Powerpoint Tips - Use of Font

To maximise the impact of your powerpoint, rather than distract viewers from the messages you wish to convey, be careful with your font choices.

Here are some guidelines when it comes to use of font:

* Restrict the number of the font types you use. Just because your computer offers you a plethora of choice doesn't mean that you should incorporate them all in your presentation. Choose one font and stick with it throughout.

* Be selective in your choice of font type. Fonts which have the best impact are clear and easy to read. A powerpoint presentation which uses Chiller font throughout could convey an unintended creepy mood, while Curlz could convey a lack of seriousness. The best fonts are the standards - Arial, Times New Roman, Bookman Old Style and, my personal favourite, Goudy Old Style.

* Bold your titles and headings. If you bold all of your text, you will defeat the purpose of bolding, which is to make points stand out from the rest.

* Italicise for key points or highlighting.

* Don't capitalise everything. A WHOLE SENTENCE WRITTEN IN CAPITALS IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO READ.

* Stick with white, yellow, blue or orange for your font colour. See my earlier post for more detail about the use of colour in your powerpoint, particularly in relation to use of coloured text contrasting appropriately with your chosen background.

* Font size should be no smaller than 22 (depending on your font type choice). Headings will be somewhat larger. eg. If your text size is 22, make your heading no smaller than 28; if your text size is 24, go for 30 for your heading.

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Powerpoint Tips - Backgrounds

Here are some more helpful tips when it comes to choosing a background for your powerpoint presentation.

* Although I've already said this on an earlier blog post, a dark background with light colour text is best, especially if you are projecting in a darkened room.
* Graduated backgrounds look good - eg. starting at the top as mid-blue and gradually becoming darker blue - but only graduate one colour. Avoid using two contrasting colours for a graduated background.
* Using a photograph as the whole slide background is risky, especially if you also want to place text on the slide. It's better to have a plain colour background and place the photograph side by side or above or below the text.
* Finally, decide upon a background for your presentation and maintain that background for the entire presentation.

Next time, we'll look at font use on powerpoint presentations.

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Powerpoint Tips - Simple is Best

Here are some tips to keep your powerpoint presentation simple, yet effective:

* Label each slide with a clear heading which indicates the key focus of the slide
* Under the heading, use bullet points and phrases rather than lengthy sentence
* Include no more than six points per slide
* Consider using progressive disclosure (animation) so that your listeners focus on one point at a time
* Each point should be no more than 8-10 words in length
* Allow 15-20 seconds scan time for each slide
* Time slide changes for approximately every 40-60 seconds to maintain audience interest
* Leave a decent sized top, bottom, left and right margin or you may lose parts of your text

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Powerpoint Tips - Use of Colour

Here are some tips for using colour on your next powerpoint presentation:

* First of all, use colour with discernment, not abandon! Your powerpoint presentation is not the place to display the depth of your knowledge of every gradation of the colour wheel.

* For a guaranteed successful look, use a darker background, such as a deep blue or green, with white, yellow or orange text

* Never use red text, especially on a blue or green background. Seven percent of the male population of the world will thank you - that is, seven males in every 100 of your audience are colourblind, so they won't see anything on your screen at all if you use red text on blue or green.

* Use existing templates - someone else (an expert) has spent a long time already to save you the hassle to make sure the colours work! Trust in their expertise and reduce the time you spend on your colour decisions.

* Black and blue should never be seen in combination - not blue text on a black background, not black text on a blue background, not at all. Your presentation is at risk of looking like a bruise.

Final tip (a little quirky, I admit):

* If you wouldn't wear the colour combination you have chosen for your powerpoint out in public, don't attempt to use it for your powerpoint colour choice.

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