Over time I’ve been asking people I meet if there are any presentation rules they follow. I’ve heard a few that made some sense, and others which are just preposterous. There are two types of rules, I’ve identified, which come from different approaches to presentations: the first style appeared shortly after powerpoint gave the masses the ability to create slideshows; the second type is emerging now, as more and more people advocate for visual presentations. Here’s a collection of rules I think everyone should break.
Rules from early powerpoint days you should break:
1- The 6-6-1 rule: This rule was intended to limit the amount of information showed on each slide, it promotes 6 sentences in each slide, 6 words per sentence and 1 idea per slide. The thing is that this rule probably started the whole idea of filling every slide with bullet points, instead of having simpler slides… BREAK IT! Try using one word or sentence per slide.
2- Tell them what you’re going to tell them; then tell them; then tell them what you told them: This is a very sales oriented rule, and it actually sounds good when you hear it. But people don’t need you to repeat the same thing over and over. In your allotted time you’re going to be able to put forward 3 main points, if you’re lucky. You don’t have the time or need to repeat yourself – BREAK IT! Only repeat what you said at the end, in a short summary.
3- Have a thank you slide: I guess this one came up when people started realizing they were boring their audiences to death and had to thank them for putting up with them – BREAK IT! Have a summary slide at the end with the three main points, this will be the slide they see the longest.
4- Start with a joke: I really don’t know who originated this rule or why – BREAK IT! Start with something that shows your personality or sets the mood for the session. Funny remarks are ok, jokes are just lame.
5- Put your logo on every slide: Repeating the same element on every slide just makes the audience tune it out and not pay attention – BREAK IT! Put your logo on the first and last slide.
Rules from the new, visual, presentation style:
1- Have pictures on slides, even if they are irrelevant: You’d be surprised how many people have heard this one! Pictures are useful to expand on what you’re saying, they help you explain complex concepts; but pictures just for the sake of pictures will only confuse the audience – BREAK IT! Use pictures only when they are relevant.
2- Use images as your background: Some images, because of the contrast, will make your text difficult to read – BREAK IT! If you’re going to combine text and images make sure the text can be read easily on the image or don’t use it as the background for the slide.
3- 10-20-30 rule: This rule was created by Guy Kawasaki. He has to sit through an obscene number of presentations and it’s understandable why he would love all presentations to follow this rule. The idea is to use 10 slides, in 20 minutes and with font no smaller than 30pt. In reality if you try to follow this rule you will find yourself leaving out relevant info or packing a lot of really big text on your slides – BREAK IT, BUT KEEP IN MIND THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND IT! When making your presentation try to use fewer slides, les text (readable to the whole room) and don’t go over 20 to 30 minutes.
Any other presentation rules people should break that you can think of? Leave them in the comments.
Until next time,
Byron Stanford for Project Presentation.
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Comments
Posted On
Jun 27, 2011Posted By
Guy KawasakiIn truth there are no rules that are absolute. Either they work for you or they don’t. The problem is that the people who make lousy presentations are so clueless that they don’t know when they are doing so!
Guy
Posted On
Jun 27, 2011Posted By
Project PresentationHi Guy,
Thanks for stopping by! I full-heartedly agree; I doubt there could ever be a one-size-fits-all rule for presentations. It’s usually the clueless who tend to abuse these rules, don’t you think? Hence, the disasters they create.
Byron
Posted On
Jul 08, 2011Posted By
Fred E. MillerLet’s call some of these ‘Rules’ – ‘Guidelines.’
The bottom line is the audience GETS IT!
Accomplish this goal by educating, entertaining and explaining your message!
Thanks for the Post! (Oops! Maybe I should have left that out! lol)
Posted On
Jul 08, 2011Posted By
Project PresentationHi Fred,
You’re right, they should be guidelines, the problem is that some people take them to the letter, right?
I agree that the most important thing to keep in mind is that the audience walks away understanding what your 2 or 3 main points are.
Thanks to you for joining into the conversation.
Posted On
Jul 08, 2011Posted By
osborn4I’ve always maintained 6-6-1 (actually, I learned it as 7 x 7) was a MAXIMUM. Most of my stuff is way under that.
Thanks for the article.
Posted On
Jul 10, 2011Posted By
Project PresentationI’m glad you liked it. I’ve always found 6-6-1 to make slides too complicated, making the audience lose interest in what the speaker is saying.
What experience have you had using it?
Posted On
Jul 11, 2011Posted By
lilian obatai like d tips of presenting project, wish me luck in my project defense nxt week!!!!!!!!! getting ready to storm my lecturers and fellow colleagues in the department.
Posted On
Jul 12, 2011Posted By
osborn4I do slide shows for our worship service.
With songs, 7 is a really good max number for words per line. Amd usually 4 lines, so people caught up in worship can find thier place easier.
With the sermon, I usually try to encapsulate the main points (1 per slide) in eight words or less, unless I can use a graphic instead.
For scriptures, 7×7 is really a good maximum. If the pastor is just commenting onthe sermon, again, I will try to put up just the key phrases, with the reference if they want to look up the whole thing.
Posted On
Jul 13, 2011Posted By
Project PresentationIf what you want is to use your slides so that the audience can follow a reading or song, then the style you’re using is probably best. For the sermon, I also think having only the key message on screen is the best.
Lilian, good look with your presentation!
Posted On
Aug 02, 2011Posted By
Felicia SlatteryReally great post with useful tips! When I train speakers I tell them to prepare their speeches without PPT. Then they should use it as a tool to enhance the audience experience but also be ready for the technology to fail completely. Without a Plan B in place it’s too easy to panic if someone has put their entire presentation on slides. When you start thinking of slides as an enhancement to your speech you look at creating them differently. For my final slide I use it as a call to action. For example I might have a “thank you” on there but will also say “need a speaker? Call me!” Or something similar OR an action related to the speech. I want the action to stick with them!
Well done!
Posted On
Aug 02, 2011Posted By
Byron StanfordThanks Felicia, I’m glad you liked it. I totally agree with you, slides should be used only as an extension of your message, not as the support.
Posted On
Oct 13, 2011Posted By
sudhaAll great points.
I think that a good test is for the presenter to go to the back of the room and see if they can read the slide from the seat that is furthest from the presenting area. Usually the people in the back can see very little generally.
Posted On
Oct 17, 2011Posted By
Byron StanfordI agree, if the person sitting at the back of the room can’t see the slides you’ve probably already lost 90% of the audience.
Posted On
Dec 24, 2011Posted By
Fred E. MillerWe don’t agree on all these, but I do concur with the majority of your suggestions.
Thanks for the Post!
Posted On
Mar 20, 2012Posted By
Media presentation - The Church Media Community[...] like a great opportunity. Here's a blog entry with some Powerpoint tips: 8 Presentation rules you should break __________________ Joel Osborn Milton SDB Church "…if we are to glorify God fully, we must [...]
Posted On
Apr 09, 2012Posted By
RJ WalkerFont size and readability varies from font to font – a “xx point” rule isn’t all that helpful.
Here’s a slide design rule from at least as early as the 1970s that still works:
Measure the diagonal of the projected slide (or the artwork -from the days of actual slides) or the design area on your monitor.
Multiply by 8.
Stand back that distance and see if you can read the slide. (Maybe even ask an older person with less than youthful vision.)
E.g., if the slide diagonal in PP on a monitor = 1.5 feet, then step back 12′ from the monitor and, if you can’t read it, don’t show it.