Design Principles for Memorable Presentation Slides
The principles of design
The principles of design serve as guidelines that designers must adhere to in order to craft compositions that are both visually appealing and effective. These foundational principles include Emphasis, balance and Alignment, Contrast, Repetition, proportion, Movement, and White Space.
Emphasis:
To ensure the effectiveness of your design, it is crucial to incorporate an element that stands out and captures the audience’s attention. This can be achieved through deliberate choices in object size, color, or placement, strategically directing the focus towards a specific part of the composition.
Balance and alignment
It is essential to bear in mind that every element placed on a page carries a visual weight, which can be influenced by factors such as color, size, or texture. Similar to how you wouldn’t place all your furniture in one corner of a room, it is important to avoid clustering heavy elements in a single area of your composition. Without achieving a sense of balance, your audience may experience a visual imbalance and feel as if their gaze is being pushed away from the page.
Symmetrical design achieves balance by evenly distributing weighted elements on both sides of a central line, while asymmetrical design achieves equilibrium by juxtaposing contrasting weights in a composition that is intentionally uneven.
Contrast
A common concern expressed by designers regarding client feedback often relates to clients requesting a design to have more “pop.” Although the term may seem arbitrary, what clients typically mean is that the design requires increased contrast. Contrast, in design, pertains to the differences between elements, particularly those that are adjacent to each other, which help certain elements to stand out. It is crucial to consider contrast not only for aesthetic purposes but also to ensure accessibility in design. Insufficient contrast can significantly impede the readability of text content, especially for individuals with visual impairments.
Repetition
By limiting yourself to a selection of two strong typefaces or three vibrant colors, you may find the need to repeat certain elements in your design. This repetition is not only acceptable but often beneficial, as it helps unify and reinforce the overall composition. Without repetition, a single instance of a specific style or element, such as a blue italic sans-serif font on a band poster, can appear as an error.
However, when you incorporate three instances of that same style or element, it transforms into a deliberate motif, reinstating control over your design. Repetition also holds significance beyond individual printed products. In contemporary packaging design, there is a notable trend of embracing beautiful, illustrated patterns. Similarly, for startups, a strong logo becomes a crucial element to feature across various platforms such as websites, business cards, and social media.
Proportion
Proportion, a fundamental principle of design, pertains to the visual size and weight of components within a composition and their interrelationships. It is often more effective to approach the design process by focusing on individual parts rather than the entire design as a whole. Proportion plays a significant role when considering the principles of design.
For instance, placing a box at the bottom of a poster for ticket information or incorporating a sidebar on a website for a search bar demonstrates the importance of grouping related topics to give them appropriate significance on a smaller scale. Achieving well-sized and intelligently arranged aspects throughout the design is crucial in ensuring the principle of proportion. Once alignment, balance, and contrast are mastered, proportion should naturally emerge within the composition.
Movement
Movement in design refers to the path the eye follows while observing a composition. It involves strategically guiding the viewer’s gaze from one significant element to the next in a sequential manner. This can be achieved through thoughtful positioning, as certain areas of a design naturally attract initial attention. Emphasis, along with other previously mentioned design elements, also contribute to directing the movement of the eye through the composition, ensuring that the most important elements lead to the next in a cohesive and engaging manner.
White space
White space, a fundamental principle of design, pertains to the vacant or unoccupied areas surrounding the various elements within a design composition. It encompasses the space between text, images, buttons, and other objects that are visible to users on a page or screen. White space plays a critical role in design as it provides a sense of balance, improves readability, and enhances the overall visual appeal of the composition.
Why is presentation design important?
The significance of presentation design lies in its ability to benefit the audience members. Well-designed and visually appealing slides effectively communicate the main points, ensuring that the audience remains engaged. This is particularly crucial in scenarios where audience members have limited attention spans or attend multiple presentations within a day.
Conclusion
A design achieves its optimal purpose by adhering to the principles of design. These principles encompass emphasis, alignment and balance, contrast, repetition, proportion, movement, and white space. By placing a strong emphasis on these aspects, designers can enhance the quality of the final design.