We need to talk about your slides

Chances are you're forcing your slides to do three major jobs

And they were only designed to do one job well.

The first question I want you to ask yourself when you want to consider slides is:

  • Do I really need slides?

It could be that you want is more about that human to human connection. But if you decide to proceed and make slides, then make them visual and make them do the work they were designed to do.

By visual I mean a:

  • photograph

  • artwork

  • map

  • chart and so on.

Don’t make your slides do two other major jobs.

Because if you make your slides also serve as your notes, they're tend to have too much on them. And if you also make your slide serve as the handout, a handout should be much more detailed than what's going to go on the slides.

Best case, you’ll create a separate handout and separate notes for yourself, if you need notes. Yes, this is more work, but it can also serve your audience better.