The Slide Deck Needs Your Attention
So much of what we do revolves around giving presentations of one variety or another. We present ideas, concepts, products, etc... If you aren't giving a presentation, you are thinking about your next presentation and of course, being digital data strategists, we need to visualize lots of data. I thought it would be helpful to outline four (4) key points I learned during Duke University's Data Visualization and Communication with Tableau course, in regards to designing your slides for your data presentation.
1. Maximize data-ink ratio: Data ink refers to the ink that represents the actual data in a chart or graph. Take out everything in the chart and on the slide that does not have a clear and unique purpose. The ink needs to represent the data and not anything else.
Make sure to:
- Remove gridlines.
- Remove any fancy designs in the background that do not convey anything specific.
- Remove any extra text (i.e. page numbers, logos, etc…).
- Do not be afraid of white or empty space.
2. Understanding at a glance: Your audience should understand your slide with as little eye movement and reading as possible.
This includes:
Labeling non-obvious axes in your graph.
Use full words unless the abbreviations are extremely common.
Label directly on the chart and not on the legend.
Try to use the background color of the slide as a label.
Horizontal labels are easier to read then vertical labels.
Use Serif fonts for written material or handouts.
Use sans-serif fonts for visual presentations on a screen (i.e. Helvetica, Arial, & Calibri).
Make sure your text is readable from the back of the room. If you are worried that your font is too small, it probably is!
3. Don’t make your audience do visual math.
- Make sure all your axes have similar scales.
4. Slide Titles: Slide titles shouldn’t be there unless they add extra information. If you must use slide titles, use titles to convey take-home messages.
In summary, utilize these tips to help your data slides become clear and understandable for your audience.
Some additional resources:
Information about how to sparingly use color in your data visuals.
Line charts galore!