The availability and simplicity of presentational software, such as Prezi, Google Slides, or Microsoft PowerPoint, have increased audience expectations for the use of professionally created visuals to aid in understanding presentation content. Prezi is a popular online tool that allows users to create slides within a much larger “canvas” and zoom in on items as desired. While PowerPoint offers many presentation effects, it demands that slides play in a more linear fashion. Despite the pervasiveness of this type of technology, many public-speaking professionals question whether multimedia visual aids help or hinder speakers.

Thus, practitioners recommend using the following guidelines:

1. Don’t let technology dictate content. Determine the most appropriate content, and then begin to think about how you can use the presentation software to enhance how the material is conveyed to your audience.

2. Ensure that special effects have a purpose. Although they may be fun to include (and show off your knowledge of the software), they distract from your content.

3. Keep wording clear and simple. Abbreviate your message by outlining thoughts that provide a memory trigger for you and the audience. Use a consistent font size and style with a combination of upper and lowercase lettering. Cramming too much text on a slide is a common PowerPoint mistake.

4. Keep a consistent design. Use color sparingly, with backgrounds that allow your text to stand out. A slide is of little use if the audience can’t read the material.