Visuals in Research Project Presentation: Creating Captivating Visuals in Your Project Presentation using 5 visual options

Introduction

Sixty-five per cent of people, unbelievably, learn using visual means, confirming the adage “An image is worth many words,”. This is well-known because 60,000 times, the human brain receives information more efficiently when accompanied by images or by brief with memorable sentences than written content. This means your audience will understand your message more clearly if you utilize straightforward, image-based slides to support a presentation.

In addition, the scientist uses visual means to represent their findings. This is why presenters must use powerful visuals in their presentations. Regardless of the audience a presenter aims to target; excellent graphics can help to communicate one’s thoughts and messaging more clearly.

Since presentations aim to persuade an audience to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the presenter by appealing to their intellect, emotions, or both, there is a need to use every important means, especially visual means, to captivate their interest. According to the online dictionary Merriam-Webster, a visual (such as a graphic) appeals to the sight and is used for effect or illustration.

Since the sole purpose of visual aids is to support presentations. Nevertheless, effective slides require a lot of time, imagination, and work. Take advantage of your planning time by following the advice provided below.

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Maintain Consistency

Using various fonts and colours on each slide is a frequent error. Your audience may become perplexed, taking focus out of your message. Maintain your slides consistent so they function as one cohesive unit. During the presentation, be careful when choosing colours because they can change the atmosphere and tone of your presentation.

Before the presentation, one should consider the environment in which he will be presenting. If the room is dark, choosing a white or light-coloured background with black or dark-coloured text is advisable, even when the lights are on or with plenty of ambient light. If the conference room is light, Use a dark blue, black, or grey colour with white or light-coloured writing.

Ethnic background consideration

Make sure you comprehend your audience before you begin to develop your pictures. This is especially true if you’re presenting to a group with various ethnic backgrounds. In formal situations like educational or business settings, for instance, some people don’t read from left to right, and others from certain cultures could find a certain colour insulting or unlucky.

Likewise, your audience can become confused if you employ jargon or slang. When creating graphics, a presenter should use pictures and photos that depict the culture one is speaking to or speaking about. Use visuals that reflect, for example, the different ethnic groups in Nigeria who are your audience when presenting to them. Keep your English language and pictures straightforward because not everyone in the room may understand it.

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Use smart images

When choosing an image to use for your presentation, choose a smart, creative image. This can be done when you look out for images or pictures that communicate a tale less overtly as you come up with inventive, ingenious techniques to using your imagery. Beautifully designed photos will keep viewers interested, demonstrate your professionalism, and leave a positive impression.

Simplified complex data

Avoid adding much material or highly complex data on one slide when you need to convey it because your audience may find it difficult to comprehend. Instead, condense the content or spread it across multiple decks. However, you can use a poster. A poster presentation can be used to convey complicated information. The poster can enable your audience to examine your complex data closely.

This is crucial, especially when presenting to technical scholars like engineers, scientists, or financial experts. They are taught to be sceptical of data, so a poster presentation will encourage them to examine it more. Again, paying attention to your audience’s needs will demonstrate professionalism and strengthen your message.

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Each Slide, simple Concept

Each PowerPoint slide should concentrate on a single concept or idea. This makes it easier for your audience to understand what you’re trying to say. Reduce the amount of text you use and, whenever possible, utilize images to communicate ideas rather than words. It should take three seconds or less to process each slide. The slide is possibly too complex if it takes longer. Point out the important words in each sentence to further clarify the language on your presentations.

For instance, examine the design of your slides. Using a simple background and lots of white space is important to draw the audience’s attention to your content. Do not include logos, patterns, or background images to your presentations that can draw unwanted attention. Also, think about using blank slides when you need the audience’s undivided attention; a blank slide is the visual equivalent of pausing, and it will give your words more drama, suspense, and focus.

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Prepare and practice

The amount of time that has to be allocated for preparation for a presentation is frequently underestimated. Days are spent producing content and pictures for a presentation, but a few hours of practice are utilized. It should not be so. It is advised to spend more time to practice as well as the time of producing the content. Therefore, Spend more time practising so your presentation will be flawless and your message will be clear. Because the more time you spend practising, the more you master your PowerPoint.

In addition to the above points, below is the five visual options a presenter can choose to use during a captivating PowerPoint presentation. They include:

1. Images/photographs

If you are compelled or need to include a photograph in your presentation, then you can use any of the two ways to find the photographs that will be used. First is the photograph you took during the time of your investigation. The photograph should point accurately to the findings made. The second is stock pictures. Stock pictures are polished images taken, edited, and uploaded to a stock photo website by another person. You can pick one, download it, and use it in your presentation if it represents the information you to pass on to your findings.

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2. Infographics

Even under the best circumstances, analyzing a lot of data can be tedious for an audience. Using infographics to explain some heavy data makes perfect sense in this situation. An infographic presents information or facts visually that you need to include in your presentation. Using infography one has a better chance of holding an audience’s interest and making sure they remember the facts one is talking about since it is presented in a more aesthetically pleasing, engaging, but memorable way.

3. Drawings and illustrations

Consider employing such an image or sketch rather than a photo when a presenter wants to get the audience’s attention with what he is trying to say. Such drawing and illustration is helpful, especially when a presenter is to prove a point by showcasing a model he has created to solve a problem. Drawings and illustrations are more customized and hence distinctive, which is a wonderful approach to catch an audience’s attention, aiding in their understanding of the information being provided to them.

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4. Icons

A quick and easy approach to include images in your presentation is through icons. They are excellent to utilize since they draw attention to the content on your slide and support it in a more streamlined manner visually. When utilizing icons, it’s crucial to make sure they are clear and uncomplicated in a design that complements the presentation’s overall identity and in hues that match the corporate colour scheme.

5. Videos

In PowerPoint presentations, Video usage can be the best option. Using a correct video in the presentation can effectively tell a story while setting the mood and evoking the audience’s emotions. This is especially good when it is an educational video, demonstrating a process of what one is referring to. Such a video might be useful as a supplement to a presentation.