Tips for developing successful Visual Aids

Use visuals as an AID not a CRUTCH for your presentation.

Use visual aids sparingly. Do not overuse and do not try to present your entire talk visually by the use of aids.
Use visual aids pictorially. Graphs, pictures of equipment, flow charts etc. all give the viewer an insight that would require many words or columns of numbers.
Present one key point per visual. Keep the focus of the visual simple and clear. Presenting more than one main idea per visual can seriously detract from the impact.
Make text and numbers legible. The absolute minimum font size for most room set-ups is 18 pt. Make sure you can read everything from the back of the room.
Make visuals (pictures and diagrams) large enough to see. Walk to the last row where people will be sitting and make sure that everything on the visual can be seen clearly.
Use colour carefully. Use no more than 3–4 colours per visual aid to avoid a cluttered rainbow effect. The colours used should contrast with each other to provide maximum visibility, for example, a dark blue background with light yellow letters or numbers. Avoid patterns in colour presentations as they quickly become hard to distinguish
Make visuals attractive. If using colour, use high contrast such as yellow on black or yellow on dark blue. Avoid clutter and aim for simplicity and clarity.
Graph data. Whenever possible, use graphs rather than tables for numerical data. Graphs allow the viewer to picture the information and data in a way that numbers alone cannot do.
Avoid miscellaneous visuals. If something can be stated simply and verbally, there is no need for a visual aid.

Sources of information:

Adler, RB & Rodman, G 1994, Understanding human communication, 5th edn, Harcourt Brace College, Fort Worth.

Cottrell, S 1999, The study skills handbook, MacMillan Press, London.

Kushner, M 1996, Successful presentations for dummies, IDG Books, Foster City.

Mandel, S 1987, Effective presentation skills, rev. edn, CRISP Publications, California.