The Art of Slide Design

Note: These are the slides from my DevRelCon Tokyo talk from July 29th. I've started writing this up as a blog post on MissGeeky.com: https://missgeeky.com/2017/08/04/the-art-of-slide-design/

Hopefully a video of the talk will also become available at a later date.

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Who doesn’t love a pretty slide deck? As evangelists, our presentations are one of the key ways to get our point across to our audiences, and we need to learn how to be as effective as we can with our slide decks.

The choices you make in your slide design directly influences what impact your story has on your audience. Understanding simple design elements will allow you to make more compelling slides, which will result in more memorable and helpful presentations.

This talk looks at how you can improve your presentations with some simple tips and tricks to make your slide designs better. It will examine how you can use fonts, colours, animations and more to support the story you want to tell.

Transcript

1. SLIDE DESIGN
   Art
   The
   of
   MELINDA SECKINGTON
   @mseckington
   

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2. @mseckington
   https://www.flickr.com/photos/blackzack00/21976036458/
   I HATE
   PRESENTATIOnS!
   

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3. @mseckington
   @mseckington
   

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4. @mseckington
   TECHNICAL
   MANAGER
   EVENT
   ORGANIZER
   SPEAKER
   & BLOGGER
   EVANGELISM

   LEAD
   

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5. @mseckington
   FutureLearn
   

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6. @mseckington
   

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7. @mseckington
   

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8. @mseckington
   HOW TO CREATE
   EFFECTIVE
   SLIDES
   

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9. @mseckington
   WHAT IS THE
   GOAL
   PRESENTATION?
   OF A
   

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10. @mseckington
    TO ALLOW
    YOUR AUDIENCE
    YOUR INFORMATION
    TO ABSORB
    

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11. Cognitive load:
    the amount of mental activity - perception,
    memory, problem solving - required to
    accomplish a goal.
    Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
    @mseckington
    

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12. @mseckington
    Universal Principles
    of Design
    Lidwell, Holden & Butler
    

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13. Design should minimise
    cognitive load to the greatest
    degree possible.
    Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
    @mseckington
    

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14. @mseckington
    EFFECTIVE
    SLIDES
    HELP REDUCE
    COGNITIVE LOAD
    

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15. @mseckington
    EFFECTIVE
    SLIDES
    HELP YOUR AUDIENCE
    INFORMATION
    CONSUME YOUR
    

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16. @mseckington
    HOW DO YOU CREATE
    EFFECTIVE SLIDES?
    

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17. @mseckington
    HOW DO YOU DESIGN
    EFFECTIVE SLIDES?
    

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18. PRINCIPLES
    SLIDE
    DESIGN
    OF
    @mseckington
    4
    

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19. MAXIMISE SIGNAL,
    MINIMISE NOISE
    1
    @mseckington
    

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20. Signal-to-noise ratio:
    The ratio of relevant to irrelevant
    information in a display.
    The goal of good design is to maximise
    signal and minimise noise.
    Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
    @mseckington
    

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21. HOW DO WE MAXIMISE
    SIGNAL AND MINIMISE NOISE
    IN OUR SLIDE DESIGNS?
    @mseckington
    

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22. FOCUS ON ONE
    PURPOSE PER SLIDE
    @mseckington
    

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23. Facts about cats:
    • A brief history of the house cat
    • Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    • Why cats meow
    • The Egyptian word for cat is ‘mau’
    • Cats are lactose intolerant
    75%
    lactose
    intolerant
    history
    of cats
    mau
    @mseckington
    FOCUS ON ONE PURPOSE PER SLIDE
    

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24. Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    Cats sleep
    75% of their
    lives
    @mseckington
    FOCUS ON ONE PURPOSE PER SLIDE
    

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25. Most popular cat names: Cat names!
    • Poppy
    • Bella
    • Misty
    • Charlie
    • Molly
    • Smudge
    @mseckington
    FOCUS ON ONE PURPOSE PER SLIDE
    

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26. Recap time!
    To recap:
    • A brief history of the house cat
    • Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    • Why cats meow
    • The Egyptian word for cat is ‘mau’
    • Cats are lactose intolerant
    @mseckington
    FOCUS ON ONE PURPOSE PER SLIDE
    

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27. DON’T DISTRACT
    @mseckington
    

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28. The domestic cat (Latin: Felis catus) is a small, typically
    furry, carnivorous mammal. They are often called house
    cats when kept as indoor pets or simply cats when there is
    no need to distinguish them from other felids and felines.
    Cats are often valued by humans for companionship and
    for their ability to hunt vermin. There are more than 70 cat
    breeds, though different associations proclaim different
    numbers according to their standards.
    Am I
    supposed to
    read all that?
    What
    did they
    just say?
    Facts about cats:
    too much
    text
    I can’t
    follow
    @mseckington
    DON’T DISTRACT
    

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29. Am I
    supposed to
    read all that?
    too
    much
    code
    I’m
    bored
    I can’t
    follow
    @mseckington
    DON’T DISTRACT
    require 'json'
    require 'rspotify'
    class HomepageController < ApplicationController
    def index
    @tweets = Tweet.all.order('created_at DESC').limit(10)
    end
    def search
    @searchword = params[:user]
    if @searchword.present?
    client = Twitter::REST::Client.new do |config|
    config.consumer_key = ENV['TWITTER_CONSUMER_KEY']
    config.consumer_secret = ENV['TWITTER_CONSUMER_SECRET']
    config.access_token = ENV['TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN']
    config.access_token_secret = ENV['TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET']
    end
    tweets = client.user_timeline(@searchword, count: 5)
    conn = Faraday.new(:url => 'https://api.dandelion.eu') do |faraday|
    faraday.request :url_encoded # form-encode POST params
    faraday.response :logger # log requests to STDOUT
    faraday.adapter Faraday.default_adapter # make requests with Net::HTTP
    end
    @tweets = []
    tweets.each do |tweet|
    converted_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
    next if converted_response["annotations"].blank?
    # image_urls = converted_response["annotations"].inject([]){|images, x| x["image"]["thumbnail"] ? images << x["image"]["thumbnail"] : images}
    # puts image_urls
    entities = converted_response["annotations"]
    track = "emptyempty"
    label = ""
    entities.each do |entity|
    label = entity["label"]
    tracks = RSpotify::Track.search(label)
    puts tracks.count
    if tracks.count > 0
    track = tracks.first
    break
    end
    end
    puts track
    puts label
    next if track == "emptyempty"
    

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30. Cat!
    I can’t
    read that
    too
    busy
    emoji
    MY CAT IS AWESOME!!!
    This is Casey:
    @mseckington
    DON’T DISTRACT
    

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31. This is Casey: That cat is
    adorable!
    @mseckington
    DON’T DISTRACT
    

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32. FOCUS ON ONE
    PURPOSE PER SLIDE
    DON’T DISTRACT
    @mseckington
    

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33. MAKE IMPORTANT
    INFORMATION
    STAND OUT
    2
    @mseckington
    

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34. von Restorff effect:
    Noticeably different things are
    more likely to be remembered
    than common things.
    Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
    @mseckington
    

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35. Contrast:
    The state of being strikingly
    different from something else in
    juxtaposition or close association.
    Oxford Dictionary
    @mseckington
    

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36. @mseckington
    Slide:ology:
    The art and science of
    creating great presentations
    Nancy Duarte
    

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37. @mseckington
    COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    SHADE PROXIMITY
    

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38. @mseckington
    SHADE PROXIMITY
    COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    

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39. COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    @mseckington
    

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40. @mseckington
    COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    

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41. CHOOSE A
    COLOUR PALETTE
    @mseckington
    

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42. @mseckington
    colorsupplyyy.com
    

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43. @mseckington
    colorsupplyyy.com
    

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44. Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH COLOUR
    CONTRAST WITH COLOUR
    

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45. “The smallest feline
    is a masterpiece.”
    @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH COLOUR
    Leonardo da Vinci
    

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46. CONTRAST WITH COLOUR
    @mseckington
    

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47. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH COLOUR
    

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48. @mseckington
    COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    

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49. USE CONTRASTING
    FONT TYPES
    @mseckington
    AaBb
    AaBb
    

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50. @mseckington
    Google Fonts
    

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51. @mseckington
    DESIGN BUNDLES
    Design Cuts
    Pixel Buddha
    DreamBundles
    The Hungry JPEG
    

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52. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SHAPE
    USE CONTRAST
    TO HIGHLIGHT KEY
    INFORMATION
    

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53. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SHAPE
    Time spent with cats
    is never wasted.
    Sigmund Freud
    

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54. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SHAPE
    Time spent with cats
    is never wasted.
    Sigmund Freud
    

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55. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SHAPE
    > data()
    list all datasets available
    > movies = data(movies)
    assign movies data to movies variable
    

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56. @mseckington
    COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    

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57. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SIZE
    33%
    of US households own a cat
    

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58. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SIZE
    HOW TO CREATE
    EFFECTIVE
    SLIDES
    

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59. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SIZE
    How
    T
    rain
    Your Cat
    T
    o
    

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60. @mseckington
    CONTRAST WITH SIZE
    Questions
    There
    Are No
    Stupid
    

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61. @mseckington
    COLOUR SHAPE SIZE
    

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62. SHOW AND TELL
    3
    @mseckington
    

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63. Picture Superiority Effect:
    Information recall is better
    when combining text and
    images
    Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
    @mseckington
    

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64. USE VISUALS TO
    SUPPORT WHAT
    YOU ARE SAYING
    @mseckington
    

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65. PHOTOS SHAPES
    @mseckington
    ANIMATIONS
    ICONS
    

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66. PHOTOS SHAPES
    @mseckington
    ANIMATIONS
    ICONS
    

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67. @mseckington
    FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS
    

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68. @mseckington
    PEXELS
    

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69. @mseckington
    DESIGN BUNDLES
    Design Cuts
    Pixel Buddha
    DreamBundles
    The Hungry JPEG
    

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70. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/postbear/6221080119/
    

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71. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/postbear/6221080119/
    

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72. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    Cats sleep 75% of their lives
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/postbear/6221080119/
    

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73. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    cats
    sweat
    through
    their
    paws
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/stys19850129/35235732502/
    

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74. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/stys19850129/35235732502/
    Cats sweat
    through
    their paws
    

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75. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/stys19850129/35235732502/
    Cats sweat
    through
    their paws
    

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76. @mseckington
    USE PHOTOS
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/taranos/8081143756/
    A kitten’s purr keeps it healthy
    

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77. @mseckington
    USE MASKS
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/taranos/8081143756/
    A kitten’s purr
    keeps it healthy
    

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78. @mseckington
    USE MASKS
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/taranos/8081143756/
    A kitten’s purr
    keeps it healthy
    

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79. PHOTOS SHAPES
    @mseckington
    ANIMATIONS
    ICONS
    

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80. @mseckington
    THE NOUN PROJECT
    

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81. @mseckington
    DESIGN BUNDLES
    Design Cuts
    Pixel Buddha
    DreamBundles
    The Hungry JPEG
    

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82. @mseckington
    USE ICONS
    Blogger
    Event organiser
    Speaker
    

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83. PHOTOS SHAPES
    @mseckington
    ANIMATIONS
    ICONS
    

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84. USE SHAPES
    @mseckington
    

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85. @mseckington
    USE SHAPES
    75%
    Cats sleep of their lives
    

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86. @mseckington
    USE SHAPES
    75%
    Cats sleep of their lives
    

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87. @mseckington
    USE SHAPES
    S E N S O R S
    ?
    E N V I R O N M E N T
    C A T
    E F F E C T O R S
    

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88. @mseckington
    USE SHAPES
    STEP 1: GET A CAT STEP 2: CUDDLE CAT
    STEP 3:
    LET CAT GO
    

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89. @mseckington
    USE SHAPES
    STEP 1: GET A CAT
    STEP 2: CUDDLE CAT
    STEP 3: LET CAT GO
    

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90. @mseckington
    USE SHAPES
    A long time ago…
    in 2007…
    there was a girl.
    hi!
    

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91. PHOTOS SHAPES
    @mseckington
    ANIMATIONS
    ICONS
    

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92. DON’T MISUSE
    ANIMATIONS
    @mseckington
    

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93. @mseckington
    MAGIC MOVE
    SLIDE 1 SLIDE 2
    

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94. @mseckington
    MAGIC MOVE
    

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95. @mseckington
    MAGIC MOVE
    

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96. @mseckington
    USE ANIMATIONS
    1992 2012
    Started
    Miss Geeky
    Geeks
    of L
    ondon
    Finished
    My Masters
    

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97. @mseckington
    1992 2012
    Started
    Miss Geeky
    Geeks
    of L
    ondon
    Finished
    My Masters
    USE ANIMATIONS
    

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98. PHOTOS SHAPES
    @mseckington
    ANIMATIONS
    ICONS
    

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99. BE CONSISTENT
    4
    @mseckington
    

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100. Consistency:
     The usability of a system is
     improved when similar parts are
     expressed in similar ways.
     Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
     @mseckington
     

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101. USE CONSISTENT DESIGNS
     FOR SLIDES WITH THE
     SAME PURPOSE
     @mseckington
     

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102. IDENTIFY YOUR
     SLIDE PATTERNS
     @mseckington
     

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103. @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     BE CONSISTENT
     4
     @mseckington
     

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104. @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     BE CONSISTENT
     4
     @mseckington
     @mseckington
     Consistency:
     The usability of a system is
     improved when similar parts are
     expressed in similar ways.
     Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
     

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105. @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     BE CONSISTENT
     4
     @mseckington
     @mseckington
     Consistency:
     The usability of a system is
     improved when similar parts are
     expressed in similar ways.
     Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
     @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     Cats sleep 75% of their lives
     

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106. @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     BE CONSISTENT
     4
     @mseckington
     @mseckington
     Consistency:
     The usability of a system is
     improved when similar parts are
     expressed in similar ways.
     Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
     @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     Cats sleep 75% of their lives
     @mseckington
     IDENTIFY YOUR
     SLIDE PATTERNS
     

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107. @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     BE CONSISTENT
     4
     @mseckington
     @mseckington
     Consistency:
     The usability of a system is
     improved when similar parts are
     expressed in similar ways.
     Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
     @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     Cats sleep 75% of their lives
     @mseckington
     WHAT IS THE
     GOAL
     PRESENTATION?
     OF A
     

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108. @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     BE CONSISTENT
     4
     @mseckington
     @mseckington
     Consistency:
     The usability of a system is
     improved when similar parts are
     expressed in similar ways.
     Universal Principles of Design - Lidwell, Holden & Butler
     @mseckington
     SLIDE TYPES
     Cats sleep 75% of their lives
     @mseckington
     PHOTOS SHAPES ANIMATIONS
     ICONS
     

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109. IDENTIFY YOUR
     SLIDE PATTERNS
     @mseckington
     

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110. PRINCIPLES
     SLIDE
     4DESIGN
     OF
     @mseckington
     

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111. MAXIMISE SIGNAL,
     MINIMISE NOISE
     @mseckington
     MAKE IMPORTANT
     INFORMATION STAND OUT
     BE CONSISTENT
     SHOW AND TELL
     1
     2
     3
     4
     

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112. @mseckington
     

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113. @mseckington
     GOOD PRESENTATIONS
     ARE ALL ABOUT
     YOUR AUDIENCE
     

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114. “There's not much point in
     spinning a yarn if your
     audience keeps losing the
     thread.”
     ― P.K. Shaw
     @mseckington
     

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115. Thanks for listening…
     MELINDA SECKINGTON
     FUTURELEARN
     @mseckington
     @mseckington
     

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116. @mseckington
     COMING SOON:
     BLOG POST VERSION
     ON MISSGEEKY.COM
     

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117. https://thenounproject.com/dg.rodolfoalvarez/collection/emotions/
     @mseckington
     

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