What is a digital presentation?
A presentation is a talk to an audience. A digital presentation is a set of slides made with presentation software (for example PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, LibreOffice Impress) and shown on a screen.
Slides support the speaker; they are not a document to read aloud. Main parts of the software window: the slide pane (thumbnails), the editing area, the notes pane, and views such as Normal, Slide Sorter, Notes and Slide Show.
Plan before you build
- Purpose: inform, explain, persuade?
- Audience: who are they, what do they know?
- Storyboard: sketch each slide on paper in order: title → agenda → points → summary → questions/sources.
Slides, text, layout and design
- Layouts: ready arrangements (title slide, title and content, two content, picture with caption). Use placeholders.
- Slide master / theme: set fonts, colours and logo once so every slide looks the same.
- Text: key words, not paragraphs. A common guide is about 6 lines of about 6 words. Fonts of at least 24 pt for body text, plain sans-serif fonts.
- Contrast: dark text on a light background or light text on a dark one. Avoid busy backgrounds and red–green pairs (colour blindness).
- Alignment and white space: line things up; leave empty space so the eye can rest.
- Formatting: bold for key words, bullet and numbered lists, line spacing.
- Graphic objects: shapes, arrows, icons, tables, diagrams (smart graphics for cycles, steps or hierarchies). Group, align, layer (bring to front / send to back).
Images, charts, multimedia and hyperlinks
- Images: clear, large and relevant. Crop, resize keeping proportions, compress to keep the file small.
- Charts: insert from data (column/bar to compare, line for change over time, pie for parts of a whole). Add a title, axis labels and units; keep only the numbers that matter.
- Audio and video: insert or link a short clip; set it to start on click; check the sound before the talk.
- Hyperlinks and action buttons: link to another slide, a file or a website; useful for quizzes and menus (non-linear presentations).
- Copyright: use your own pictures, public-domain or openly licensed ones (for example Creative Commons) and write the source. Cite facts you take from others.
Transitions, animations, speaker notes and output
Transitions and animations
A transition is the effect between two slides (fade, push). An animation moves an object on a slide: entrance, emphasis, exit, motion path. Set timing (on click, after previous, delay) and order in the animation pane. Use one simple style throughout; too much movement distracts.
Speaker notes and the slide show
Write what you will say in the notes pane. In presenter view you see notes, a timer and the next slide; the audience sees only the slide. Rehearse timings. Keys: F5 starts from the beginning, Esc ends, arrow keys move.
Output and sharing (dissemination)
- Save in the editable format and also export as PDF (opens everywhere, fixed layout) or video (plays by itself with timings).
- Print: full slides, handouts (2–6 slides per page with lines for notes) or notes pages.
- Share online with a link and permissions (view or edit); collaborate in real time; respect privacy of people in photos.
- Check accessibility: alt text on images, readable fonts, enough contrast.
Try it yourself: a 5-slide mini talk
- Pick a topic you like (your favourite festival, a sport, a science fact).
- Storyboard 5 boxes on paper: title, 3 point slides, summary.
- Build it in any free presentation app. One picture or chart per point slide, with its source.
- Predict, then check: stand 3 m from your screen. Can you read every word? If not, make fonts bigger or cut words.
- Add one transition style and write speaker notes. Time yourself: aim for about 1 minute per slide.
- Export as PDF and share it with a family member for feedback.
In the 3D, use the last step to test words, font size and colours.
Key formulas and definitions
- Workflow: Plan → Build → Polish → Practise → Present / share
- 1 idea per slide; about 6 lines × 6 words (6×6 guide)
- Body text ≥ 24 pt, titles ≥ 32 pt; strong contrast
- Transition = between slides; Animation = an object inside a slide (entrance, emphasis, exit, motion path)
- Chart choice: compare → bar/column; trend over time → line; part of whole → pie
- Output: editable file, PDF, video, handouts; always credit sources
Worked examples
1. A slide has 14 lines of small text copied from a website. List three ways to fix it.
1) Cut it to the 3–5 key points in short phrases. 2) Raise the font to at least 24 pt. 3) Move the details into the speaker notes or split them over two slides, and add one helpful image. Also write the website as the source.
2. You want to show how India's population changed from 1951 to 2011. Which chart should you insert and why?
A line chart, because it shows change over time clearly. Put years on the horizontal axis and population (in crores or millions) on the vertical axis, with a title and units.
3. What is the difference between a transition and an animation? Give one example of each.
A transition is the effect when one slide changes to the next, for example 'Fade'. An animation is an effect on one object inside a slide, for example a bullet point that 'Appears' on click.
4. Your teacher asks for the presentation by email, but she may not have the same software. Which format do you send and why?
Send a PDF. It opens on almost any device and keeps the layout and fonts the same. If timings and animations matter, export a video as well.
Common mistakes
- Reading long paragraphs from the slide. Slides should show key words; you explain the rest.
- Using many different fonts, colours and transitions. Keep one theme and one transition style.
- Low contrast or tiny text, such as yellow on white or 12 pt. Test from the back of the room.
- Using pictures from the internet without permission or credit. Use licensed images and write the source.