Think Like a Designer

To make the point that design thinking goes “hand-in-hand with financial success” in business, Fast Company cited an intriguing Design Council study in its October 2007 letter from the editor: “A portfolio of 63 design-driven British companies . . . trounced the FTSE 100 index over 13 years.”

A chart like the one in figure 5-1 accompanied the letter.

What does this have to do with presentations? A lot.

Presentations are one of the most popular business communication tools, second only to e-mail. They attract clients and keep employees on track. And the most effective presenters think like designers. Good presenters display data clearly, simply, and compellingly, as in the chart in figure 5-1. They select visuals that convey meaning and brand value. They create and arrange slides that persuade audiences and help them solve problems.

After reading the tips in the Slides section of this guide, you won’t be a master designer—but you’ll make better choices when confronted by the empty expanse of a virgin slide.