element to the next, making the presentation easier to follow and understand. In addition to the Guides checkbox that we reviewed in the section on Formatting Layout , there are also checkboxes for Rulers and Gridlines. Ticking these boxes will show additional lines on the slide that will help you align your slide elements.

Repetition is the use of similar or identical elements, such as colors, fonts, or design elements, across multiple slides in a presentation. In a slideshow, repetition—especially when similar elements are repeated across multiple slides—can make the presentation feel more polished and professional and make it easy for the audience to follow and understand. Repetition also promotes a consistent look and feel for the presentation. Repetition of important elements such as headings or key points can establish a visual hierarchy that guides the viewer’s eye and makes your presentation easier to follow.

Repetition of visual elements is a good way of reinforcing the key points you want to establish with the audience because they know where to look. In this way, repetition makes the main message of your presentation more memorable and connected for the audience.

In presentations, contrast refers to the use of different elements, such as colors, fonts, and other design elements, to focus attention and create visual interest. You may want to use contrasting colors, such as complementary colors or light and dark shades, or contrasting fonts, such as a bold or decorative font for headings and a simple font for body text. Using contrast helps create a hierarchy and makes your presentation easier to follow.

Using contrasting design elements, such as different shapes or patterns, can help to add visual interest and break up the slide into distinct sections. Overall, contrast is a useful tool in presentations because it can help to draw attention, create visual interest, and make the presentation more effective and engaging for the audience. Notice how in the new title slide of My Life in a Snapshot ( Figure 6.21 ), the title is in large font, the subtitle is in small font, and the colors used are off-white, red, and black. The different font sizes and colors contrast with one another and create an engaging, yet professional, appearance.

White Space

The last design element to consider within this section is white space . White space, also known as negative space, is the unoccupied areas of a slide that are not filled with text or other content. By leaving enough white space around text and other elements, you can make the content easier to read and understand. White space can be used to create visual interest by creating balance and separating different elements on the slide. By surrounding a key point or element with white space, you can draw attention to it and make it stand out. Additionally, using white space consistently throughout a presentation can help to create a cohesive look and feel. It is an important element of slide design and can be used in a variety of ways to enhance the readability, visual appeal, and effectiveness of a presentation. Filling your slides with text or images will make them look too busy and hard for your audience to read. Using the Designer tool to suggest different layouts can help add white space and sustain interest throughout the presentation with aesthetically pleasing slides.

Another principle that underlies all the design principles reviewed in this section is known as the rule of thirds . This is a basic principle of photography and design that suggests that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. It is essentially a tic-tac-toe game board!

Real-World Application

Applying the rule of thirds.

The rule of thirds theory suggests that if you place the important elements of the image along these lines, or at their intersections, your photo or design will be more balanced and will have more visual interest. By placing the main subject of your photo or design along one of the lines or at an intersection, you can create a sense of tension and dynamism that draws the viewer’s eye into the image. Additionally, using the rule of thirds can help you avoid placing the subject of your image dead center every time, which can make for a static and uninteresting composition.

Although the rule of thirds is not a hard-and-fast rule, it is a useful guideline that can help you create more visually appealing and dynamic compositions in your slide creations and layouts. Figure 6.25 provides an example of a grid created according to the rule of thirds.

There are other composition models you can use, as well. The point is that in design, composition is the basis of it all. You want a well-composed layout and placement of text and images, aligned so that the eye moves easily about the slide.

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Calculators

Presentation design principles for better PowerPoint design

Presentation design with images

What if I told you that your presentations could look like these examples?

Presentation design incorporating white space

White space is not about purely adding ‘white space’ onto your slide. This one has plenty of it, but it still looks terrible:

It’s about creating areas of contrast, with clear focal points to draw your attention to the important parts, and even create a flow and hierarchy across your slide.

Presentation design using grids

Well, the same thing applies to PowerPoint presentation design: a grid system helps to lay out your content in clear, easy to follow areas.

You can use a grid to create distinct sections, such as telling the start, middle, and end of a story. It’s much easier for your audience to follow, as everything is better organized.

And, it helps bring text into line – if you have any – which is important as it minimizes distractions for your audience when trying to read.

And don’t think that your divisions have to be straight along the gridlines. Here’s an example that doesn’t apply the rule exactly, but still works really well.

Also, by using a grid, you achieve a consistent feel across all your slides for overall presentation design cohesion.

What does all of that mean? Well, you can transform a slide like this:

It’s really quick and easy to do in PowerPoint too, and you can see our tutorial on using grids and the guide tools in PowerPoint to bring your presentation design up a level.

Presentation design with colour themes

Once set, you can use colour in interesting ways to convey meaning.

You can also use colour to focus attention.

In complex data sets, using contrast colours can help to highlight primary datasets. Here, for instance, you can clearly see the main data series, compared to the ‘everything else’ data series.

PowerPoint design with text formatting

But, by applying the presentation design techniques already mentioned, you can fairly easily transform your text-heavy slide into something that’s far easier on the eye:

As you’ve probably come to expect by now, this is something you can do using only PowerPoint, and you can see how in this tutorial on text formatting .

PowerPoint design to manipulate images

While it’s not Photoshop, PowerPoint has some neat tools to manipulate images.

What if I were to tell you the picture you see here had been constructed out of this…

PowerPoint design with visual storytelling

And finally, my favourite thing is to use these design techniques as part of visual storytelling, which helps dramatically improve your presentation.

Or use a common sight from underground stations – the advertising boards on escalators – to show a data series increasing. The image also gives the figures room to breathe:

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Principles of Presentation Design

A course by katya kovalenko , presentation & data designer.

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Remember the time you had to sit through an endless presentation full of charts and text and weird transition animations? Chances are you do. But do you remember anything about what was on it? Now that's a different story. The way we present information greatly influences how much of it we absorb, which is why presentation design is an art in and of itself.

Katya Kovalenko is a Barcelona-based data designer who helps businesses communicate visually, clearly, and more effectively. In this course, she'll share all the potential that she's found in presentation design, showing you the process that she uses with her clients, the methods of organizing information, as well as give you pro tips from a designer’s point of view.

What will you learn in this online course?

18 lessons & 22 downloads

18 lessons (2h 12m)
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As a final project, you will have to choose a topic for your presentation, create the narrative structure, develop the content and the look & feel and finally, join everything you’ve learned into a complete and effective presentation.

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Who is this online course for?

This course is suitable for anyone who wants to learn about presentation design, from a complete beginner to an advanced designer.

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You will need a computer with any presentation software installed (Katya will use Keynote, but you can use the software you prefer), basic notions of the chosen software, and a notepad for conceptualizing.

soy_arquitectura

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Muy buen cueso

as orientação foram muito pertinentes ao meu projeto. Tanto que aproveitei e, comprei outro curso que acho que pode agregar muito mais.

emir_jarquin

Un curso muy bien estructurado, Katya explica con una facilidad que entiendes muy rápido, sabe del tema y los recursos que utiliza son muy útiles, este curso refuerza conocimientos y esclarece otros que tal vez no se toman en cuenta al momento de diseñar presentaciones, todo es muy completo a la vez que básico para entender como desarrollar una buena presentación.

antoinetrot

Very good class for a beginner like me. Great sections on influences, the free tools available around the web and good summary of design principles. I am using Powerpoint so it was a bit of a challenge to "translate" from Keynote, but it worked great in the end. Thank you!

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Katya Kovalenko A course by Katya Kovalenko

Katya Kovalenko worked in advertising for nearly a decade before she embarked on what she calls “a quiet revolution.” After reading “Quiet” by Susan Cain, her notion of communication completely shifted. It led her to create Quiet Studio, which focuses on communicating in a more subtle and personal way.

As presentation and data designer at Quiet Studio, she creates presentations, infographics, and brand identities for businesses. She has worked with numerous brands and organizations like Meom, Article Group, Interesting Development, and Chelsea & Co.

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Key Design Principles: Dominance

Home > PowerPoint Slides > Key Design Principles – Dominance

This article is part of series on Effective Slide Design. You can find the other 2 parts here:

Effective Slide Design Principle 1

White Space

Learn to apply one of the key design principles – dominance , and make your slides look professional and powerful.

Here is a question for you:

If the points on your PowerPoint presentation were to come to life and talk about how they feel about being on your slides, what will you hear them say?

Would they feel like passengers in a crowded train or like travelers in a limousine– getting special attention and respect?
Would they feel like a Rockstar enjoying all the adulation and limelight or like a chorus singer who is barely noticed?
Would they smile with confidence or would they be annoyed at being ignored?

Answers to those questions determine the effectiveness of your presentations.

One quick way to improve the effectiveness of your presentation is to follow the principle of Dominance in your PowerPoint slides.

What is the Design Principle of Dominance?

Dominance in slide design is about making the most important element of a slide stand out from the rest.

It helps your audience to get the core point of your slide at a glance. So, you spend less time orienting their thought process to your message
It also helps to anchor your audience attention to your slide. So, you can navigate them through the rest of the points with ease

Here is a simple rule to apply the design principles of dominance in your slides:

Decide on one core point for your slide and let every element in your slide revolve around it.

Take a look at the following slide on Data presentation:

The core point of the slide is – Product Y sold the most in April.

Notice that the core message is written on the title, where the eyes of your audience land first.

The evidence for the message is clearly highlighted in the chart.

The distinct font color of April column showcases the core message
The enlarged font size for the month’s performance reinforces the core message
All other distracting elements, like grid lines and Y axis are removed to add focus to the core message.

Such design principles make it easy for the audience to grasp the core message of the slide instantly.

Let us see another example of the principle, from a design perspective. Take a look at the following slide:

The presenter decided to make the red glossy ball dominate the slide. Once the decision is made, the entire attention of the slide is focused on the red ball.

The direction of the silhouette leads the eye movement towards the ball. The color of the ball stands out distinctly from the rest of the slide. The slide has one dominating element, which is unmistakable.

Focused slides like this are easily remembered by the audience.

Here are three quick design principles to lead the attention of your audience to your core point:

1.Use a contrasting color for your core point:

Let the core point stand out in a distinct color. In the following example, we wanted to draw the attention of the audience on the second point of the presentation agenda . So, we used a contrasting color for the number, while keeping the rest of the elements uniform.

2. Use a purposeful design element:

In the following slide, we used a green colored strip to flag the audience attention to the contact details. The icons on the strip lend purpose to the design element.

This contact us form used at the end of the presentation really catches audience attention. With a bit of application, you can think about a number of ways to include a purposeful design element to focus the attention of your audience to your core point.

3. Play up a specific idea:

Take a look at the following ‘Product listing’ slide:

We wanted to lead the audience attention to ‘Our Solutions’

We used the visual of a keyhole to anchor the attention of the audience. The shape of the element naturally leads the audience eyes to the rest of the content on the slide.

Take a little time to see how these design principles are applied in good visual slides. Notice how the presenter leads your attention to the core point. It is the best way to get the audience to internalize the idea.

Conclusion:

Dominance is one of the core design principles for PowerPoint. It adds power and character to your slide content. Learn to apply the principle in your slides and see the difference it makes to your message effectiveness.

The example slides used in this article (apart from the chart) are all part of our Pick and Stick design elements pack. The pack has 60 useful design elements you can copy paste to your slides to create professional slides instantly.

Here is a quick and easy solution…

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Return to Main PowerPoint Slides

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The Golden Rules of Presentation Design

You don’t have to be a professional graphic designer to master the ins and outs of what makes a visually enticing presentation. While building a super-polished template from scratch might seem daunting, all you really need to know are a few basic principles of presentation design to take your slides from messy and unprofessional to clean, informative, and on-brand.

These days, presentation slide templates and tools abound – from the default options in Powerpoint and Google Slides , to services like SlidesCarnival , Canva , Envato and more that specialize in compiling eclectic template options. While these resources can take the guesswork out of creating sleek and professional deck designs, it’s still up to you to optimize each slide to communicate your ideas as clearly as possible. Furthermore, just because a presentation template looks nice, doesn’t necessarily mean it fits your brand aesthetic and message – and seeing the same common templates reused repeatedly can make yours more forgettable.

No matter what program you use to build your presentations, there are a few principles of presentation design you should always bear in mind.

The Most Important Rule: Less is More

We’ve all heard this one before, yet it’s still tempting to try and cram as much information as you can onto a slide. Remember that the focus should always remain on the presenter and the story they’re telling – your presentation is an accompaniment to help you illustrate the ideas you’re communicating, not a textbook to be studied.

Let’s break down a few of the easiest ways to declutter your slides:

Use key words, not full sentences What’s the main idea for each slide? Try to distill it into a single word or short phrase, rather than spelling out the complete thought as a sentence. When in doubt, use the 6×6 rule: no more than 6 bullet points per slide, with less than 6 words per line.
Utilize white space – balance is your friend! Afraid that you’re wasting real estate by not filling every corner of your slide? The eye naturally needs a place of rest, so don’t be afraid of white space. This also helps funnel and direct the viewer’s attention where you want it to go. Avoid the temptation to blow your content up to fill all the available space on your slide. Even if it’s still just a couple sentences of information, this can make it look overwhelming.

Break up your ideas if needed Don’t be shy about spreading out information between multiple slides, and pace yourself! A “title slide” to introduce a new topic can provide a nice (and necessary) breather that balances out the pace of your presentation, preventing audience exhaustion.
Use fewer fonts (aim for 2 or maybe 3 max) Mixing and matching typefaces takes a fairly well-trained eye, but there are a couple of handy resources on the web to help: FontJoy and Typ.io will both auto-generate a pairing of fonts that go well together visually. Other rules of thumb: keep body copy typefaces simple and sans-serif (using too much of a display typeface hurts legibility), use caps lock only for emphasis and visual contrast, and understand how typefaces can help convey brand sentiments.
Choose colors and fonts wisely You may be designing a presentation for work, in which case you likely have a couple established brand colors to use throughout your presentation. If you’re making up a color scheme from scratch, bear in mind: (A) Don’t use too many colors. Using too many different colors will make the presentation look messy, busy, or incoherent – so focus on one or two key, recurring colors that’ll lend a sense of cohesion throughout all your slides. (B) Try to get one or two vibrant, saturated colors to energize your presentation with a more youthful energy – muted and neutral tones run the risk of boring your audience or looking overly corporate.

Use Visual Hierarchy

Create a clear delineation between the most and the least important information. This can be done in a few ways:

Contrast Don’t let your text or other elements disappear in a monochromatic fog; up the contrast to make things pop off the page.
Background vs. Foreground images If you want to overlay text on top of an image, make sure to use photos with copy space and more subtle, uncluttered background elements. Can’t find enough white space in the pic to give your text breathing room? Consider adding a photo filter, color block, or even a gentle and more subtle gradient block to put beneath your text.
Size Use 30+ pt. text sizes to keep your copy legible even from a distance – and keep it bolder for titles, headings, and key words. Be sure that the size you use for headings is at least 50% larger than the size you’re using for body text to better call out your main ideas.
Alignment One of the single biggest threats to legibility – and your professional credibility – is a “scattershot” slide with text and images thrown together with no rhyme or reason. Instead of combining alignments (center-aligned with left-aligned headers or body copy, for example), stick with left-alignment for quick scanning. Your best bet? Use a grid system instead of plopping elements on the page and hoping for the best. Align similar elements along vertical and horizontal lines to give each slide a sense of rhythm and repetition. Tidy groupings of similar items (e.g. having all your headings, descriptions, pictures and icons along the same lines) bolsters scannability.

Use Icons to Get Your Message Across Faster (and More Beautifully)

Icons are a critical component of presentation design, as they help your audience digest the ideas you’re covering quicker than words alone. In fact, studies have shown that audiences will remember an image paired with a verbal cue 55% better than a verbal cue alone – a phenomenon known as the Picture Superiority Effect (and a critical component of Dual Coding Theory ).

Some may even argue that icons can (and should!) take the place of bullet points.

It’s especially critical to bring in visual aids like icons when you’re covering topics that are more abstract or technologically complex – consider how much words on a page can fall flat and fail to “click” in your audience’s minds, vs. bringing in a quick and concise visual that will help people place the key ideas in a clear, real-world context.

Visual cues like this “deliver the punchline” for your viewers before you even need to – so your ideas can not only jump off the page, but stay in your audience’s memories for longer.

Nonetheless, you’ll need to make sure you’re using your icons as effectively as possible.

Using Noun Project Icons in Your Presentations

Search Icons Get all the icons you could ever need from Noun Project . Our collection is literally millions of icons deep – and each one can be customized, colored, and downloaded as a PNG or SVG.
Use Apps & Plugins Instantly insert icons without leaving your workflow – Noun Project has apps and plugins for Google Slides , Powerpoint , Adobe Products and more. (Plus, Noun Project apps now support SVG icons – so you can use and customize vectors directly inside apps like Powerpoint).
Go Pro for Royalty-Free Downloads Customize and insert unlimited icons royalty-free with a Noun Pro account. When you go Pro, you can instantly recolor and click-and-drag icons straight from the Noun Project window without needing to worry about attributions.

Tip: Icons are essential to help an important point “click” in people’s brains more quickly. The Noun Project Add-On for Powerpoint lets you instantly search, recolor, click and drag icons instantly all without having to leave your window (and a Noun Pro account lets you insert unlimited icons).

Use Icons to Make Your (Bullet) Point

Condense & Summarize Your Big Ideas with Icons Use icons as a direct translation of your information – or an obvious metaphor that won’t leave people guessing. Noun Project offers a dazzling range of icons, from the extremely literal (bar graphs, money, medical icons and more) to more broad and abstract concepts (gerrymandering, sanctuary city defunding, you name it)…. But with any icon you need, choose one that doesn’t need too much deciphering, or provide an explanatory caption where necessary. As with all things design, go by the famous maxim “ Don’t Make Me Think .”

Aim for Visual Consistency Icons come in numerous styles: thin line icons, thick “glyph”-style icons, sharp, rounded, pixel-perfect or hand-drawn. Pick a style that suits your brand and message, then stick with it. Selecting icons from the same collection, or the same creator, will help maintain visual consistency – whereas a mixing and matching of styles will appear messier and less professional.

Tip: Try to select icons from the same collection so that they have a consistent visual style. ( Basic Interface icon collection by Caesar Rizky Kurniawan ).

Use Icons to Accentuate Your Theme Icons don’t need to be used merely to reinforce your statistics – they can usher people through your narrative and play off your visual theme as well. Think about the stylistic possibilities of your overall presentation – e.g., bringing in a nostalgic ‘80s theme with 8-bit pixel icons or discussing holistic health with naturalistic, ecological icon collections.

Tip: Browse the latest topical icon collections on Noun Project .

Use Photos to Suit the Mood

Icons aren’t the only must-have in packing a visual punch. While we’ve already written dedicated articles about the best ways to use stock photos in Powerpoint or even in social media campaigns , here are a few quick rules of thumb:

Use photos that are natural, authentic, diverse, and inclusive Ditch the overly-posed and unnatural corporate stock photoshoots of bygone eras. It’s important to make sure your photos feature a variety of ages, ethnicities, body types, sexualities and more so that no matter who your audience, they’ll feel included (Hint: check out photo collections like Diversity in Tech and Empowered Women on Noun Project).

Tip: Search for diverse stock photos that don’t feel too “stock-y.” Relaxed poses and natural lighting and textures will look more suitable than the overly staged corporate photo shoots of yore. Explore the Diversity in Tech or Empowered Women collections on Noun Project for inspiration.

Focus on single background images – not a whole album. Usually one supporting image is enough – there’s no need to include multiple images on a single slide as this muddles your message. If, perhaps, you want to show multiple photos to recap an event or show steps in a process, be sure to align your photos, use a grid system, or give each one even dimensions through thoughtful cropping.
Visually unify your photos using color overlays Apps like Powerpoint will typically let you adjust brightness and hue or overlay a color so that multiple disparate photos can appear unified – and reinforce your brand.

Tip: While a full-color photo may be eye-catching, consider using a color overlay (at right) with your brand or theme colors to give a stronger air of sophistication and cohesion to disparate photos. (In Powerpoint, with an image selected, go to Picture Format > Color > More Variations to set your own color).

Get Started on Your Next Presentation Design With Noun Project.

Explore icon and photo collections, and unlock unlimited royalty-free icon downloads with Noun Pro .

Ready to try out different types of presentation design apps? If you’re looking for friendly, web-based alternatives to the classic Powerpoint, try out free options like Google Slides or even Canva .

Hungry for more design tips? View more on our blog at blog.thenounproject.com .

Marketing Communications Manager at Noun Project, Designer and Illustrator.

Graphic Design Principles: Balance and White Space

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The Power of Design: How a Well-Designed PowerPoint Can Steal the Show

March 17, 2023 / Blog

Design has become an integral part of our lives—from the clothes we wear to the brands we support and the products we use. It plays a significant role in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. Similarly, in the field of presentations, the power of design cannot be overstated.

A well-designed PowerPoint presentation can capture the audience’s attention, communicate complex ideas effectively, and enhance the presenter’s credibility.

Need a Presentation Designed? Click Here To View Our Amazing Portfolio

Explore the power of design in presentations and how a well-designed PowerPoint can steal the show. We will also provide practical tips and common mistakes to avoid when designing a PowerPoint presentation.

Understanding design principles

Design principles refer to a set of guidelines that help designers create visual compositions that are aesthetically pleasing and effective in communicating their message.

When it comes to designing a PowerPoint presentation, understanding and applying design principles can make a big difference in the overall impact of the presentation.

Some essential design principles to consider when designing a PowerPoint presentation include the following:

Balance is the distribution of elements on a slide to create a sense of equilibrium. A well-balanced PowerPoint presentation consists of evenly distributed elements and is not cluttered.

There should be a balance of negative space around and between elements, as well as a balance of different types of elements, such as text, images, and graphics.

Contrast refers to using different elements in a slide to create a visual impact. Achieve contrast using color, font, size, and shape.

Using these different elements, you can create a visual hierarchy and make certain elements stand out more than others, which can help draw attention to key points and improve the overall readability and effectiveness of your slide.

Emphasis is used to draw attention to a specific element on a slide. It can be achieved by using color, size, or position.

In addition to those elements, emphasis can also be achieved by using other visual elements such as contrast, font style, and graphic elements.

Hierarchy is the arrangement of elements on a slide to show the importance of each element. It helps the audience understand the organization of the information being presented.

Hierarchy can be established in a PowerPoint presentation through the clever placement and use of fonts. Moreover, placing elements in a logical order, such as from top to bottom or left to right, can also help establish a hierarchy and guide the viewer’s eye through the slide.

Benefits of a well-designed PowerPoint

A well-designed PowerPoint presentation is not only visually appealing but also serves a critical role in engaging the audience and communicating information effectively. When you build a well-designed presentation, your audience is more likely to stay focused and retain the information you are presenting.

Here are some key benefits of a well-designed PowerPoint:

Capturing audience attention

Delivering an effective presentation requires capturing the audience’s attention.

A well-designed PowerPoint can do just that by using visually appealing graphics and a consistent design scheme that draws the audience’s attention to the most important elements of the presentation.

Communicating complex ideas effectively

Visual aids such as images, videos, charts, and graphs can help communicate complex ideas more effectively.

Rather than relying solely on words to convey information, visual aids can provide a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the concepts you are presenting.

Enhancing the presenter’s credibility

A well-designed PowerPoint can enhance your credibility as a presenter, showing you have put thought and effort into the presentation.

Your attention to detail can create a sense of trust between you and the audience, making it more likely that the audience will be receptive to the ideas you are presenting.

Making a lasting impression

A well-designed PowerPoint can leave a lasting impression on the audience, making the presentation more memorable.

You can make a lasting impression by using eye-catching visuals , incorporating storytelling techniques, and engaging the audience through interactive elements such as polls or quizzes.

Tips for designing a winning PowerPoint presentation

Creating a well-designed PowerPoint presentation requires careful consideration of various design elements.

Here are some tips to help you design a winning PowerPoint:

Choosing appropriate fonts

The right font can enhance the overall look and feel of the presentation, but it’s important to choose a font that is easy to read.

Avoid using overly stylized or decorative fonts, as they can be distracting and make the text difficult to read. Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri are good choices for body text, while serif fonts like Times New Roman can be used for headings.

Selecting the right color scheme

A cohesive color scheme can help create a professional and visually appealing presentation.

Choose colors that complement each other and consider the mood and tone of the presentation. You can use color to highlight important information, but avoid using too many colors or those that clash with each other.

Adding images and videos

Visual aids such as images and videos can help make your presentation more engaging and memorable.

Use high-quality images relevant to the content being presented, and avoid using low-resolution or pixelated images. Videos can be a powerful tool for demonstrating concepts or telling a story, but make sure they are appropriate for the audience and the content being presented.

Utilizing white space

White space is the empty space around design elements, such as text, images, and graphics.

Incorporating white space into your design can help create a clean and uncluttered look that is easy to read and understand. Use white space to separate different sections of your presentation and to draw attention to important information.

Using visual aids

Visual aids such as charts, graphs, and diagrams can help to illustrate complex information and make it easier to understand.

Use clear and easy-to-read charts and graphs relevant to the content being presented. Avoid using too many visual aids, as this can be overwhelming and distracting for the audience.

Designing a well-designed PowerPoint presentation can bring many benefits to the presenter. Follow these tips to create a winning presentation that accomplishes its goal.

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The 4 Design Principles in PowerPoint!

Design principles in PowerPoint are there to serve as basic design guidelines when creating PowerPoint presentations. The four principles can help you design visually appealing and effective presentations.

In this article, we’ll explain the CRAP guideline and show you how to exactly use the four design principles.

CRAP – the 4 design principles

The CRAP guideline is made up of the following 4 principles:

#1: Contrast

With contrasts on your slides , you create a crucial design element: the attention of your viewers is drawn to important, visually highlighted information.

If certain elements differ from the rest of your slide by color, font, size or shape, these elements will stand out. For example, read this article in our blog on “PowerPoint Backgrounds” to learn how to make your presentation stand out.

#2: Repetition

Repetition and consistent use of design elements across your slides promote recognition and visual unity. You can achieve this consistency, for example, by using uniform fonts, formatting, graphic elements, and a corporate design color palette.

#3: Alignment

The arrangement of the various elements on your slides also plays an important role in creating engaging presentations. If you want to create a professional and harmonious-looking presentation , you can create structure and order by clearly aligning the elements on your slides.

Design grids and guidelines are particularly helpful here. You can insert these by placing a check mark next to “Gridlines” or “Guidelines ” under “View”.

#4: Proximity

In the context of PowerPoint, you can think of the term proximity as the positioning of elements on the slide. You should place related elements close to each other.

Because good proximity not only makes it easier for your audience to grasp and understand the content, but also conveys a visual hierarchy. This way you can convey the importance of the different elements to your audience.

Another aspect that helps your audience grasp the content on your slides is white space. Find out more in our blog article on “White Space on your PowerPoint slides”.

To sum up: Design Principles for Appealing Presentations!

Use the CRAP-principles to deliver an engaging presentation to your audience. A good design will help your audience absorb the information easily and your listeners will thank you for it!

Are you looking for visually supportive and professionally designed slide templates ? Feel free to look around our store. Here we have numerous slides prepared for you to download on a wide variety of (business) topics. Take a look today! ► To the store

Further articles, that might interest you:

Why You Should Make Sure to have White Space on Your Slides: 5 Advantages!
PowerPoint Backgrounds: How to Make Your Presentations Pop
Revealed: The 12 secrets for a perfect PowerPoint presentation

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Design Thinking: Problem Solving with a Difference

Why Corporate Mission Statements Are So Important

7 Tips & Learnings from the Apple Keynote

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Presentation Design Techniques

They say a presentation is a great tool for storytelling. The fact is that slides are suitable for forming a springboard and key ideas for any speech or speech. But what about the key slide design rules that everyone should follow? What principles should a user be guided by who is configured to craft a solid presentation? Here are techniques to help you stand out from the crowd and correctly place your data on every slide.

What are PPT Design Techniques?

Let's start with some basic information to help you understand the key nuances of creating slides. Design techniques are the way to make your presentation better. In other words, PowerPoint design principles aim to polish each slide and place the visual content correctly. Given all the recommendations and generally accepted approaches, you can stand out from the crowd and grab people's attention. Here are the essential techniques, principles, and strategies for all beginners.

No Stock Templates!

The default slide themes are awful and look like a chaotic bunch of pictures. You will unlikely dare to use them, especially if you are pursuing any ambitious goals. Start from scratch, or choose a template that can be enhanced with some color or visual effects. The fact is that effective slide design starts with creativity and not with mediocrity and trivial templates.

Don't Use More than 6 Lines of Text

To understand this technique, let's look at the purpose of any presentation. As a speaker, you must speak to an audience, and your presentation is the link between you and the people. That is why you should not add too much text to each slide. As a general rule, six lines will be enough for your audience to understand the context and meaning of your ideas. The principles of design PPT are based on conciseness. Surely people will want to see a short explanation of the term instead of a paragraph copied from Wikipedia.

Ditch the Bullet Points

Many people create presentations with dozens of bullet points, which is crazy. The fact is that your key audience is unlikely to remember the amount of information that you added to your list. Say no to bullet points because you need innovative presentation techniques. You can't craft a one page presentation and add all the graphic or text elements. Instead, divide your content into at least 4-6 slides. Your presentation will certainly be more understandable and easier to read because you won't be adding an insane amount of bullet points in one place. This technique is directly related to the observance of proportions and common sense.

Use Sans Serif Fonts

When it comes to typography, readability and comfort always take precedence over fun content. As a result, one of the traditional slide creation practices is based on using conventional typefaces like Helvetica. The fact is that your audience is probably interested in making each slide understandable. That is why a strange font with monograms, stars, and other visual effects is inappropriate. Sometimes you even need to choose a dark background and bold text to highlight things.

Size Fonts Appropriately

When sizing your fonts, remember that all your ideas can go against common sense. Try to make your text easy to read, no matter how far away from your audience's screen. Try not to use unreasonably small or, on the contrary, huge fonts without a clear need. The fact is that such dissonance will have an extremely negative effect on the perception of information, so you better not experiment unless necessary.

Maintain a Strong Contrast Between Text and Background

Here is another one of the key design principles PowerPoint users should follow. You need a contrasting background so that your text content, tables, or lists are readable. As a last resort, you should add some stylish bars of color behind the image to bring the legibility back. It is best to forget multi-colored pictures and the same bright text elements that merge into a single motley substance. People are unlikely to appreciate your innovative solutions, especially if they cannot read a single sentence.

Use No More than 5 Colors

Quantity doesn't always equal quality, and you should keep this design approach in mind. Try to use no more than five colors, as this approach will give you an easy way to enhance the look of your entire presentation. Say no to complex gradients or dozens of textures because you only need a couple of color variations to add stylish accents to some parts of your slides. Stick to this approach, and you will be able to stand out from the crowd.

Use Contrasting Text Colors to Draw Attention

One more modern presentation design idea is contrasting text colors to draw attention. Use a bright color in your selected palette to emphasize essential points in your text. For example, you can focus on a number, idea, or quote that is important to your slide. This approach is the most relevant, as you can easily achieve all your goals during your speech.

Use Single Images

Let's focus on presentation layouts design: such elements can make your slides look better. Of course, images help make your presentation more visual. But don't try to make a photo album from each slide by adding 3-5 images. Try to use one picture and a couple of lines to provide basic information to your audience. Do not forget that many photos will make your presentation uncomfortable to analyze.

Use Visuals to Increase Emotional Appeal

Adding visual powers is one of the most effective presentation techniques today. For example, let's say you want to add a mention of a percentage. Select a pie chart and add it to your slide instead of the usual percentage. This strategy helps to support your message; it can enhance comprehension and retention and elicit an emotional response. Add visuals where you see fit but use common sense.

Why Is It So Important to Follow All the Above Design Techniques?

Your presentation has a specific purpose, and you should not forget it. First of all, you are going to convey a certain message to your audience. In addition, your goal is to create simple, readable slides that are easy to analyze. And do not forget that the audience's reaction will be positive only if you strike a balance between texts and visual elements. In other words, every presentation technique is essential.

Good Presentation Design Tips for Beginners

Surely you will need good ideas since beginners often make obvious mistakes. So here are tips to help you forget the annoying nuances that irritate your slides forever.

Identify One Core Message to Center Your Presentation Design Around

Use one key message for your presentation. This approach will make your slides look solid. In other words, your presentation will match the key topic no matter what data you add. This advice works if you decide to add some data or statistics.

Eliminate Any Information That Doesn't Immediately Support the Core Message

You should not use data that is unrelated to your key message. Try to say no to adding new slides, even if you think it's a good idea. Conciseness is the privilege of professionals, so your presentation should look polished.

Use Text to Reinforce, Not Repeat, What You're Saying

Get ready because your general idea needs to create a certain number of slides. Some of them will touch on the same topic but in different ways. Do not repeat data that you have already used in previous slides. Instead, you can use similar information to expand your topic in other ways. Don't forget that your job is to reinforce what you're saying by giving people new ideas.

Final Words

As you can see, quite a few presentation techniques are great for people who need to craft slides. So choose any approach and get to work. Your task is to create solid slides. Don't forget that your job is to keep up with current design trends, so you should be open to innovations. Surely you can stand out from the crowd and craft something special, so don't waste your time!

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Blog / Presentation Design / The six rules of impactful PowerPoint design.

The six rules of impactful PowerPoint design.

You don’t need to be a professional designer to enhance the look of your PowerPoint presentations. Find out how to design professional, visually-striking slides with our six PowerPoint design rules. Given the fact that PowerPoint presentations are the most ubiquitous communication tool in business and education, it’s crazy how many bad ones are out there. You’d think that because of how important presentations are to business strategy , most organisations would have at least a vague idea of PowerPoint design best practice. But we’ve seen enough presentations to make the call that most organisations follow the old school design rubric with a bit too much fervour for today’s competitive climate. There’s no more room for excuses. Your audience isn’t going to forgive you for making them sit through slides overstuffed with bullet points and blinding colour choices. You’ve got to find a way of standing out in a crowded landscape of presentations. As a PowerPoint design agency , we’re huge advocates of clean, slick, minimalist design, and we’re going to share five PowerPoint rules to help you design slides to be proud of.

PowerPoint rule #1. Content first, design second

Before you think about designing anything, you’ve got to finalise the content you want to display on each slide. The words you write will dictate how the slides are visualised, so outlining the messages you want to communicate is the first step on your journey to designing a good-looking slide. Once you have your content hashed out in written form, decide what goes on which slide by putting your ideas onto post-it notes and organising them into your desired flow. Storyboarding is a great way of doing this. This way, you can gauge the scope of your presentation in a visual way and avoid time-consuming edits of your final designs later in the process.

PowerPoint rule #2. Strip copy back to a point per slide

If you’re planning on splitting a slide into a group of bullet points and an infographic, you’re brewing the recipe for a congested presentation. By this point, you should have cut away the excess fat of your messaging, leaving only the most impactful soundbites that’ll actually matter to your audience. You don’t want to put your messages in a position where they have to compete for audience attention. Breaking your points up will give your listeners room to digest each of your ideas, one at a time. You, as the presenter, will act as a guide, leading them smoothly from point to point with a relevant, tailored visual to enhance your delivery.

PowerPoint rule #3. Harness core design principles

There are a handful of core PowerPoint design principles you should keep at the forefront of your mind whenever you’re putting presentation layouts together. In true one point at a time fashion, let’s address them individually:

If the point you’re making on a slide has different elements to it that form a whole, make sure their distinct from one another is stark. Graphics, text and background images should contrast and stand out among each other. An easy way to do this is through varying colour palettes , but make sure you select colours that complement each other.

Using repetition to link ideas together is a great way of creating visual uniformity. Curate a look and feel of the kind of design direction you want to go down, implement this style in a PowerPoint template , lock it down and you’ll have formed the groundwork of your presentation design.

Alignment is what gives design a sense of balance. How you arrange the information on a slide and where each component is situated will direct how the content is interpreted by the audience. When things are properly aligned, every component appears as though it’s in the right place and cohabiting equally instead of fighting for space.

Elements that are related to each other should be placed close together. This will make it easier for your audience to detect the cohesion of your ideas and understand the connection between them, while eliminating ambiguity.

PowerPoint rule #4. Turn your copy into a visual

Each visual element in your PowerPoint presentation should serve a purpose: your slides aren’t just there to house your content, they should act as powerful visual assets that deliver your story in a more impactful and compelling way. There are four aspects to designing presentation visuals that you should be mindful of:

Every image you select has to be relevant and high-quality. Stay away from tacky stock photos of professionals shaking hands, fake business meetings and groups of people high-fiving. Start communicating with visuals that match the personality of your brand. With a bit of digging and the right keyword searches, you can find some really cool images from subscription stock libraries, some of which are free like Unsplash and Death to the Stock Photo .

Ever wondered why most bank logos are blue and those of fast food outlets usually include red? It’s no coincidence – it’s because blue is culturally associated with trust and responsibility, while red evokes feelings of energy and immediacy. Colour plays a big part in how we digest and process information. The cultural and psychological meanings behind colours are definitely something you should take into account in your PowerPoint design. Think about how you want your message to be perceived and pick a colour scheme that reflects that. You can use Adobe Colour to find popular palettes if you’re stuck.

Choosing the best presentation fonts depends on the tone of your presentation, your audience and the overall vibe of the environment you’re speaking in. Serifs are more prevalent in print, whereas sans-serifs are more common in web design, which might be why serifs are considered more ‘classic’ and sans-serifs ‘modern’. Consider the different characteristics and connotations of a font when selecting typefaces for your presentation, and how these associations align with your subject. Legibility is the most important thing for presentation – so keep it simple by sticking to between 45-90 characters (including spaces) per line, and pay special attention to spacing. If you use decorative fonts and scripts, make sure they’re just in the headings. As a general rule to follow, try to limit yourself to 2-3 typefaces per presentation to ensure visual consistency.

PowerPoint rule #5. Control the eye with slick animation

PowerPoint animations and transitions are often approached with caution – which perhaps isn’t surprising considering we’ve all endured a few ill-advised fly-ins in our time. The trick to effective animations and transitions is making sure that they’re in service of the story you’re telling: use them in a minimalist way to reduce disruption between slides, help your information flow along naturally, and build up multiple layers of messaging.

PowerPoint rule #6. Visualise your data effectively

If data or financial insight forms an important part of your presentation, you’re going to want to deliver it in an exciting and interesting way. When dealing with large numbers, it’s a good idea to use scale to your advantage – providing a visual size contrast between two data points makes it much easier to comprehend the difference. You could also communicate the data using visuals of the subject you are talking about to establish a context for your audience.

If you reflect on your data, they’ll probably only be a handful of figures that actually matter and support your message. So alternatively, why not pick these out and display them in a large, visually-impactful way on their own slides? They’ll focus your audience’s attention and you can then talk around them, adding relevant supplementary information. Overall, the key to PowerPoint design is to keep things simple. Tell a visual story by introducing one piece of information at a time and keep your design clean and focused. Stick to these five commandments and you’ll ensure your presentation is easy for your audience to follow and absorb.

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6.3: Formatting Microsoft PowerPoint Slides- Layout and Design Principles

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Format the layout of each slide
Understand best practices in design principles

We have used three types of layouts in My Life in a Snapshot . Here are some commonly used slide layouts:

Title Slide : This layout includes a title and subtitle and is typically used for the first slide of a presentation .
Title and Content: This layout includes a title, subtitle, and one or two content boxes that you can use for text or media. This layout is typically used to give an overview of the presentation and the main topics to be covered.
Comparison: This layout includes two content boxes, which can be used to present different types of information, such as text and images, or to compare and contrast two pieces of information.
Section Header: This layout is used to create a slide that can be used as a header for a section of a presentation. It typically includes a title and subtitle, with a distinctive design.
Content with Caption: This layout includes a content box and a caption box, which can be used to present a single image or other media and provide additional information about it.

Formatting Layout

Alignment Guides

Hold down the Option key, not the Ctrl key, to turn your cursor into a double line with arrows.

You can continue to add guidelines anywhere on your slide to insert and align objects, text boxes, photos, and so forth. (In the section on Adding Visuals and Features to Microsoft PowerPoint Slides, we will cover inserting objects and images.) See Figure 6.23 for a visual example of what the guides look like after adding them to a slide. (If you see that the Guides box is checked but no lines are apparent, just uncheck it and check it again. That will usually bring the guides back into view.)

A screenshot of the View tab with Guides selected in the Show command group. Dashed lines in a grid pattern of varying sizes are visible on the page, labeled Alignment guides.

Link to Learning

Design Principles

Proximity is an important consideration in designing PowerPoint layouts because it can affect the composition, perspective, and overall look of each slide. In Figure 6.24, you can see two different sizes of the budget sheet. The first one is effective for an overall view of what the document looks like. The second one is more effective if you want the audience to be able to read it. If so, it’s preferable to zoom in as close as possible to that content.

A (a) budget sheet in small font at the right with a large image at the left and (b) the same budget sheet in larger font with small graphics along the bottom.

Using contrasting design elements, such as different shapes or patterns, can help to add visual interest and break up the slide into distinct sections. Overall, contrast is a useful tool in presentations because it can help to draw attention, create visual interest, and make the presentation more effective and engaging for the audience. Notice how in the new title slide of My Life in a Snapshot (Figure 6.21), the title is in large font, the subtitle is in small font, and the colors used are off-white, red, and black. The different font sizes and colors contrast with one another and create an engaging, yet professional, appearance.

White Space

Real-World Application - Applying the Rule of Thirds

A screenshot of a grid (3 x 3) with red stars located at the bottom right of the top left and middle boxes, and the middle right of the bottom left box.

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General PowerPoint and Presenting Tips

General PowerPoint Tips

Don't change things like bullets on each slide - use the Slide Master!
Try not to read exactly what's on the slide, but expand on each point.
Print the Speaker's Notes to keep track of what you want to say on each slide.
Check your spelling!
Know how to move back and forth between slides without exiting the show (right-click on the slide to bring up the navigator, use Alt+Tab to move between the show and a web browser).
Use hidden slides to have information ready “just in case”.
Know what your last slide is – blank, “Questions?”, contact info, etc. – and when it’s coming!
If you see a presentation you like, figure out how they did it.
Break your presentation into recognizable sections (use a visual trigger to help people know you are moving on).

Resources for General Tips

Presentations 101
Death by PowerPoint (what NOT to do!)
Creating Passionate Users

General Presentation Tips

Know your equipment if possible; arrive early and test it.
Bring back ups (flash drive, printout, etc.).
PRACTICE out loud!!
Speak loudly and clearly with enthusiasm and make eye contact with the audience.
Ask audience questions to make sure they are with you (if appropriate).

Resources for General Presentation Tips

Design Principles

There are several basic design principles when creating a PowerPoint presentation. Remember, the most important important thing is readability and content, not flair!

Backgrounds and Colors

Have a consistent color scheme throughout your presentation.
Contrast text color with background color -
Test colors on projected screen if possible, as it may look different than your monitor.
Lighting in the presentation room may effect how much contrast is displayed.
If the background has lines (such as a legal pad background), make sure the text lines up - otherwise, don't use it!
Negative space (space without content) is a good thing!

Bullets, Fonts, and Text

Limit text to 5 or 6 words per line, 3-4 bullets per slide.
Use concise wording , and elaborate as you speak.
Depending on your content, you may want a different slide for each main point.
Try to stick with 22 point fonts or larger.
People often use serif fonts for titles and san-serif for the bullets.
Use fonts that are easy to read – avoid script fonts or ALL CAPS!
Be consistent in your use of headline or sentence capitalization for the titles and bullets.
If you want to center the text, don’t use bullets.
Some fonts exist on Mac but not on Windows and visa versa. This can affect your text/bullets.
When at all possible, use the text boxes that come with the layouts. The Master Slide controls these, not text boxes you add manually.

Graphics/Charts/Multimedia

Media should have a purpose; don’t put it on if it doesn’t have a place.
Balance text and graphics ; pay attention to placement of the image.
There is limited editing capability within PowerPoint; you may need to adjust your images in Photoshop or some other editor.
To quickly create several slides with images, use the Photo Album (Insert Ribbon).
Make sure your chart is legible and displays the right type of information.
If you have the data in Excel, copy and paste the chart from there.

Principles Adapted from Mayer and Moreno

Principle of Weeding: Eliminate interesting but extraneous material so people can focus on what is important.

Principle of Aligning: Put corresponding words and images near each other, so people don’t have to scan all over the slide to make the connections

Principle of Synchronizing: Put up the words (spoken or written) at the same time as the corresponding images/animations, rather than have all the text first, then all of the images second. Similar to the idea of aligning, people need to see/hear the words simultaneously with the images/animations.

Principle of Redundancy: Images, narration, and on-screen text all at the same time is too much for people to absorb. Show pictures while you talk, or give them text to read (while you take a drink of water and just let them read by themselves).

Principle of Segmenting: People need time to pass information from short-term to long term memory. Allow pauses, and if providing multimedia examples, be sure that you (or the student) can pause it as needed.

Principle of Signaling: Provide cues to help people focus on the most important information (without having to figure out what is important)

(Mayer, R. E. and R. Moreno (2003). "Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning." Educational Psychologist 38 (1): 43-52.)

Design Resources

The Big Four: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity

Visual Presentations: The Right Way and the Wrong Way

10 Tips for Designing Presentations

Universal Design Principles for Presentations

Principles of design.

Mikey Mioduski

Feb 28, 2022

Your PowerPoint presentation can be as captivating as an action movie or lifeless as an overdrawn speech from a tired bureaucratic honcho. While having natural charisma, great content, and excellent communication skills goes a long way, your presentation’s design is equally important. A well-designed presentation doubles down on your message by making every slide unique, appealing, and memorable.

The last thing you want is your audience falling asleep midway through your presentation, as happens to many speakers. Fortunately, you can reference universal design principles to polish up your presentation and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Let’s talk about the principles of design, why they’re important, and how to incorporate them in your presentation.

What Are Universal Principles of Design?

The principles of design are general rules that provide a framework for designers across the board to make appealing and user-friendly designs. Design principles guide designers to package their message in an easy-to-digest format that’s universally accessible. These principles include contrast, repetition, balance, and alignment, emphasis, movement, white space, proportion, hierarchy, variety, pattern, rhythm, and unity.

Depending on the product you’re designing and your application field, you’ll find some design principles more relevant than others. In our case, we’ll discuss the five most useful design principles for PowerPoint (PPT) presentations.

Let’s jump in.

White Space is Your Friend

White space (negative space) is the blank space around elements on a PPT slide. These elements include logos, shapes, pictures, and text boxes. Simply, white space is the unused space in a design. You use white space to separate sections and create space between elements to avoid crowded or chaotic slides. This enhances the readability of your presentation.

Also, white space boosts comprehension by drawing your audience’s focus to the most important elements in your presentation. For instance, if you have ample white space around a picture, people will spend extra time on that picture because the white space indicates that it’s important. White space helps you design clutter-free and elegant-looking slides, making your presentation coherent and put together.

Movement: The Eyes Should Move

How you organize elements in your slide will dictate how your audience navigates through it visually. This is referred to as movement. You should position your elements harmoniously so the eye transitions from one element to the next without getting stuck on one section. Essentially, movement gives your presentation ebb and flow, enabling your slides to flow more naturally like a narrative or story.

Repetition and Consistency in Design

To reinforce an idea in your presentation, you may need to reuse certain elements like typefaces, fonts, logos, or shapes. Almost always, you’ll need to use multiple elements in your presentation for illustration and design aesthetics. Repetition helps you achieve consistency so that the repeated elements don’t come off as an error.

Say you use Fira Sans font for the body text in most slides, but use Libre-Baskerville font in a few slides for stylistic effect. If the Libre-Baskerville font appears only in one slide or body text, your audience may interpret it as a casual error rather than a stylistic effect. However, if you use Libre-Baskerville font in multiple slides, your audience will catch on.

Symmetry Keeps Your Presentation Balanced

Every element in your PPT presentation (symbols, pictures, 3D models, or SmartArt) has visual weight. The size, shape, and contrast contribute to the visual weight that must be balanced for the slides to look even. You can achieve balance through symmetry or asymmetry, as we explain below.

Symmetry

In your PPT presentation, you position elements of equal visual weight on opposite sides of an imaginary center line on your slide to get symmetrical balance. Here’s an illustration:

Asymmetry

To achieve asymmetrical balance, you position elements of varying visual weight without considering an imaginary center line.

Both symmetrical and asymmetrical design layouts help keep your presentation visually pleasing. If you have a creative bone in your body, you can capitalize on symmetrical and asymmetrical designs to make your PPT presentation stylish and unique. Here’s an illustration:

Hierarchy: What Is the Key Content?

Hierarchy refers to the order of importance of your presentation content. Visual hierarchy dictates that you prioritize your presentation’s most important design elements. The meaty sections explaining your core ideas should come first so the audience can get the broader picture within the first five minutes of your presentation.

Given the declining human attention span , it can be an uphill task to retain your audience’s attention throughout your presentation. That’s why you should strike the iron while it’s hot and explain your primary ideas while you have your audience’s attention. A good way to do this is by embedding key concepts in your headings, subheadings, and introductory slides.

Why Are Design Principles Important in Presentations?

Principles of presentation design are a source of guidance and reference for designers to create stand-out designs that are usable and accessible to all people. Likewise, design principles guide you through creating a powerful PPT presentation with design elements that will woo your audience.

You want to communicate to your audience in an interactive and captivating way. Referencing the principles of design when creating your PPT presentation will elevate your presentation. By applying these principles, you ensure that your presentation is world-class, right down to the last detail.

How Do These Principles Affect the Design Process?

Each design principle helps you achieve a specific impact. As such, you have to consider the design elements and the effects you want your presentation to exude. For the most part, you’ll integrate the design principles on the go while preparing your presentation. Even so, you may want to plan and note down the design elements you want to include to save time when applying them to your slides. This makes the design process more effective.

GhostRanch Communications Can Help

We know that creating a riveting PowerPoint presentation requires more than understanding and applying design principles. That’s why we go far beyond to design custom presentations that turn heads, save you time, and help you close more deals. Whether you want us to design your PPT presentation from scratch or provide some touch-ups to enhance readability and aesthetics, we are game.

Let GhostRanch be your go-to partner for all your design services . We deliver the results you need on time and on point.

Contact 'The Ranch' today to discuss how we can help with your presentation deck.

About The Author

Michael "Mikey" Mioduski founded GhostRanch Communications in 2015 after falling in love with the medium of presentation design. He holds an MFA in Advertising Design from SCAD, a BA in History from DePauw University, and currently lives with his family in Zionsville, Indiana.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Microsoft PowerPoint Design Principles

Master how to design an aesthetically pleasing presentation using different design techniques in PowerPoint

What I will learn?

Introduction to modern design in presentation
Designing the cover slide in a presentation
Executive Summary design concepts
Visualizing text only slides
7 Text and Quantitative slides designing

Course Curriculum

Modern slide design in powerpoint, meet your instructor, introduction to slide design, different slide design elements in powerpoint, best practices in slide design in powerpoint, download the resources for this section, improving the design of our powerpoint presentation, designing cover slide in powerpoint, part 1: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 2: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 3: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 4: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 5: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 6: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 7: design cover slide in powerpoint, part 8: design cover slide in powerpoint, quick review of cover slide design, designing executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 1: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 2: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 3: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 4: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 5: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 6: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 7: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 8: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 9: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 10: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, part 11: design executive summary slide in powerpoint, quick review of executive summary slide design, design text slides in powerpoint, part 1 – designing text slides in powerpoint, part 2 – designing text slides in powerpoint, part 3 – designing text slides in powerpoint, part 4 – designing text slides in powerpoint, part 5 – designing text slides in powerpoint, part 6 – designing text slides in powerpoint, quick review of text slide design in powerpoint, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 1, part 1 – designing text and data analysis slide in powerpoint, part 2 – designing text and data analysis slide in powerpoint, part 3 – designing text and data analysis slide in powerpoint, part 4 – designing text and data analysis slide in powerpoint, part 5 – designing text and data analysis slide in powerpoint, part 6 – designing text and data analysis slide in powerpoint, quick review of illustration 1 on text and data analysis slide design, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 2, quick review of illustration 2 on text and data analysis slide design, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 3, quick review of illustration 3 on text and data analysis slide design, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 4, quick review of illustration 4 on text and data analysis slide design, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 5, quick review of illustration 5 on text and data analysis slide design, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 6, quick review of illustration 6 on text and data analysis slide design, designing text & data analysis slides in powerpoint – illustration 7, quick review of illustration 7 on text and data analysis slide design, student feedback.

One of the course's strengths was its emphasis on practical application. The instructors provided numerous examples and hands-on exercises that allowed students to immediately apply the design principles they learned. This hands-on approach was invaluable in helping me develop my PowerPoint design skills.

"Microsoft PowerPoint Design Principles" course, and it was an insightful journey into crafting visually compelling presentations. The course content was comprehensive, covering a wide array of design principles and techniques specific to PowerPoint. The instructors were knowledgeable and provided practical insights.

Very Nice Course and How to Create Unique Slide of the course Explained...

Very Interesting Course And How to Create Unique Slide to the Explain Clear

I recently completed the "Microsoft PowerPoint Design Principles" course, and I am thrilled to share my overwhelmingly positive experience. This course provides a comprehensive and insightful guide to mastering the art of designing effective and engaging presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint. It's an absolute must for professionals seeking to elevate their presentation skills and create impactful visual content and also how to create unique slides so teaching

yeah it is good we learned lots of things in powerpoint how to create unic slides of the presentation.

Requirements

None. We will teach everything from scratch.

Material Includes

30 day access
1.5 hours on-demand video
Access on mobile
Certificate of Completion

We have created short courses on specific skills that you will need to master in the business and finance domain. Once you go through the recorded lessons and attend practice sessions online, you will need to finish a short assessment like a quiz and an assignment and send it over. We will review your submission and send you back a score. If you obtain more than 80% result, we will award you a certification for the same.

We have divided the certifications into very specific modules to make it very easy for you to complete any one certification in the least time possible. But really the pace of completing the certification is up to you. As soon as you send us your assignment, we will take 2-3 days to review and send over your result. So whenever you are ready, you should complete the assessment and get certified.

Yes you can, we allow you to make 10 submissions per certification to ensure you have enough opportunities to clear and get certified.

Yes, as long as you have an active membership, you will continue to have access to all resources to the certification.

Yes, each course will have a certification provided on successful completion and taking the assessment successfully at the end of the program

Yes, we will provide a LinkedIn verifiable certificate in different formats that you can add on your social media profile to get access to more opportunities. For example, You can add the certificate under the certification section of LinkedIn where recruiters look at to understand the different skills you possess.

We have a very active LinkedIn presence where we will showcase your certifications on completion. Ideally the more the certifications you complete the better will your chances to be noticed by other members of our LinkedIn community. Our push to your profile will potentially lead to more opportunities coming your way.

Ashish is a Business and Finance Expert with around 10 years of experience in this domain. Previously, he has worked with BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management company, as a Vice President in the Financial Markets Advisory (FMA) team. Prior to that, he worked at McKinsey in the Strategy and Corporate Finance practice. He is also the founder of the website skillfinlearning.com which creates online programs in Business, Finance and Data Analysis topics. At Skillfin Learning, we believe we can change the way we adults learn.

Student Ratings & Reviews

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Level All Levels
Total Enrolled 6
Duration 1 hour 10 minutes
Last Updated September 29, 2023
Certificate Certificate of completion

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COMMENTS

Presentation design principles for better PowerPoint design
Well, the same thing applies to PowerPoint presentation design: a grid system helps to lay out your content in clear, easy to follow areas. You can use a grid to create distinct sections, such as telling the start, middle, and end of a story. It's much easier for your audience to follow, as everything is better organized.
Mastering PowerPoint presentation design principles: An expert agency's
In the realm of professional and educational presentations, PowerPoint stands out as a tool of immense popularity and versatility. However, the effectiveness of a PowerPoint presentation hinges not just on the content, but significantly on the design principles applied.In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the art and science of leveraging design principles to transform your PowerPoint ...
How to Make Your PowerPoint Presentation Design Better
A well-designed PowerPoint uses design principles to communicate. That's what makes an effective PowerPoint design. It looks good. It works well. It connects to the material. Consider how to design a PowerPoint presentation from this perspective. Check out these design trends. They each use PowerPoint design principles in their own, strategic ...
Design Principles
Part 2: Design Principles. This presentation is designed to introduce you to simple principles that can be used to create new PowerPoints and to revise existing ones. Basic principles such as these apply to all visual creations, from word processing documents to posters, and will enhance your understanding of what it means to put together an ...
6.3 Formatting Microsoft PowerPoint Slides: Layout and Design Principles
6.2 Designing a Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint; 6.3 Formatting Microsoft PowerPoint Slides: Layout and Design Principles; ... Another principle that underlies all the design principles reviewed in this section is known as the rule of thirds. This is a basic principle of photography and design that suggests that an image can be divided ...
5 Design Principles of Improving your Presentation Style
Design Principle - Repetition. Also known as consistency, repetition is about repeating elements in a graphic design to add visual appeal and emphasize the style you want to keep in your presentation. Purpose: Aside from aesthetics purposes, consistency draws your readers' attention to certain elements. Creating repetition enhances your ...
5 PowerPoint Design Principles to Make Your Presentations Stand Out
1. Choose the Images Wisely. Graphics and images can make or break your presentation. Choose the images that best fit the overall design of your presentation and anchor your slides well. Use just one or two images on a slide. Overuse of graphics will distract the audience, making them overwhelmed. Keep images in proportion to the slide's size.
Design 101: Basic Principles for Your PowerPoint Designs
Alignment. It's important for your audience to see that the elements in your PowerPoint designs weren't randomly put together. They need to see that each item was carefully placed together to create a connection and narrative. The principle of alignment can help you with that. Using the grid lines as a guide, look at how the company logo ...
Presentation design principles for better PowerPoint design
Well, the same thing applies to PowerPoint presentation design: a grid system helps to lay out your content in clear, easy to follow areas. ... Another key presentation design principle is colour. Setting the right colour palette is essential, as it gives everything a consistent feel, allows you to adhere to your brand, and can give you the ...
Presentation Design Principles For Better PowerPoint Design
Make your presentations 'pop' by applying some key principles of presentation design and then incorporating them into your PowerPoint design to communicate y...
4 Principles of Design in PowerPoint Presentations
These fundamental principles are contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity, also known as C.R.A.P. Each time we create the presentation, brochure, business card, business letter, or any other ...
Principles of Presentation Design
Katya Kovalenko is a Barcelona-based data designer who helps businesses communicate visually, clearly, and more effectively. In this course, she'll share all the potential that she's found in presentation design, showing you the process that she uses with her clients, the methods of organizing information, as well as give you pro tips from a ...
PowerPoint Design Principles
Dominance is one of the core design principles for PowerPoint. It adds power and character to your slide content. Learn to apply the principle in your slides and see the difference it makes to your message effectiveness. The example slides used in this article (apart from the chart) are all part of our Pick and Stick design elements pack.
The Golden Rules of Presentation Design
You don't have to be a professional graphic designer to master the ins and outs of what makes a visually enticing presentation. While building a super-polished template from scratch might seem daunting, all you really need to know are a few basic principles of presentation design to take your slides from messy and unprofessional to clean, informative, and on-brand.
The Power of Design in PowerPoint Presentations
Design principles refer to a set of guidelines that help designers create visual compositions that are aesthetically pleasing and effective in communicating their message. When it comes to designing a PowerPoint presentation, understanding and applying design principles can make a big difference in the overall impact of the presentation.
The 4 design principles in PowerPoint!
CRAP - the 4 design principles. The CRAP guideline is made up of the following 4 principles: #1: Contrast. With contrasts on your slides, you create a crucial design element: the attention of your viewers is drawn to important, visually highlighted information.. If certain elements differ from the rest of your slide by color, font, size or shape, these elements will stand out.
Presentation Design Techniques
The principles of design PPT are based on conciseness. Surely people will want to see a short explanation of the term instead of a paragraph copied from Wikipedia. ... Here is another one of the key design principles PowerPoint users should follow. You need a contrasting background so that your text content, tables, or lists are readable. As a ...
The six rules of impactful PowerPoint design.
As a PowerPoint design agency, we're huge advocates of clean, slick, minimalist design, and we're going to share five PowerPoint rules to help you design slides to be proud of. PowerPoint rule #1. Content first, design second. Before you think about designing anything, you've got to finalise the content you want to display on each slide.
6.3: Formatting Microsoft PowerPoint Slides- Layout and Design Principles
PowerPoint includes many options for altering the layout of the slide. The slide layout can be changed by using the tool on the Home tab in the Slides command group. From the Home tab, select Layout tab from the Slides command group. Here, you will see a listing and image of the layout options. We have used three types of layouts in My Life in ...
Design Tips
There are several basic design principles when creating a PowerPoint presentation. Remember, the most important important thing is readability and content, not flair! ... Lighting in the presentation room may effect how much contrast is displayed. If the background has lines (such as a legal pad background), make sure the text lines up ...
Universal Design Principles to Aid Your Next Presentation
Your PowerPoint presentation can be as captivating as an action movie or lifeless as an overdrawn speech from a tired bureaucratic honcho. While having natural charisma, great content, and excellent communication skills goes a long way, your presentation's design is equally important. ... Principles of presentation design are a source of ...
How to Make a "Good" Presentation "Great"
Summary. A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you're pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing ...
How to create awesome PowerPoint presentations
Apply Design Principles. To create slides that are not only visually appealing but also cohesive and easy to follow, it's important to apply fundamental design principles such as balance ...
PowerPoint Presentation Design Principles- SkillFine
7 months ago. "Microsoft PowerPoint Design Principles" course, and it was an insightful journey into crafting visually compelling presentations. The course content was comprehensive, covering a wide array of design principles and techniques specific to PowerPoint. The instructors were knowledgeable and provided practical insights.
Principles of design
Principles of design. Design is what links creativity and innovation. It shapes ideas to become practical and attractive propositions for users, clients or customers. Design may be described as creativity deployed to a specific end Design is the creation of a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system.

Presentation design principles for better PowerPoint design

Presentation design with images

Presentation design incorporating white space

Presentation design using grids

Presentation design with colour themes

PowerPoint design with text formatting

PowerPoint design to manipulate images

PowerPoint design with visual storytelling

Richard Goring

How to create visual presentations and eLearning

How to print multiple slides on one page

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Mastering PowerPoint presentation design principles: An expert agency’s guide.

Understanding the fundamentals of PowerPoint presentation design principles

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Incorporating visuals and graphics strategically

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Presentation design principles for better PowerPoint design

Presentation design with images

Presentation design incorporating white space

Presentation design using grids

Presentation design with colour themes

PowerPoint design with text formatting

PowerPoint design to manipulate images

PowerPoint design with visual storytelling

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Principles of Presentation Design

Learn how to design beautiful and effective presentations from scratch

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