11.4 Visual Aids
Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to
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- identify when and how visual aids will enhance a presentation
- identify the different types of visual aids
- identify effective and ineffective use of visual aids
- apply basic design principles to slide design
- identify best practices to incorporating visual aids in a presentation
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Introduction
Visual aids can be a very powerful tool to enhance the impact of your presentations. Words and images presented in different formats can appeal directly to your audience’s imagination, adding power to your spoken words.
Learning how to create effective visuals that resonate with your audience is important for a quality presentation. Understanding basic principles of how visual information is processed alone and in combination with audio information can make or break your visuals’ effectiveness and impact. Incorporating visuals into your speech that complement your words rather than stand in place of them or distract from them, will set you apart from other presenters, increase your credibility, and make a bigger and more memorable impact on your audience. A brief overview of the importance of visual aids is presented below. Part II of the Module noted in the video is provided later on this page.
The Importance of Effective Visual Aids Video[1]
Types of Visual Aids
When selecting a visual aid, it is important to choose one appropriate to the information being presented. Information generally falls into one of two categories:
- Statistical: to help the audience visualize relationships between numbers, use pie charts, line charts, and bar charts.
- Illustrative: to visually describe an idea or concept, use pictures or symbols.
Keep in mind the size of your audience, the type of room in which you will be presenting, and how best to support your presentation when selecting a visual aid. Think about using a variety of visual aids in your presentation: PowerPoint, projectors, white/blackboard, flipcharts, handouts, or video sequences. Be creative and deliberate in your choice of visual aid to achieve the most impact. Let’s view the following video before looking specifically at different types of visual aids.
Presentation Aids Video[2]
PowerPoint (or equivalent)
Microsoft PowerPoint is probably now the most commonly used form of visual aid. PowerPoint is a computer program that allows you to create and show slides to support a presentation. You can combine text, graphics and multimedia content to create professional presentations. As a presentation tool PowerPoint can be used to:
- organize and structure your presentation;
- create a professional and consistent format;
- provide an illustrative backdrop for the content of your presentation;
- animate your slides to give them greater visual impact.
PowerPoint has become enormously popular and you are likely to have seen it used by your lecturers and fellow students. Learning to present with PowerPoint will increase your em