Presentation Zen Design

Design matters

Embrace constraints

Practice restraint

Know when to stop: Hara hachi bu

Adopt the beginner’s mind

Check your ego at the door

Focus on the experience of the design

Become a master storyteller

Think communication – not decoration

Obsess about ideas – not tools

Clarify your intention

Sharpen your vision and curiosity, and learn from the lessons around you

Simplify as much as you can – but no more

Utilize empty space

Learn all the ``rules’’ and know when and why to break them

Presenting with type

Make it BIG.

Avoid clutter, let the letters breathe

Emphasise the important words with contrast

Make sure text on images is clear

Communication with color

Desaturate background images. Add emphasis with color.

Achromatic +1 themes.

Get it right with black and white.

Do no harm!

If there is not much ambient light, dark background may be better.

Pick color from your images

Using images and video to tell stories

Full-bleed images offer ultimate impact

Improve images through cropping

Change the pace with video.

Embed the video in your slides, it should be seamless.

Have a background video playing while the text displays.

Framing embedded video.

Simplifying the data

Signal vs noise

Restrain, reduce, emphasize

Tell a story with the data, if possible animate

Seeing and using space

White space can direct the viewer’s eyes.

Space allows elements to breathe. It is this invisible breath that sustains and empowers.

White space in an asymetrically balanced visual is activated.

Horizontal visual center is slightly above the true center.

Direct the eyes.

Use closure to engage viewers.

The power of implied space/depth.

Creating purpose and focus

Tell stories.

Contrast: size, shape, orientation, position, tone, color.

Large foreground elements create depth.

Have a clear focal point.

Low background salience.

Preference for faces.

Add motion/transition to build a slide or show change.

Achieving harmony

Simplify to unify.

Provide visual cues/sign posts.

Connect the elements (alignment).

Use a grid. The rule of thirds.