Slide Design Essentials: Make Your Ideas Stick
Slides aren’t the talk—they’re a visual aid. Keep them clean, purposeful, and aligned to your message. These essentials help reduce cognitive load and increase recall.
Typography
Use one sans‑serif family with 2–3 weights. Aim for 28–44 pt for body in large rooms. Increase line height and contrast. Avoid all caps for long lines.
Hierarchy
Make the headline unmistakable. Use size and weight to signal importance. Each slide should answer: what’s the one thing I’m saying here?
Contrast and whitespace
Text must pass the squint test. Use generous margins. Remove boxes and lines unless they clarify meaning.
Visual proof
Favor charts, photos, and annotated screenshots over paragraphs. If you must show code or data, zoom into the relevant part and annotate it.
One idea per slide
If you need two ideas, make two slides. More clicks, fewer words.
Speaker notes
Keep notes for stories, not facts. Facts live on the slide; stories live in your delivery. Notes are a safety net, not a script.
Checklist
Big headline, readable body, one idea, strong contrast, visual proof. That’s it.