Connections to Visual Rhetoric
Slide:ology is at its best when providing clear and immediately applicable advice. For example, the sections of the book that focused on simplifying the information on each slide – particularly in the amount of text and number of bullets, helping audience members easily jump to the important points when data is displayed graphically, and keeping a clean background with plenty of white space – offered opportunities for powerful and accessible improvement. Coupled with the clearly defined process for weaning oneself off of a dependence on text-heavy slides for a more natural and engaging presentation, this guidance toward simplicity marked some of the most accessible and valuable information provided by the book.
Duarte claims that presentations are a combination of message, visual story, and delivery, and that the typical presenter only focuses on the message – not how the visual story in the slides and their delivery impact the audience’s understanding of that message. Duarte guides readers to consider their audience throughout the entire process of storyboarding, designing slides that tell their story, and practicing for a compelling delivery (effectively guiding readers to become savvy rhetoricians both verbally and visually). The guidance toward making sure that the visuals used serve to illustrate and strengthen the message rather than just looking impressive conveys a deep understanding of design not just as window dressing, but as visual meaning-making.
Duarte was also effective in addressing the development of a content strategy for presentations when multiple individuals at a company will regularly be creating presentations. She addresses issues of governance (who owns these templates) and enabling presenters to effectively represent the company through the creation of flexible, but consistent templates and brand guidelines.
Duarte claims that presentations are a combination of message, visual story, and delivery, and that the typical presenter only focuses on the message – not how the visual story in the slides and their delivery impact the audience’s understanding of that message. Duarte guides readers to consider their audience throughout the entire process of storyboarding, designing slides that tell their story, and practicing for a compelling delivery (effectively guiding readers to become savvy rhetoricians both verbally and visually). The guidance toward making sure that the visuals used serve to illustrate and strengthen the message rather than just looking impressive conveys a deep understanding of design not just as window dressing, but as visual meaning-making.
Duarte was also effective in addressing the development of a content strategy for presentations when multiple individuals at a company will regularly be creating presentations. She addresses issues of governance (who owns these templates) and enabling presenters to effectively represent the company through the creation of flexible, but consistent templates and brand guidelines.