The Meta Slideshow

A slideshow presentation…about slideshow presentations

Overview

I. Visual literacy

II. Best Practices

III. Powerpoint vs. Prezi

I. Visual Literacy

A New Literacy

Visual Literacy

“understand, produce, and use significant images, objects, and visual actions” (Felton, 2008)

Linguistic Literacy

“help improve critical reading and writing skills” (WSI)

L V

L V

“Death by Powerpoint”

Who’s “Evil?”

Tool? Users?

T U

Powerpoint as “supplement,” not “substitute”

(Tufte, 2003)

II. Best Practices

Approach

For the Architect…

First comes

CONTENT visuals

Then comes

For the Presenter…

First comes

CONTENT visuals

Then comes

CONTENT visuals

For the Superheroes…

First comes Then comes

A Presentation is…

NOT a Document

Slides should not be used to hold dense amounts of text—that’s what your manuscript is for. Nor should they be used to display a point-form version of exactly what you’re saying. If you’re reading too heavily from your slides, there’s a good chance your back might be to the audience. And your audience will read faster than you can speak, so doing both simultaneously is redundant at best and confusing at worst.

NOT a Teleprompter

• Nor should not be used to display a point-form version of exactly what you’re saying.

• If reading too heavily from your slides, good chance your back might be to the audience.

• Audience will read faster than you can speak

“Creating Ideas, Not Slides”(Duarte 25, 2008)

II. Best Practices

Aesthetic

D O N ’ T O R N A M E N T.

C O M P L I M E N T.

Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 40%

20%40%60%80%

100%

Series 3Series 2Series 1

Background

Canvas should not compete with content

Avoid photographs

Contrast for better readability

Background

Light on Dark

More formal

Suited for large venues

Casts fewer shadows

Dark on Light

Less formal

Suited for small venues

Better for handouts

(Duarte 132, 2008)

Colour Harmony

Complementary

Opposite ends provide most contrast; powerful

Analogous

Touching colours provide harmony; warm/cool

(Zeven Design, 2011)

Colour Harmony

Split Complementary

Added colour; eases tension from complementary

Triadic

Three colours spaced evenly; vivid with variety(Zeven Design, 2011)

Colour Harmony

http://kuler.adobe.com

Text

Try minimum 24pt font size

Use 1-2 fonts throughout

Avoid frivolous fonts

Use bullets sparingly

Sources

Duarte, N. (2008). Slide:ology. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media.

Felten, P. (2008). Visual literacy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 40(6), 60-64. Retrieved from ProQuest.

Tufte, E. (2003, September). Powerpoint is evil. Wired Magazine, 11(09), Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/ppt2.html

Zevon Design. (2011, March 27). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.zevendesign.com/1198/blog/colour-harmonies/