Effective slide design

Use of high quality images vs. text

Visual communication processes images much faster than text. Therefore, an effective slide must prioritize graphic impact.

Instead of writing the word "innovation," it is more powerful to use a high-resolution photograph that metaphorically evokes that concept.

It is vital to use images of good technical quality; pixelated or watermarked photos convey carelessness and unprofessionalism.

An advanced design technique is the use of "full bleed" images (occupying the entire screen) or cropping elements to eliminate noisy backgrounds, allowing the main object to stand out against a solid or neutral color.

This facilitates the integration of the image with the little text that is chosen to be included, creating a harmonious and clean composition.

The speaker can manipulate the orientation of the images (e.g., rotating a photograph so that the subject's gaze points toward the center of the screen), thus subtly directing the audience's attention to the desired focal point.

Recommended structure: 1 idea per slide

To maintain rhythm and clarity, it is recommended to fragment the content following the "one idea per slide" rule.

Attempting to condense multiple concepts, subpoints and graphics on a single slide forces you to reduce the font size and creates visual confusion.

It is preferable to have a larger number of slides that flow smoothly than to have a few static, cluttered slides.

A useful metric for time planning is to estimate that each slide, if it contains a substantial idea, will take approximately three minutes of verbal exposition.

This allows one to estimate the length of the presentation: for a 30-minute talk, a block of between 10 and 12 slides is usually the right balance.

In addition, care should be taken with legibility: the font should be large enough for the person sitting in