Skip to main content

Presentation Design (& Delivery)

During the regular semester, I normally only have one 75 minute class for presentation and delivery. Therefore, I will probably cover all requirements in today's class for both presentation and delivery. Tomorrow we will review the final recording process, which is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. So tomorrow will be a lab opportunity where you can continue to work on your project and get help and share screens if you like.

The grade sheet is now linked to your Summer Sakai course and can be downloaded. Below is a checklist that expands upon the grade sheet.

note

Carefully following the grading rubric allows you to do very well on this project even if being creative is challenging for you. There is an expanded checklist below. Make sure to download the Excel grade sheet for point values This file contains points for both sessions.

Task#

Create a self-running presentation with slide timing and narration. If it is less than four minutes, it should be high quality four minutes. If you go shorter than four minutes, the more amazing it should be.

It is actually more work to make something short and very sweet.

tip

Aim for quality over quantity. Long, disorganized, and rambling is a pretty sour experience for your audience.

Five and a half minutes is optimal. Minimum of eight slides. No limit on total slides provided your presentation does not exceed 5.5 minutes in self-running mode. Try not to go too much over 5.5 on time, but take some extra time to wrap up your presentation if necessary.

Your presentation should also be able to function as if you were presenting it live.

warning

Failure to follow the grading rubric might result in a poor grade even if you are an exceptionally good designer and storyteller. Takeaway: Don't assume that your advanced presentation skills will hit everything on the rubric. Read the requirements in the checklist.

Getting Started Demo (I will demo in class if you want to download)

Checklist#

  1. Choose a theme that works with your topic. Something New grade means you have changed a theme that no longer is recognizable as a common PowerPoint theme or a popular slidesgo theme. I will demo some very simple strategies on how to do this.
    • Some PowerPoint or Slidesgo templates are very heavy on custom graphics. If you are depending too much on custom graphics, that are not your own, that is not necessarily a problem, but I am more impressed with your own images, or carefully curated images from the web, that represent your unique story. For example, the first time a saw a slidesgo slide submission, I thought it was AMAZING. I gave it a high "something new" grade. However, about an hour later, I saw another presentation that looked exactly the same with all the same graphics, colors, and fonts. On that second submission the student credited SlidesGo for the theme and illustrations. The first student did not credit anything. I went from "this is AMAZNG" to "ummm-Not-So-Amazing-at-least-one-of-them-gave-credit." Then I realized that I was being way too judgemental, and I let it go. The point is this:
      1. people value originality.
      2. people value honesty.
      3. artistic borrowing is sometimes very cool but not always
      4. so be careful to credit your work if it could be construed that you are "borrowing too much." It protects your "general integrity." FWIW, I prefer this highy similar, but legal, cover more than the orignal.
    • If you are concerned about this part of your grade, just clear it with me first, and we can make sure you can get the something new points.
    • There are no resubmits on this project after the due date. However, You may get all the presubmission feedback you desire.
  2. Put in the first slide notes why you chose your theme. (This is a good choice for my topic because...)
  3. Use default bullet format for ONLY the overview and summary slides. (5 points off for each additional bullet-centric slide). Even on these slides it is better to find an alternative to standard bullets. (here is one)
  4. Add automatically updated date to footer component in master slide. This is usually in most themes. You just need to turn it on. (Insert > Header & Footer > Slide Tab > date and time checkbox).
  5. Start with a title slide.
  6. Include overview slide with main points.
  7. Include requisite slides covering points on overview slide.
  8. Include summary slide recapping main points.
  9. One slide with different background. (can be hidden slide).
  10. Optional: include a navigational device that shows the viewer the progress of the presentation. You can even make the device links work like a web site. Video demo here on how to do this | Sample File
  11. Use pictures/graphics/photos as the primary focus of your presentation. At least one should be from the web and include credit for it. Avoid big blocks of text. Do not read your text verbatim when you present; your audience can read faster than you can speak.
  12. Add text or graphics to at least one of the pictures. (for explanatory purposes).
  13. Animation. Make something appear.
  14. Animation. Make something disappear.
  15. Have at least one visual slide transition.
  16. Commonly overlooked item: Hide at least one slide. Link to the hidden slide from a non-hidden slide. Slide prior to hidden slide is best.
  17. Commonly overlooked item: Link back to the presentation from the hidden slide. (Go back the the slide you came from.)
  18. Link at least one object to external webpage outside of the presentation. Linking Help
  19. Add narration to the presentation. Presentation should be able to run unattended.
  20. Overall check: Slide show is a well-organized, logically-connected presentation of a topic.
  21. Overall check: Formatting from slide to slide is consistent.
  22. Overall check: Slides are easy to read and presentation friendly.
  23. Document your process to some extent: Use the speaker's notes to discuss the creative decisions you used. Not required for each slide. Does not need to be a lot of text.
  24. You may also want to reduce your images sizes in PowerPoint to reduce the overall file size.

Hints and Helps#

Seven Tips When Designing a Billboard#

(i got this info from a web site and gave credit for it, but the web site is no longer active and it has been cloned by others, so not sure that even trying to give credit is possible anymore.)

Following a few simple rules like these can make things less complicated. If it works on a billboard, it will work on a slide.

Designing a billboard is visual storytelling. An effective billboard grabs a person’s attention and creates a memorable impression, leaving the reader to think about the ad after they have driven by the billboard.

When designing a billboard keep the following in mind:

  1. Simple Layout – LESS IS MORE – KEEP IT SIMPLE. The most effective messages are always the most simple. Your billboard should be a clear and brief expression of one idea.

  2. Short Copy – Use short simple words with quick and easy comprehension. Limit or eliminate punctuation and edit down to the bare bones of your message. RULE OF THUMB: 7 WORDS OR LESS.

  3. Viewing Time – Does your message communicate effectively within 5-10 seconds? REMEMBER: Your target audience is traveling past your billboard at 65 miles per hour.

  4. Large fonts and text – Your goal is for people to read your message from as far away as possible. Be sure the words are large and the type is clear and easy to read. Bold, straight fonts work best. Avoid thin, ornate fonts. Sans Serif fonts work best. Adequate spacing between letters, words and lines improves visibility. Drop shadows can help readability.

  5. Contrasting Colors – High color contrast is the key to good readability. Colors that work best: black, white and bold, primary colors like red, yellow and blue. Black text on yellow rates the highest in readability. Colors to avoid: brown, earth tones, pastels.

  6. Single Image – Use one large image to attract the reader’s eye to the billboard. For example, a single image of a bottle works better than having 6. Take a small object and make it large (like jewelry) rather than making a large object small (like a house).

  7. Simple Background – Use a simple background that does not interfere with your image, copy or logo. Too much blank space isn’t a good thing. Blank space doesn’t translate well from magazine ads to billboards. Use the blank space and make your fonts, image and logo bigger.

Edit this page