Breaking the Rules: Tidy, Bulleted Lists
March 19, 2007 Filed in: Breaking the
Rules
We all know what to do when we need to present a list
of information on a slide – break out the bulleted
list layout, and plug in the facts. The results are
predictable and reliable but are also, unfortunately,
bland and repetitive.
In a presentation I have given a couple of times, I broke one of my rules while revising the slides and had several points on each slide. However, the tidy lists tend to be visually repetitive, and all information is equal. Bulleted lists equalize data – nothing appears more effective or more important than anything else.
In changing approaches, I kept a tidy list when presenting the facts because all of the information was equal in my opinion. However, when it comes to interventions, my experience has shown some more effective than others. In this approach, I scattered the data, and they appear in no particular order. Here, some points are larger than others, non-verbally communicating my experienced effectiveness of that strategy.
In addition to eschewing bulleted lists, these slides are also more visually engaging and the language is simpler. Less reading equals better listening. Even though they are conventionally accepted, bullets are not always the best solution for presenting information. Break the predictable, and arrange your information in a way that is unexpected and fresh, helping your talk be all the more unique and memorable for your audience.
Additional reading: Presentation Zen: Bullets and "delusional" briefing slides
In a presentation I have given a couple of times, I broke one of my rules while revising the slides and had several points on each slide. However, the tidy lists tend to be visually repetitive, and all information is equal. Bulleted lists equalize data – nothing appears more effective or more important than anything else.
In changing approaches, I kept a tidy list when presenting the facts because all of the information was equal in my opinion. However, when it comes to interventions, my experience has shown some more effective than others. In this approach, I scattered the data, and they appear in no particular order. Here, some points are larger than others, non-verbally communicating my experienced effectiveness of that strategy.
In addition to eschewing bulleted lists, these slides are also more visually engaging and the language is simpler. Less reading equals better listening. Even though they are conventionally accepted, bullets are not always the best solution for presenting information. Break the predictable, and arrange your information in a way that is unexpected and fresh, helping your talk be all the more unique and memorable for your audience.
Additional reading: Presentation Zen: Bullets and "delusional" briefing slides