The usage context is enough
Many of today's VC pitches are about some sort of mobile technology. It is very hard to find good images of people using modern phones at shop check outs (stock photographers: this is a business opportunity). I actually am not to concerned about showing the device. Giving a good feel for the usage occasion is much more important.
Asking the stupid question
In the middle of a design project, I decided to ask the client the fundamental question again: “So what is this about again?”. It was followed by a short silence in which I could imagine the eyes rolling at the other end of the phone line. The short and candid answer to the stupid question was actually very useful in the design process. It is OK to ask stupid questions. It is useful to have an outsider do it.
JPEGmini compresses file size not quality
JPEGmini has a new technology to compress the sizes of JPG files dramatically without quality loss. I took it for a test drive in snow-covered Amsterdam. My file was reduced from 2.4MB to 0.4MB and only by zooming into the image (click on the second image) you can see a slight, but only slight loss of brightness (can you tell which one is the original?). A pretty impressive result. The question is whether the JPEGmini offering will stay free, and whether will get used to adding another step to an already complex image processing workflow (find image, save it with key words, crop/extend for presentation, adjust dimensions, save Photoshop file, save for web, drag into presentation).
Your monitor device
Rock bands use massive monitor speakers to hear themselves play in a concert. When you run a virtual presentation, you need something similar. Slide transitions can be delayed especially when you use high res images. You are on the next page, but your audience is not.
To prevent this, log into your own webinar with a second computer, or even an iPad or internet-enabled smart phone to see what your audience is seeing. The really skillful presenter switches slides on his own computer but continues to talk about the slide that is still in front of the audience.
Image by Anirudh Koul
To prevent this, log into your own webinar with a second computer, or even an iPad or internet-enabled smart phone to see what your audience is seeing. The really skillful presenter switches slides on his own computer but continues to talk about the slide that is still in front of the audience.
Image by Anirudh Koul
Infographic overload
The blog Bitrebels posted a number of infographics that compare the salaries of self-employed people in the U.S. versus those the U.K. Without picking on this particular design, this graphic shows common mistakes that often apear in infographic illustrations.
- Round up the numbers to the nearest $ 000. The digits behind the comma do not add anything.
- Group data together, a standard bar chart showing the 2 numbers with their delta is much clearer.
- Pick a meaningful comparison unit. More than 3,000 hamburgers is not.
Speaking at one of the Outstanding Presentations webinars
For the second year in a row, Ellen Finkelstein is organizing her Outstanding Presentations workshop, a series of 7 weekly webinars by guest speakers. I will be one of them. Here is the line up of presenters:
For your calendars: October 5, 14:00 EST
The sessions are free and will be recorded for later viewing. More information about the Outstanding Presentations webinars here. Please note that you still need to register if you want to view the recorded sessions.
- September 7: Carmen Taran, co-founder of Rexi Media and author of Better Beginnings
- September 14: Cliff Atkinson: author of the Beyond Bullet Points
- September 28: Bruce Gabrielle: Author of Speaking PowerPoint: The New Language of Business
- October 5: Me
- October 12: Simon Morton: Founder of Eyeful Presentations
- October 19: Andrew Dlugan: blogger at the Six Minutes blog
- October 23: Ellen Finkelstein will be wrapping up
For your calendars: October 5, 14:00 EST
The sessions are free and will be recorded for later viewing. More information about the Outstanding Presentations webinars here. Please note that you still need to register if you want to view the recorded sessions.
Product presentations and product catalogues are not the same thing
“Let me talk you through our exciting products!” And up comes the agenda page: product 1, product 2, product 3, product 4. Uh oh. Your audience starts checking whether there is guest WiFi to check some emails on the phone...
Product catalogues are an exhaustive description of what you have on offer. They are about you, not about the customer.
How can you keep a product or sales presentation interesting and relevant? Start explaining the overall architecture of your product range (we have big ones, and small ones, we work in this segment and that segment). Then, think about the needs of the customer in front of you and narrow down the options dramatically. Spend a lot of time / slides on solutions that are relevant for your audience, and surpress the urge to be complete and cover everything.
Product catalogues are an exhaustive description of what you have on offer. They are about you, not about the customer.
How can you keep a product or sales presentation interesting and relevant? Start explaining the overall architecture of your product range (we have big ones, and small ones, we work in this segment and that segment). Then, think about the needs of the customer in front of you and narrow down the options dramatically. Spend a lot of time / slides on solutions that are relevant for your audience, and surpress the urge to be complete and cover everything.
Data without context is meaningless (and boring)
The quarter is done, and here comes the day-long sales results presentation. Excel is pasted into PowerPoint, creating huge decks through which senior management has to sit through. Sales organizes by channel: small restaurants sales, growth; large restaurants sales, growth, supermarkets sales, growth. Marketing presents by brands: brand 1 sales, growth, brand 2 sales, growth.
If you are a marketing manager, looking at the Q3 sales and growth figures of a particular brand is really interesting. All the numbers of the previous quarters are more or less in your head. For the production manager though, going through these pages is mental torture, as she does not have the historical context readily available. (Read more about the Curse of Knowledge here)
The solution is the opposite of what I preach for bullet point charts: instead of breaking up slides into multiple pages, condense lots of data in 1 chart, but make it comparable. Put the quarter growth rates of all brands on a page and compare them. List the historical brand growth rates of the past 8 quarters on one page and see what is going on. There is no problem showing a massive amount of data on 1 slide, as long as it is about the same variable that is compared across different dimensions.
If you are a marketing manager, looking at the Q3 sales and growth figures of a particular brand is really interesting. All the numbers of the previous quarters are more or less in your head. For the production manager though, going through these pages is mental torture, as she does not have the historical context readily available. (Read more about the Curse of Knowledge here)
The solution is the opposite of what I preach for bullet point charts: instead of breaking up slides into multiple pages, condense lots of data in 1 chart, but make it comparable. Put the quarter growth rates of all brands on a page and compare them. List the historical brand growth rates of the past 8 quarters on one page and see what is going on. There is no problem showing a massive amount of data on 1 slide, as long as it is about the same variable that is compared across different dimensions.
Wacom Inkling
I still have not found the perfect device to transfer sketches to a computer. Drawing with the mouse does not work. I do not like using drawing pads that do not allow you to see what you just drew on the same surface, and the very large touch screens are very expense and so heavy that they are impossible to carry around. And carrying around is crucial for creative sketching. Ideas always come up when you are not at your desk.
So, that is why I am excited about the Wacom Inkling that was announced today. A sensor tracks the movements of a regular pen on normal paper and stores them. Once you connect the sensor to a computer, sketches are transferred.
I see 2 benefits for presentation design:
So, that is why I am excited about the Wacom Inkling that was announced today. A sensor tracks the movements of a regular pen on normal paper and stores them. Once you connect the sensor to a computer, sketches are transferred.
I see 2 benefits for presentation design:
- Enabling me to include cartoon-type drawings in my presentations. The key here is the option to use layers. Sketch a character roughly on a piece of paper. Press a button to open a new layer, and trace a more precise drawing over the rough one. Repeat the process of necessary. The top layer can now be of decent quality, and transfered as a vector to your computer. Great.
- An archive for sketches that can be filed and searched on a computer.
The big question: does it actually work? I took the risk and ordered one and will report back.
Unconventional balance sheet visualization
Financial statements are completely unsuitable to put on a PowerPoint slide: too dense, too much information. I like to use column charts to represent this information and dramatically cut the number of categories in the process. After a while, even accountants get used to it. The chart below gives an example of a balance sheet, in a real presentation I would add data labels rounded to 1 digit behind the dot.
Being too explicit?
I just returned from holiday and this interior shot of a Tuscany bathroom (taken HERE near the marble excavation sites of Carrara) is an interesting visual. The explicit instruction makes it so tempting to do the opposite. I complied, but am wondering how many times the sign is ignored.
Steve Jobs quotes
The site Apple of Wisdom is packed with quotes by Steve Jobs. Useful to spice up your presentation. Also, the site design is an example of a minimalist style blurring the boundaries between presentation slide and web site design.
Gobbledygook
Robin Wauters of TechCrunch linked back to an old TechCrunch post summing up words that are over-used in press releases (and presentations):
- Leading / leader
- Best / most / fastest / largest / biggest
- Innovative / innovation
- Revolutionary
- Award-winning
- Disruptive / disruption
- Cutting / bleeding edge
- Next-generation
- Strategic partnership
- Synergy
The post then goes on to link to The Gobbledygook Manifesto by David Meerman Scott. All useful reminders for presentation designers.
If you are about to use one of these terms, think again and see whether you really need them. If so, please use them, if not, change them for something more original.
Presentation design eBook can be downloaded
With the help of SalesCrunch, I have compiled an eBook of the 2 NYU presentations and the SalesCrunch webinar. Go here to download the eBook about presentation design. Some readers pointed out a few glitches to me, keep the feedback coming so I can improve it.
On becoming an independent designer
From feedback I understand that many of of the readers of this blog are in fact independent (presentation) designers as well. Some have already made the jump and started their own business, some are still pondering whether to do it. Here are some reflections on the process that I went through, and some of the things I learned.
Becoming an independent business is not easy. It takes time until you have figured out what the setup is that works best for you. What type of projects, what type of clients. Through a process of trial and error you get to where you want to be, slowly. Allow time for this process to happen, and realize that you will be constantly moving direction (I still am).
Small businesses tend to under-invest. Old software (or maybe even pirated software!), slow computers, small screens. All this is a tax deductible business expense/investment, leverage it to do better work and compete with larger firms.
Optimize your workflow. Use gmail with clever filters to make stay on top of email. Use dropbox to access your files anywhere from any device. Use freshbooks to track time and do your billing. Enjoy your freedom from the IT purchasing department and pick the right productivity tools.
Minimise businessn meetings. Social meetings with friends are fun and energizing. Business meetings are most of the time a big time sink. Drive to meeting, park, small talk, discuss business, small talk, drive. That was an entire morning wasted, and now that the day is partly gone, you probably won't start that big creative piece of work that you still have to do.
Cut yourself free from a specific location. Laptop. Files synced to dropbox. This is a major stress releaver.
Pick your niche and aim high. As a one-person business, you cannot be great at everything. But you can dominate a niche. Digital content can now travel anywhere, so the entire world is a potential customer base. If the market is that broad, you can afford to focus, focus, and focus.
Invest in a web presence and show your portfolio. By the time someone is contacting you, 70% of the sales work is done through researching you online.
Fixed prices. As long as you are charging your time out by the hour, you are still an employee. Without a boss that is, but still, a resource that has an hourly price tag on it. The moment you let go of this principle, you become a business. Certain projects will give you large profit, for others you will lose money as you did not estimate the time it would take you correctly. Fixed prices attach a value to your service. The market will dictate whether you are worth the price or not. If potential clients are not accepting your proposals, your value is simply not (yet) there. If you are flat out all the time, you are probably not charging enough.
Always do great work. Even if you are approaching your project budget, or your client somehow managed to get a really low project quote: deliver the great work and invest the hours at a lost if you have to. Clients do not understand budgets, they see the quality of the work, and they tell other potential clients about it. If you make a project time estimate, you take the responsibility. Do great work, or do not do the work at all if you cannot agree a price with your client.
Not all clients suit you. When you feel that it is just not clicking with a potential client, let it go and focus on getting those that have instant chemistry. Also, there is nothing wrong with firing a client even after you have worked with them for many years. Maybe the relationship got tired and you can no longer get yourself to do inspiring work, maybe the client fit when you just started out the business, but not anymore, maybe the client cannot afford your new prices. Part as friends, it is better for both of you.
Set your work hours. Do work when you are most productive. Turn work away if it forces you to work at times you do not want to (evenings, weekends, holidays). A fresh and rested mind designs the best presentations.
Here you go, my experience. Interpret it as such: what worked for me, might not fit completely with your situation.
Becoming an independent business is not easy. It takes time until you have figured out what the setup is that works best for you. What type of projects, what type of clients. Through a process of trial and error you get to where you want to be, slowly. Allow time for this process to happen, and realize that you will be constantly moving direction (I still am).
Small businesses tend to under-invest. Old software (or maybe even pirated software!), slow computers, small screens. All this is a tax deductible business expense/investment, leverage it to do better work and compete with larger firms.
Optimize your workflow. Use gmail with clever filters to make stay on top of email. Use dropbox to access your files anywhere from any device. Use freshbooks to track time and do your billing. Enjoy your freedom from the IT purchasing department and pick the right productivity tools.
Minimise businessn meetings. Social meetings with friends are fun and energizing. Business meetings are most of the time a big time sink. Drive to meeting, park, small talk, discuss business, small talk, drive. That was an entire morning wasted, and now that the day is partly gone, you probably won't start that big creative piece of work that you still have to do.
Cut yourself free from a specific location. Laptop. Files synced to dropbox. This is a major stress releaver.
Pick your niche and aim high. As a one-person business, you cannot be great at everything. But you can dominate a niche. Digital content can now travel anywhere, so the entire world is a potential customer base. If the market is that broad, you can afford to focus, focus, and focus.
Invest in a web presence and show your portfolio. By the time someone is contacting you, 70% of the sales work is done through researching you online.
Fixed prices. As long as you are charging your time out by the hour, you are still an employee. Without a boss that is, but still, a resource that has an hourly price tag on it. The moment you let go of this principle, you become a business. Certain projects will give you large profit, for others you will lose money as you did not estimate the time it would take you correctly. Fixed prices attach a value to your service. The market will dictate whether you are worth the price or not. If potential clients are not accepting your proposals, your value is simply not (yet) there. If you are flat out all the time, you are probably not charging enough.
Always do great work. Even if you are approaching your project budget, or your client somehow managed to get a really low project quote: deliver the great work and invest the hours at a lost if you have to. Clients do not understand budgets, they see the quality of the work, and they tell other potential clients about it. If you make a project time estimate, you take the responsibility. Do great work, or do not do the work at all if you cannot agree a price with your client.
Not all clients suit you. When you feel that it is just not clicking with a potential client, let it go and focus on getting those that have instant chemistry. Also, there is nothing wrong with firing a client even after you have worked with them for many years. Maybe the relationship got tired and you can no longer get yourself to do inspiring work, maybe the client fit when you just started out the business, but not anymore, maybe the client cannot afford your new prices. Part as friends, it is better for both of you.
Set your work hours. Do work when you are most productive. Turn work away if it forces you to work at times you do not want to (evenings, weekends, holidays). A fresh and rested mind designs the best presentations.
Here you go, my experience. Interpret it as such: what worked for me, might not fit completely with your situation.
Arial versus Helvetica (2)
Microsoft did not want to pay font license fees for Helvetica and designed its own Arial knock off. Arial definitely does not look as good as the original (earlier post here). Why? There are only minor differences in the characters.
I think the main reason is the availability of weights. In Helvetica, I like using the light and medium font weights. Arial installed on my machine comes in a blunt regular (somewhere in between light and medium), and has a bold that is too heavy.
What do you think?
I think the main reason is the availability of weights. In Helvetica, I like using the light and medium font weights. Arial installed on my machine comes in a blunt regular (somewhere in between light and medium), and has a bold that is too heavy.
What do you think?
Making quotes prettier
Slides with quotes can be powerful. The standard lay out of quotes is not very interesting. I make manual adjustments to increase the size of the quotes, and make sure the first quote has a small indent. See an example below.
Audience feedback
Presenting to an audience is no different than having a one on one conversation with someone. You can read the signals. When are people surprised, amused, intrigued, bored, confused? Pick up the non-verbal feedback and try to adjust.
You will be in for some surprises. I have been surprised many times. Slides that I thought were funny, were not. Points I thought were clear, were in fact confusing. Stories that I thought were somewhat dull (and I was considering cutting them), got people interested.
If the lighting in the room is poor, the people in first-row will probably end up being your focus group.
You will be in for some surprises. I have been surprised many times. Slides that I thought were funny, were not. Points I thought were clear, were in fact confusing. Stories that I thought were somewhat dull (and I was considering cutting them), got people interested.
If the lighting in the room is poor, the people in first-row will probably end up being your focus group.
Holiday schedule
Over the next weeks I will be spending more time with my family, and less time at the computer. Hence, the frequency of posting on the blog will go down. But many of you are probably doing exactly the same thing, so hopefully you will not feel too deprived of your daily dosis of presentation inspiration.
Icon images
What do I mean by an “icon image”? A direct visualization of the title or a concept. For example: a small image of a wallnut on the summary “In a nutshell” slide, a photo of Albert Einstein on the page that reads “Smart product architecture”, a bag full of $100 bills on the revenue model chart.
These images are similar to icons that people use in computer software or web sites. They quickly remind the viewer what it is that you are talking about. But these icons are exactly as inefficient as text in getting your message across. When the audience sees the word “smart”, or sees the small image of a brain, it still does not understand why that product architecture is so smart.
You can find a better visualization.
These images are similar to icons that people use in computer software or web sites. They quickly remind the viewer what it is that you are talking about. But these icons are exactly as inefficient as text in getting your message across. When the audience sees the word “smart”, or sees the small image of a brain, it still does not understand why that product architecture is so smart.
You can find a better visualization.
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