8 Lessons from 8 Years at Google
| Growth
There's no art to slide-writing.
It's not an art and a science.
It's just science.
Crafting visually appealing and informative presentations isn't guesswork. There's a clear methodology to delivering presentations that stick with your audience.
Herng Lee, Strategy & Operations Manager at Google, offers tried-and-tested strategies for slide design and presentation structure.
Great headlines are assertive ("The iFold will capture 47% of the foldable market by 2030") or action-led ("5 billion dollar investment needed to make the iFold market leader").
For help, use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate variations.
Do your headline-only slides tell a logical story? If not, identify gaps or redundancies.
Choose language that evokes optimism, confidence, or a need for caution depending on your aims and audience.
Start presentations with the key takeaway, followed by supporting points, and finally the underlying data. This aligns with how audiences want to consume information.
Maintain control over your presentation flow by avoiding complex animations that hinder efficient navigation.
Opt for clarity over flashiness to ensure your message is understood even if your deck is circulated without you present.
Every slide needs a CTA for the audience. Restructure neutral data points into messages with clear implications.
Bar charts, scatter plots, and other easily understood visuals are best. Limit the use of intricate charts that might be misinterpreted.
Numbered callout boxes guide the audience's eyes to the most crucial information and establish clear connections between your points and the supporting data.
Don't try to say everything. Highlight the insights that make the strongest case for your main argument.
Always put numbers in perspective. Is 10% growth amazing or alarming? The comparison determines the impact.