PowerPoint™

The Rules of Design

Table of Contents
Introduction to PowerPoint
Rules of Design
 good templates
 high-contrast colors
 sans serif fonts
 efficient text
 choose images wisely
 appropriate “build” effects
 visual balance of slide elements
Introduction to PowerPoint
To create a
new PowerPoint
presentation …

launch the program, then …

Go to the Rules of Design Next slide

choose the “Design
Template” option
from this menu

and click “OK.”

A menu similar to this one will appear.
Click on a template’s name to preview it.
Highlight the one you want, then click “OK.”

The rules of design will help

you select a good template.
The “AutoLayout” menu appears automatically.

Use it to choose the kind of slide you need.

For new presentations, the default
selection is a title slide.

For example
 To create additional slides, use

or the
Insert / New Slide …
“New Slide”
button.
Choose the kind of slide you want from
the “AutoLayout” menu, which includes:

Single bulletDouble
list bullet list

Bullet list +Organization

graph chart

Bullet list + clip-art

A few more pointers

 There are two basic ways to insert text:

Click in pre-set title or text Use the “Insert / Text Box”

boxes and start typing. command or button, then
position cursor as desired.
“Slide Sorter View” lets you work with whole slides to

make
create
delete,
bulleted
transitions
copy,items
or
build
between
move
one slides
atslides
a time
 Get to know the “Drawing” toolbar.

text
line
color
color
draw a line,
arrow, rectangle, object
or ellipse color

insert insert
text Clip Art

Click here to
* If the toolbar is not visible, go to return to the
“View/Toolbars / Drawing.” Rules of Design
The Seven Rules of Design
are a matter of using …
 good templates
 high-contrast colors
 sans serif fonts
 efficient text
 wisely chosen images
 appropriate “build” effects
 visual balance of slide elements
Click a bullet to view a specific rule. Otherwise, click to continue.
Each slide is fully automated. Click to advance between slides.
1 Choose the right template.
 Bright or medium blue fields
are problematic because they:
 are hard on the eye
 tend to strike an overly subdued mood
 Some templates to avoid include:

High Blue
Voltage Azure Diagonal Soaring

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1 Choose the right template.
 PowerPoint’s newest templates are
more colorful and theme-specific.
 Pick one that matches the mood you’re
trying to convey. For example:
This template would be
appropriate for presentations
concerning architecture,
engineering, construction,
planning, design, etc.
Blueprint
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1 Choose the right template.

Expedition Global

Ricepaper Postmodern

These templates seem tailor-made for business and

the professions, yet are equally useful elsewhere.
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1 Choose the right template.
Templates like these
could be used when your
subject is scientific or
technical in focus.

Technology

Straight Edge
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1 Choose the right template.

Notebook

“Notebook” would be useful in workshops, training

seminars, and other settings concerned with
instruction or education.
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1 Choose the right template.

Gesture Nature

Japanese
Paper Waves

These templates convey elegance, regardless of the subject.

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1 Choose the right template.
 Very dark or very light fields with
simple patterns are often good choices.
including dark blues

Blends Brushstrokes

Factory

Capsules Artsy

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1 Choose the right template.
 You can also make your own template.
 begin with a
blank presentation

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1 Choose the right template.
 You can also make your own template.
 from the menu, choose:

 View / Master / Slide Master

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1 Choose the right template.
 You can also make your own template.
 place images (e.g., corporate logos), objects, etc.

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1 Choose the right template.
 You can also make your own template.
 change font characteristics (face, color, etc.);
resize, reposition, add or delete text boxes

Whatever you
do to the master
will apply to
every slide.

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2 Use high-contrast colors.
 Dark text on  Light text on
a light field a dark field

The Four D’s: The Four D’s:

---------------- ----------------
Drop it Drop it
Delay it Delay it
Delegate it Delegate it
Do it Do it

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2 Use high-contrast colors.
 Colors of similar luminosity blend
together and make reading difficult.

The Four D’s: The Four D’s:

---------------- ----------------
Drop it Drop it
Delay it Delay it
Delegate it Delegate it
Do it Do it

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2 Use high-contrast colors.
 Apply this rule to objects such as:
 text boxes
 AutoShapes  and backgrounds:
 etc.

Employee
of the
Month

On-time guarantee
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3 Use sans serif fonts.
 On the printed  On screen, text
page, traditional with plain lines and
“serif” fonts are clean edges is easier
easier to read: on the eye:
 Times New Roman  Tahoma
 Bookman  Arial
 Garamond
 Trebuchet
 Century
Schoolbook  Verdana
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3 Use sans serif fonts.
 Sans serif:  Serif:
Arial, 24-pt Bookman, 24-pt

Mission Statement Mission Statement

Focus, focus, focus Focus, focus, focus

on the customer. on the customer.

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3 Use sans serif fonts.
 As noted earlier, the slide
master can be used to
change template defaults.

Times New Roman Tahoma

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3 Use sans serif fonts.
 There are always exceptions. If desired,
use serif fonts for special emphasis or
to add distinction or elegance to some
aspect of the slide (e.g., the title).

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4 Be text-savvy.
a keywords, not sentences
b
 minimum words, maximum size

c no “orphans”
d capitalize correctly

Click to jump directly to a topic, or click to continue to next slide

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4 a Use keywords for bullets.
 Slides are visual notecards.
 main ideas
 not complete thoughts
 full sentences only when quoting
 For every bullet try to eliminate:
 articles (a, an, the)
 pronouns that could be implied (you, we)
 verbs that could be implied
If your PowerPoint presentation is meant to function by itself (for example,
as a tutorial like this one, or a display at a trade show) then it would be
necessary to use full sentences to ensure audience comprehension.
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4 a Use keywords for bullets.

The Acme Grocery Pledge

 We offer the freshest produce.
 Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
 We will deliver anywhere, anytime.

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4 a Use keywords for bullets.

The Acme Grocery Pledge

 Freshest produce Audience gets
 Guaranteed satisfaction the main idea
 Unlimited delivery You provide
the details

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4 b Minimum words, maximum size

Try to keep
titles 44 pts.
or larger.

Main bullets
32 pts.
or greater

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4 b Minimum words, maximum size
 Keep text to
a minimum,

25 words or
less per slide.

 PowerPoint is
more visual
than written.

This is another advantage of using keywords

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4 c No “orphans”
Orphan, n. [Gr. Orphanos, later orphos;
L.orbus. Bereaved.]
1. In PowerPoint, when only the
last word of a long bullet spills
over to the next line.
2. It looks goofy and wastes space.
3. Fix it by editing the bullet to
one line, or by carrying over at
least two words.

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4 c No “orphans”

before

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4 c No “orphans”
after

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4 d Capitalize correctly.
 For slide titles:or not to
To capitalize,
 capitalizethat
capitalize: theisfirst
the question.
letter of the line
 capitalize proper nouns,
other words if desired
(but be consistent)
 don’t capitalize prepositions
Annual Sales Summary A record-breaking June

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4 d Capitalize correctly.
 For main bullets:
 capitalize the first letter
of each line if you wish,
or if a proper noun.
 do not capitalize other
words unless they’re
proper nouns.

Annual Sales Summary A record-breaking June

• Sodas up 20% • Acme led industry

• Snacks held steady • doubled May sales
• Dairy down 3% • expanded sales force
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4 d Capitalize correctly.
 For sub-bullets:
 do not capitalize the
first letter of the line,
unless a proper noun
 capitalize other words
only if proper nouns

Annual Sales Summary

• Sodas up 20%
- industry at 12%
- boost from Europe
- U.S. sales flat
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5 Use images wisely.

Declaration
of Principles
1. Images should predominate over text.
2. Photos should predominate over clip-art.
3. If used, clip-art should be of graphic-artist
quality and not look “computer-drawn.”

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5 Use images wisely.
 A picture is worth
a thousand words.
 Almost every slide
needs an image …
 but not every slide
needs text.

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5 Use images wisely.
 Frame regular images by applying:
 border of 1/4
 drop shadow

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5 Use images wisely
 Do not frame irregular images:
 i.e., photos and art without straight edges
 they’re meant to blend into background

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5 Use images wisely.
 Size images properly:
 don’t stretch them to the point of graininess
 don’t shrink them to be too small to discern

Small images may look okay

to you, but you know what
they’re supposed to be. Will
your audience know … from
across the room?

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5 Use images wisely.
 The “Clip-Art Hall of Shame”
 Images similar to these and the ones on
the next page should only be used if you
want an amateur, cartoonish look.
 In most cases, photographs are
available to convey the same message,
only much more professionally.

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5 The Clip-Art Hall of Shame

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6 Keep build effects low-key.
 Try to avoid  Opt instead
“moving” or slow for “in-place”
effects like: effects like:
• fly dissolve
• spiral stretch wipe
These effects tend to be
distracting and can also
blinds
random
waste bars
a lot of time
• crawl split
peek
• swivel
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7 Strive for visual balance.
 Avoid lopsidedness.
 Avoid dead space.
 Position items for
legibility & clarity.

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7 Strive for visual balance.
 Avoid lopsidedness.
 Avoid dead space.
 Position items for
legibility & clarity.

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7 Strive for visual balance
 Avoid lopsidedness.
 Avoid dead space.
 Position items for
legibility & clarity.

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7 Strive for visual balance.
 Avoid lopsidedness
Add an image
 Avoid dead space or two or three
Position items for

This slide
legibility & clarity
(perhaps one for
each bullet)

closed for
Spread bullets out:
remodeling



Increase font size
Increase line spacing
between bullets
 Drag box down
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7 Strive for visual balance

 Avoid dead space.

 Avoid lopsidedness.
 Position items for
legibility & clarity.

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 Some final observations:
 Break any rule if you
have a good reason.
 Observe copyright laws
on photos and artwork.
 You control every aspect
of a slide’s design. Have
a purpose for everything
that happens.

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 Useful website:
http://www.allaboutpresentations.com
/2010/04/interview-with-dr-devdutt-
pattanaik.html

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