Create Slides Using Strong Visuals

chillibreeze writer — Ankita Asthana

PowerPoint Production Services We can create customized PowerPoint presentations as per your specifications. We can also help you refine an existing PPT. For the busy business consultant, we offer 24 hour turnaround PPT services. Read more about our other design services at 360flat.com.

You must have heard the popular saying, ‘Actions speak louder than words.” Here is a modified and more appropriate version, ‘Photographs speak louder than words!’

Research has proven that visual communication receives more response from the target audience than written communication. The sole reason being - people associate easily to visuals. They can relate, connect and immediately realise the context. Visuals evoke more emotions; they are easy on the eye and on the brain. A picture is more colourful than a group of words, literally and figuratively. People tend to stop and look at compelling visuals rather than sit down to read. If you’re able to capture the essence of what you want to say with one photograph, you know you’ve captured your target audience. The other advantage of using the visual media is that it reaches out to a broader range of audience.

For instance,

At first glance, which slide can you relate to better? Which slide would you like to look at?

When presenting ideas that include references to factual data, it can be helpful to make your point using a graph or table. These visual methods can make the point much stronger than simply describing the data in words. While they can be powerful methods, they also have the potential to convey the wrong message. Hence, appropriate use of graphs and tables is one way to enhance the message you are delivering.

When using a graph or a table, you should emphasize the key parts so that your points are stronger. One way to add emphasis is to animate the graph or table elements so that they appear one-by-one instead of all at one time. This allows you to discuss each element or data series individually and keep the audience focus on the message you are delivering. Using animation effects is much better than trying to point different elements out using a pointer device such as a laser pointer. You can also use drawing tools such as arrows and boxes to highlight a portion of the table or graph. You can use a strong contrasting color for the drawing element to visually draw the audience’s eyes to that part of the graph or table. Most presentation software packages also have a callout box drawing tool. This tool places a line pointing at a certain spot on the graph and then links that line to a box that contains text to explain the significance of the area being pointed to.

Ten pointers while creating visually strong slides:

1. Keep it simple and to the point. Remove redundant data.
2. Don't write everything you have to say. Keep text short and talk while presenting.
3. Use vibrant colours and graphics
4. Use hierarchy in headings, sub headings and text
5. Differentiate between each sub section
6. Use photographs/clipart
7. Uniform theme helps maintain flow
8. Subtle animations to add interest
9. Graphs and pie charts preferred over table of data
10. Edit ruthlessly before presenting

Composition is another factor that plays a major role n developing a strong visual language. The composition has to be accurate and strong to hit the right spot. The common laws of composition may or may not hold true. For a good composition to be judged, a lot depends on the aesthetics and the eye of the beholder. The golden rule of composition is that there is no rule at all.

After reading this article, you should be able to understand the need for creating visually strong slides. The simplest way to do so is to reduce your text from paragraph to sentence, from sentence to phrase, from phrase to key word and from keyword to image. More descriptive the image, lesser the effort goes into explaining. Self-explanatory presentations are considered to be the best.

All this said and done, the most important thing to remember is that the topic of the presentation holds maximum priority. If the purpose of the talk/keynote/presentation is accomplished, then nothing else matters!

 

Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com).

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in February, 2012. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

 

More on Chillibreeze.com

Related links

Outsourcing Visual PowerPoint Communication
Preparing for Your PowerPoint Presentation
How to Create a Great Presentation on PowerPoint
How to Create a Great PowerPoint Presentation

 

 

Other popular articles on Chillibreeze

Communication in Games and Games in Communication
Kotilingeshwara, Bangara Tirupathi
Ten Hurdles Faced by the HR in India
Responsible Tourism - Practical Tips
Top 10 Best Solutions for Improving Corporate Communications

Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...

---

—About our writer: Ankita Asthana is a freelance photographer, architect, interior designer and writer based in Mumbai. After completing her masters in photography from National Institute of Design, she worked for a design firm in New Delhi. Since then, she has been travelling around India and writes about her experiences. She also has experience in technical writing, creative writing, fiction and web content development.

 

 

 

>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:

1. Articles related to Content and Outsourcing
2. NRI and Expat Articles
3. Potpourri
4. Travel Writing
5. Book Reviews and Interviews

More resources for Writers on Chillibreeze.com Chillibreeze offers Indian writers the opportunity to work on customer projects. We are also India’s biggest writer network and a one-stop shop for Indian writers and editors. The writers’ section on Chillibreeze offers freelance writers and editors a variety of tools to advance their careers. Resources for writers include: Assessment of your writing, editing and proofreading skills Writing courses Expert Feedback on your article An opportunity to promote yourself on our website Top websites for Indian writers Tips and resources for Indian freelancers Book Publishing services And more……………….. Explore our writers’ section using the links on our left-hand side menu.