Learning Objectives

  • Understand principles of effective slide design
  • Apply the 6x6 rule and other design principles
  • Choose appropriate color schemes and fonts
  • Create visually appealing and professional presentations
  • Avoid common presentation mistakes

Core Design Principles

1) Keep Slides Message-First

  • One key idea per slide
  • Supporting visuals, not text-heavy paragraphs

2) Apply 6x6 Rule Carefully

  • Max ~6 lines per slide
  • Max ~6 words per line (guideline, not strict rule)
  • Use speaker narration for detail

3) Use Color and Fonts Strategically

  • High contrast text/background
  • 1–2 font families only
  • Use accent color for emphasis, not decoration

4) Maintain Visual Hierarchy

  • Clear title, sub-point, visual, takeaway
  • Consistent spacing and alignment

5) Avoid Common Mistakes

  • Tiny text and overloaded charts
  • Random color changes
  • Inconsistent icon/image style
  • Reading slides word-for-word

Before-and-After Example

  • Before: 12 bullet points, 3 colors, low contrast
  • After: 3 bullets + one chart + clear takeaway sentence

Practice Task

Redesign 5 poor slides into a professional deck:

  • Apply consistent font and palette
  • Reduce text volume by 40%+
  • Add one meaningful visual per slide
  • Write 1 takeaway line per slide

📚 Continue to: Slide Layout and Formatting