Slide Design in 2009: Changes

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Life changes every day, and the world goes around. And even if we did nothing, said nothing, or put ourselves in the depths of contentment, change will still happen. Change is akin to growth—and that growth might be a sapling sprouting from its seed or a conglomerate increasing its reach in world markets.

Both the sapling and the conglomerate can use PowerPoint slides in different ways—and that’s the ironical twist in the tale that brings us to the subject of this blog post. Before, we tell you where PowerPoint slides come in the picture, let us share some info about the inspiration for this post.

Olivia Mitchell of the Speaking about Presenting blog sent a note about this new group blog initiative that she was spearheading to collect opinions about PowerPoint design changes in 2009. Fresh from vacation, work on the next book was underway, and the inbox was overflowing. But Olivia was persistent—and she even responded to our request to view posts by others.

Ellen Finkelstein, a dear friend says “design” rhymes with “2009”. And half a dozen posts later, we knew we had different (but not opposing) opinions than the rest. So, we got started with this post.

So, now about PowerPoint slide design, and what we are hoping will change in 2009. We kept our list very simple with ideas you can use straightaway. If this helps, do come back and read this post again because most of our thoughts seem to indicate that “repeat” is a great word! Of course, feel free to comment on that as well.

1. Something, Nothing, and Everything

First of all, as we mentioned earlier, change happens if you do something, and also if you do nothing. However, that statement is not an incentive to do nothing, but it certainly does indicate that you need to sometimes press the pause button.

At some point, most presenters fall into the trap of doing too much—overloading slides with information and, in the process, obscuring the core message beneath unnecessary detail. Exercising restraint is often the simplest and most effective way to improve slide quality. This does not mean discarding valuable content; instead, supplementary material can be made available as handouts or downloadable resources. With less on each slide, more time and attention can be devoted to thoughtful design, resulting in clearer communication and stronger visual impact.

2. Think Ahead of Time

When insufficient time is invested in shaping the message and narrative flow of a presentation, the impact is often reflected in the design as well. While time constraints are sometimes unavoidable, this challenge can be mitigated by proactively developing a set of core concept slides for frequent use—well before a specific presentation needs to be designed or delivered. This approach ensures greater consistency, clarity, and efficiency when timelines are tight.

3. Start with Paper

Always start your presentation on paper—draw your ideas, link relationships between concepts, and create a storyboard. Take another sheet of paper, redo the entire thing. This time, remove all unwanted info, and fine-tune further. Repeat as often as required—show this to a trusted colleague or friend, and use their opinions where relevant. Think of the entire presentation from the audience point of view, and make more changes. This process will create an effective slide design in your mind, subconsciously. It just works!

4. Next, the Computer

Now move the concept to the computer—and don’t start with PowerPoint yet. Use a mind mapping application if you are comfortable with it, or just use Notepad or Microsoft Word—create a sequence and flow between successive concepts. Rethink, reorder, and reorient as required—repeat as often as you want

5. Read more books in 2009

Get to read more books in 2009, but don’t think they are the end-all. Consider them as inspiration to learn more, think about presenting concepts, and experiment with your design. We’ll recommend these books:

• The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures by Dan Roam.
• Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter) by Garr Reynolds.
• slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations by Nancy Duarte
• And of course, do read my book Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit that I co-authored with Echo Swinford.

Conclusion

As we move through 2009, one truth remains constant: effective slide design grows from clarity, intention, and thoughtful preparation. Whether we pause to simplify, sketch ideas on paper, or refine our narrative before opening PowerPoint, each deliberate step strengthens the final message. Change in design isn’t about trends alone—it’s about cultivating habits that help presenters communicate with purpose. By reading, experimenting, and revisiting the fundamentals, anyone can elevate their slides from routine to remarkable. And like all meaningful improvements, the key lies in repeating what works and refining what doesn’t.