(Note: This is a re-post with minor edits. I once posted this summary in my old blog in 2009, which does not exist now).
Book Title: Slideology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations (Author: Nancy Duarte)
Highly impressed by how Al Gore presented his “An Inconvenient Truth” (which landed him Nobel Prize and Academy Award), I am interested in finding lessons on how to create good presentation slides and non-boring charts/diagrams. I tried to find samples/templates on the net to no avail.
Then I found this book (I decided to buy it because I saw it featured Al Gore in one of its case studies). I think this book gives valuable insights on how to create great presentations, excerpts are as follows:
1. We humans are visual communicators; presentations should be delivered more in forms of images/diagrams as visual aids. Slides should be simple, text should be reduced, avoid bullet points (use images/diagrams instead). The audience is there to hear the presenter giving ideas/message, not to read slides. Slides are there to enhance the story, to help the audience see what the presenter is saying so that ideas/messages are easily transmitted.
2. To give powerful presentation, one should prepare highly on knowing the audience in order to prepare for effective materials and delivery.
3. Think like a designer to create effective slides. 3 things should be handled creatively in a consistent way to avoid noise or confusion:
- Arrangement elements: contrast (to help audience see main points), hierarchy, unity, space, proximity and flow.
- Visual elements: background, color (proper color palette), text, images.
- Movement: timing, pace, distance, direction and eye flow
4. Corporations should pay more attention (and more investment) on creating great presentations as in many instances presentations are the last impression a customer has of a company before closing a deal. It’s useful to get expert help on building an organized and effective system so that all messages/slides transmitted outside are consistent with company/branding philosophy.
5. How many slides to present? It depends, but one good rule to follow is the 10/20/30 rule from the venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki (10 slides, 20 minutes, no font smaller than 30).
Books, Arts and Beyond 