Make Your Presentations Easy on the Eyes So They’ll be Easier to Read

Whether you’re using a slide deck to share information during a meeting or giving a webinar presentation, white space is your — and your audience’s — friend.

No one wants to read a crowded screen. The eyes need a place to rest so the brain can better understand the information being conveyed.

Here are a few other things to keep in mind to make your communications easy on the eyes — and easy to comprehend:

• The more slides, the better. Spread your information over many slides rather than squeezing a lot of text onto just a few slides.

• Use lots of images, fewer words. The images should reinforce what you’re saying. Resist the urge to put your entire speech on the screen. You want the audience to pay attention to you rather than trying to read along.

• Use large font sizes — be kind and don’t make people squint. Generally, avoid font sizes smaller than 30 points.

• One rule of thumb: What’s the average of your audience? Make that your point size. E.g., if your audience is full of middle-aged people like me, shoot for 40-50 point type.

• Break up chunks of text with bullet points.

• Keep things simple. Choose two or three colors and a couple fonts. Avoid lots of flashy transitions.

• Generally, dark text against a light background is easier to read than light text against a dark background.

• If you use text against a colorful background, make sure there is a high degree of contrast so the text stands out.