Kuler/Color
Here’s a procedure I use all the time to help me select color combinations for my reporting. It makes use of this great, free, online program that takes all the scientific color theory stuff and...
View ArticleSlow Reveal
Most of the time I advocate for replacing words with images when presenting slideshows. But sometimes the slide just needs to have a lot of words, like this: But when we have a lot of words on a slide...
View ArticleHandling Colorblindness
Dealing with potential audience colorblindness isn’t as mysterious as it seems. (And as an added bonus, by way of handling colorblindness, you’ll also fortify your work against the dim bulb in the...
View ArticleMoving Emphasis
As much as I advocate for minimalistic slide design, sometimes that just can’t happen. Sometimes you’ve gotta have a lot of words or a logic model or diagram to show. I previously showed one strategy...
View ArticleWhy I’m Not In Love with Prezi
It’s time to write this post. This may be the most frequently asked question in my workshops on evaluation reporting, data visualization, and graphic design. What do I think about Prezi? Most people’s...
View ArticleHow I Feel About Slide Animations
Most people fall into one of two camps on this issue: There are the newbies, who use animation with abandon to kartwheel text onto a slide. And then there are the veterans, who are so sick of...
View ArticleBefore & After Slides: Stay on the Side of Simplicity
My friend, Kurt Wilson, and I just wrapped up a contract to revise a set of slides – and the graphs within – for a big international client I can’t name. Here I’ll walk through one of the original...
View ArticleSlide Redesign: Rodney Hopson’s Keynote
Last year I had the joy of working with Rodney Hopson, 2012 President of the American Evaluation Association, on the slides for his keynote talk. The transformation was so huge that I asked Rodney if I...
View ArticlePresenting Graphs with the Slow Reveal
Over here I talked about how important it is that we gradually introduce components of complex graphics – one-at-a-time – so as not to overwhelm the visual field and working memory of our audience...
View ArticleYour Brain on Slideshows
Here’s what happens to audience brains when presenters speak while showing text-heavy slides. Their working memory gets overloaded. Working memory is that part of the cognition system where we...
View ArticleRule of Thirds Template for Slide Layout
While it’s best to sketch a few ideas before you even hit the power button on your computer, once you do open your slideshow software, head first to the slide master and rearrange the default slide...
View ArticleSlidedeck Planning Sheet
Holster that mouse! Before you crack open PowerPoint to crank out some slides, take a step back and sketch. Your time in front of the computer will be far more productive (as in, you’ll save hours...
View ArticleBefore & After: Jody Fitzpatrick’s Presidential Keynote Slides
I get the lucky privilege of working with the president of the American Evaluation Association on his or her keynote slidedeck. I love this small project each fall for a couple of reasons. Thus far,...
View ArticleMy 2013 Personal Annual Report
Holy crap, 2013 was a busy year! Look what I’ve been up to – and click around: So, to recap, I’m prrrreeeetttttty sure I don’t have to publish one more thing until 2015. Whew. Some technical notes:...
View ArticleWhat the Hell is Wrong with the Projector & How to Fix It
Meet a hero. This is Kailen Brooks. A few months ago, I was giving a workshop on data visualization to about 40 people at the AEA Summer Institute when pretty much everything that could have gone wrong...
View ArticleDeath Penalty Graphics
What kind of imagery do you use when talking about the death penalty? I was out west a few months ago, working with Rakesh Mohan and his army of awesome. In the past, I had pressured them to use...
View ArticleAnnouncing The Rad Presenters Podcast!
I know some really rad presenters. One of the raddest in Jon Schwabish, which is why I’m absolutely thrilled to launch a brand new podcast with him. The Rad Presenters Podcast! Each episode we will...
View ArticleStop Asking if the Slides are Available
The thing is, if the presenter has done a great job, you really don’t want the slides. No really, you don’t. A long long time ago, Garr Reynolds taught me that if someone can look at your slideshow and...
View ArticlePresident Obama’s Data Visualization
I realize it’s completely taboo to write about current events six months after they’ve happen but I DON’T CARE. One of my favorite events of the year is watching the enhanced version of the State of...
View ArticleTheorists Can Have Great Slides Too
I have the coolest gigs. Every year I get to work with the Eleanor Chelimsky Forum keynote speaker to develop a slidedeck that rocks the house. This year, the keynote speaker was Abe Wandersman. I’d...
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