Ideas worth taking with you
Practical ideas for making complex information clearer, designing stronger slides, and communicating with greater impact.
A strong presentation slide does not always require a photograph. Contrast between type sizes and weights can establish hierarchy, while shapes can organise information or direct attention. Familiar icons can replace repeated words and make categories easier…
Read storyReducing complex information to a few keywords is an important first step, but those words can still be presented with greater visual energy. Arrange them around a shared point, vary their position and use a fan-like composition to show that several ideas…
Read storyWhen a slide contains several pieces of information, the audience may not know which one deserves attention. A simple red box can provide an immediate visual cue by enclosing the value, phrase or area currently being discussed. Everything else remains…
Read storyCircles, rectangles, lines and other basic shapes can be combined to create objects that communicate more specifically than a generic template graphic. A few carefully arranged forms can become a person, a device, a sign or an infographic element designed…
Read storyText and images often compete when both are placed conventionally inside the same slide. Moving a photograph to an edge—or allowing part of it to extend beyond the frame—can create room for the message while adding tension and visual interest. The crop…
Read storyA white background feels familiar, clean and suitable for printed material, while a black background can create stronger contrast and allow photographs or bright elements to command attention on screen. Neither choice is universally better. The venue…
Read storyA high-resolution photograph can fill an entire slide and create immediate visual impact. When the available image is too small, enlarging it may reveal blur and pixelation. Instead of abandoning the photograph, use only the strongest portion at an…
Read storyA useful image is sometimes available only at a resolution too low for a large presentation slide. Simply enlarging it exposes blur, compression and pixelation, but a deliberate stylistic treatment can make those flaws less distracting. Crop the image…
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