CIS4398: Independent Study
Summer 2002
Emerging Issues in Information Technology

How to Make Your Presentation More Effective

City of Sunnyvale The City of Sunnyvale recently installed equipment to enhance audio/visual presentations in the City Council Chambers. This information is intended to help you create and choose materials for your presentations. The materials presented will appear on the monitors in the Chambers and possibly broadcast through KSUN (the government access cable channel.)
    
Overhead
Overhead Materials  
  • Items, including three-dimensional objects, can be displayed on our document camera overhead projection system. When possible, use landscape format.
  • Photographs: Non-glossy finishes help to reduce glare.
  • Use a minimum letter height of ½" inch for handwritten materials.

Slides

  • Bring your slides loaded into a standard carousel in the order you wish them to be displayed.
  • The electronic slide projector can zoom and focus.
Video Cassettes VCR
  • Videotapes are generally used for special presentations only.
  • Submit VHS format videos for review to the appropriate City staff office at least three working days prior to the meeting. Contact numbers are listed at the end of these guidelines.
  • Videos should be no more than 10 minutes in length.
PowerPoint Laptop
  • Bring a diskette containing the .PPT file that has been saved in a Windows95, PowerPoint97 or lower format. Larger presentations can be compressed using the "Pack & Go" feature within PowerPoint.

Color

  • Use a simple color scheme. Don’t use too many colors on one slide.
  • Color-perception problems are common so avoid combinations of brown/green, blue/black, and blue/purple.
  • Use one of the built-in PowerPoint themes to give your presentation a uniform look.

Size
  • Use a bold font (Arial Rounded Bold works well) with thick lettering.
  • Use a minimum of an 24-point font.

Content
  • Limit the number of bulleted points to 3 per slide.
  • Limit the number of lines per bullet to no more than 4 lines each.
  • Limit graphics - too many can clutter and detract from your presentation.
Wireless Microphones Microphone
  • A hand-held microphone and a hands-free lapel microphone are available.