I love this video on You Tube by comedian Don McMillan. Using humor, he gives us a great lesson in how NOT to use PowerPoint. The reason it is funny is because we’ve all seen these offenses committed time and time again. So, what are the rules of PowerPoint design? My friend, Dr. William Earnest, has written a great book to answer that very question. You can order it from the publisher’s website. Here are a few design tips, courtesy of Dr. Earnest, to get you started on the right foot the next time you have to create a presentation.

1. Use san serif fonts like Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, or Trebuchet.
2. Make text large enough to see. Aim for 44 pt. titles, 32 pt. bullets, and 24 pt. sub-bullets.
3. Use key words, not complete sentences.
4. Give each graph its own slide to ensure each one is large enough to be seen clearly.
5. Use light-colored backgrounds. In most cases, lighter backgrounds are easier on the eyes.