4 slide design tips to elevate your next presentation

Simple, clear visuals and supplemental text elements enhance your message rather than overwhelming your audience. Consider these suggestions for your next talk.

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To create great presentation slides, consider the human attention span.

Picture yourself arriving at the last presentation you attended. You were probably one of many and could melt into the crowd; you were interested but preoccupied. You had a phone in your pocket, a to-do list in your head and your next meal on your mind.

The presenter was vulnerable. In the next few moments, she could captivate you—or lose you with a barrage of information.

Studies show that humans don’t multitask effectively; instead, we switch our attention rapidly between tasks. Multitasking gets in the way of productivity, decreasing efficiency by as much as 40 percent.

MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller explains: “People can’t multitask very well, and when people say they can, they’re deluding themselves.”

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