You’re creating a PowerPoint presentation. What are the best practices to follow?

Creating a PowerPoint presentation requires attention to several best practices. Firstly, focus on clear and concise content, using bullet points and short phrases to convey key messages. Incorporate visually appealing design elements such as images, charts, and graphs to enhance understanding and engagement. Maintain consistency in font styles, colors, and formatting throughout the presentation for a polished look. Limit the number of slides to keep the audience's attention and ensure a smooth flow of information. Practice your delivery to ensure confident and engaging presentation delivery, and always be prepared to adapt based on audience feedback.

The most important step is to keep your target audience and the objective of creating the presentation at the forefront. This will decide your tone, extent of details, graphics, and the complexity-level of the content. Next, start with creating a structure or a sequence of topics you want to include. Do not clutter your slides with text; use a bulleted-list instead. Bullets should be short and parallel. Do not use graphics for the sake of using them; make sure the visuals highlight and enhance the text. Use colors that are pleasing and not overpowering. Review your presentation a couple of times and make the required adjustments. If you are going to present it, make sure you practice your talking points. Plan time for answering questions.

Keep it Concise: Limit each slide to one main point or idea to avoid overwhelming your audience with information. Use bullet points or brief phrases instead of full sentences. This ensures clarity and helps maintain audience engagement.

Use Visuals Wisely: Incorporate relevant images, graphs, and charts to visually reinforce your message and break up text-heavy slides. Choose high-quality visuals that enhance understanding and support your key points. However, avoid overcrowding slides with too many visuals, as it can distract from your message.

Maintain Consistency: Stick to a cohesive design theme throughout your presentation to reinforce your brand identity and maintain professionalism. Use consistent fonts, colors, and formatting styles across all slides. This creates a polished look and enhances readability.

At the outset: Tell the audience where you are taking them. Then, take them there. Then, in your conclusion summarize the journey you just took them on.

Prepare your slides for the little old man in the back of the room with macular degeneration. Don't use fonts smaller than 20 pt. type. Use bold and color to emphasize content. Be consistent with your animations and transitions. Don't shy away from using video/audio to break things up.