Before/After slide transformation. Before slide (left) shows several items about how researchers can rethink how they conduct quantitative research: (1) study things in context; (2) read and think beyond your discipline; (3) question and challenge the status quo. The After slide shows three icons encased in cogs. Icon 1: image of a circle with the word context in it and an arrow pointing to icon that reads Research in context. Icon 2: image of a set of books and an arrow pointing to icon that reads Read beyond your discipline. Icon 3: image of a person climbing up a hill and an arrow pointing to icon that reads Challenge the status quo.

If you have delivered a presentation in the last three decades, there is a good chance you have used a list. Lists can be a fantastic way to break up long blocks of text into bite-sized pieces of information. However, no one enjoys watching or listening to a presentation with hundreds of lists.

Think of the number of times you have attended a presentation and had to sit through slide after slide of lists (and yes, the image below shows the first drafts of slides I have created over the years):

Image of four slides with bulleted lists. Slide 1 (top left) has several items about how researchers can rethink how they conduct quantitative research. Slide 2 (bottom left) slide describes Ama Nyame-Mensah's business Analytics Made Accessible LLC. Slide 3 (top right) describes several ways data visualization designers can create more effective visualization; primarily by thinking about their message. Slide 4 (bottom right) shows four climate change facts.

I would wager you spent more time reading the slides than listening to the speaker. And after attempting to read everything on each slide or listening to the presenter's every word, you would not be able to recall most of the content.

Now, I want to be clear: the overuse of lists and blocks of text in presentations Has Nothing to Do with the multimedia software (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, etc.) used. A growing corner of the internet seems to believe that PowerPoint is why bad slides exist. But PowerPoint is just a tool. And as the old saying goes, "it's not the tool; it's how you use it."

So, what are some alternatives to list after list of points?

If you have the time, you can dive into the research on multimedia learning and presentation design (like Horvath, 2014 (paywalled) or Mayer, 2009). And you will learn that audiences are more likely to remember presentations that thoughtfully incorporate words and media (e.g., graphics, images, videos, etc.).

In this post, I share several ideas for repurposing the typical list and turning it into an opportunity for you to take your audience on a short journey through your main ideas.

First up are Tiles.

Tiles

(Rectangular) Tiles arranged in a grid are a great alternative to lists. They force you to think carefully about the keywords you want your audience to remember.

Before: List

Image of a slide that contains several items about how researchers can rethink how they conduct quantitative research: (1) study things in context; (2) read and think beyond your discipline; (3) question and challenge the status quo.

After: Tiles

Image of a slide with three rectangular tiles. Tile 1 (left) reads CONTEXT: Study things in context. Tile 2 (middle) reads TRANSCEND: Read beyond your discipline. Slide 3 (right) reads CHALLENGE: Challenge the status quo.

Next, we have Icons.

Icons

Icons are graphical symbols that communicate a concept or idea. Icons tailored to your audience's knowledge, needs, and preferences help reduce the amount of text on a slide and give your audience a visual image to connect with, reinforcing your words and enhancing your presentation.

Before: List

After: Icons

Image of a slide with three icons encased in cogs. Icon 1: image of a circle with the word context in it and an arrow pointing to icon that reads Research in context. Icon 2: image of a set of books and an arrow pointing to icon that reads Read beyond your discipline. Icon 3: image of a person climbing up a hill and an arrow pointing to icon that reads Challenge the status quo.

Bonus: Use the same icons throughout your presentation design to create a sense of consistency and continuity. Try the Noun Project or flaticon if you are looking for icon inspiration or stock icons to download.

Custom Shapes

Shapes are yet another alternative. Like icons, shapes can add visual interest while emphasizing a point or helping your audience draw connections between ideas. Take this transformation, for example. I turned a list of points into a set of five puzzle pieces that fit together.

Before: List

Image of a slide six bullet points outlining how designers should think about the message they want to communicate when creating data visualizations. Bullets read: Your audience to feel empowered, your audience to take action, your audience to feel supported / get support, to help your organization re-align goals, your audience to get inspired (to act), and to build community.

After: Puzzle Pieces

The end result:

Image of a slide with five puzzle pieces that read: Inspire, Align, Empower, Build, And Support.

"Animation" is yet another option.

"Animation"

Admittedly, I am not a fan of animation, especially in presentations. But using design techniques to give the illusion of animation is a fantastic way to creatively communicate your ideas, keep your audience engaged, and help your audience follow the structure of your presentation.

Before: List

Image of a slide with four points about Ama Nyame-Mensah's company Analytics Made Accessible LLC. Point 1: I am founder & principal of Analytics Made Accessible LLC., which is a data consulting firm. Point 2: I help individuals and teams translate data and research findings into compelling visual stories so they can broaden their impact, raise more funds, and make better decisions. Point 3: I also mentor and teach young programmers and aspiring data scientists. Point 4: I empower people to use data to dismantle oppressive systems and work towards liberation for all.

After: "Animated" Slides

A series of 'animated slides' with information about Ama Nyame-Mensah's company Analytics Made Accessible LLC. the Each slide emphasizes a single point using icons, titles, and key text in the body of the slide. Point 1: I am founder & principal of Analytics Made Accessible LLC. Point 2: I translate data into compelling visual stories. Point 3: I teach folks to tinker with programming languages Point 4: I empower people to use data for social analysis.

One Point Per Slide

If icons or shapes are not your thing, strip back each slide to the bare minimum and share a single point. Showing one point per slide is a straightforward way to get each point across without giving your audience too much to process at any given time. Although this method can increase the number of slides in your presentation, this can easily be offset by reducing the amount of time you spend on each slide.

Before: List

Image of a slide with four climate change facts. Fact 1: 11% of the world’s population (800 million People) is vulnerable to climate change impacts. Fact 2: The concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere is the highest it has been in human history (a 31% change between 1960 to 2020). Fact 3: 11% of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are due to deforestation. Fact 4: Tropical forests are effective at storing carbon, but nature-based solutions receive only 3% of all climate funding.

After: One Point Slide (Fact #1)

Image of a slide with a black background and white text that reads: 800 million are vulnerable to climate change.

TILE CARDS

Tile cards are a final choice. These cards are for more than reading (on the screen). They are a playful and hands-on way (if printed) to engage your audience.

Bonus: they can also double as a fun gift.

After: Tile Cards

Image of three tile cards in the style of playing cards. Card 1: Title reads CONTEXT, the card also has a magnifying glass on it and words at the bottom on the card read Study tings in context. Card 2: Title reads TRANSCEND, the card also has a set of books on it and words at the bottom on the card read Read beyond your discipline. Card 3: Title reads CHALLEGE, the card also has a person climbing a hill on it and words at the bottom on the card read Challenge the status quo.

See, you do not need long lists to communicate your ideas during a presentation. Next time you are tasked with putting together a presentation, try one of these list alternatives instead and take your audience on a short journey through your main ideas.

Have you used any of these options before? Which are you excited to try? Let me know in the comments

Turn your Lists into Short Journeys

Order Your Data with Intention – Part 1

List Files in a Directory in R