Principles of Good Presentation Slides & Graphics

November 21, 2008

Adapted from slides used by Katie Kopren

Presentations• personal notes• illustrative slides• handouts

http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/in_defense_of_p.html ©2008 Katie Kopren

Contextcontext guides format and content

©2008 Katie Kopren

Slides’ purpose• relevant• use both visual and verbal presentation• limit amount of info displayed per slide

http://www.sociablemedia.com/articles_mayer.htm ©2008 Katie Kopren

Keep it simple

72% of part-time workersin Japan are women

http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2005/09/whats_good_powe.html

Limit bullet points & text

bullets need at least a pair•

©2008 Katie Kopren

Principles of good charts & graphics• substance• correlation to data• clear, precise, efficient

©2008 Katie Kopren

Integrity in charts & graphics• scale• dimensions• text and labeling

©2008 Katie Kopren

Scale

from Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983.

Scale

from Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983.

Text & background elements

from Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983.

Text & background elements

from Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983.

Match unit dimensions

from Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983.

Match unit dimensions

©2008 Katie Kopren

Graphs and Charts

Limit transitions, builds & animations

• additional mode of representation• should only be used to illustrate a point and

add to the meaning of the presentation

©2008 Katie Kopren

Example:http://graphs.gapminder.org/world

©2008 Katie Kopren

Layout & color

• use consistent background and formatting throughout

• background color should be similar to lighting in presentation environment

©2008 Katie Kopren

Cognitive principles to consider while making presentations

• Attention• Visual and Perceptual