Great presentations are the result of combining relevant content and beautiful design. Too often, we’re surrounded by decks that are hard to understand and aren’t visually pleasing. In this class, you’ll learn how to design a great presentation. By going deep into the strategy, content, and design aspects of creating a top notch presentation, you’ll learn how you can utilize different aspects of a presentation to better motivate, persuade, and inform your audience, all while knocking their socks off.

1. DESIGNING GREAT
PRESENTATIONS
by Andre Plaut
@andreplaut
andreplaut@gmail.com

2. HELLO
I’m really excited to create some kick-ass
presentations with all of you.

3. AGENDA
!3
STRATEGY
CONTENT
DESIGN

4. AGENDA
!4
STRATEGY
KNOW YOUR
AUDIENCE
KNOW YOUR
OBJECTIVES
PRESENTATION
CANVAS
CONTENT
DESIGN

5. AGENDA
!5
STRATEGY
CONTENT
STORYTELLING
OUTLINING YOUR
PRESENTATION
DESIGN

6. AGENDA
!6
STRATEGY
CONTENT
DESIGN
WHAT NOT TO DO
BEST DESIGN
PRACTICES
PRESENTATION
PRO TIPS

7. INTRODUCTIONS
Let’s (briefly) get to know each other.

8. INTRODUCTIONS
!8
HI! MY NAME IS
your current day job
I’M A
your name
I WANT TO
what you’re looking to learn today

9. INTRODUCTIONS
!9
WHY ARE WE HERE?
INFORMATIVE & UGLY
MEANINGLESS & PRETTY
THESE
ARE BAD.

10. INTRODUCTIONS
!10
DESIGN defines how your presentation
DESIGN
looks and feels. It should be on brand and
relevant to the theme of the presentation.
This makes your presentation beautiful.
CONTENT represents the actual
CONTENT
topics of your presentation, as well as how
they are presented and structured. This
makes your presentation effective.
STRATEGY allows you to define your
STRATEGY
goals and the goals of your audience.
When done right, this is what makes your
presentation smart.

11. STRATEGY
What are your needs, and the needs of
your audience?

12. STRATEGY
!12
STRATEGY
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR THEM?
&
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR YOU?

13. STRATEGY
!13
STRATEGY
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR THEM?
Know Your
Audience
&
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR YOU?
Know your
Objectives

14. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
“Know your audience.”
- Everyone
!14

15. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
What does knowing your
audience really mean?
!15

16. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
!16
CONTEXT
PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES
PERSONAL &
PROFESSIONAL NEEDS
VALUES

17. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
CONTEXT
Are you using
terminology your
audience
understands? (hint:
no acronyms!)
Why are you
speaking to your
audience now?
Where does your
presentation fall
within their day /
week / life?
Does your audience
already have an
opinion on your
topic?
!17
PERSONAL &
PROFESSIONAL
NEEDS
PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES
VALUES

18. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
CONTEXT
!18
PERSONAL &
PROFESSIONAL
NEEDS
Does your
presentation clearly
address or solve a
real problem that
your audience has?
Does it demonstrate
empathy for their
current situation?
What’s in it for your
audience? Is that
made clear?
Have you explained
what you’re about to
talk about and why?
PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES
VALUES

19. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
CONTEXT
!19
PERSONAL &
PROFESSIONAL
NEEDS
PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES
Are you utilizing the
audience’s existing
knowledge &
previous
experiences?
What is your
audience’s expertise?
Are you doing it
justice?
VALUES

20. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
CONTEXT
!20
PERSONAL &
PROFESSIONAL
NEEDS
PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES
VALUES
What drives your
audience on a dailybasis?
How does your
message fit within
the audience’s
values?
If it doesn’t, how will
you convince them
you’re right?

21. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR
AUDIENCE
CREATE A PERSONA
Segment your audience into groups with similar interests
& context, and create a fictional personal that represents
that segment.
INTERVIEW STAKEHOLDERS
Speak with your audience before preparing the
presentation, or find people who fit the same persona.
GET IN THEIR SHOES
Attend the same things they attend, shadow someone for a
day, learn what their day to day is like.
!21

22. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
!22
OBAMA FOR
AMERICA 2012
Research notes, sketches, & scribbles

23. KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES
YOU WILL NEVER MEET YOUR
AUDIENCE’S NEEDS WITHOUT
UNDERSTANDING YOUR OWN
NEEDS FIRST.
!23

24. KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES
!24
YOU WILL NEVER MEET YOUR
AUDIENCE’S ANYONE’S NEEDS
WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING
YOUR OWN NEEDS FIRST.
General
unsolicited life
advice.

25. KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES
!25
WHAT IMPACT DO YOU WANT
TO HAVE ON YOUR
AUDIENCE?
MOTIVATE
PERSUADE
INFORM
INSPIRE

26. KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES
!26
PRESENTER OBJECTIVES
PRESENTATION CONTENT
What does your presentation need to accomplish?
How will your presentation fit both needs?
MOTIVATE
AUDIENCE
SEGMENTS
What describes your
audience & their
environment?
PERSUADE
AUDIENCE
OBJECTIVES
What does your audience
need from your
presentation?
INFORM
INSPIRE

27. KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES
!27
PRESENTER OBJECTIVES
PRESENTATION CONTENT
What does your presentation need to accomplish?
How will your presentation fit both needs?
Family &
friends referral
Inspire new
volunteers
Get volunteers
to sign-up
Accurate data
reporting
History of
Obama
campaign
Repeat sign-ups
Create
connections
between
volunteers
Connecting with
Voters
MOTIVATE
AUDIENCE
SEGMENTS
PERSUADE
INFORM
INSPIRE
Sharing
personal stories
AUDIENCE
OBJECTIVES
What describes your
audience & their
environment?
What does your audience
need from your
presentation?
Volunteer signup sheets
Confidence
Nervous new
volunteers
Filling out a
walk sheet
Convincing nonsupporters
Existing
volunteers
looking to
connect with
others
Volunteering
opportunities
Motivation
Small group
introductions

28. WORKSHOP CASE STUDY
!28
OneMarket

29. WORKSHOP CASE STUDY
!29
PRESENTER OBJECTIVES
PRESENTATION CONTENT
What does your presentation need to accomplish?
How will your presentation fit both needs?
MOTIVATE
AUDIENCE
SEGMENTS
PERSUADE
AUDIENCE
OBJECTIVES
What describes your
audience & their
environment?
What does your audience
need from your
presentation?
Investors
Developers
Consumers
INFORM
INSPIRE

30. DEFINE YOUR STRATEGY
!30
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN:
DEFINE YOUR STRATEGY
10 MINUTES
DEFINE A
RESEARCH
STRATEGY FOR
YOUR
PRESENTATION
IDENTIFY
APPROPRIATE
RESEARCH
METHODS
START FILLING OUT
THE PRESENTATION
CANVAS BASED ON
WHAT YOU
ALREADY KNOW
GENERATE AN
INITIAL
PRESENTATION
STRATEGY

31. STRATEGY
!31
STRATEGY
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR THEM?
Know Your
Audience
&
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR YOU?
Know your
Objectives

32. CONTENT
How will this presentation reach your
strategic objectives?

33. CONTENT
!33
PRESENTATION CONTENT
How will your presentation fit both needs?
Family &
friends referral
Filling out a
walk sheet
History of
Obama
campaign
epeat sign-ups
Connecting with
Voters
Sharing
personal stories
Volunteer signup sheets
Confidence
Motivation
Small group
introductions

34. CONTENT
!34
PRESENTATION CONTENT
How will your presentation fit both needs?
Family &
friends referral
Filling out a
walk sheet
History of
Obama
campaign
epeat sign-ups
WHAT CONTENT DO
YOU NEED?
Connecting with
Voters
Sharing
personal stories
Volunteer signup sheets
Confidence
Motivation
Small group
introductions

35. CONTENT
!35
PRESENTATION CONTENT
How will your presentation fit both needs?
Family &
friends referral
Filling out a
walk sheet
History of
Obama
campaign
epeat sign-ups
WHAT CONTENT DO
YOU NEED?
Connecting with
Voters
Sharing
personal stories
Volunteer signup sheets
Confidence
Motivation
Small group
introductions
HOW WILL YOU
PRESENT THAT
CONTENT?

36. STORYTELLING
!36
HOW WILL YOU ORGANIZE
YOUR CONTENT SO THAT IT
TELLS A STORY?
Small group
introductions
INTRO
DUCTIO
NS
History of Obama
campaign
THE “WHY”
Connecting with Voters
Sharing personal stories
NEW VOLUN
TEER
SKI LLS
Filling out a walk sheet
Volunteer sign-up
sheets
NEXT STEPS

37. STORYTELLING
!37
LET’S TALK ABOUT TWO TYPES
OF STORIES:
TRADITIONAL
NARRATIVE ARC
WHAT IS VS.
WHAT COULD BE

38. STORYTELLING
!38
TRADITIONAL NARRATIVE ARC
THE ELEMENTS:
SITUATION
What’s the current situation?
COMPLICATION
Describe the tension / problem.
LINEAR
LOGICAL
FAMILIAR
QUESTION
What is the question in response to the problem?
GREAT FOR:
Business meetings
Persuading an audience
Introducing a new concept
Hollywood blockbuster
ANSWER
Suggested answer to resolve the tension / problem.
RESOLUTION
How does the story wind down and end?

39. TRADITIONAL NARRATIVE ARC
!39
WHAT’S THE
NARRATIVE ARC
OF LITTLE RED
RIDING HOOD?
S C Q A R

40. TRADITIONAL NARRATIVE ARC
!40
WHAT’S THE
NARRATIVE ARC
OF APPLE’S 1984
COMMERCIAL?
S C Q A R

41. TRADITIONAL NARRATIVE ARC
!41
WHAT’S THE
NARRATIVE ARC
OF ONEMARKET?
S C Q A R

42. STORYTELLING
!42
WHAT IS VS. WHAT COULD BE
THE ELEMENTS:
WHAT IS
The current undesirable situation.
NON-LINEAR
ASPIRATIONAL
WHAT COULD BE
A utopian future where the original
problem of “what is” no longer exists
GREAT FOR:
Inspirational speeches
Motivating an audience
Introducing a new product
Leading a revolution
THE REWARD
The future situation that could exist if we
all believe in it. This is your call to action.

43. WHAT IS VS. WHAT COULD BE
!43
THE ORIGINAL iPHONE
ANNOUNCEMENT BY STEVE JOBS
...
APPLE PRODUCT
TIMELINE
“WE ARE
CALLING IT
iPHONE”
COMPARING
COMPETITORS
REVOLUTIONARY
UI
PHYSICAL
KEYBOARDS
MULTI-TOUCH
“BABY
SOFTWARE”
Reference: Resonate by Nancy Duarte

44. WHAT IS VS. WHAT COULD BE
!44
WHY & WHAT
WHAT IS VS. WHAT COULD BE
This part
addresses
why your
audience
should care.
THE REWARD
This part
tells them
what to do
now that
they do care.
Reference: Resonate by Nancy Duarte

45. WHAT IS VS. WHAT COULD BE
!45
WHAT’S THE
STORY OF
ONEMARKET?

46. OUTLINING YOUR PRESENTATION
DON’T TOUCH KEYNOTE YET!
Outline your presentation
before you begin designing.
Think through talking
points, transitions, and
structure.
!46

47. OUTLINE YOUR PRESENTATION
!47
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN:
OUTLINE YOUR PRESENTATION
10 MINUTES
TEST DIFFERENT
STORYTELLING
METHODS FOR
YOUR
PRESENTATION
IDENTIFY THE
STORYTELLING
METHOD YOUR
PRESENTATION WILL
TAKE
START OUTLINING
YOUR
PRESENTATION
IDENTIFY THE
CONTENT AND
FLOW OF YOUR
PRESENTATION

48. DESIGN
What will your presentation look & feel
like?

49. DESIGN
!49
WHY DOES DESIGN MATTER?
“We took the text and reset it in Gotham, downloaded the
O logo, and put it together in minutes. ‘Wow,’ my
daughter said. ‘It looks like Obama’s actually going to be
there!’ Exactly.”
- Michael Bierut

50. DESIGN
!50
THE WORST
PRESENTATION
DESIGN
MISTAKES.

51. WORST PRESENTATION DESIGN MISTAKES
!51
TOO MUCH TEXT.
Stocks tumbled Tuesday -- with the Nasdaq taking a pounding -- as the political standoff in Washington continued and
the partial government shutdown stretched into its eighth day.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 159.71 points, or 1.1%, to 14,776.53 and the Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped
20.67 points, or 1.2% to 1,655.45. It was the 11th loss in the last 14 days, and the S&P 500's biggest drop in six weeks.
The Nasdaq composite plunged 75.54 points, or 2%, to 3,694.83.
Anxiety over an Oct. 17 deadline to raise the nation's debt ceiling is starting to eat away at investor sentiment as
compromise in Washington remains absent, says Pat Adams, a portfolio manager at Choice Investment Management.
•
•
•
Aside from the theatrics in Washington, investors will also be paying close attention Tuesday to the unofficial
start of the third-quarter earnings season.
After the closing bell, aluminum maker Alcoa and fast-foot chain Yum Brands will report.
Analysts are expecting companies in the S&P 500 to grow their earnings 4.3% vs. the same quarter a year ago.
On Saturday, he signed several such bills, most prominently legislation stopping local law officers from detaining
immigrants and transferring them to federal authorities unless they have committed certain serious crimes. And he
agreed in August to let non-citizens monitor polls for elections.
Some legal scholars had said that the measure raised profound questions about what rights and responsibilities belonged
to citizens alone, and a number of newspapers published editorials urging the governor to veto the bill after the
Democratic-controlled Legislature passed it, with most Republicans opposing it.

52. WORST PRESENTATION DESIGN MISTAKES
!52
LOW QUALITY / STOCK IMAGES.

53. WORST PRESENTATION DESIGN MISTAKES
SUBPRIME LENDING
•
•
•
Aside from the theatrics in
Washington, investors will also
be paying close attention
Tuesday to the unofficial start
of the third-quarter earnings
season.
After the closing bell,
aluminum maker Alcoa and
fast-foot chain Yum Brands will
report.
Analysts are expecting
companies in the S&P 500 to
grow their earnings 4.3% vs.
the same quarter a year ago.
!53

54. WORST PRESENTATION DESIGN MISTAKES
!54

55. WORST PRESENTATION DESIGN MISTAKES
IRRELEVANT
TRANSITIONS &
ANIMATIONS
!54

56. DESIGN
WHY ARE THESE
MISTAKES SO
BAD?
!55

57. DESIGN
!56
WHY ARE THESE
MISTAKES SO BAD?
BECAUSE THEY TAKE YOUR
AUDIENCE OUT OF YOUR
PRESENTATION, MAKING IT
HARDER FOR THEM (AND YOU) TO
ACHIEVE THE DESIRED OUTCOME.

58. DESIGN
WHAT MAKES A PRESENTATION’S
DESIGN GREAT?
CLEAR BRANDING
CLEAN LAYOUT & HIERARCHY
PUTS THE FOCUS ON THE PRESENTER
SIMPLIFIES THE MAIN POINTS
ENGAGES THE AUDIENCE EMOTIONALLY
!57

59. CLEAR BRANDING
!58
CREATE A STYLE GUIDE
Obama for America 2012
Clarendon
Snell Roundhand

60. CLEAR BRANDING
!59
CREATE A STYLE GUIDE
THIS PRESENTATION
TW CEN MT
Georgia

61. CLEAR BRANDING
!60
CREATE A STYLE GUIDE
Apple
GENERAL ASSEMBLY

62. CLEAR BRANDING
!61
CREATE A STYLE GUIDE
Apple
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
CONFIDENTIAL

63. CLEAN LAYOUT & HIERARCHY
USING GRIDS, MASTERS &
ALIGNMENT
!62

64. CLEAN LAYOUT & HIERARCHY
USING GRIDS, MASTERS &
ALIGNMENT
!63

65. CLEAN LAYOUT & HIERARCHY
USING GRIDS, MASTERS &
ALIGNMENT
!64

66. CLEAN LAYOUT & HIERARCHY
!65
USING GRIDS, MASTERS &
ALIGNMENT
MASTERS
ALIGNMENT
GUIDES

67. !66
CLEAN LAYOUT & HIERARCHY
USING S, MASTER
HEADLINES GIVE
THE AUDIENCE
THE BIG PICTURE
ASDF
SDFASD
ASDFDSAFA
ASDFSADFSAF
BULLETS ADD
SUPPORTING
EVIDENCE TO
THE HEADER.
IMAGES
REPRESENT &
SIMPLIFY THE
BIGGER POINT
GLOBAL HEADER:
YOU ARE HERE.

68. THE OPPORTUNITY
!67
AFRICA REPRESENTS OUR LARGEST
MARKET OPPORTUNITY
•
INTERNET USE IN AFRICA
INCREASED BY 3,000% IN 12 YEARS.
180
135
•
•
163 MILLION NEW INTERNET USERS
STILL ONLY 16% OF THE
POPULATION IN AFRICA
90
(millions)
•
45
LARGEST INTERNET ADOPTION
REGION OF THE WORLD
0
2001
2012

69. THE OPPORTUNITY
!68
AFRICA REPRESENTS OUR LARGEST
MARKET OPPORTUNITY
•
INTERNET USE IN AFRICA
INCREASED BY 3,000% IN 12 YEARS.
180
135
•
•
163 MILLION NEW INTERNET USERS
STILL ONLY 16% OF THE
POPULATION IN AFRICA
90
(millions)
•
45
LARGEST INTERNET ADOPTION
REGION OF THE WORLD
0
2001
2012

70. THE OPPORTUNITY
!68
AFRICA REPRESENTS OUR LARGEST
MARKET OPPORTUNITY
•
INTERNET USE IN AFRICA
INCREASED BY 3,000% IN 12 YEARS.
180
135
•
•
163 MILLION NEW INTERNET USERS
STILL ONLY 16% OF THE
POPULATION IN AFRICA
PERSUADE
90
(millions)
•
INFORM
45
LARGEST INTERNET ADOPTION
REGION OF THE WORLD
0
2001
2012

71. PUTS THE FOCUS ON THE PRESENTER
!69
A PICTURE IS WORTH
A THOUSAND
WORDS.
So, leave the
words to the
presenter.

72. THE OPPORTUNITY
AFRICA
REPRESENTS
OUR LARGEST
MARKET
OPPORTUNITY
!70

73. THE OPPORTUNITY
AFRICA
REPRESENTS
OUR LARGEST
MARKET
OPPORTUNITY
!71

74. THE OPPORTUNITY
AFRICA
REPRESENTS
OUR LARGEST
MARKET
MOTIVATE
OPPORTUNITY
!71
INSPIRE

75. THE OPPORTUNITY
AFRICA
REPRESENTS
OUR LARGEST
MARKET
MOTIVATE
OPPORTUNITY
!71
INSPIRE

76. SIMPLIFIES THE MAIN POINT
SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY.
!72

77. SIMPLIFIES THE MAIN POINT
!73
REMOVE EVERYTHING THAT
ISN’T ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
Ask yourself, “how does this
impact the audience?”

78. ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE EMOTIONALLY
YOU CAN BREAK
*
THE RULES.
* But only for good reasons.
!74

79. ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE EMOTIONALLY
!75

80. ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE EMOTIONALLY
OneMarket
!75

81. DESIGN YOUR PRESENTATION
!76
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN:
DESIGN YOUR PRESENTATION
10 MINUTES
OPEN UP KEYNOTE
OR POWERPOINT
AND CREATE ONE
OR TWO SAMPLE
SLIDES
CREATE SIMPLE
MASTER SLIDES
THAT CAN BE USED
AND REUSED FOR
EVERYTHING
CREATE A SIMPLE
STYLE GUIDE WITH
COLORS AND
FONTS
IDENTIFY DESIGN
ELEMENTS THAT
REPRESENT YOUR
BRAND BEST

82. EXTRA: PRESENTATION PRO TIPS
A beautiful presentation can’t do much
without a great presenter.

83. PRESENTATION PRO TIPS
ALWAYS USE A
PRESENTER
REMOTE.
!78

84. PRESENTATION PRO TIPS
!79
BECOME
FAMILIAR
WITH
PRESENTER
DISPLAY.

85. PRESENTATION PRO TIPS
PREPARE
HOWEVER WORKS
BEST FOR YOU.
!80

86. PRESENTATION PRO TIPS
WANT TO KNOW THE
SUPER SECRET WAY TO BE
A GREAT PRESENTER?
!81

87. SUPER SECRET WAY TO BE A GREAT PRESENTER
BE HUMAN.
!82

88. SUPER SECRET WAY TO BE A GREAT PRESENTER
BE HUMAN.
Connect with people.
Show that you care.
!82

89. SUPER SECRET WAY TO BE A GREAT PRESENTER
BE HUMAN.
Connect with people.
Show that you care.
Throw in some Gilmore Girls references.
!82

90. THANK YOU.
DOWNLOAD THIS PRESENTATION
http://slidesha.re/17jnQxM
DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION CANVAS
http://bit.ly/16AFYCz
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
@andreplaut
andreplaut@gmail.com

91. CREDITS
LINECONS BY SERGEY SHMIDT
http://designmodo.com/linecons-free/
POST-IT NOTES BY THOMAS RICCIARDIELLO
http://365psd.com/day/89/
ELEMENTS OF USER EXPERIENCE BY JESSE JAMES GARRETT
http://jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf
APPLE iOS 7 ICONS (PSD) BY ANDREW WILLIAMS
http://iynque.deviantart.com/art/iOS-7-Icons-Updated-378969049
MICROSOFT’S 2011 CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT REPORT: ONE MICROSOFT, ONE AFRICA
http://bit.ly/17hL9bb
LOGITECH PROFESSIONAL PRESENTER R800 REMOTE CONTROL
http://www.foxxdeals.com/logitech-professional-presenter-r800-remote-control-910-001350
!84