Lightning Talk: Creating the Perfect Slide Deck in 5 Minutes

by Ole Michaelis

In this lightning talk at Ruby Unconf 2019, speaker Ole Michaelis presents a guide on how to create an effective slide deck in just five minutes. He begins by acknowledging the reality that while a quick preparation is portrayed, it often requires extensive effort over weeks or even months. Ole emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience and engaging them effectively. He shares five critical strategies for making impactful presentations:

Avoid Cluttered Slides: Limit the amount of text on each slide to enhance clarity and comprehension. Ole suggests reading the text aloud to ensure the audience is following along and advises presenting information in manageable chunks.
Engage with Animations: Use animations wisely to maintain visual interest and keep the audience engaged without overwhelming them with information at once.
Incorporate Emotional Imagery: Quality images and memes can provoke emotional responses, making the content more memorable. Ole emphasizes that humor can create connections and enhance audience interaction.
Utilize Engaging Numbers: Statistics and captivating numbers pique interest. Starting with an intriguing fact can effectively draw the audience in and sustain their engagement throughout the presentation.
Plan and Structure: Ole highlights his personal approach of first developing ideas on pen and paper in a quiet space before moving to actual slide design. He stresses that drafting notes on slides is a critical step that is often overlooked.

In conclusion, Ole reiterates the need for thorough preparation and the value of thoughtful design in creating impactful slide decks. His talk both motivates and equips attendees with practical tips for enhancing their presentation skills.

00:00:02.550 All right everyone, you've seen me on stage and pitching during this lightning talk session, usually being really straight to the point. I think I should match that style today. So, I’m here to challenge myself and share how to create an awesome slide deck in just five minutes. I want you to participate and take everything I say with a grain of salt. I have given many conference talks over the past five to six years across Europe, and I am particularly passionate about creating great slides. Every time I attend a conference, I notice many terrible slides, and I want to ensure you don’t make the same mistakes. By the end of this talk, you will have learned how to create the perfect slide deck.

00:00:24.480 However, that's a bit of a lie, as it actually takes weeks or even a month to prepare. I have a full-time job and can’t dedicate all my time to preparing for a talk. So, while I may say it takes just five minutes, it actually involves a lot more time and effort. I consider myself a perfectionist and really strive to make my slides effective. You may have seen me on stage before, but just to introduce myself: my name is Ole Michaelis, and I’m involved in various activities including working with user groups. It's essential to talk about yourself at the start of your talk; it sets a positive tone.

00:01:10.920 Let me share five important tricks for creating effective slide decks. First, always avoid cramming too much text onto your slides. Ensure the audience can easily understand every point. It's important to read the text aloud during your presentation, as you can't assume your audience is reading along. If you’re reading from your slide, remember that most people struggle to do two things at once, such as listening and reading at the same time, which can lead to confusion.

00:01:37.950 Instead, take a different approach: give your audience one paragraph at a time. For example, consider the famous quote from Jeff Bezos—simply present it paragraph by paragraph and read it aloud. Overall, avoid filling your slides with too much text—this isn’t a movie or a book. Instead, utilize lots of animations to enhance visual interest and keep your audience engaged. You may find yourself in situations where you have to present without seeing your slides, which can lead to turning your back on your audience. It’s important to engage directly with them.

00:02:22.480 Moving forward, let’s consider the third tip: use emotional images and ensure they are of good quality. People remember emotions, and incorporating memes can also be effective, as they universally resonate and add humor. There's really no such thing as overusing memes in a presentation—they help create connections and can elicit laughter from your audience, which is definitely beneficial.

00:02:41.620 Additionally, it’s wise to include numbers in your presentation because they spark interest. Start by telling something captivating, then build it up to keep the audience engaged. This technique usually proves more effective. In conclusion, my personal approach to creating impactful slides involves starting with pen and paper. I find a quiet space to write down my ideas and structure my presentation before actually putting anything on the slides.

00:03:26.600 I usually begin by drafting my notes directly on my slides. However, I often see people forget to include their notes, which is a crucial step. Finally, the last step in my process is to make sure I finish everything thoroughly. Thank you for your attention; I have ten seconds left, so use that time wisely!