In this article, we’ll tackle the epidemic of poor PowerPoint design head-on, arming you with strategies to create presentations that are both visually appealing and professional. Drawing inspiration from exceptional slides on Note & Point and even your own creations, let’s embark on this design transformation journey!
Not a Designer? No Problem!
This guide is for anyone who’s ever touched PowerPoint, whether you’re a student, manager, member of a self-help group, or a six-figure executive. Once you open PowerPoint or Keynote, like it or not, you’re thrust into the role of a designer.
Since you’ve chosen a visual communication tool, invest time in understanding its nuances. Especially in the business world, colleagues subconsciously judge you based on the visual appeal of your slides.
How to Cultivate Excellent PowerPoint Skills? If you haven’t received your cheat sheet yet, here are five tips to elevate your game. Get ready to see your colleagues taking notice and asking for your help with their own presentations!
#1 Avoid Default Templates
To illustrate, imagine opening PowerPoint, selecting a random default template, and typing in some text. This all-too-familiar process yields slides we’ve seen countless times—bland and unoriginal. While templates have improved over the years and Keynote offers decent ones, they shouldn’t be your go-to unless time is critically tight.
Colleagues recognize those PowerPoint templates. Without effort in slide aesthetics, your work will stand out for the wrong reasons.
Yes, it sounds radical for non-designers to abandon templates, but it’s achievable once you digest the remaining tips. Otherwise, you risk creating something worse than what Microsoft’s designers intended.
#2 Use High-Quality Images
Images can elevate or ruin your presentation. Ditch the clichéd “business people on a white background.” A photo on a white background isn’t automatically good. Avoid ugly or irrelevant pictures; no image is better than a bad one.
Compare the previous slide to this one. Notice the difference? The image below is unique, captivating, and avoids stereotypes. Break free from generic visuals and find high-quality, free photos.
For starters, check out Stock XCHNG, a treasure trove of diverse photography, albeit with variable quality. Also, search Flickr for Creative Commons licensed content—free and often requiring only attribution. The example above, by Lauren Tucker, is a Creative Commons gem from Flickr.
#3 Monochromatic Magic
Professional PowerPoint doesn’t always require flashy images or custom backgrounds. A strong monochromatic palette can create a stunning presentation.
The slide above is a prime example. With understated design, it effortlessly achieves elegance. Anyone, designer or not, can achieve this.
Choose colors carefully. Bright, garish hues can strain viewers’ eyes, and ensure ample contrast with secondary colors. A crash course in color theory can be invaluable.
For color palette assistance, consider these three free tools:
#4 Typography Matters
Non-designers often underestimate the impact of fonts on a presentation. Fonts can make or break your slides. Typography is an art form in design, setting the stage for your message.
Choose fonts thoughtfully; they convey tone, perspective, and more. Avoid scrolling for “cool” fonts; instead, consider your message.
Serif fonts evoke tradition and professionalis, while sans-serif fonts feel clean and modern. The common pitfall is dimissing the first three standard fonts as boring and opting for more exotic options below. Remember, these classics are safe, well-designed, and serve their purpose beautifully.
Don’t shy away from standard fonts; they ensure a professional, cohesive look, avoiding ugliness and clutter. See how the “boring” font, used creatively with varying sizes and weights, combined with visual interest, produces a far from dull result.
A clever trick with quirky fonts is to limit them to titles, keeping body text simple. Overuse or mixing complex styles results in unreadable chaos. As shown, impactful headers paired with readable body text strike a perfect balance.
#5 Prioritize Readability
When discussing typography, readability is paramount. Even the quest for high-quality images can lead to situations like this:
Here, an attractive image hampers text readability. Boldening the text or changing colors doesn’t help much. The solution? Apply our third tip, monochromatic magic. By adding a simple colored block behind the text, readability skyrockets without sacrificing style.
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