Guidelines for Presentation Design
SQA Days · Guidelines
Presentation design guidelines
The guidelines are grouped by topic so you can quickly find what you need: layout, readability, content, media and final checks.
How to use this page
Open the section you need and check your presentation point by point. The first section is open by default; the others can be expanded when needed.
Branding and layoutLogo, template, headings and screen format.3 guidelines
01Logo and template
- Every presentation slide must contain the conference logo.
- You may use the logo in PDF or PNG format with a transparent background.
- You may use a ready-made presentation template if you wish.
02Headings
- Every slide must contain a heading.
- Do not put a full stop at the end of headings.
03Screen format
- We recommend creating presentations in 16:9 format.
Slide readabilityFonts, contrast, colours and visibility in the room.4 guidelines
01Fonts
- Use standard fonts, such as Arial.
- The minimum text size is 18 pt.
- Non-standard fonts may display incorrectly after conversion.
02Contrast and colours
- Text must be easy to read.
- Do not use black text on a lilac background or similar combinations.
- Do not use soft pastel colours, such as pale pink.
03Slide space
- Use as much slide space as possible, for example by stretching images.
04Upper part of the slide
- Where possible, use the upper three quarters of the slide: the lower part of the screen is often not visible from the back rows.
Content and structureTerms, numbers, units of measurement and the final slide.4 guidelines
01English terminology
- Do not overuse English terminology: excessive use of English usually makes the talk less well received.
02Units of measurement
- If a slide contains m² or m³, use superscript: Format → Font → Superscript.
03Number of digits
- Where possible, reduce the number of digits: for example, write 40 thousand roubles instead of 40000 roubles.
04Final slide
- The final slide should contain the most important points and the main message of the presentation.
Code, screenshots and mediaCode formatting, screenshots, video and animations.5 guidelines
01Code formatting
- Use the recommendations for formatting code in the presentation.
02Screenshot check
- Before using screenshots, check the text for errors so that red or green underlines do not remain in the image.
03Screenshot cropping
- When using screenshots, crop unnecessary elements such as toolbars, menus and empty background.
04Animation effects
- Do not overload slides with animation effects.
- Use the same animation effect for slide transitions.
05Video
- Try to avoid video inserts: the presentation file size grows very quickly.
Checks and formatsSpelling, terms, ethics and supported file formats.4 guidelines
01Checking names
- Check the spelling of names, surnames of methodology authors and other important terms.
- Use built-in spelling and punctuation checks.
02Ethics
- Do not use obscene language in slides or in the accompanying speech.
03Office suite versions
- Presentations may be created in MS Office 2019 or earlier, OpenOffice or LibreOffice.
04File formats
- The file format may be PPT, PPTX, PDF or OpenOffice formats.
- Prezi and Keynote presentations are not recommended.
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