presentation-design

Presentation Design Diagnostic Purpose

Design and evaluate presentations that communicate effectively. Provides frameworks for planning, visual design, cognitive load management, and evaluation. Applicable to any presentation tool (reveal.js, PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides).

Core Principle

Audience-centered design. Every decision should serve audience understanding, not presenter convenience.

Quick Reference: Common Problems Problem Symptom Fix Wall of Text Slides are paragraphs Assertion-evidence structure Bullet Point Disease Lists instead of visuals One concept + visual evidence Kitchen Sink Everything included Essential vs. expandable content Pretty but Empty Design without substance Message-first design Cognitive Overload Too much per slide One key concept per slide Phase 1: Audience & Content Planning Key Questions Who specifically is my audience? What's their knowledge level? What's the ONE main message? What should they remember? What are 3-5 supporting points? How do they reinforce the message? What evidence supports each point? Visual, data, examples? What action should they take? What's the call to action? What are time constraints? What's essential vs. optional? Actions Create audience persona(s) Write one-sentence main message Organize supporting points in logical flow Identify evidence for each point Define essential vs. expandable content Sketch presentation flow Phase 2: Visual Strategy Assertion-Evidence Structure

Replace bullet points with:

Assertion: Clear, complete sentence stating the point Evidence: Visual that supports the assertion

Instead of:

Key findings: • Data shows increase • Users engaged more • Revenue improved

Use:

"User engagement increased 43% after redesign" [Graph showing the increase]

Visual Principles Limited palette: 3-5 colors maximum Typography hierarchy: 2-3 fonts with clear roles Whitespace: Let content breathe Consistency: Same layouts, same treatment Visual progress: Help audience track where they are Phase 3: Cognitive Load Management One Concept Per Slide

Each slide should answer: "What's the ONE thing I want them to take from this?"

Progressive Disclosure

Reveal information sequentially instead of all at once:

Show initial state Add first element with context Add second element building on first Spoken vs. Shown Show on Slide Speak Aloud Key assertion Elaboration Visual evidence Context and explanation Critical data Interpretation Next step Why it matters Code Examples (Technical Talks) Syntax highlighting always Highlight the critical line Build up complex examples Remove boilerplate when possible Phase 4: Structure Patterns Horizontal vs. Vertical (Multi-Level Navigation)

Horizontal slides: Main narrative flow Vertical slides: Supporting details (optional deep dives)

Example:

Horizontal: "Three Key Factors in Customer Retention" Vertical (under that): Detailed slide for each factor Time Flexibility

Mark content as:

Essential: Must cover in any version Standard: Include with normal time Expandable: Include only with extra time Evaluation Framework 1. Audience-Centered Design (Rate 1-5) Criterion Score Notes Content matches audience knowledge level
Clear value proposition for audience
Adaptable to time constraints
Navigation structure aids understanding

Red Flags:

Presenter-focused rather than audience-focused No consideration of audience's existing knowledge 2. Visual Clarity (Rate 1-5) Criterion Score Notes Assertion-evidence structure used
Visual elements balance text
Visual hierarchy guides attention
Consistent design elements
Thoughtful whitespace

Red Flags:

Bullet-point overuse Text-heavy slides Cluttered layouts 3. Cognitive Load (Rate 1-5) Criterion Score Notes One key concept per slide
Appropriate text density
Judicious animations/transitions
Code properly formatted (if applicable)
Supporting details accessible, not distracting

Red Flags:

Multiple complex concepts per slide Excessive text competing with speech Animation overuse 4. Accessibility (Rate 1-5) Criterion Score Notes Works across display sizes
Sufficient color contrast
Inclusive imagery and language
Font sizes appropriate

Red Flags:

Poor contrast Too-small fonts Non-inclusive content Implementation Checklist Structure Main message clear in first 2 minutes Supporting points organized logically Essential vs. expandable content marked Navigation aids understanding Content Assertion-evidence structure used Visual evidence supports assertions One concept per slide Code examples properly formatted Visual Consistent color palette Typography hierarchy Sufficient whitespace Elements aligned Accessibility Color contrast verified Font sizes appropriate Alternative text for key images Improvement Prioritization

After evaluation:

1. Critical Issues (Fix immediately):

Blocks audience understanding Accessibility failures Core message unclear

1. Important Enhancements (Second priority):

Cognitive load issues Visual consistency problems Structure improvements

1. Nice-to-Have Refinements:

Advanced animations Custom styling Polish details Anti-Patterns 1. The Data Dump

Pattern: Every slide full of data, charts, and statistics without interpretation or hierarchy. Why it fails: Audiences can't process raw data in real-time. Without interpretation, they're left doing analysis instead of learning. Most data is forgotten immediately. Fix: One insight per slide with visual evidence supporting the insight. State the conclusion; show the proof. The audience should understand your point before seeing the data.

1. The Script Reader

Pattern: Slides that contain the speaker's full script—bullet points that are really paragraphs. Why it fails: Audiences read faster than speakers talk. They read ahead, then tune out when you say what they already read. The slides become teleprompter, not communication tool. Fix: Slides show what you can't say; you say what you can't show. Visuals, diagrams, and key assertions on screen. Context, explanation, and elaboration spoken.

1. The Template Trap

Pattern: Dropping content into a generic template without considering how the design serves the message. Why it fails: Design should support comprehension, not just look professional. Generic templates create generic communication. One-size-fits-all fits no one well. Fix: Design serves message. Ask: what visual structure helps this specific audience understand this specific content? Start from communication need, not template options.

1. The Animation Circus

Pattern: Transitions, builds, and effects everywhere—flying text, spinning images, fade after fade. Why it fails: Animation is attention. Every effect says "look at this." When everything animates, nothing stands out. Audiences become overwhelmed or numbed. Fix: Animation only for progressive disclosure (building complex ideas step by step) or emphasis (highlighting the key point). Default to no animation; add only with purpose.

1. The Bullet Point Disease

Pattern: Slide after slide of bullet point lists—the default structure for everything. Why it fails: Bullet points are for documents, not presentations. They encourage equal weight for unequal ideas, text-heavy slides, and passive reading instead of active viewing. Fix: Use assertion-evidence structure. Replace bullet lists with clear assertions supported by visual evidence. If you need a list, question whether it needs to be a slide.

Integration Inbound (feeds into this skill) Skill What it provides speech-adaptation Spoken content structure to coordinate with visuals story-sense Narrative structure for presentation flow (content expertise) Subject matter to communicate Outbound (this skill enables) Skill What this provides (implementation) Design principles for any presentation tool (delivery) Slides designed to support effective speaking Complementary Skill Relationship speech-adaptation Presentation-design handles visuals; speech-adaptation handles spoken content. Design together for coordination voice-analysis Understanding the presenter's voice helps design slides that match their natural delivery style