Create a Better Slideshow Deck: Use Visual Waypoints
Reusing layouts or styles through a slideshow deck can have many great benefits. Like putting up informative guideposts as you walk your viewers through your presentation.
A Familiar but Powerful Concept for Presentations
You won't be completely unfamiliar with this concept. A popular use of it in slide decks is the title slide. Often different then the rest of the presentation, it calls out a transition to a new topic. As long as each title slide looks the same, the viewer comes to expect the change.
To take this to the next level, apply that same reuse of familiar layouts to similar slides.
Easy & Useful Slide Creation by Reusing Layouts
Imagine that your slideshow deck has a few slides with resources for the audience to try. Rather than new layouts for each you design one strong layout and apply that to them all. Besides making slide creation easier, you are training the audience. Each time they see this layout, they know there is a resource for them.
The principle can be applied to any repeating slide type:
- Graphs or data
- Resources
- Quotes
- Tips or tricks
- Links or further reading
- Photos or graphics
(want some guidelines to ensure your slides have impact? Check out the guidelines on Using Fonts, Reusing Design Elements, and Layouts with Nice Spacing)
Don't work harder, work with impact!
Sometimes knowing a trick or application can result in the best of both worlds. Easier slide creation and more impact.
Cheers to your repeating design success!