PowerPoint Design Queen

Powerful PowerPoint Book

Rhea — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:55:30 +0000

Occasionally, I come across a book or two that offers up some great PowerPoint content. Most recently, I started to read:

“Presentation Zen Design” by Garr Renyolds

There were some information nuggets that were helpful to a fellow graphic designer who is seeking to create powerful PowerPoints for clients. As seen on the jacket of this book, there are many quotes from industry-folk that appreciate it as well. To quote:

“To change the world, you need to pitch. To pitch, you need to design. To design, you need this book.”
—Guy Kawasaki, Co-founder, Alltop.com, and former chief evangelist of Apple

This book is supposed to be for the non-professionally trained designer, but even if you are one, it may illuminate and highlight some concepts that you already knew, but they were buried deep down by corporate democracy and needed to be lifted out from within. Okay, maybe I am getting a little deep, but when you have the word ZEN in your book title, it tends to do that to you.

The chapters are broken-up into digestible categories, making it easy to select what you want to read first and foremost. The summary sections I found most important. An overview of each chapter, a way for me to skim the material. This helped so that I could read this, and still accomplish the other 300 things on my to-do list, without feeling bogged down by a large book. And the visuals, the photos, they were very… Zen. If you would like to pick one main PowerPoint how-to book, to push the “designer” in you, this is a must for your bookshelf. Or your Kindle.

“Some problems…are not bullet-izable.”

Rhea — Wed, 05 May 2010 22:25:13 +0000

Wow. That about says it all, doesn’t it? “Some problems in the world are not bullet-izable.” Quoted in a New York Times article, by Brig. General H. R. McMaster, (who, according to the article, “banned PowerPoint presentations when he led the successful effort to secure the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar in 2005…. by likening PowerPoint to an internal threat”). And yes, there are so many times that PowerPoint slides ARE in the wrong hands and it is like an INTERNAL THREAT – to your marketing department, your clients, your customers!

Then there is the slide they, um, hmm, (I cannot say designed), mapped out… Check it out.

Richard Engel, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent, goes on to say, “They say this slide is what happens when smart people are asked to come up with a solution to the wrong question.” Well, the PowerPoint Queen, as well as any other designer out there looking, may say that they can see a myriad of ways that this can be improved and it isn’t the fault of the PowerPoint program, although I do agree that the on-going, ever-so-boring, bulleted list PPTs have a thing or two to learn about HOW you are educating and getting your MESSAGE across.

Even the government has figured that out! How on earth did that happen!!??

Where do I start?

Rhea — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 23:20:38 +0000

This question is asked a lot – Where do I start? “I have this template and I’ve dropped in some text but I am not sure how to make this more lively. The template isn’t working well and how do I add charts that look good? Oh, and I have these 20 other slides that I want to merge in from 2 other presentations that are in a different template. HELP – where do I start? Can you offer some advice?”

Hmmm, advice? Sure. Do the job for you over the phone? Sorry, can’t do that. The Queen can certainly provide some basic guidelines. Not every job has a budget for the Queen to become involved and get her hands on it to make it sparkle. But there are options:

You can have the Queen clean the template up and merge the pages so that they are applied to the new template and then you can do the rest. You can have the Queen simply work on the charts or icons. You can hire the Queen to train you so you can take it from there.

Here are a few samples pages from a recently PowerPoint presentation created for a nationally well-known printer, requiring redesign of their template, as well as clean-up and the merging of many decks into one.

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MERISEL, INC — Since printing is their business, their PowerPoints are typically printed, but they wanted to have the ability to take them for sales calls, edit them on-the-spot or email them as needed. The images have to look crisp and clear and the presentation fresh and colorful. Their older decks were looking dated and it was time for an update!

Would you like to know what the Queen would do, the steps taken, to get the above completed? Here are a few (pssst, save this someplace):

1) Open your slide deck. (Hey, you have to start someplace… right?)

2) Make sure your over-all look and feel is set-up in the Master pages. Ideal is a simple Title and Bulleted slide. That is the location to drop your logo, and set the text boxes in the locations and sizes you want them so that they show up like that across the board for all of your slides.

3) Get out of the Master template pages and into your deck and start applying the Slide Layouts to the appropriate slides.

4) You can, of course, touch-up each page as needed (add a chart, an image draw and arrow to point at something), but you should always start from the Master pages. Creating slides page-by-page is not only time-consuming, it’s not smart. What if you are asked to now change the font, or a color of the headline? If you set that up in the Master pages, you change one item, and wholla – they all change. If you hand-changed them page-by-page… good luck…

5) PowerPoint is frustrating in the sense that it will “Apply” the layout and then you may need to “Reapply” the layout again. Maybe even a couple of times. Just check from slide to slide to make sure you’re pages are looking consistent.

6) If you have to now bring in a bunch of slides from another presentation, you’re about set-up and ready to do that without too many hiccups. (DISCLAIMER: There are always hiccups when using PowerPoint – just deal with it).

7) In the Slide Sorter view, select the slides to copy and paste over into your new deck. You most likely will have to “Reapply” the layout to the slides as needed, and colors may change, graphs may shift… again, this is all part of the game.

Add photos and charts with the Insert menu, or double-click on the set-up pages within the deck (if you set that Layout design to your page).

9) Add animation per click or automatically and then you’re done!

Just a few basics. There are so many more. But you see, you could do it. What’s that? You still want it prettier or jazzed-up design added? Better resolution photos? Animation to be slick? Okay… send it on over.

Community Event Highlight

Rhea — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:26:32 +0000

All work and no play makes… well, you know how that goes.

The way that the PowerPoint Queen likes to play is through giving back to the community. Creating posters for events, volunteering to host booths at relays, serve food, get donations, organize – whatever it takes. Most recently, we will be involved in a local neighbor’s life, helping to raise money for his family during a time of crisis – reoccurring brain cancer.

To read more about it, and join us in this endeavor, please find more information here and you can also find more about this in the local newspapers too. Donate your time, your money, come to the Silent Auction, buy tickets to eat at the dinner – please do what you can.

And I promise you – this type of fun will help prevent you from ever being dull…

Del Clark

Just a Reminder…

Rhea — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:59:28 +0000

…to all of you clients out there who are always in a rush….

What version are you using?

Rhea — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:56:53 +0000

Year after year, as a graphic designer who works on a Mac, I am asked if I have learned, or embraced KeyNote (the Mac equivalent of PowerPoint). Now believe me – I would LOVE to. I have tooled around in that program enough to know that it is very powerful, easy-to-use and has so many advanced features (are you listening Powerpoint creators??).

But, alas, who out there in Corporate America is on a Mac? Let alone even knows what KeyNote is?? So the answer is still “No” but that is okay. Embracing PowerPoint and learning how to make it better, playful and interactive is what we are all striving to do. However, the clunkiness of the program does get a bit disturbing at times.

Some of my favorite PowerPoints are via Corporate America, via their Marketeers. They love PowerPoint because it allows them to work with creatives, be creative themselves (I use that word loosely here), and there can be a document that can go back and forth between all departments with little ‘what program do you use’ drama.

Keeping in mind a few thoughts though – What version of PowerPoint are you working in? I mention this because it is VERY important to know before you get started with a presentation. It can cause a lot of grief otherwise. The older versions, (2003 pc, 2004 mac) do not support multiple page templates but the newer ones do (2007 pc, 2008 mac). Imagine the mess if you were to set-up a PPT in a newer version and someone then opens it in an older version and cannot use it! I have run into this many times.

KEY: Always KNOW what the end-result is to be: a one-time presentation-only, an emailable PPT, hand-outs only, something that will be used and passed around and updated? Then, set out to find out about the versions and explain the advantages and pit-falls of both. Believe me, it’ll save everyone a lot of grief to tackle these issues ahead of time. Learned that lesson the hard way throughout the years.

Below are a few of my favorite Corporate America examples from one of the best companies I had the pleasure to work for, Qualcomm, Inc in San Diego.

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Qualcomm, inc — When you work in a Marketing atmosphere, there are typically a lot of PowerPoints flying around. The nice part about the ones we created at Qualcomm, is that they had a designer-flare and were not boring or tacky in any way what-so-ever.

Maid-Service for PowerPoints

Rhea — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:04:07 +0000

After an email exchange with a health corporation in NYC, and the request to help them “clean-up” a presentation, I said, “Just call me the maid-service for PowerPoints… sweeping and cleaning them up.” And that’s a lot of what I do on a daily basis for presentations. Cleaning them up.

A lot of times a template has been created for a company and then all of the past presentations need to be placed within that new template. Sometimes easier said then done. Lots of small elements can shift and change, colors to be adjusted, fonts to be matched and animations to sync up. Sometimes it can take longer to “clean-up” a presentation than it is to create one!!

Then, once you’ve cleaned it up, you notice that the old charts do not look as nice, so maybe those should be refreshed or redone. And that can open a whole can of worms right there. Cleaning up a PowerPoint presentation is a fun challenge. For me, it comes down to this: how can I shine this up? What will make this more exciting or appealing, but realizing, I cannot change the content, I cannot change the amount of pages (but come on, it has 90 pages!!), but I can change the template and the look and feel… wheee… good times! Just call me the maid-service provider for your PowerPoint. At your service.

Oh! And some exciting news. There is an annual Presentation Summit that takes place so that you can learn and be taught more about your PowerPoint presentations. This year it is in San Diego, my old stomping grounds. Maybe I will see you there!

Why spend money on a PowerPoint?

Rhea — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:05:20 +0000

Over the years, I have spend a many hours prepping bids and creating estimates for clients interested in a PowerPoint. Sometimes it’s a new, fresh design. Sometimes it’s a redesign or an “upgrade.” Either way, the time spent is still time spent but there are obviously varying degrees of energy exerted on projects based on need.

Some of what to consider for a PowerPoint presentation bid are the following:
- Are there to be flow-charts or graphs?
- Any custom illustration or photo research involved?
- Copywriting or ceondensing of material?
- Revamp or over-haul of the design or just a simple template?
- Light animation or very detailed animation?
- Due tomorrow (ie: rush fee)?

With this check-list in mind, I have developed a rough per page price, plus design time for charts, and production of the entire piece. It helps for range estimates. Then the client sees it.

Many times, the bids are received and we move into scheduling stages and into production. Other times, I may be questioned on my estimates. And then I talk to the client about their needs and why they came to me in the first place. Here is my reasoning as to why you should spend money on a PowerPoint (hence the above title…see, I was getting to it people, have some patience).

A lot of companies use their PowerPoint as their brochure. They may be pitching to someone else who has perhaps seen some of their collateral, at least their web site and maybe talked to someone in person. But usually, a power point is emailed or presented in person by the company as their first — and last — impression.

When a company goes to XYZ Ad Agency to get a brochure completed, the design time and the printing costs can get high. PowerPoints, in my book, are brochures with legs. They move. They morph. They can be adjusted. They jump off the screen or onto a page, into a PDF. They have some spirit and some zing.

A recent company that contacted me, after finding me here I might add, respected the cost and understand the value incorporated into a good PowerPoint. Below is a sample of the presentation I worked up for their proposals. And they are a venture capital company, knowing where and how to move money for smart investments. And they just made a smart investment in themselves. Something I recommend all companies do from time to time – invest in your PowerPoints – I promise it will be worth it!!

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True Venture — Based in San Francisco, True Ventures contacted me to liven up their existing presentation. They wanted to stay inline with their web site but add a level of slickness, high-tech and advanced feeling to their PowerPoint. By picking some gradations and updated colors (greens and bright blues), along with some layers for texture, we were able to create something fresh. There was even some soft animation added for some sophistication.

Word — templates & design

Rhea — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:59:36 +0000

Now why would a PowerPoint Queen (who is also well versed in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), be taking the time to talk about creating Word templates? Or (gasp!) actually designing in Word?? Perhaps it is because this has become a new passion of mine. ‘No way!’ you say. ‘How can that be? Who is passionate about Word?’

(Raising hand) — Me!! Me!!

What an odd concept, right? But it makes sense if you think about it. Both are Microsoft programs, so therefore, they have similar menus and abilities. And yes, both can also be equally frustrating. But that is where I come in. Knowing that we can stretch a PowerPoint to look and feel like a Flash piece and beyond, we can make a Word document look more, well, “designed.” What a concept!

Granted, we are not talking about a program that is set-up to work just like one of the fancy Adobe programs (that I confess to love dearly of course), but you can push and stretch Word to have some high design, hold style sheets, place photos, text boxes, links, and maintain the document as one would in any other type of layout program. Word templates and designs that I have worked on allow the client the ability to fill with their content, or change, or make edits on the fly. And they love that. So why fight it?

Stay tuned and more Word template designs will appear here. But, if you are in the need of a project, I do have some I can show you right now. One-stop shop right here — Let’s get started!

Photography vs Illustrations

Rhea — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:29:46 +0000

Do not use clip art in your PowerPoint, please. Wait. Not strong enough. Do NOT use clip art in your PowerPoint, OKAY?! I am not sure what happens when someone is putting together a presentation. Do YOU like to look at those dinky, poorly drawn drawings? No? Well then, why would you think that someone else would want to do so? Clipart immediately brings down the professional level of your presentation. There are a ton of wonderful illustrations out there, for sale, that are not that pricey, but add a much better level of understanding. And they are not that hard to find – or that expensive! (iStock is one that comes to mind). And then there is custom designed icons or illustrations that help convey your theme exactly. When I bring that level of detail to a presentation, it transcends the minutia and brings class and excitement to your piece. Here are a few examples of some lovely illustrations within a PowerPoint. Some purchased, some hand-drawn.

This first one shows how a doctor’s office works for a local Corporation. Some of the icons are purchased, but the overall house and buildings were hand-drawn.

Custom-drawn icons that explain what the concept of this presentation is all about.

Photography is a whole different animal. Typically, companies have their “type” of photography style delineated and put together in some form of guidelines for external contractors to follow. The most important element to consider is resolution and size. If you are presenting to a group and no one will be receiving this presentation, keep your resolution around 150-DPI. But, if you are emailing this file, keep them at 72-DPI so that your over-all file size is smaller. Below are some successful images that have impact and tell a story.