Developing Media

Illuminating the Content with Power-point

Objective

Given a topic for a presentation students will be able to design and use Power-point slides that are clear and easy to read, utilize basic design principles, have a modest content load, and employ appropriate art work.

Introduction

Visual aids add variety to your presentation and clarify your message. They reinforce what you are saying. Listeners understand and remember because they see and hear the information. Visual aides should only be used to clarify or emphasize a point. If a visual aid doesn’t help the presentation it will detract from it.

Visual aides can be categorized as illustrations, three dimensional, and audio-visual aides.

• Illustrations would include charts, graphs, photos, maps, or drawings
• Three dimensional include objects or models that can be held or passed to the audience to touch.
• Audio-visual aids are tape recordings, movies, or videotapes.

For visuals to work they must illustrate a point you are discussing. Never attempt to use a visual aid to illustrate a point without discussing that point.

Design Principles

A few design concepts need to be kept in mind. The first element to be discussed is line. Line is a one dimensional structural device that attracts attention by moving the eye around to a specific area. Lines do suggest action, direction and movement. For example, a horizontal line gives a feeling of stability and rest. A vertical line implies strength; and draws the eye upward. A diagonal line implies movement and action. Crossed diagonal lines give a sense of conflict. A curved line implies a feeling of motion.

Balance is achieved when the “weight” of the elements in a display is equally distributed on each side of an axis. When the design is repeated on both sides, the balance is symmetrical or formal. For visuals that will catch the eye and serve an information purpose you should aim to achieve an asymmetrical or informal balance. For example, use one large square on one side and three small dark circles on the other.

Color can enhance and enrich your visual designs. It commands attention and adds visual impact. Color can point out similarities and differences by highlighting important information and details. It also creates a particular emotional response. Cool colors are blue, green and violet. Warm colors are red, orange and yellow. Warm colors appear to approach the view while cooler colors seem to recede. Color influences legibility. Listed below are a few pointers for using color on your slides. Keeping these concepts in mind you can develop any type of media that is interesting and will hold the attention of your audience.

• Color contributes to the effectiveness of the visual. It highlights important items, represents a concept (red=stop, danger, profit, loss) or simply makes the visual more interesting.

• Too many colors can be distracting. Three basic colors will help make your point without distracting from your message.

• Warm colors (red, yellow, orange) appear larger than cool colors (blue, green).

• Color combinations can also add or detract from readability. Some of the best and poorest color combinations are shown below.

Good Combinations Poor Combinations

Black and Yellow Blue on Orange

Black on Orange Yellow on Black

Orange on Navy Blue Scarlet red on Yellow

Green on White Yellow on Navy Blue

Scarlet Red on White Purple on Yellow

Making Slides

In order to create slides with visual impact and as well as having important information, the following key points should be followed:

• Always keep the KISS theory (keep it simple) in mind when planning slides. Slides should be very simple, concise, and expressive. The less clustered the easier it is to view.

• Use images that will get a response from the audience. This is done to grab attention, surprise someone, create movement, illustrate reasoning and questioning, create suspense, and provide humor.

• Use slides to emphasize the major points in the presentation.

• Limit text to a maximum of 4 to 6 lines, 5 to 8 words per line.

• Each visual should contain only one main idea.

• Use no more that seven items (lines, blocks, labels) per visual, to avoid confusion.

• Spell words correctly because mistakes reduce the effectiveness.

• Use large type.

• Encourage participation and discussion by the audience.

• To mark important text passages, colored lettering can be used to make it visually appealing.

• Don’t show a visual until it relates to the presentation or it will distract the audience.

• Don’t stand between the listeners and the visual aid.

• Talk to the audience, not the visual aid.

• Speak louder when using visual aids, the listener’s attention is divided.