presenting presentation structure

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Popular Templates
• Accessibility
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Beginner Guides

Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

Discover popular designs

Infographic maker

Brochure maker

White paper online

Newsletter creator

Flyer maker

Timeline maker

Letterhead maker

Mind map maker

Ebook maker

• Presentations
• Most Recent
• Infographics
• Data Visualizations
• Forms and Surveys
• Video & Animation
• Case Studies
• Design for Business
• Digital Marketing
• Design Inspiration
• Visual Thinking
• Product Updates
• Visme Webinars
• Artificial Intelligence

7 Ways to Structure Your Presentation to Keep Your Audience Wanting More

Written by: Orana Velarde

The most successful and memorable presentations have one thing in common.

They all tell a story.

No matter how many facts or charts need to be presented, incorporating stories into a presentation will keep your audience focused and intrigued.

Using stories to support data is a well-known technique in all aspects of public speaking, from motivational talks to in-company sales pitches.

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit modern presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

In this guide, we will look at 7 ways to structure your presentations using storytelling techniques to keep your audience engaged until the very end.

Look closely at each one to see which fits your presentation’s purpose best!

Planning Your Presentation Structure: Like Building a Lego Model

Is it easier to separate the correct pieces before you start building?  Or is it better to search in a big bucket with mixed parts for every new piece you need?

We’re pretty sure you will pick the first option.  In the beginning, it might seem like this option would take longer, but the opposite is true.

The first step to a successful presentation structure is to brainstorm your ideas and combine them into a rough draft. But first, consider the message you want to relay to your audience.

RELATED: A Non-Designer's Guide to Creating Memorable Visual Presentations

The Message

What is the message you want to convey with your presentation?

A good starting point is to decide if it will be informative, entertaining, inspiring or persuasive.

In a business setting, you might want your presentation to do two of these things: inform and persuade. If you are a mindset coach for companies, then you might want to entertain and inspire.

The main message should be easy to grasp from the title on your first slide. Think of an appropriate way to word what you want to give your audience in one or two sentences. This can of course be changed later, but having a preliminary title will help get your ideas in order for what comes next.

RELATED: 150+ Presentation Topic Ideas for Students [Plus Templates]

Once you know which direction your presentation will take, it’s time to jot all your ideas down on paper to create a presentation outline and rough draft of all the points you will cover.

7 Ways to Structure Your Presentation

Now that the brainstorming and rough draft are out of the way, it’s time to start structuring your presentation. This is when we introduce the storytelling aspect into the equation.

All the information you have gathered and organized in your rough draft now needs some attitude to really get your message across.

We are going to look at 7 different styles of storytelling structures that work great for presentations. They all have a different style of delivery and cadence. Choosing one for your presentation will depend on your message and who your audience is.

Embed on your site: <script src="//my.visme.co/visme.js"></script><div class="visme_d" data-url="6xo6gwg6-7-ways-to-structure-your-presentation-to-keep-your-audience-wanting-more" data-w="800" data-h="4325" data-domain="my"></div><p style="width: 220px; font-family: Arial; border-radius:3px; padding: 3px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-size: 10px; color: #333333" >Speak Visually. Create an infographic with <a href="https://www.visme.co/make-infographics?utm_source=CTA&utm_medium=Embed" target="_blank" style="color: #30a0ea"><strong>Visme</strong></a></p>

Fact and Story

The first structure we will look at is Fact and Story . The premise is that the presentation moves back and forth between facts and stories.

Presentation guru Nancy Duarte wrote about this presentation structure in her book " Resonate ." She suggests that mixing storytelling with the relay of facts can help your audience stay interested until the end of your presentation.

According to Duarte, this type of structure should start off with an initial setting of the present reality: the “what is.” From there, an invitation to adventure is presented and the first instance of “what could be” is told as a story to illustrate how the initials facts can be improved.

This comparison of presenting the facts as what they are at the present moment with stories that show how things could be improved is what keeps your audience interested and waiting for more.

The conclusion should end at a high point, considerably higher than where it began. The audience should feel like they learned something and, at the same time, inspired to change.

This structure maintains a level of suspense and excitement, perfect for presentations that need to inspire AND inform.

This TED talk by David McCandless about the The Beauty of Data Visualization is a perfect example of the Fact and Story structure. He presents a collection of data visualizations which he created himself, along with a story of why he chose each particular set of data.

The topics he chose were extremely relevant to our present day and the audience related to all of them. The personal stories added to the intrigue and the audience left feeling like data visualizations are not only beautiful but also quite important.

Create a stunning presentation in less time

• Hundreds of premade slides available
• Add animation and interactivity to your slides
• Choose from various presentation options

Sign up. It’s free.

The Explanation

According to Gavin McMahon, co-founder of fassforward Consulting Group , the presentation structured labeled as The Explanation is meant to teach new insights and abilities.

Its main purpose is to inform about a process or plan to either fix a problem or learn something new. A good way to incorporate storytelling into the structure is to show the progression of the facts along with the progression of a story.

The presentation progresses in an upward motion following these steps:

• The Lay of the Land shows how things stand right now, what the destination is and how you plan to get there. The point is to get the audience excited and on board as quickly as possible by showing them the entire process straight up. Tell a story that relates directly to the introduction. Better yet, start with a story.
• The Roadmap is a visual map of how you will get to the final destination and reach the resolution. Set the audience on the right track.
• The First Step begins the adventure to get where you want to go.
• T he Next Steps is the middle section of the presentation, where all the steps are laid out one by one.
• Almost there is the catharsis where you look back at how much has changed and progressed since the first step.
• The Arrival is the celebration of the end of the journey. The audience should feel like they have learned something new and gained new knowledge.

The Explanation structure can be used for presentations by consultants that want to teach new ways of doing things inside a company or department. It could also perfectly fit in a sales meeting where a presenter can explain their process of a masterful sales plan.

This TED talk by Amy Cuddy about how your body language shapes who you are is a great example of an Explanation structure. She tells us about her experiment on power poses and how they can affect the outcome of a difficult situation.

The presentation starts off with a discussion on the natural animal and human condition of power and ends with a personal invitation to change your life with a 2-minute practice of power posing.

If you are a lover of the show "Grey’s Anatomy," this is the idea behind the power pose that the neurosurgeons do before a big procedure.

As you know, a pitch in the business sense is when a presenter uses the power of a presentation or speech to convince the audience of something he/she believes will improve a system or solve a problem, according to Gavin McMahon, co-founder of fassforward Consulting Group .

The Pitch presentation structure is like a climb uphill that takes you over a hurdle and on to a positive resolution.

It shows how the presenter’s idea can really improve a situation. By using a real and relatable story, the pitch makes more sense and feels more important.

• The Wind Up is a quick summary of what’s going on right now to presents the facts in a way that is easy to grasp and relatable to the audience.
• The Hurdle presents the problem that needs to be solved . Relay the problem with a story so that the emphasis is doubled.
• The Vision presents a glimpse into the main idea on how the problem can be solved.
• The Options is the moment when two different options are laid out as possibilities to solve the initial problem. The idea is to give an average option first, followed by a great option second. If there have already been tests and experiments to prove these facts, then these are the story.
• The Close is the point where the ideal option is presented as the best and only option.
• The Fine Print tells the audience exactly how the problem will be solved, the steps that need to be taken and the tasks to be resolved.
• The Hook is the uplifting conclusion to the presentation which relays an added bonus to the solution of the problem.

Use The Pitch presentation structure when you want to convince someone that your idea is the best for their problem. This structure also works when a new startup is looking for new funding or sponsorship opportunities.

This TED talk by Enric Sala about how to turn the high seas into the world’s largest natural reserve is a great example of a Pitch structure. He starts off with a story of how a group of fishermen revived an area of the ocean by stopping all the fishing there and turning it into a natural reserve.

Ten years later, that piece of ocean makes more money from scuba diving tourism than it ever did from fishing. He continues to talk about the same problem at a larger scale, the diminishing supply of fish and the destruction of the oceans.

His pitch to solve the impending problem is to turn the high seas into a natural reserve. He finishes by telling the audience that the plan is being pitched to the UN and that every individual can help their country abide by the new agreement if it goes through.

There is a well-known structure in literature called “The Hero’s Journey” which follows the plight of a main character from the beginning of a story to the end and leaves the reader feeling like they've learned a lesson they will never forget.

This type of presentation structure, The Drama , has a strong storytelling aspect. This is often used to tell the story of an influential company from founding days, through trials and tribulations, and then finishes with an inspiring show of success.

Another perfect presentation for The Drama structure is an inspiring personal story.

These are the steps of a Drama style presentation structure:

• One Fine Day . The introduction sets the stage with a situation where things are not perfect but just average. Imagine as if it were the first page of a book, where the setting is laid out and the audience gets an idea of a time and place.
• The Challenge. Suddenly a problem appears that can’t be ignored. The things that need to be solved are presented as a challenge.
• Descending Crisis . At this point, the problem is attacked head on but things gets worse until it hits rock bottom.
• Rock Bottom. When all seems lost and everything is at its worst, the story arrives at a standstill. As an added bonus, the presenter can pause for effect.
• The Discovery . This is the moment when a glimmer of light shows up and there is a discovery, a new way of resolving the problem.
• The Rise . By discovering new abilities, the problem can be tackled in a positive way.
• The Return . Not only are the problem and challenge resolved, the character and the audience break through and reach an unexpected happiness threshold, opening the world to a whole new range of possibilities.
• The Lesson . The conclusion is reached with an unforgettable lesson and resolution. The audience will feel inspired, informed and entertained.

This TED talk by Adam Driver about his journey from Marine to actor is the perfect example of The Drama structure.

He begins the story by telling the audience about what his life was like before he joined the Marines and what drove him to do it.

He tells how the Marines became his family, and closest friends. Then, right before deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan, he had an accident that separated him from the Marines for good.

He continues to explain how he went on to become an actor, followed by the creation of his project to unify theater with military service.

His talk ends with an example of the theater pieces he coordinates to be presented at military camps. Listeners are left with their hearts full of a newfound hope for humanity.

RELATED: This Classic Storytelling Model Will Help You Give a Mesmerizing Presentation

Situation - Complication - Resolution

According to Gavin McMahon , co-founder of fassforward Consulting Group, most presentations in the realm of B2B sales and business consultancy follow the Situation - Complication - Resolution structure. It is a three-element storyline linked by the words  but  and  therefore .

The starting point is The Situation , where current conditions are shown in an unbiased and transparent way. The situation connects to the next step through the word but .

A simple example: Our home decor company is selling pretty well this month, but…

This is when The Complication is presented.

In the above example, it could look something like this:

Our home decor company is selling pretty well this month, but  … we have been spending too much on international shipping.

When presenting The Complication , use facts to prove it. Present it as the challenge that needs to be overcome. The Complication is a low point, but from a low point we can only go up.

The final destination is The Resolution , which is connected to The Complication with the word, therefore .

Our home decor company is selling pretty well this month, but we have been spending too much on international shipping. Therefore,  we need to start using a new company that has a better price range and great service.

Back up all of your information with real facts and proof.

Situation - Opportunity - Resolution

A similar structure to the one above, the Situation - Opportunity - Resolution  replaces  Complication with   Opportunity . This three-part structure is also joined by the words  but  and  therefore .

The difference is that instead of the movement going down and then up, it goes slightly up and then levels out.

This structure is perfect when you need to show that something is not that hard to fix; that the problem might not be so big after all and that the solution is easy to grasp.

A presentation that follows this structure could turn out to be quite short, if only the facts are presented, but that would leave the audience feeling like “is that it?” Adding an interesting story to help the audience relate makes the overall presentation more effective.

This TED talk by Adam Galinsky about how to speak up for yourself is a perfect example of the Situation - Opportunity - Resolution presentation structure. He starts off by saying: “Speaking up is hard,” and instantly everyone in the audience can relate.

He gives a few personal stories about times when he should have spoken up and others when he shouldn’t. He gives contextual proof and explanations about how sometimes we feel powerless, other times powerful, and how this affects if we speak up or not.

His solution to the problem is not a huge effort but rather a personal mindset change. The presentation ends with an inspiring quote by the speaker’s father which leaves the audience feeling like they will know exactly when it’s the perfect time to speak up, or not.

Hook, Meat and Payoff

This presentation structure, like The Drama, is deeply founded in the art of storytelling. While the Hero’s Journey is more of a literary technique,  Hook, Meat and Payoff is more like a spoken-word progression.

The idea is that with the Hook , the presenter gives the audience a sense of place and time, plus a situation that will put them at the edge of their seats, wanting more.

The Meat is the middle section and usually the longest part of the presentation where the story progresses and all the information is relayed in an interesting and inviting way.

The Payoff is the inspiring conclusion that circles back to the beginning and leaves the audience feeling inspired.

It's like when you come out of the movie theater: You feel better about yourself and the world around you, as if you've learned something important that will make your life a little better.

This TED talk by Jill Bolte Taylor about her stroke of insight is a perfect example of a Hook, Meat and Payoff presentation structure.

One of the most famous TED talks of all time, this presentation starts with her personal story of the time she suffered a brain hemorrhage and stroke.

She is a neuroanatomist; she studies brains for a living. Her experience of having a stroke is one of the deepest stories you'll ever hear about the union between science and spirituality.

Her presentation hook, a real human brain which she shows to the audience, very much grabs your attention. The meat of the talk is also entertaining and interesting; she has the audience laughing and crying right along with her.

In the end, she recounts the moment when she felt her body die and then woke up feeling like she was a different person. She had lost all capacities with the stroke, and it took her eight years to learn to talk and walk again.

The Payoff is her invitation to everyone to feel like they have Nirvana at their fingertips, that being conscious of the world around us is not an impossible task.

RELATED: 7 Storytelling Techniques Used by the Most Inspiring TED Presenters

Make a Storyboard

Now that we've looked at the seven different ways that you can structure your presentation with storytelling techniques, it’s time to make a storyboard.

A storyboard is what film makers use to set up the structure of their movie before filming it. It is created with the help of the screenplay, following the flow of the story. Each rectangle in the storyboard is a scene in the film.

Presenters use this process of storyboarding to set up their presentations because it really helps with productivity. A storyboard is essentially a visual draft of your presentation.

(A note for the “un-artistic”: Don’t worry about things looking amazing right now! Uneven squiggles and weird shapes work the same way as perfect squares. The designed and finished look will come later when you set it all up in the Visme editor.)

As you add the story aspect to your presentation, make sure you don’t get too wordy and try using visuals instead of too much text. Use one or two sentences at most for each slide.

The best way to make a storyboard is with index cards, using each card as a slide. You can add things or easily take them away before you even start to design the final draft.

If it makes things easier, you can take a look at some presentation templates in Visme to see how we've created different slides. This might visually inspire the cards in your storyboard.

Image Source

Build it with Visme

You are now ready to move on to the final step: building your presentation with Visme. Okay, you can create it with whichever presentation software you like, but we think you'll conclude Visme is one of the best choices out there.

Promotions aside, it’s time to bring it all to life.

First, open a new presentation canvas, then choose a template or start from scratch. When you start from a blank canvas in Visme, you can add pre-built slides one by one from the slide library.

Create your slides by following the storyboard. For an added bonus, you can use animations, videos and audio to make your presentation unique.

Record your own audio and voiceovers within Visme

If your presentation is meant to be seen on its own, online or sent as a scrollable PDF, there might need to be more text than on a visual presentation which accompanies a speech. You can try animating the text so it's not just a big block of words.

Using audio also helps, but if the viewer has their computer on mute, they might miss it. Make sure your first slide gives the instruction to turn up the volume.

If your visual presentation is going to be used as a backdrop for a speech, you can forgo some of the text and make it more visual.

Remember to rehearse your speech along with the slides so it all flows seamlessly. TED speakers suggest you rehearse a spoken presentation at least 10 times until it flows naturally.

If you need more help with your presentation design, don't forget to grab our free e-book below.

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

Trusted by leading brands

Recommended content for you:

Create Stunning Content!

Design visual brand experiences for your business whether you are a seasoned designer or a total novice.

About the Author

Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com

The Presenter's Guide to Nailing Your Next PowerPoint

Updated: July 27, 2022

Published: February 11, 2021

Have a presentation coming up that involves PowerPoint slides? Creating the content and design for a new presentation can be a daunting task.

Between outlining, deciding on a design, filling it out, and finalizing the details, it's not uncommon for a few questions to pop up.

Where's the best place to start? Are some steps better to take before others? How can you make sure you aren't missing anything? And how on earth do you master those essential -- yet slightly technical -- design tricks that can take a presentation from good to great?

We're here to make the process a little easier for you. We've talked to some of the best presenters at HubSpot and have included their tips throughout this blog.

With the following tips in your arsenal, you'll be able to navigate PowerPoint much more fluidly and give a standout presentation that'll leave your audience wanting more.

How to Structure a Powerpoint Presentation

1. decide on a working title and the main takeaways..

Beyond picking a topic, your first step should be coming up with a working title for your presentation. A working title is more specific than a topic: Think "How the Right Nutrition Can Strengthen Your Kids' Bones" instead of "Raising Healthy Kids." Keep in mind that a compelling presentation title is much like a compelling blog post title : short, accurate, and valuable.

Once you've got your working title, make a list of the main takeaways of your presentation to begin to give it some structure. This'll help you stay focused when writing your outline and elaborating on those sections.

Aja Frost, the Head of English SEO at HubSpot, says, "I try to structure my presentations around a story. Not only does this make the presentation more memorable and engaging, it's also easier to figure out which information is relevant."

To do this, Frost says to pick a protagonist. She adds, "It might be your team, your audience, your customer.... Then, identify the rising action, problem, climax, and falling action. It's just like grade school. This structure works whether you're talking about an accomplishment, a challenge, a big question—anything, really."

2. Create a short text outline with your audience in mind.

Once you have your main takeaways and your story in mind, it's time to begin outlining the content of your presentation in more detail, while keeping your specific audience in mind. A presentation on any topic should sound different if you're speaking to an audience of college students versus an audience of investors, for example. The tone, words, design, and delivery of your presentation should all cater to your specific audience for maximum impact.

Ask yourself: What do your audience members already know? What new information can you teach them? What are they expecting from your presentation? What's going to be interesting to them? What will keep them focused and engaged? Then, make choices during every stage of the presentation process accordingly.

Justin Champion, a content professor at HubSpot, says, "Before diving into a presentation, I create an outline of how it'll flow. I do this by creating an intro (what they're going to learn), the body (what they're learning), and finish with a conclusion (recap what they just learned) I use bullet point slide a lot for talking points I can expand on. Pro tip: use animations to guide the story. For example, instead of showing all the bullets at once, click through to each via animation."

3. Formulate your content as a narrative, if possible.

This may not apply for more formal presentation that have rigid structures (like performance reports), but for presentations that have more flexibility, presenting your content as a narrative can be much more compelling.

Stories appeal to people's emotional side in ways that information, facts, and figures can't. They help you relate to your audience -- and in turn, they'll make you and your message far more interesting to your audience. They also help make complicated concepts more easily understandable to your audience, who may not share the same experience level or work in the same industry.

Kyle Jepson, a senior professor at HubSpot, says, "Since I’m an educator, I always structure my presentations around the learning outcomes I want to achieve. If there are three things I want my listeners to understand at the end of the presentation, I’ll have three sections. Whenever possible, I put some sort of interactive element at the end of each section to assess their understanding. In a virtual event, this might be a poll or a question for people to respond to in the chat. In an in-person setting, workshop activities or small-group discussions work well."

4. Collect data and examples.

While sweeping statements can help you set the stage, supporting those statements with evidence will make your argument more interesting and credible. Data and examples give your argument content, and people will understand what you're saying much better.

But don't just slap random stats on your slides and expect to "wow" your audience. Be sure your data comes from a reputable source and that you're presenting it in a way that's easy to understand, like through accurate charts and graphs.

Finally, don't overwhelm your audience with too much data. According to psychologist George Miller , we can only remember approximately five to nine bits of information in our short-term memory at any given time. Keep that in mind as you collect your evidence.

5. Engage with your audience.

During a presentation, it's important to connect with your audience. But how can you do that when you're just talking at them?

Anni Kim, an INBOUND professor at HubSpot, says, "Staying engaged during a virtual presentation is tough, so provide plenty of opportunities for participation. You should add a slide at the beginning that points out how people can take advantage of the chat and ask questions throughout the presentation."

Once you've set the expectations, keep up on the chat and answer questions as they arise.

Now that you have a structure in mind, you'll start to write the content. Below, we'll give tips for how to start and end your presentation.

How to Start a Powerpoint Presentation

1. start with a story..

Not to be repetitive, but storytelling is one of the best ways to capture your audience's attention in general. Presentations are no different. Starting with a hook is a great way to get your audience invested in your content.

Champion says, "The best way to start a presentation is with an interesting story that connects to the content. A great way to keep you audience engaged is to make the content interesting."

2. Be yourself.

On the other hand, while you want to tell a story, you also want your audience to connect with you as the presenter.

Jepson says, "During the introduction, I think one of the most important things to do is to set expectations for your style as a presenter. You don't always need to start with a joke or a story. Start out by being you, and then keep being you for as long as you’re on stage."

3. Include surprising or unusual information at the beginning.

While you'll most likely use a standard approach with session title, presenter's bio, and an agenda, you don't want your audience to get bored.

Jepson adds "I think the standard approach (session title, presenter’s bio, agenda) is pretty effective except that it’s usually super boring. I try to include the standard information but sprinkle in things that are surprising or unusual."

Some examples include:

• Adding a photo of your family on the About Me slide. "A lot of presenters put a picture of themselves on their About Me slide. But I think that’s silly because I’m standing right there," Jepson says. "If people don’t know what I look like, they will by the end of the presentation! So I’ve started putting a picture of my wife and kids on that slide and saying something sweet or silly about that."
• Asking people to use their phones. "A lot of in-person presentations start with a request to silence cell phones," Jepson comments. "Sometimes I’ll do the opposite and say something like, 'Before we get started, I want you all to pull out your phones. You probably think I’m going to ask you to silence them. But I’m not. I’m here from HubSpot, and I’m here to help you however I can. So if there’s anyone from your team who might have questions or need help from a HubSpotter, I want you to send them a message and tell them to send their questions to you before we get to the Q&A section of presentation. To give you time to do this, I’m going to send a text to my wife to let her know I made it here safely.' And then I’ll literally pull out my phone and send a text message on stage."

Now that you've structured your post and have ironed out the details of your introduction, it's time to work on the end of the presentation.

How to End a Powerpoint Presentation

1. recap what the audience has learned..

First and foremost, the end of your presentation should tie everything together.

Champion adds, "Recap what they just learned, explain next steps based on learnings, and offer any associated resources to continue learning."

This will help people remember the content and give them resources to learn more or reach out if they have questions.

2. Q&A.

Another great way to end a presentation is with a Q&A.

Jepson remarks, "I always end with Q&A. The only tricky thing about that is knowing how to cut it off if you’re getting more questions than you have time to answer or if you aren’t getting any questions at all. In both of those situations, I do essentially the same: I cut it off and tell people to come talk to me individually."

For in-person meetings, Jepson will tell the audience to come find him after the presentation to ask more questions. However, for virtual meetings, he'll let people know how to reach him, whether that's via LinkedIn or email.

3. Call to action.

Calls to action are an important component of any piece of content and presentations are no different. What do you want your audience to do with this information?

In your recap, include actionable ways for your audience to incorporate your information into their day-to-day (if applicable). You can also let people know to reach out to you with questions so they know the next steps in case they want to discuss the presentation further.

Now that you have an idea of what you're going to be talking about and how you'll be laying it out, it's time to open up a new PowerPoint presentation and apply those basic design elements.

Outlining Your PowerPoint Design

1. pick a color scheme..

Before you begin translating your text outline into PowerPoint, you'll want to start by adding some very basic design elements to your PowerPoint slides. First, choose a color scheme -- one that has enough contrast between colors to make colors stand out. Whether you decide to use two, three, or four different colors in your presentation is up to you, but certain color combinations go together better than others. Read the sections on creating color schemes in this blog post to figure out a good color combination.

Image Source

2. Design your slide backgrounds.

In PowerPoint, less is more. You don’t ever want to let the design distract from your message. But at the same time, you want to get more creative than a plain, white background -- even if you're going for a very simple design.

The three main ways to add a background design to a PowerPoint presentation are: 1) to use a predesigned template from PowerPoint; 2) to create a custom background using a solid color; or 3) to create a custom background using an image. Here's how to do each of those things.

(We also have a few general PowerPoint templates available for download here , which come with a series of videos to teach you some basic PowerPoint creation tips.)

How to Browse Predesigned Templates in PowerPoint

PowerPoint comes with a series of predesigned templates to choose from.

To browse these templates on a Mac: Click on the slide or slides you want to add the background to. Then, click the "Themes" tab at the top of the screen.

You can either scroll through your options up there, or you can access the themes gallery in a bigger window by hovering your mouse over the theme previews and clicking the dropdown arrow that appears below them.

Right-click the background style that you want. To apply the background style to the selected slides, click "Apply to Selected Slides." To apply the background style to all of the slides in your presentation, click "Apply to All Slides."

To browse these templates on a PC: Click on the slide or slides you want to add the background to. Then, click the "Design" tab at the top of the screen. In the "Background" group, click the arrow next to "Background Styles" to open up the theme gallery.

Pro Tip: You can also apply any PowerPoint template you already have as a theme, even if it doesn't show up in the theme gallery. To do that, click the "Browse Themes" option you'll find at the bottom of the dropdown themes gallery, and navigate to wherever the given presentation, template, or theme is located on your computer. Then, click "Apply."

How to Create a Custom Background Using a Solid Color

Want your slide background to be a simple, solid color? The steps to do this are almost identical on a Mac and a PC.

Simply right-click the slide(s) you want to add a background color to, then click "Format Background." In the window that appears, click "Fill" and then "Solid." Notice you can also adjust the gradient or make the background a pattern. Click "Apply" at the bottom to apply the changes.

How to Create a Custom Background Using an Image

Sometimes, making the slide background a high-definition image can really make that slide pop. It also encourages you to cut down on text so that only a few keywords complement the image. PowerPoint makes it easy to create a custom background using an image you own.

First, choose your image. Size matters here: Be sure it's high resolution so that it can fill your slide without becoming blurry or distorted. Here are the 17 best free stock photo sites to help you find some large, great quality images.

To create a custom background using an image on a Mac: Click the slide that you want to add a background picture to. To select multiple slides, click a slide and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other slides.

Next, click the "Themes" tab at the top of your screen. In the "Theme Options" group, click "Background," then "Format Background."

In the window that appears, click "Fill," then "Picture or Texture." To insert a picture from a file, click "Choose Picture..." and then locate and double-click the picture you want to insert. If you want to use this picture as a background for just the slides you selected, click "Apply." If you want to use the picture as a background for all the slides in your presentation, click "Apply to All."

To create a custom background using an image on a PC: Click the slide that you want to add a background picture to. To select multiple slides, click a slide and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other slides.

Next, click the "Design" tab at the top of your screen. In the "Background" group, click "Background Styles," then "Format Background."

In the window that appears, click "Fill," then "Picture or texture fill." To insert a picture from a file, click "File" and then locate and double-click the picture you want to insert. If you want to use this picture as a background for just the slides you selected, click "Close." If you want to use the picture as a background for all the slides in your presentation, click "Apply to All."

Filling In the Content

1. fill in the text on your slides using concise language..

Your slides are there to support your speech, not replace it. If your slides contain too much information -- like full sentences or (gasp) paragraphs -- then your audience members won't be able to help but read the slides instead of listening to you. Plus ... that's boring. Instead, use slides to enhance keywords and show visuals while you stand up there and do the real work: telling a story and describing your data.

When it comes to your slide text, focus on the main phrases of a bullet point, and cover details verbally. We recommend using up to three bullet points per slide and making any text as simple and concise as possible. A good rule of thumb is this: If you're using more than two lines per slide or per idea, then you've used too much text. Depending on the type of presentation, two lines might even be a little text-heavy.

Are you planning on sending your slides to your audience afterward? If you're concerned about putting enough information on the slides for people to understand your presentation when they go back to it later, you can always add little details into the slide notes in PowerPoint. You can find the Notes pane at the bottom of your PowerPoint screen, right below your slides. Click and drag the edge of the pane to make it larger or smaller.

2. Brainstorm your final title with someone else.

Once all your content is there, you're ready to finalize your title. First, refine your working title as best you can on your own. Is it compelling and interesting enough to engage your audience from the very start? Does it accurately reflect your presentation?

Next -- and this is important -- connect with someone else to brainstorm the final title together. Read this blog post for a helpful walkthrough on writing a great title and title brainstorming with others.

Filling In Your PowerPoint Design

1. choose a font that's easy to read..

Choose either one font to use throughout your presentation, or two (one for your headers and one for your body text) that contrast each other well. Here's a list of 35 beautiful fonts you can download for free to get you started.

If you decide on two fonts, your header font should be bold and eye-catching, and your body text font should be simple and easy to read. (For more guidance on what fonts work best together, take a look at this visual guide .)

2. Embed your font files.

Fonts changing from one computer to another is one of the most common problems PowerPoint presenters have -- and it can really mess up your presentation and flow. What's actually happening in this case is not that the fonts are changing; it's that the presentation computer just doesn’t have the same font files installed .

If you’re using a PC and presenting on a PC, then there is a smooth workaround for this issue. When you involve Mac systems, the solution is a bit rougher.

On a PC: When you save your PowerPoint file, click "Save As" and then "Save Options." Then, select the "Embed TrueType fonts" check box and press "OK." Now, your presentation will keep the font file and your fonts will not change when you move computers (unless you give your presentation on a Mac).

On a Mac: In PowerPoint for Mac, there's no option to embed fonts within the presentation. So unless you use ubiquitous typefaces like Arial or Tahoma, your PowerPoint is likely going to encounter font changes on different computers. The best way to avoid this is to save the final version of your presentation slides as JPEGs, and then insert those JPEGs onto your PowerPoint slides. In other words, make each slide a JPEG picture of your slide. (Note that the file size of your PowerPoint will increase if your presentation includes a lot of JPEGs.)

Mac users can easily drag and drop the JPEGs into PowerPoint. If you don't use actions in your presentation, then this option works especially well.

If you want your presentation to appear "animated," then you'll need to do a little tinkering. All you need to do is save JPEGs of each "frame" of the animation. Then, in your final presentation, you'll just display those JPEGs in the order you'd like the animation to appear. While you'll technically have several new slides in place of one original one, your audience won't know the difference.

If you're a Mac user and want to use this option, then be sure to add this to your checklist as the final step.

3. Adjust the font sizes.

Once you've chosen your font, you can start playing around with font size. Carefully choose the font sizes for headers and text, and consistently use the same font face and sizes on all your slides to keep things clean and legible. Be sure your font is big enough so even the audience members in the way back of the room can read them.

4. Adjust line and character spacing.

The biggest PowerPoint no-no is using too much text on a slide. The most effective slides use text sparingly and present it in a way that's easy to read. One trick to make text more legible without changing the font size or layout is to increase or decrease the space between each line and each letter.

To adjust line spacing:

Select the text you'd like to adjust. On the "Home" tab, in the "Paragraph" group, click "Line Spacing" and choose "Line Spacing Options." In the Paragraph dialog box's "Spacing" section, click the "Line Spacing" dropdown list and choose "Exactly." In the "At" text box, adjust the value accordingly. Click "OK" to save your changes.

To adjust character spacing:

Select the text you want to change. Then, on the "Home" tab, find and click the "Font" button." Choose "Character Spacing Options" from the dropdown menu. Adjust spacing as needed.

5. Add images.

Great visual cues can have a huge impact on how well your audience understands your message. Using gorgeous images in a slide presentation is the perfect way to keep things interesting.

It's important, though, that you don't use images to decorate. This is a very common mistake. Remember: Images are meant to reinforce or complement your message, but they can be distracting. Focus on finding high resolution images so that they look good when expanded without becoming blurry or distorted.

If you don't have your own images to use, check out our roundup of the 17 best free stock photo sites .

Pro Tip: If you're finding that the background of an image is distracting, you can actually remove it before putting it into your presentation directly inside PowerPoint -- no Photoshop required. Read this blog post for instructions .

6. Use multimedia, but sparingly.

Using multimedia in your presentation, like video and audio, can be an effective way to capture your audience's attention and encourage retention of your message. In most cases, it's best to avoid using more than one or two video or audio clips so you don't detract from your talk or your message.

PowerPoint lets you either link to video/audio files externally, or embed the media directly in your presentation. You should embed these files if you can, but if you use a Mac, you cannot actually embed the video. We'll get to that in a second.

PC users: Here are two great reasons to embed your multimedia:

• Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It'll look much more professional than switching between windows.
• Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

Mac users: You need to be extra careful about using multimedia files. You'll always need to bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation. It’s best to only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder. You can also record voiceovers for your presentation or hire a voice actor through Voice123 .

If your presentation is going to be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format . That can get complicated, so if you want to use PowerPoint effectively, consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting no matter what (if that's something you can control).

7. Design your title slide.

The title of your presentation is often the first impression it gives off -- especially if it's going to be on display as people file in to your presentation -- so it's important to put some time and careful thought into its design.

Here are 20 layout ideas for PowerPoint title slides from Chris Lema :

8. Add any consistent elements, like your company logo.

There's a reason this is at the end. If you add things like your logo that you want to be in the same place on every slide, any adjustments you make to individual slides could slightly alter the alignment ... and you'll have to go back and adjust them all over again.

Preparing For the Presentation

1. review and edit your slides..

Spend some time on your own flipping through your slides while practicing your talk. Make sure you can check all of the following off the list:

• Your slides flow well and align with your talk.
• Your slides are free of all grammatical, formatting, or design errors.
• Your multimedia files work.
• You've double-checked any mathematical calculations you made yourself.
• You've properly attributed any statistics, data, quotes, ideas, etc. to the original source.
• You've double-checked you're actually allowed to use the photos/images you used . (Don't skip this step. Here's a cautionary tale about internet copyright law .)
• You're sure nothing in your presentation could potentially harm any of your partners, stakeholders, audience members, or your company.
• You've checked with a friend that nothing in your presentation might offend certain people in your audience -- or, if so, that it's worth it.

2. Know your slides inside out.

The best presenters don't read off your slides, so it's important to prepare and practice your presentation ahead of time. You never want to be the person finalizing your talk or presentation half an hour before an event ... that's just poor planning. Plus, what if the projector fails and you have to give your talk without slides? It can happen, and if does, you'll be incredibly happy you spent so much time preparing.

3. Practice using "presenter view."

Depending on the venue, you might have a presenter's screen available to you in addition to the main projected display that your audience can see. PowerPoint has a great tool called "Presenter View," which includes an area for notes, a timer/clock, a presentation display, and a preview of the next slide.

Make sure "Presenter View" is turned on by selecting it in the "Slide Show" tab of your PowerPoint.

To practice using "Presenter View," open the "Slide Show" tab within PowerPoint. In the "Presenter Tools" box, click "Presenter View."

4. Bring your own laptop and a backup copy of your presentation.

This isn't just a bonus step -- it's an essential one. Technology can mess up on you, and you need to be prepared. Between operating systems or even between different versions of Microsoft Office, PowerPoint can get a little wonky. One way to avoid problems is to ensure you have all the right hardware with you. Bring along your own laptop when you're presenting, just in case.

Even if you bring your laptop, but especially if you for some reason cannot, bring a backup copy of your PowerPoint file on a flash drive.

What other tips do you have for nailing PowerPoint presentations?

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]

How to Create the Best PowerPoint Presentations [Examples & Templates]

17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips From Pro Presenters [+ Templates]

How to Write an Ecommerce Business Plan [Examples & Template]

How to Create an Infographic in Under an Hour — the 2024 Guide [+ Free Templates]

Get Buyers to Do What You Want: The Power of Temptation Bundling in Sales

How to Create an Engaging 5-Minute Presentation

How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]

120 Presentation Topic Ideas Help You Hook Your Audience

How to Create a Stunning Presentation Cover Page [+ Examples]

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

How to Structure a Presentation: Organizing into Three Key Sections

Learn how to structure a presentation effectively into three main sections: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion for maximum impact.

Introduction: Setting the Stage

3. overview, body: the core of your presentation, 1. organize by main points, 2. evidence and examples, 3. transitions, conclusion: wrapping it up, 2. call to action, final thoughts, create ppt using ai.

Just Enter Topic, Youtube URL, PDF, or Text to get a beautiful PPT in seconds. Use the bulb for AI suggestions.

character count: 0 / 6000 (we can fetch data from google)

upload pdf, docx, .png

less than 2 min

Mehjabi Khan

How to Make a Copy of a PowerPoint Presentation

14 August 2024

How to Make Google Slides Look Good?

How to Collaborate on PowerPoint? A 2024 Guide

How to End a Presentation: Leaving a Lasting Impression

13 August 2024

How to Narrate a PowerPoint Presentation: A Complete Guide

How to Make a Good PowerPoint Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide

How To Prepare For A Presentation (A 2024 Guide)

How to Add Music to Powerpoint Presentation for All Slides

Stunning presentations in seconds with AI

Install MagicSlides app now and start creating beautiful presentations. It's free!

Get AI-Generated Presentations Ready in Seconds

Free AI PPT Tools

• Documentation

The Go-To Guide on How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

• Clarity for Your Audience
• Better Retention
• Confidence as a Presenter
• Introduction
• Create Slide Sections
• Use the Outline View
• Create a Table of Contents
• Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
• Craft An Impactful PowerPoint Presentation

Think about a fancy building that looks incredible from the outside but lacks a strong foundation. It won’t last long or work well. Similarly, having beautiful slides is not enough in PowerPoint presentations if you don’t organize them properly.

In this article, we’ll talk about how to set up a PowerPoint presentation correctly. We’ll explain what important parts it should have and give you practical tips on arranging your slides to make them effective. These practical ideas will help you organize your slides better and make it easier to create them. 

Let’s dive in and understand why a good PowerPoint structure is so important.

Why Structuring PowerPoint Presentations is Important?

1. Clarity for Your Audience

Imagine telling a story with all the words mixed up. It would not be very clear. That’s how it feels for your audience when your slides are not structured. When your presentation has a clear beginning, middle, and end, people can follow along much better. They know where you’re starting, what’s coming next, and what you’ve concluded.

2. Better Retention

Research tells us that structured information is 40% more likely to be remembered than information everywhere. So, if you want your audience to remember your key points, structuring your slides is essential. It’s like putting important items in labeled boxes – easier to find and remember.

3. Confidence as a Presenter

A structure also benefits you as the presenter. It’s like having a map that guides you through the presentation. You know what’s coming next, which helps reduce nervousness and keeps you from getting lost in your talk.

4. Engagement

A well-structured presentation is more engaging. People are more likely to pay attention and stay interested when they can follow a clear flow of information. It’s like a good movie – it keeps you hooked because it makes sense.

Therefore, structuring your PowerPoint presentation is like giving your audience a clear roadmap. It helps them understand your message, remember it, and keep you on track as the presenter. So, if you want your presentation to succeed, take the important step of structuring it properly.

Typical PowerPoint Presentation Structure 

The introduction is like the opening act of a performance, and it’s super important because it tells your audience what they’ll learn from your presentation. Here are the different slides you need to include in the beginning:

• The Title: Start your presentation with a clear and captivating title. It sets the stage for what your audience can expect. You can add a brief description under the title.
• A Table of Contents / Main Menu: A table of contents or main menu slide is like the map of your presentation. It provides your audience with an overview of what topics you’ll cover. It is especially helpful for longer presentations. You can easily make your presentation more engaging by using hyperlinks. This means your viewers can pick which part they want to see next by clicking on it, just like choosing a chapter in a book.
• Objectives: Clearly state what you aim to achieve with your presentation. It’s like telling your audience what to expect and why it matters. For example, if you’re giving a presentation about a new project, your objective could be to gain approval and support from your team.
• Definitions (Optional): Consider including a definitions slide if your presentation involves specific terms or concepts your audience may not know.

Main Content : The body of your presentation is where the real meat of your topic resides. Here’s how you can structure it effectively:

• Introduction to Topics : Start by introducing the main topics or sections you’ll cover. Think of this as the roadmap within your presentation. For instance, if you’re discussing the benefits of a new product, you might have sections like “Product Features,” “Market Opportunities,” and “Customer Feedback.”
• Content Slides : Each main topic or section should have its series of content slides. These slides delve into the details, providing information, examples, and visuals. 
• Numbering:  You should number your points according to priority. (1,2,3..)
• Narration: Narrate each slide like a story from beginning to end. 
• Time Frame: You should place the slides in the time frame (Past, Present, Future)
• Problem-Solving : Explain a problem, talk about how it affects things, and then offer solutions to fix it.
• Transitions : Use transitional slides to guide your audience smoothly between sections or topics. 
• Visuals : Incorporate visuals like images, diagrams, and charts to enhance understanding and engagement. 

A strong conclusion wraps up your presentation nicely. It recaps the important things you discussed and reminds your audience what they should take away. Here are some slides you might consider including:

• Summary and Takeaways: The conclusion is where you tie everything together. Summarize the key points you’ve discussed in the body of your presentation. Reinforce your main message and objectives.
• Call to Action (Optional) : Depending on the nature of your presentation, you should include a call to action slide. It could be an invitation for questions, a request for feedback, or a specific action you want your audience to take after the presentation.
• Closing Remarks: End your presentation with some closing remarks. Thank your audience for their attention and participation. It helps create a sense of closure and leaves a positive impression.

Remember, while this structure is typical, it can be adapted to suit your specific presentation and audience. Flexibility is key. Ensure your slides are visually appealing, easy to read, and not overcrowded with text. Keep your audience’s attention by using a clear structure, engaging visuals, and a well-planned delivery. 

By following this structure and considering your audience’s needs, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful PowerPoint presentation.

Technical Tips for Structuring in PowerPoint

1. Create Slide Sections

When dealing with a big PowerPoint presentation, organizing it into sections that you can easily collapse or expand is helpful. This makes it neater and easier to work on. Here’s how you can do it in simple steps:

Create a Section :

• Find the slide in your list where you want to start a new section.
• Right-click on that slide.
• From the menu that appears, choose “Add Section.” It will create a new section.
• You’ll see it’s named “Untitled Section.” To give it a proper name, right-click on it and select “Rename Section.” Then, type in the name you want.
• If you need more sections, you can repeat this process to create and name them.

Move Sections :

•   Sometimes, you might want to change the order of your sections.
•   To do this, right-click on the section name you want to move.
• You’ll see options to “Move Section Up” or “Move Section Down.” Choose the one that suits your needs to shift the section.

Collapse or Expand Section

•   If you have a lot of sections and want to focus on one, you can collapse the others.
• To collapse a section, click on the little collapse icon (usually a small triangle or arrow) to the left of the section name.
• You can collapse or expand all the sections by right-clicking on any section name and selecting “Collapse All” or “Expand All.”
• You can access these settings by going to the “VIEW” tab and choosing “Slide Sorter.” It’s like putting different presentation parts into folders to keep things tidy and organized.

 2. Use the Outline View

Another way to organize your PowerPoint presentation while editing it is by using “Outline View.” Here’s how you can use it in simple terms:

• You can find Outline View in the “VIEW” tab of PowerPoint.
• When you switch to Outline View, you won’t see the sections, but you will see each slide’s titles and main text. It gives you a quick look at what’s on each slide. You have the text on the left, and on the right, you see how your slides look.
• You can edit your presentation directly in this view. If you want to change the text, you can do it here without going to each slide.
• The text must be in a “text placeholder” to appear in the outline. A text placeholder is a box with text like “Click to add text” or “Click to add title.” These show up when you use a standard layout for your slides.
• You can also change the order of your text. For example, if you have a bullet point that you want to turn into a slide title or vice versa, you can do it. Just right-click on the title or text to see options like “Promote” and “Demote.” Promote moves text up, and Demote moves it down.
• One thing to be careful about is demoting a title. If you do this, it will delete the original slide and move the title and text to the slide next to it. So, make sure you want to do that.
• Unfortunately, you can’t change the order of your slides in Outline View. You can only promote or demote text within slides, not entire slides.

Think of Outline View as a way to quickly see and edit the text in your presentation without getting lost in all the slides. It’s like having a summary of your content that you can work with easily.

3. Create a Table of Contents

Creating a table of contents in a PowerPoint presentation can make it easy for your viewers to navigate through it. While PowerPoint doesn’t offer an automatic table of contents feature, you can create one manually with these steps:

• Insert a Table of Contents Slide : Start by inserting a table of contents slide on the title or a blank slide. Add a new slide by pressing “New Slide” on the ribbon. Once you’ve added the slide, select all its objects and delete them.
• Right-click anywhere in the outline pane.
• Choose “Collapse” and then “Collapse All.” It will show only the slide titles.
• Click Ctrl+A to select all the slide titles, then press Ctrl+C to copy them.
• Paste the Titles : Go to your table of contents slide and press Ctrl+V to paste the copied slide titles. If you have too many titles that don’t fit on one page, you can divide the table of contents into two columns or spread it across two slides.
• ·       Select the title of the first chapter on your table of contents slide.
• ·       Right-click and choose ” the link.”
• ·       Press “Place in This Document” on the left-hand menu in the open window.
• ·       Then, choose the slide corresponding to the first chapter and click “OK.”
• ·       You must repeat this procedure to link all the chapters to their respective slides.

Creating a manual table of contents ensures viewers can jump to different parts of your presentation by clicking on the linked titles. It’s a helpful way to enhance navigation in your PowerPoint presentation.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them 

• Overloading Slides with Text : One big mistake is cramming too much text onto slides. Use concise bullet points, visuals, and speaker notes for additional details to avoid this.
• Ignoring Visual Design : Neglecting visual appeal can make your presentation dull. Use consistent fonts, colors, and graphics to make your slides visually engaging but not overwhelming.
• Complex Charts and Graphs : Overly complex charts must be clarified for the audience. Simplify visuals and use clear labels. Consider breaking complex data into multiple slides if needed.
• Too Many Animations : Excessive animations can distract from your message. Use animations sparingly and purposefully to emphasize key points.
• Lack of Rehearsal : Not rehearsing leads to stumbling during the actual presentation. Practice your delivery multiple times to ensure a smooth flow.
• Ignoring Your Audience : Failing to consider your audience’s needs and knowledge level can result in a presentation that doesn’t resonate. Tailor your content to your audience’s background and interests.
• Skipping a Clear Structure : Your presentation can feel disjointed without a logical structure. Follow the introduction, body, and conclusion structure, and use transitions to connect ideas.
• Technical Glitches : Technical issues like malfunctioning equipment or unreadable fonts can disrupt your presentation. Always have a backup plan and test your setup beforehand.
• Reading Slides Aloud : Reading slides word-for-word is boring. Use slides as visual aids, and speak naturally to engage your audience.
• Neglecting Q&A Preparation : Not preparing for questions can leave you confused. Anticipate possible questions and rehearse answers.

In conclusion, structuring a PowerPoint presentation is as vital as its content. A well-organized presentation helps your audience understand and retain information while keeping you, the presenter, on track. 

Remember to create sections, utilize Outline View for efficient editing, and add a table of contents for easy navigation.

Avoid common pitfalls like information overload, design neglect, and technical glitches. Instead, focus on engaging visuals, practice, and audience-centered content.

By implementing these strategies and maintaining a clear structure, you can create compelling presentations that captivate your audience and effectively convey your message. Your next PowerPoint presentation can be a powerful tool that informs, persuades, and leaves a lasting impact.

Our blogs will land in your inbox & keep you updated about the latest tech developments in Education, Healthcare, and Recruitment.

Sign up to download

Recent blogs.

Are you ready to revamp your recruitment strategy? Buckle up and dive into this blog post to discover the latest trends shaping the hiring future! The way we find and recruit top talent is undergoing a dramatic transformation. In today’s competitive job market, it’s no longer enough to simply post a job ad and wait…  Read More » Top 17 Online Recruitment Trends Shaping the Future of Hiring

Recruiting can feel like a gamble. You invest time and money, hoping to land the perfect candidate. But all too often, the results are disappointing – a slow hiring process, underwhelming applicants, and ultimately, a bad fit. This is where ROI (Return on Investment) comes in. By optimizing your recruitment strategy, you can dramatically improve…  Read More » Maximizing Recruitment ROI: Strategies for Optimal Results

In today’s tight job market, associations play a crucial role in connecting skilled professionals with employers in their industry. One powerful tool at your disposal is your association’s job board. But let’s face it, just having a job board isn’t enough anymore. To truly get the most out of this valuable resource, you need to…  Read More » 4 Effective Tips to Boost Your Association’s Job Board ROI

Technology Blogs

Did you know around 50% of the world’s digital media and marketing software market is currently controlled by Adobe?  However, there has been a significant change due to Adobe Flash Player’s discontinuation, leading to an increase in alternative multimedia solutions. This in-depth tutorial will review the dynamic options that have swept the web. Learn about…  Read More » 14 Handy Flash Alternatives To Play Media Files In 2024

In case you were unaware, 90% of the brain’s information is visual. It can be challenging to make captivating video presentations, especially if you need to familiarize yourself with the necessary tools and methods. You run the danger of losing your audience’s interest and needing help to communicate your idea properly. To help you out,…  Read More » Creating a Video Presentation in PowerPoint – A Complete Guide

Want to know about screen recording software but don’t know where to start? In this guide we’ll delve into the vast world of free and premium screen recording tools, uncovering their distinct features, benefits, and restrictions.  We aim to give you the knowledge to make informed decisions and discover the best screen recording software for…  Read More » 19 Best Screen Recording Software For Windows PC Users

Reach out to us!

• Microsoft Teams
• Cisco Webex
• Rocket.Chat
• Accessability
• Release Notes
• Public Roadmap
• Brainstorming
• Mindmapping
• Decision Making & Strategy
• Public Sector
• Coaching / Training
• Open Telekom Cloud
• Azure Switzerland
• On-Premises
• Confidential Cloud
• Online Help

Presentation structure: Tips & examples for the perfect presentation structure

A well-structured presentation is crucial to engaging your audience and getting your message across effectively. A clear presentation structure allows the audience to follow your thoughts and arguments easily and remember the information presented better. In this article, we give you a comprehensive guide to the perfect presentation structure and offer you helpful tips and examples to make your presentation a success.

The start of the presentation: raising interest and providing orientation

The beginning of your presentation is of great importance as it sets the tone for the entire talk and should arouse the interest of your audience. Start with a powerful introduction that introduces the topic and grabs the audience's attention. For example, you can use a relevant quote, an anecdote or a provocative question to arouse the audience's curiosity. Further tips and examples for presentation introductions. After you have aroused interest, you should give your audience a clear orientation by introducing the main points of your presentation. List the main points you will cover and make sure they are well structured. A guiding question can help you maintain the thread of your presentation and get your message across at the end.

The main part: An in-depth look at the topic

The main part of your presentation should take up most of your speaking time and cover the topic in depth. Here you have the opportunity to present your specialist knowledge and shed light on the topic from different perspectives. Structure the main part logically and use clear transitions to allow the audience to move smoothly between topics. Use verifiable arguments, valid facts and supporting examples to back up your statements. Graphics, images and diagrams can also be used to visually represent complex information and make it easier to understand. Make sure that your presentation slides are not overloaded and focus on the most important points.

The end: Summary and call to action

The end of your presentation is just as important as the beginning. Use this section to summarize the key points again and ensure that the key messages stick in your audience's mind. A clear conclusion gives your audience a final understanding of the topic. You can also use the conclusion to ask your listeners to take action. For example, if your topic is intended to draw attention to a problem, you can encourage your listeners to take action and do something. Offer them a simple invitation to take action and make it effective. Here are 7 examples of the perfect way to end your presentation.

An example of a good presentation structure

To give you a better idea of a successful presentation structure, here is an example of how you could organize your presentation:

1. Introduction

• Arouse interest
• Provide orientation
• Ask the key question

2.Main section

• Summary of the key points
• Request for action

Find more tips for the optimal structure of a presentation here.

Creating a presentation - choosing the right tool

Choosing the right tool to create and deliver your presentation can make a big difference. Nowadays, there are a variety of technologies and platforms specifically designed to make presentations easier and more effective. One such tool that comes highly recommended is Collaboard. Collaboard is an online whiteboard that not only offers the ability to create engaging and interactive presentations, but also offers a variety of collaboration and interactivity features.

Here you will find detailed instructions on how to create a presentation with Collaboard.  With Collaboard, you can visually organize your thoughts and ideas, highlight parts of your presentation and even collaborate with others in real time. Plus, technical issues can be avoided as the software is cross-platform and runs in the cloud, meaning you can access it from anywhere and on any device. So, when you're planning your next presentation, remember: choosing the right tool can help you get your message across more effectively and make your presentation a success.

The role of visualizations in building the presentation

Visualizations are a powerful tool in any presentation. Not only do they serve to make your presentation more visually appealing, but they can also help simplify complex information and make it easier for the audience to understand. Infographics, diagrams, images or even videos can be used to illustrate data, trends and correlations that would otherwise be difficult to convey. In addition, a well-designed visualization can help to keep the interest and attention of your audience. But be careful: make sure that your visualizations are not overloaded and present the content clearly and simply. They should support your message and not distract from it. Remember that a good visualization is worth a thousand words, and use it wisely to take your presentation to the next level.

Presentation structure: Your guide to success through clear structure and effective message delivery

A well-structured presentation is the key to success. By having a clear and logical presentation structure, you can ensure that your message is conveyed effectively and that your audience can understand your presentation more easily. Use the tips and examples in this article to make your next presentation a success.

Presentation structure - Frequently asked questions & answers

What is the best way to start my presentation.

An effective way to start a presentation is to include an interesting hook such as an amazing statistic, a personal story or a provocative question to grab the audience's attention.

How long should the presentation last?

The ideal length of a presentation depends on the context, but a good rule of thumb is that it should last no longer than 20-30 minutes to keep the audience's attention.

How many slides should I use for my presentation?

There is no hard and fast rule for the number of slides, but a common approach is to plan one slide per minute of presentation time. However, the most important rule is that each slide should have a clear purpose.

How can I ensure that my message is communicated effectively?

Make sure that your presentation is clearly structured and that every point you make contributes directly to your main message. Visualizations and examples can also help to get your message across more effectively.

What do I do if I feel nervous during my presentation?

It's normal to be nervous before a presentation. Take a deep breath, speak more slowly and remind yourself that you are the expert on your topic. Practice and preparation can also help to reduce nervousness.

How do I deal with questions or objections during my presentation?

Be open to questions and objections and see them as an opportunity to better understand your audience and cover your topic in more detail. Prepare in advance for possible questions and take time to answer each question carefully.

Which technology should I use for my presentation?

The choice of technology depends on your needs and the context. A good online tool like Collaboard can help you design and deliver your presentation effectively.

Recent Posts from Blog

Miro-alternatives | best free tools 2024, create a storyboard | guide, tips & tools 2024.

Creating a storyboard may seem complex at first glance, but with the right tools and methods, this process can be simplified...

11 Powerful Brainstorming Tips [MUST READ]

Are you struggling to generate fresh ideas? Brainstorming is a powerful technique to help you generate innovative solutions and...

Create a timeline like a pro [Practical tips]

In this article, we want to show you what a timeline is and how versatile you can use it. We'll look at the  different types of...

Stay up to date with the latest collaboration tips and news.

Presentation Structures: Everything You Need to Organize Your Talk

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking , Speech Writing

A presentation structure includes an introduction, context, main body, conclusion, and scope for questions. Depending on the type of presentation you’re doing, this format can change. The article discusses various considerations for each section of a presentation structure.

For presentations to be understood and create a good impression, they can’t be haphazard. It has to have some sort of pre-planned presentation structure that is both logical and simple enough. Depending on the type of presentation you’re doing, there are likely some basic frameworks available that people tend to follow. Before we delve into the format, let’s consider key points to consider when planning a presentation.

How do you structure and plan a presentation?

We plan a presentation by considering the type of presentation, who our audience is, ideating the purpose, and formulating subtopics through research.

Consider the type of presentation

This leads to understanding the ideal flow to convey your content best. For instance, for persuasive presentations, you could use creative ways to convey what is best about a product, such as starting with a story about how it has helped many people achieve something.

On the other hand, for a progress presentation at your workplace, you might have conventions about what is expected, which must be followed precisely.

A few other types of presentations include:

• Informative presentations
• Instructive presentations
• Motivational presentations
• Analytical presentations

You might also want to consider if you want audience interaction and put that into the structure accordingly. While some allow questions mid-presentation for smaller audiences, it is typically left towards the end.

Consider your audience’s knowledge level and interests

This will determine if you can assume a particular knowledge base and not include it in your presentation structure or if you have to start off with basics and build up on that.

For instance, if you’re teaching 1st-year students about something, you might start with basics. But for graduates, a similar format would be unnecessary as they might have already learned about it.

Similarly, if your purpose is to deliver something entertaining, knowing about the interests and values of your audience helps a ton.

The most simple way is demographics. It’s typically quite easy to find out the expected age group, gender, etc of the audience. This information can help you have a basic idea of the sort of experiences they go through, which helps formulate an understanding.

Consider the purpose of your presentation

While this may seem obvious, many of us lose track of the main purpose and spend too much time on remotely related content. This diverts attention from the topic and might even cause boredom.

For example, if you’re advocating for some social action, it would be beneficial to stay on the topic itself, like the pros, cons, what can be done practically, etc. Instead, if the presenters spend more time criticizing others, the presentation will fall short of its purpose.

Few other examples of different purposes your presentation could have:

• Entertainment
• Providing information
• Telling your story
• Proposing ideas
• Discussing future plans for the company

Research your topic and start noting down the subtopics

Skip this if you already know exactly what needs to be a part of your presentation, and plan to include just that. While looking up your topic, you’ll discover the various sub-topics within that field. After you start noting them down, you can organize later what comes under which to build a structure.

Here is a guide on short presentations that you might be interested in.

So with these three considerations and subtopics in mind, we’re good to go over to decide our final structure.

What is the best presentation form?

The best presentation format is one that includes the introduction, context, main body, conclusion, and questions.

Here, we will discuss a template or structure for a typical presentation.

Introduction

• Greet the audience and introduce yourself, e.g., what you do and why you’re here
• The purpose of your presentation
• The flow or outline gives a sense of what they can expect
• Depending on the topic and audience, you might have to provide more or less context about your topic
• This could include a brief history, terminologies, the current market status, the current status of the field, etc.
• Includes the full depth of the primary purpose of the presentation
• All major chunks of data, including examples, evidence like research studies, etc, are included here
• Care needs to be taken at times to ensure that your introduction and context are not taking up so much time that the main body isn’t receiving enough attention. Ever wonder if a presentation can be too short? Check out this article .
• Bring emphasis to the main takeaways
• Thank your audience if they have been a good one
• Take questions and encourage healthy discussion
• End with sharing ways they can address their questions later

To make sure that the structure works out, it is important that you practice your presentation. This will also tell you if you’re falling within the time constraints. Here is a guide on how you can go about practicing your presentation.

5 Ways to Structure Your Presentation

The five ways include ordered, problem-solution, comparative, storytelling, and demonstrating structures.

1. Ordered Structure

The presentation follows a logical sequence starting with an introduction, main points, and then conclusions. This is what this article has focused on, as it’s the most straightforward method and tends to be very clear for the audience. However, for presentations that do not follow a clear progression, this may not be useful.

2. Problem-Solution Structure

This is useful when persuading the audience. You explain the problem (+ its importance and impact) and then provide a solution that motivates the audience to take it. This could be in the form of a product, a particular method of communication, some technical thing, etc. There should be a decent amount of time spent on the benefits of the solution as well as the exact “How?” to implement it to make the audience convinced. It helps to address any questions or barriers you expect them to have during the speech itself.

3. Comparative Method

This is useful when you want to highlight the benefits of something over alternatives . It is ideal to first fully address the alternatives by talking about their benefits and limitations. Then you lastly talk about the solution that you possess that effectively addresses the other limitations or is in some way a better choice than others, based on your arguments.

Alternatively, if you do not want to highlight the benefits of something particular and just form a comparison that demonstrates the pros and cons of different subjects in an unbiased manner, this technique is still used. For instance, how the main benefit of a product is practically useful for the consumer in comparison to the main benefit of another product can be discussed.

4. Storytelling Structure

This is useful when your goal is just to tell a story. This could be to explain the context or history of a company. It could also serve to talk about yourself and how you got there. A story will typically have an introduction, a complicating factor that introduces some challenges, and then an ending that highlights the importance of some action or belief. 

You may also go in a timewise order when explaining a story. This might take away from the thrill but is useful nonetheless when it is required for the audience to properly understand what is being conveyed. Storytelling can be done in various ways, so feel free to find your own structure.

5. Demonstration Structure

This is useful when demonstrating products or services . The benefits of the product/service are highlighted and it is demonstrated showing those capabilities. The goal should be on persuading the audience that it is useful to them for their needs.

How to structure a scientific presentation?

Structuring a scientific presentation typically includes an introduction, methods, results, and discussion.

This typically follows the below format, but depending on the university/conference guidelines, you’ll have to adjust accordingly. The rest of the sub-topics revolves around these sections.

• Introduction/Background 
• Literature review (if applicable)
• Acknowledgments (often optional)

After this, time is given to take questions.

How do you structure a presentation script?

The presentation never includes the full extent of the information. It’s just a concise version of what you’re speaking that adds as a visual aid at times while also highlighting major points. 

The script is where the major content lies. The structure remains the same, but the content is greater in depth .

Sample Presentation Script

To make it easier for you to understand how you can structure your presentation script, here is a sample script for a presentation on the topic: Importance of Public Speaking.

This follows the same flow introduced earlier- introduction, context, main body, conclusion, and questions.

Title: Importance of Public Speaking

Slide 1: Why is Public Speaking Important?

Greetings, ladies, and gentlemen. Today, I will be exploring the importance of public speaking. My name is John, and I’m thrilled to discuss with you how improving our public speaking abilities may make a significant difference in our quality of life in the personal, social, and professional domains.

Slide 2: Introduction

Public speaking involves persuading an audience with a well-organized message. It is an essential part of our daily lives. We use it when we make conversation in social groups as well as when we address enormous crowds at social gatherings. It is a highly multifaceted and effective tool.

I will start off by giving some information about the context, moving on to its benefits, which is the main crux of our presentation, and then we will spend some time concluding.

Slide 3: Context

Effective communication is essential in our globally interconnected society. Speaking in front of an audience enables us to express our views and thoughts clearly and firmly. It facilitates the development of solid bonds and influences others, and acts as a catalyst for constructive change. Public speaking may open doors of opportunity and propel achievement for anyone, whether they are a student, professional, or member of the community.

Slide 4: Personal Development

Public speaking increases self-esteem and confidence, which are quite rudimentary to our self-efficacy. Effective communication skills help us to be more assertive and feel more in control of our lives. Research suggests that having an internal locus of control (i.e., feeling in control) leads to better outcomes in our personal lives as well as greater mental health.  As we organize our ideas and arguments through public speaking, it improves critical thinking and organizational abilities. Furthermore, as we interact with others during talks and Q&A sessions, public speaking also enhances our listening abilities.

Slide 5: Professional Advancement

The ability to speak in front of an audience effectively is highly essential in most workplaces.

You ask Why? Well, it is because we are better able to communicate our qualifications and worth to potential employers, which enhances our performance in job interviews. Secondly, our influence within organizations grows when we can make a strong case for our points in meetings and conferences.

Next, for leadership positions, where success depends on inspiring and motivating others, public speaking is critical. And in general, you’ll need public speaking in any meeting or any talk you would typically deliver in front of a bunch of people. 

Slide 6: Conclusion

Public speaking is a sought-after, multifaceted, and handy skill across many settings. It gives us the ability to inspire others, tell our stories, and make a lasting impression. Strong public speaking abilities help us communicate clearly and lead with influence in many facets of our lives.

Slide 7: Questions

I appreciate everyone here for being a great audience and cooperating wonderfully throughout the presentation. Now I will be taking any questions you all have. Feel free to discuss this now or reach out to me after the session is over.

Slide 8: Thank you

I want to thank you all for being here today.

I hope that the presentation did well to emphasize the importance of public speaking and perhaps motivated at least some of you to work on improving your abilities. We will end here.

[End of presentation]

Here are some tips for delivering an effective presentation.

We considered a few key points for presentation structure and the typical format that can be followed. We also covered five ways you can structure your presentation and the format for a scientific presentation. Lastly, we covered a sample script for presentations.

Public speaking coaching is a great way to increase your skills and get better at presentations as well.

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

Go From Passive to Assertive with These 6 Top Tips

Feeling Nervous? Congratulations, You Care

How to Brag Like a Pro as a Speaker

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Like what you're reading?

Presentation design guide: tips, examples, and templates

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera January 09, 2023

Presentation design defines how your content will be received and remembered. It’s responsible for that crucial first impression and sets the tone for your presentation before you’ve even introduced the topic . It’s also what holds your presentation together and guides the viewer through it. That’s why visually appealing, easily understandable, and memorable presentation design is what you should be striving for. But how can you create a visually striking presentation without an eye for design? Creating a visually appealing presentation can be challenging without prior knowledge of design or helpful tools. 

With this presentation design guide accompanied by Prezi presentation examples , templates , and AI functionalities , you’ll have no problem creating stunning and impactful presentations that’ll wow your audience.

In this guide, we’ll start by looking at the basics of presentation design. We’ll provide a simple guide on creating a presentation from scratch and offer helpful tips for different presentation types . In addition, you’ll discover how to organize information into a logical order and present it in a way that resonates with listeners. Finally, we’ll share tips and tricks to create an eye-catching presentation, and showcase some great presentation examples and templates you can get inspired by!

With our comprehensive guide to the best presentation design techniques, you’ll be able to develop an engaging and professional presentation that gets results!

What is presentation design?

Presentation design encompasses a variety of elements that make up the overall feel and look of the presentation. It’s a combination of certain elements, like text, font, color, background, imagery, and animations. 

Presentation design focuses on finding ways to make the presentation more visually appealing and easy to process, as it is often an important tool for communicating a message. It involves using design principles like color, hierarchy, white space, contrast, and visual flow to create an effective communication piece.

Creating an effective presentation design is important for delivering your message efficiently and leaving a memorable impact on your audience. Most of all, you want your presentation design to support your topic and make it easier to understand and digest. A great presentation design guides the viewer through your presentation and highlights its essential aspects. 

If you’re interested in learning more about presentation design and its best practices , watch the following video and get practical insights on designing your next presentation:

Types of presentations

When creating a presentation design, you have to keep in mind several types of presentations that shape the initial design you want to have. Depending on your presentation type, you’ll want to match it with a fitting presentation design.

1. Informative

An informative presentation provides the audience with facts and data to educate them on a certain subject matter. This could be done through visual aids such as graphs, diagrams, and charts. In an informative presentation, you want to highlight data visualizations and make them more engaging with interactive features or animations. On Prezi Design, you can create different engaging data visualizations from line charts to interactive maps to showcase your data.

2. Instructive

Instructive presentations teach the audience something new. Whether it’s about science, business strategies, or culture, this type of presentation is meant to help people gain knowledge and understand a topic better. 

With a focus on transmitting knowledge, your presentation design should incorporate a variety of visuals and easy-to-understand data visualizations. Most people are visual learners, so you’ll benefit from swapping text-based slides for more visually rich content.

3. Motivational

Motivational presentations try to inspire the audience by giving examples of successful projects, stories, or experiences. This type of presentation is often used in marketing or promotional events because it seeks to get the audience inspired and engaged with a product or service. That’s why the presentation design needs to capture and hold the attention of your audience using a variety of animations and visuals. Go beyond plain images – include videos for a more immersive experience.

4. Persuasive

Persuasive presentations are designed to sway an audience with arguments that lead to an actionable decision (i.e., buy the product). Audiences learn facts and figures relevant to the point being made and explore possible solutions based on evidence provided during the speech or presentation.

In a persuasive presentation design, you need to capture your audience’s attention right away with compelling statistics wrapped up in interactive and engaging data visualizations. Also, the design needs to look and feel dynamic with smooth transitions and fitting visuals, like images, stickers, and GIFs.

To learn more about different types of presentations and how to structure them accordingly, read our article on presentation types .

How to design a presentation

When you first open a blank presentation page, you might need some inspiration to start creating your design. For this reason, we created a simple guide that’ll help you make your own presentation from scratch without headaches.

1. Opt for a motion-based presentation

You can make an outstanding presentation using Prezi Present, a software program that lets you create interactive presentations that capture your viewer’s attention. Prezi’s zooming feature allows you to add movement to your presentation and create smooth transitions. Prezi’s non-linear format allows you to jump between topics instead of flipping through slides, so your presentation feels more like a conversation than a speech. A motion-based presentation will elevate your content and ideas, and make it a much more engaging viewing experience for your audience.

Watch this video to learn how to make a Prezi presentation:

2. Create a structure & start writing content

Confidence is key in presenting. You can feel more confident going into your presentation if you structure your thoughts and plan what you will say. To do that, first, choose the purpose of your presentation before you structure it. There are four main types of presentations: informative, instructive, motivational, and persuasive. Think about the end goal of your presentation – what do you want your audience to do when you finish your presentation – and structure it accordingly.

Next, start writing the content of your presentation (script). We recommend using a storytelling framework, which will enable you to present a conflict and show what could be possible. In addition to creating compelling narratives for persuasive presentations, this framework is also effective for other types of presentations.

Tip: Keep your audience in mind. If you’re presenting a data-driven report to someone new to the field or from a different department, don’t use a lot of technical jargon if you don’t know their knowledge base and/or point of view.

3. Research & analyze 

Knowing your topic inside and out will make you feel more confident going into your presentation. That’s why it’s important to take the time to understand your topic fully. In return, you’ll be able to answer questions on the fly and get yourself back on track even if you forget what you were going to say when presenting. In case you have extra time at the end of your presentation, you can also provide more information for your audience and really showcase your expertise. For comprehensive research, turn to the internet, and library, and reach out to experts if possible.

4. Get to design

Keeping your audience engaged and interested in your topic depends on the design of your presentation.

Now that you’ve done your research and have a proper presentation structure in place, it’s time to visualize it.

4.1. Presentation design layout

What you want to do is use your presentation structure as a presentation design layout. Apply the structure to how you want to tell your story and think about how each point will lead to the next one. Now you can either choose to use one of Prezi’s pre-designed templates that resemble your presentation structure the most or start to add topics on your canvas as you go. 

Tip: When adding content, visualize the relation between topics by using visual hierarchy – hide smaller topics within larger themes or use the zooming feature to zoom in and out of supplementary topics or details that connect to the larger story you’re telling.

4.2. Color scheme

Now it’s time to choose your color scheme to give a certain look and feel to your presentation. Make sure to use contrasting colors to clearly separate text from the background, and use a maximum of 2 to 3 dominating colors to avoid an overwhelming presentation design.

4.2. Content (visuals + text)

Add content that you want to highlight in your presentation. Select from a wide range of images, stickers, GIFs, videos, data visualizations, and more from the content library, or upload your own. To provide more context, add short-format text, like bullet points or headlines that spotlight the major themes, topics, and ideas in your presentation. 

Also, here you’ll want to make a final decision on your font choice. Select a font that’s easy to read and goes well with your brand and topic.

Tip: Be careful not to turn your presentation into a script. Only display text that holds significant value – expand on the ideas when presenting. 

4.3. Transitions

Last but not least, bring your presentation design to life by adding smooth, attractive, and engaging transitions that take the viewer from one topic to another without disrupting the narrative. 

On Prezi, you can choose from a range of transitions that take you into the story world and provide an immersive presentation experience for your audience.

5. Practice your delivery 

Even with a great presentation design, how you deliver it is crucial in leaving an impression. Practice your presentation’s timing to become familiar with the rhythm and pace. It might help to record yourself to pinpoint areas for enhancement. Practicing in front of a friend or family member can also offer insights. Keep in mind the more you rehearse, the more self-assured and at ease you’ll be when giving the presentation.

6. Engage your audience 

Engaging with your audience can enhance the impact of your presentation. You could prompt discussions, invite participation, or incorporate features such as surveys or puzzles. For instance, when introducing a marketing plan you could kick off with a survey to assess how well the audience grasps the subject. This boosts interactivity in your presentation and also fosters a connection with your listeners and sustains their interest throughout.

7. Use storytelling techniques

Using stories can be a way to captivate your audience and ensure that your message sticks with them. When creating a presentation, consider incorporating a narrative structure that incorporates a beginning, middle, and end. For example, when outlining a business strategy, kick off with a story that highlights a challenge in need of resolution. Then delve into your proposed solution before illustrating the results that can be achieved. This storytelling approach can foster a connection with your audience and enhance their grasp of the main ideas you’re conveying.

8. Prepare for technical difficulties

It’s common to encounter glitches, so being ready is key. Make sure you have a strategy in place if things go south during your presentation. For instance, store your presentation on devices like a USB drive and online storage, and keep hard copies of important slides handy. Also, get acquainted with the equipment and software you’ll use for the presentation. Planning ahead for any issues can help you navigate them smoothly and maintain the flow of your presentation.

9. Include high-quality visuals

Good visuals play a role in the success of your presentation. Incorporate top-notch pictures, graphics,3 and videos to ensure your slides are visually captivating and interesting. Steer clear of using low-quality images that may come off as pixelated and amateurish. When presenting data, think about using charts or infographics to present the information clearly. Prezi provides access to a selection of high-quality visuals that can elevate the design impact of your presentation.

10. Be unique

It’s crucial to make sure your design is original to set yourself apart from the crowd. If you’re a student, aim to craft a presentation that showcases your flair and avoid imitating others. This approach helps you differentiate yourself and ensures that your work is more memorable. In the business field, make sure that your design elements, such as colors, fonts, and overall aesthetics are different from those used by similar companies. Steer clear of templates that might give your presentation a generic feel. By developing a unique design, you establish your identity and leave a lasting impact on your audience.

For more practical tips read our article on how to make a presentation . 

Presentation design tips

When it comes to presentations, design is key. A well-designed presentation can communicate your ideas clearly and engage your audience, while a poorly designed one can do the opposite.

To ensure your presentation is designed for success, note the following presentation design tips that’ll help you design better presentations that wow your audience.

1. Keep it simple

Too many elements on a slide can be overwhelming and distract from your message. While you want your content to be visually compelling, don’t let the design of the presentation get in the way of communicating your ideas. Presentation design elements need to elevate your message instead of overshadowing it. 

2. Use contrasting text colors

Draw attention to important points with contrasted text colors. Instead of using bold or italics, use a contrasting color in your chosen palette to emphasize the text.

3. Be clear and concise

Avoid writing long paragraphs that are difficult to read. Limit paragraphs and sections of text for optimum readability.

4. Make sure your slide deck is visually appealing

Use high-quality images and graphics, and limit the use of text to only the most important information. For engaging and diverse visuals, go to Prezi’s content library and discover a wide range of stock images, GIFs, stickers, and more.

5. Pay attention to detail

Small details like font choice and alignments can make a big difference in how professional and polished your presentation looks. Make sure to pay attention to image and text size, image alignment with text, font choice, background color, and more details that create the overall look of your presentation.

6. Use templates sparingly

While templates can help create a consistent look for your slides, overusing them can make your presentation look generic and boring. Use them for inspiration but don’t be afraid to mix things up with some custom designs as well. 

7. Design for clarity

Create a presentation layout that is easy to use and navigate, with clear labels and instructions. This is important for ensuring people can find the information they need quickly and easily if you end up sharing your presentation with others.

8. Opt for a conversational presentation design

Conversational presenting allows you to adjust your presentation on the fly to make it more relevant and engaging. Create a map-like arrangement that’ll encourage you to move through your presentation at your own pace. With a map-like design, each presentation will be customized to match different audiences’ needs. This can be helpful for people who have different levels of expertise or knowledge about the subject matter.

9. Be consistent 

Design consistency holds your presentation together and makes it easy to read and navigate. Create consistency by repeating colors, fonts, and design elements that clearly distinguish your presentation from others.

10. Have context in mind

A great presentation design is always dependent on the context. Your audience and objective influence everything from color scheme to fonts and use of imagery. Make sure to always have your audience in mind when designing your presentations.

11. Use white space effectively

In slide design, whitespace, also known as negative space, refers to the areas surrounding elements. It plays a role in decluttering your slides, enhancing readability, and directing focus towards content. Utilizing whitespace results in a sophisticated appearance for your slides. Remember, simplicity is key – avoid overwhelming your audience with information on each slide.

12. Incorporate visual hierarchy

When it comes to visuals, the key is to organize elements in a manner that naturally directs the viewer’s attention towards the crucial parts of the presentation. Utilize variations in size, color, and positioning to establish a flow for the viewer to navigate through. For instance, opt for fonts to highlight headings, colors for significant points, and position essential elements at the top of the slide. These tactics aid in ensuring that your audience grasps the ideas promptly and effortlessly.

For more presentation tips, read the Q&A with presentation design experts and get valuable insights on visual storytelling.

Make the presentation design process easier by pairing up with Prezi AI 

Presentation design may not come naturally to everyone, and time constraints often limit our ability to dedicate hours to perfecting our designs. Enter Prezi AI , a tool that streamlines the presentation design process enabling users to prioritize content over appeal. Let’s explore some ways in which Prezi AI can elevate your presentation design.

• Template suggestions: Prezi AI provides a range of crafted templates that are customized to match your presentation’s theme, guaranteeing that your slides have a unified appearance with minimal hassle.
• Smart formatting: When using Prezi AI , your text and images will be formatted automatically, eliminating the need for layout adjustments. This results in a professional appearance without the hassle.
• Design consistency: Prezi AI ensures that your presentation maintains a design by keeping color schemes and fonts consistent, eliminating the need to fret over discrepancies.
• Image and media integration: Enhance the appeal and engagement of your slides by adding relevant images, videos, and graphics with the help of Prezi AI smart media recommendations.
• Customizable animations: Enhance your slides with custom animations using Prezi AI to create transitions and captivate your audience. These dynamic animations can emphasize points and ensure a smooth flow throughout your presentation.

Using Prezi AI allows you to simplify the design process and craft appealing presentations, even if you lack time or design skills.

Presentation templates

Creating a presentation from scratch isn’t easy. Sometimes, it’s better to start with a template and dedicate your time to the presentation’s content. To make your life easier, here are 10 useful and stunning presentation templates that score in design and engagement. If you want to start creating with any of the following templates, simply go to our Prezi presentation template gallery , select your template, and start creating! Also, you can get inspired by the top Prezi presentations , curated by our editors. There you can discover presentation examples for a wide range of topics, and get motivated to create your own. 

Business meeting presentation

The work desk presentation templates have a simple and clean design, perfectly made for a team or business meeting. With all the topics visible from the start, everyone will be on the same page about what you’re going to cover in the presentation. If you want, you can add or remove topics as well as edit the visuals and color scheme to match your needs.

Small business presentation

This template is great for an introductory meeting or pitch, where you have to summarize what you or your business does in a few, highly engaging slides. The interactive layout allows you to choose what topic bubble you’re going to select next, so instead of a one-way interaction, you can have a conversation and ask your audience what exactly they’re interested in knowing about your company.

Mindfulness at work presentation

How can you capture employees’ attention to explain important company values or practices? This engaging presentation template will help you do just that. With a wide range of impactful visuals, this presentation design helps you communicate your ideas more effectively. 

Business review template

Make your next quarterly business review memorable with this vibrant business presentation template. With eye-capturing visuals and an engaging layout, you’ll communicate important stats and hold everyone’s attention until the end.

History timeline template

With black-and-white sketches of the Colosseum in the background, this timeline template makes history come alive. The displayed time periods provide an overview that’ll help your audience to grasp the bigger picture. After, you can go into detail about each time frame and event.

Storytelling presentation template

Share stories about your business that make a lasting impact with this stunning, customizable presentation template. To showcase each story, use the zooming feature and choose to tell your stories in whatever order you want.

Design concept exploration template

Not all meetings happen in person nowadays. To keep that face-to-face interaction even when presenting online, choose from a variety of Prezi Video templates or simply import your already-existing Prezi template into Prezi Video for remote meetings. This professional-looking Prezi Video template helps you set the tone for your meeting, making your designs stand out. 

Employee perks and benefits video template

You can use the employee benefits video template to pitch potential job candidates the perks of working in your company. The Prezi Video template allows you to keep a face-to-face connection with potential job candidates while interviewing them remotely.

Sales plan presentation template

Using a clear metaphor that everyone can relate to, this football-inspired sales plan presentation template communicates a sense of team unity and strategy. You can customize this Prezi business presentation template with your brand colors and content.

Flashcard template

How can you engage students in an online classroom? This and many other Prezi Video templates will help you create interactive and highly engaging lessons. Using the flashcard template, you can quiz your students, review vocabulary, and gamify learning.

Great presentation design examples

If you’re still looking for presentation design ideas, check out the following Prezi presentations made by our creative users.

Social media presentation

This presentation is a great example of visual storytelling. The use of visual hierarchy and spatial relationships creates a unique viewing experience and makes it easier to understand how one topic or point is related to another. Also, images provide an engaging and visually appealing experience.

Leadership books presentation

Do you want to share your learnings? This interactive presentation offers great insights in an entertaining and visually compelling way. Instead of compiling leadership books in a slide-based presentation, the creator has illustrated each book and added a zooming feature that allows you to peek inside of each book’s content.

Remote workforce presentation

This is a visually rich and engaging presentation example that offers an interactive experience for the viewer. A noteworthy aspect of this presentation design is its color consistency and matching visual elements.

A presentation about the teenage brain 

Another great presentation design example that stands out is an engaging viewing experience. The zooming feature allows the user to dive into each topic and choose what subject to view first. It’s a great example of an educational presentation that holds the students’ attention with impactful visuals and compelling transitions.

Remote work policy presentation

This presentation design stands out with its visually rich content. It depicts exactly what the presentation is about and uses the illustrated window frames in the background image as topic placements. This type of presentation design simplifies complex concepts and makes it easier for the viewer to understand and digest the information.

Everyone can create visually appealing presentations with the right tools and knowledge. With the presentation design tips, templates, and examples, you’re equipped to make your next presentation a success. If you’re new to Prezi, we encourage you to discover everything it has to offer. With this presentation design guide and Prezi, we hope you’ll get inspired to create meaningful, engaging, and memorable content for your audience!

Give your team the tools they need to engage

Like what you’re reading join the mailing list..

• Prezi for Teams
• Top Presentations

How to make a great presentation

Stressed about an upcoming presentation? These talks are full of helpful tips on how to get up in front of an audience and make a lasting impression.

The secret structure of great talks

The beauty of data visualization

TED's secret to great public speaking

How to speak so that people want to listen

How great leaders inspire action

The Best Presentation Structure: Tips & Tricks!

The name PowerPoint says it all – a powerful tool for visualizing expressive content. With the right presentation structure, PowerPoint helps add weight to your ideas and statements through visual impact.

Are you looking for the perfect presentation structure that provides lots of opportunities to inspire your audience? Not exactly sure where to start? Keep reading for a detailed guide that will guarantee success.

As a rule, a presentation needs a topic and a specific reason for presenting it.

Here are some examples:

• A sales presentation to a customer to introduce products or services
• Presenting company figures to management
• An onboarding presentation to inform new colleagues about the most important company information
• A presentation for your company’s anniversary
• Presentations for school or university
• A presentation of research results for a science conference

Regardless of the topic or occasion, you need a clear and well-thought-out presentation structure. Without that, your audience will have a tough time following and your presentation will fall short of its goal, like attracting a new customer.

Give yourself enough time

Give yourself enough time to prepare your PowerPoint presentation. As soon as you know when you’re presenting, create a schedule. Spend 30 minutes a day preparing your upcoming presentation. Allow enough time to research the material, too. Use the rule of thirds as a guideline: If you have twelve days until the presentation, devote four days to researching and collecting information.

Take the time to thoroughly research your presentation topic. Take notes, collect ideas and thoughts. Use something you always have with you; a small notebook, a tablet or your smartphone is all you need. Keep your notes short – just enough information to get your creative juices flowing.

Organize your notes

Once you have enough material, it’s time to organize and structure it. Now is the time to form your basic presentation framework. Remember to allot enough time for this (think about the 3/3 rule).

Use your notes to develop your presentation. Ask yourself this: What’s the goal of my presentation? For example, do you want to impress investors with your startup or present an innovative marketing plan for the coming fiscal year? Answering this question will help you develop a core thesis.

Here’s something else to ask yourself: What do you want from your audience? Do you want to prompt an action (e.g., buy a product) or kick-start a discussion?

The go-to PowerPoint structure

Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to think about the right PowerPoint presentation structure . Here’s a general guide:

• Introduction
• Topic component 1
• Topic component 2
• Topic component 3

Remember to balance the various parts of your presentation. As a rule, the introduction shouldn’t be more than two slides. The topic slides form the body and should make up about 70% of your PowerPoint presentation. As simple as this may sound, it can be difficult to know which stylistic devices or elements to use to keep your audience’s attention. What should you focus on in each section of the presentation?

Take a look at this chart outlining a presentation:

So, what does this mean for each part of the presentation structure?

1. The introduction: Pique curiosity

An intro is an important part of any presentation structure. It has to awaken the audience’s interest and ideally, create a rapport. There are several ways to start the presentation.

• The soft intro

With this type of introduction, you meet the audience at their level and gradually get to the core content of your presentation. Your first slides should be simple and not introduce too much new content. The audience should be able to understand and agree with all points until you finally get to the main topic. The first step is to describe the current situation , the second step to describe the challenge and the third step to discuss how to respond to the challenge .

• The “element of surprise” intro

With this introduction, the element of surprise is on your side. Start the presentation with a statement that shocks or surprises your audience. Bold statements or results from studies are excellent ways to do this. With this kind of intro, you also describe the current situation and what has happened or could happen. You outline the potential consequences and ask how it should be handled. Make sure these statements are true and relevant to your audience. If they aren’t, you’ll come off as less credible.

2. The body of the presentation: The heart of the matter

The body should make up about 70% of your presentation structure. This is where you flesh out your presentation topic. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes; how you would like a presenter to address you? Are their arguments valid? This is a great time to actively involve your audience in a question-and-answer scenario. This is called a dialogue-oriented presentation. Involving your audience this way guarantees their full attention.

There are two ways to organize the main part of the presentation:

• As a pyramid

With this structure, the core message is introduced at the beginning of the presentation’s main section. Presenting the core message early will have your audience wanting to hear more. This is exactly the right time to start the question-and-answer scenario to hold their attention and get them involved.

• As a funnel

The funnel introduces the core message towards the end of the presentation . This structure does have a few drawbacks. It doesn’t lend itself well to a dialogue-oriented presentation and by waiting until the end to deliver your core message, your audience may not make the connection with earlier key statements. To avoid this, it always helps to revisit those earlier statements and reinforce the core message.

It’s also a more challenging presentation structure to pull off, especially if you don’t have that much experience with presenting. The funnel can be effective with controversial and/or highly emotional topics. Controversial core messages that are brought up at the very beginning of a presentation can lead to discussions that veer off and are hard to control. In these cases, the funnel structure is the better option.

3. The conclusion: crossing the finish line

The final part of your presentation structure may seem like the easiest. You’ve presented all your content, so the hard part is over, right? Never underestimate the importance of your conclusion . It gives you the perfect opportunity to reiterate your key points. Use it to summarize your insights, draw a conclusion and finally, discuss what needs to be done next.

It’s also a great opportunity to initiate an open discussion. If you want to open the floor to comments and questions at the end, give your audience a heads-up at the beginning of your presentation. That will give them a chance to take notes as you go along. You could also encourage the audience to ask questions during the presentation. Do this only if you know you won’t get thrown off track and you can quickly shift gears while presenting. You can find more helpful tips for a successful end of presentation here.

How to apply these tips now and create a presentation from scratch can be found in this tutorial .

The right presentation structure: It’s not just about content

Don’t forget that content alone is not enough to convince your audience. A well thought-out and rehearsed presentation is also counts as part of a presentation’s structure. The right delivery supports your slides and opens the door to communicating with your audience. You can find many helpful tips on giving a presentation in these articles:

• Why a good presentation intro is so important
• Tips for closing out a presentation
• Using the right body language while presenting
• Public speaking skills
• How to handle mistakes and slip-ups while presenting
• Using humor in presentations

Pro tip: Use notes

Is your presentation ready? Now it is time to prepare for your delivery. A short script may help . Just make sure you provide additional information and don’t simply read the slides aloud.

You can choose any note-taking tool you like. You can either use classic index cards with keywords or the Notes function in PowerPoint. You can read more about this here .

Most importantly, practice your presentation . Speaking freely and confidently is key to your presentation’s success. As great a tool as it is, PowerPoint can’t do it all for you; it can only visually support your key messages. So, take the time to make sure you are as well prepared as possible.

Impress your audience: Deliver a strong presentation with the perfect structure!

PowerPoint gives so many advantages to you and your presentation. PowerPoint is so easy to use, even beginners can master it in just a few simple steps.

Follow our tips on the right presentation structure – you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to create a professional and cohesive PowerPoint presentation!

If you need help developing the right presentation structure or building your presentation, let us put our expertise to work and help you create the perfect presentation. Feel free to contact us here for a no-obligation estimate or email us at: [email protected] .

Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates for your presentation? Then take a look at our shop . We have templates on a diverse selection of business topics and design themes for you to download. For example, these:

These articles might also interest you:

• Create a PowerPoint presentation
• How to create a PowerPoint table of contents
• Notes in PowerPoint
• A solid presentation conclusion
• Why the start of a presentation is so important
• The right body language while presenting

Share this post

• share  
• save  

Design Thinking: Problem Solving with a Difference

Why Corporate Mission Statements Are So Important

7 Tips & Learnings from the Apple Keynote

Structure Your Presentation Like a Story

by Nancy Duarte

After studying hundreds of speeches, I’ve found that the most effective presenters use the same techniques as great storytellers: By reminding people of the status quo and then revealing the path to a better way, they set up a conflict that needs to be resolved.

Partner Center

7 Incredible Ways to Structure Your Presentation

As a speaker, you make every effort to make your presentation stand out – you add high-resolution images, well-researched content, animation, and whatnot, but despite this, sometimes your slideshow fails to hit the mark. Can you think of any reason? Poor design, lack of facial expression, and ineffective delivery of speech are the most probable reasons you will give for the presentation failure . Well, these are quite obvious reasons. Wait! Are you overlooking one important aspect that makes the presentation fall flat, i.e., the structure?

Every decent presentation follows a natural flow with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and appropriate transitions and signposts, which gives a direction to the audience and keeps them on track. However, creating a well-structured presentation is a daunting task and takes a lot of nerve as you have to consider a lot of factors – the objective of your presentation, whether you need any visual assistance, settings where you will be delivering your talk, knowledge of the audience level, time constraints for your speech, etc.

If you are not sure how to organize your slides to create an impact on the audience, you have landed at the right place. In this blog post, we have provided some outstanding ways to structure your presentation. Let’s dive deeper!

1. Situation-Complication-Resolution

Image Source:

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Situation-Complication-Resolution.jpg

This structure is the best fit for presentations that aim to persuade the audience. It first describes the current scenario (more precisely, what’s going on at present) and then introduces the audience to the complication or problem (causes and impact). Then portray the solution of the problem (the steps, resources, and time required to solve it, the objections you may encounter, etc.). Finally, visualize the benefits after the resolution of the problem. You can make the presentation more intriguing by backing up your information with real-life examples, proof, and facts.

To sum up, the flow of information in this structure goes this way:

• Situation – The current scenario is represented with clarity.
• Complication – The challenge/problem that needs to be solved.
• Resolution – It depicts the solution to the problem.

Example : In his TED talk, Paul Greenberg beautifully presented how fishing salmon, tuna, and shrimp can ruin the oceans. He then suggested a few specific ways to overcome the problem that can benefit both nature and the people who earn their livelihoods through fishing.

2. Hook, Meat, and Payoff

Image Source: 

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Hook-Meat-and-payoff.jpg

In this presentation structure, the presenter opens his talk with something (like surprising information, less known facts, provocative statements, rhetorical questions, etc.) that keeps the audience hooked and wanting more. Gradually, the story progresses in an interesting way and finally ends with a conclusion that relates to the beginning.

• Hook – It develops the interest of the audience and piques their curiosity, giving them a strong reason to stay intrigued and listen. 
• Meat – The main part of the presentation that describes what people actually need to understand.
• Payoff – The benefit or reward the audience gets after gaining new knowledge or developing a new understanding. 

Example : To learn more about how this structure works, watch this presentation by Simon Sinek on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”

3. Situation-Opportunity-Resolution

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Situation-Opportunity-Resolution.jpg

Every problem has an opportunity – this can be better represented by leveraging the Situation-Opportunity-Resolution structure. Instead of focusing more on the audience’s fear, it gives more attention to their aspirations. 

• Opportunity – The opportunity that must be grabbed to address the problem.
• Resolution – It depicts the solution to the problem. You can provide evidence and proof to increase the credibility of the story.

Example : Watch this TED talk by Adam Galinsky on “How to Speak Up for Yourself” to get more insights into this structure.

4. The Drama

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-Drama.jpg

https://www.presentation-guru.com/on-structure-the-hidden-framework-that-hangs-your-story-together/

This structure is generally followed to present the success story of the business/individual. To be more precise, this structure depicts a Hero’s Journey – how he embarked on a voyage, what challenges/obstacles he encountered on the way, what unique things he discovered about himself, and what was the outcome of the entire voyage.

The entire story is narrated in the following 8 steps:

• One Fine Day – Depicts a stage situation that is not completely perfect, but just average.
• The Challenge – The challenge that comes suddenly and can’t be overlooked.
• Descending Crisis – How the challenge made things worse for the hero.
• Rock Bottom – Everything is at its worst, and the hero feels lost.
• The Discovery – A ray of hope (new abilities, skills, etc.) that makes the hero believe that the problem can be resolved.
• The Rise – How the problem can be resolved in a positive manner.
• The Return – How the hero overcomes the challenge and opens the way to a new range of possibilities for him.
• The Lesson – The key takeaway message that the hero gets from the entire journey.

Example : See how beautifully Adam Driver narrated his story of becoming an actor from Marines. This TED talk is the perfect example of this structure.

5. The Pitch

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-pitch.jpg

The Pitch is perfect for sales presentations that aim to make the audience believe that the presenter’s idea can help them resolve their problem. The slideshow begins with the evaluation of the current situation and then proceeds towards the hurdles and the solution. You can include data, research, experiments, case studies, or use tests to support your ideas. Conclude your talk with the action that the audience is supposed to take next. Don’t forget to add a ‘hook’ (added benefit).

Here is a quick look at how this structure looks like:

• The Wind Up – A summary of the current scenario.
• The Hurdle – The problem/issue that needs to be resolved.
• The Vision – A quick glimpse into the main idea on how the problem/issue can be solved.
• The Options – Illustrates two different options to solve the problem.
• The Close – The best option is presented as the ideal solution to the problem.
• The Fine Print – Represents how exactly the problem will be resolved.
• The Hook – Showcases the ‘added benefit’ of the solution.

Example : Check out how Enric Sala pitched to solve the problem of turning the high seas into a natural reserve. He ended by making people aware of how people can contribute to their country.

6. The Explanation

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/the-explanation.jpg

This structure works best for crafting information-rich presentations that aim to educate the audience about a new regulation, initiative, insights, or process. The presentation progresses in an upward direction, depicting where we are now and where we need to reach or what we need to attain in the future. The steps to move to the next stage are showcased precisely, ensuring that the audience understands accurately how and why each stage affects or concerns them. The final stage of transformation is disclosed at the end. In a nutshell, this structure follows the following steps:

• The Lay of the Land – Where the things are now and what is the final destination.
• The Roadmap – The visual map that shows how to reach the final destination.
• The First Step – Instills the adventure to embark on the journey.
• The Next Step – Further steps are illustrated one by one.
• Almost There – Depicts how much you have progressed since the first step.
• The Arrival – Indicates the end of the journey.

Example : Watch this TED talk by Amy Cuddy, an American social psychologist. She followed an Explanation structure for delivering her talk on power poses and how they can impact the consequence of a difficult situation.

7. Fact and Storytelling

https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sparkline.jpg

If you are going to communicate your company’s or department’s vision or present an idea, product, or initiative, you can use this structure which follows a zig-zag pattern instead of a traditional linear one. Using this structure, you can zig-zag back and forth between ‘how things worked then’ and ‘how they would work in the future,’ giving momentum to your presentation. This structure focuses on concluding the slideshow on a high note.

Example : In 2007, Steve Jobs used the same structure for his keynote for launching the iPhone. He took advantage of the power of the unexpected to create a suspenseful opener and tease the audience. He threw light on what smartphones looked like and could do then and what they would look like and would do in the future. He finally demonstrated the iPhone in a very dramatic way. 

Watch Steve Jobs’ full keynote below:

The Bottom Line

Some presentations leave you informed or inspired. This is because the speaker crafted the slides in a simple and logical manner that made it easy for you to grab the key takeaway message quickly. 

A thoughtfully organized presentation benefits the speakers as well by helping them stay on topic, remain calm, avoid awkward silences, and deliver their talk with confidence. By choosing the right structure for your presentation, you can convert your boring information/data into an exciting story that appeals to your audience, both emotionally and intellectually. If you are presenting for the first time or have no time to craft a presentation from scratch, you can use pre-designed, high-definition templates to give a structured look to your information. If you have something relevant to the topic you want to share with us, write in the “Comments” section below. And, if you like the blog post, do share it on your social media handles.

Leave a Response Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Please enter an answer in digits: 14 + 10 =

You Might Also Like

12 Ways to Make an Engaging Slide Deck and Captivate Your Audience

Essential Tips to Find the Right Audience for Your Next Presentation

Expert Tips to Handle Distractions When You Speak on Stage

9 Tips to Craft the Perfect Title for Your Next PowerPoint Presentation

How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

No matter how sleek or beautiful your slide decks appear, your presentation won’t be a success if it fails to adhere to a sound and proper structure, throughout. This is why it’s worth taking some time to learn how most effective presentations are structured.

And what could be a better way to understand the right way to design your presentations than learn it from a presentation company ? In this article, we share the standard structure of an effective PowerPoint presentation, in addition to some practical tips on how to implement this structure technically, using PowerPoint.

What Is the Standard Presentation Structure?

A decent presentation always has an important story to tell and, just like any other narration, it primarily consists of three basic sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction

The first section in your presentation should be an introduction. It should set the tone for your entire presentation and explain to the audience what they can expect from your presentation. Here are some of the slides you may want to add in the introduction section: 

• The title of the presentation
• The objective(s) of the presentation
• A table of contents

As you can guess, this will be the main section of your presentation, where you explain your topic of concern. Break down your content into bite-sized points, arrange them in a logical order, and then present all the information you would like to share with your audience, in order to support each of your points.

This section is to summarise all the key points or highlights from your presentation. Share with your audience how this information will help them in the future. Finally, thank the audience for viewing your presentation.

Tips for Structuring a PowerPoint Presentation

Now that you know what sections a typical presentation consists of, let’s take a look at how to structure it effectively in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Create slides and edit them in Outline View

It’s always a good idea to structure a PowerPoint presentation while in the editing mode. To do this efficiently, go to the ‘View’ tab and select ‘Outline View’. It will show you the title and main text section for each slide, and let you edit the text, while also providing an overview of the presentation’s content.

TIP: You can also use the Outline View to select a section of bullet text and promote it to slide titles, and vice versa. To do this, right-click on a relevant piece of text or title and select ‘Promote’ or ‘Demote’.

Arrange slides into sections

If you are developing a large PowerPoint presentation, it’s best to organise it by clubbing multiple slides together into sections that can be easily collapsed and expanded, whenever required.

• To create a new section, go to the list of slides, and right-click on the slide from where you want a new section to begin. 

From the drop-down menu, select ‘Add Section’ and assign a name to the section.

• To re-order the sections, right-click on the section name and click ‘Move Section Up’ or ‘Move Section Down’.
• To expand or collapse a section, click on the icons for the same on the left of the section name.

TIP: You can also access these settings by going to the under the ‘View’ tab and choosing Slide Sorter.

Create a well-organised table of contents

The aforementioned tips will help you organise a presentation’s content. However, it’s also crucial that your audience can navigate through your presentation with ease. This is why it’s always a good idea to create a structured and interactive table of contents, and place it near the beginning of the presentation.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Go to the title slide or a blank slide and insert the table of contents.
• Switch to ‘Outline View’, right-click on the outline pane, and click ‘Collapse’. Then, click ‘Collapse All’ to display only the titles.
• Select all the slide titles, copy them, and paste them on the desired slide.
• Select the title of the first slide and right-click on it. Then, click on ‘Link’.
• In the window that opens next, select ‘Place in This Document’ (from the left-hand menu), select the corresponding slide for the selected title, and click OK.

Repeat this procedure for the remaining titles and link them to the corresponding slides.

Wrapping Up

There you have it! There are many more tips to come, so, if you are interested to learn more about presentation design, don’t forget to check out our future blog posts.

Want to take your online presentation game to the next level? Contact us today!

Your Guide To Corporate Presentations From Real Presentation Expertsn

Mastering the art of pitch deck designn, how to avoid using filler words in your presentationn, a guide to slide count in presentationsn, 6 essential presentation skills for pitching successn, a guide to crafting powerful endings in presentationsn, what can our clients tell us about social media usen.

Your Guide To Corporate Presentations From Real Presentation Experts

Mastering the Art of Pitch Deck Design

How to Avoid Using Filler Words in Your Presentation

Blog > English Presentation Structure (Introduction, Closing) & useful Phrases

English Presentation Structure (Introduction, Closing) & useful Phrases

02.21.20   •  #powerpoint #presentation #english.

When giving a presentation in english, there are certain guidelines you should follow. Maybe you haven't got a lot of experience presenting - or you would simply like to refresh your already existing knowledge - we're here to teach you the basics about presenting and provide you with a free list of useful phrases and the basic structure you can in your presentation!

1. Structure

The general structure of a presentation is the following:

• Introduction

It is up to you to design these three parts. Using videos or everyday-examples can be a great way to introduce the audience to the topic. The important thing is that you capture the audience's attention from the beginning by making an interesting introduction. The main part is where you present your topic, ideally divided into sections. You can be creative with it - incorporate images, videos, stories or interactive polls . We generally recommend using different kinds of elements, as that makes the presentation more lively. Make sure your main part is well structured, so your audience can follow. In the conclusion, you should give a short summary of the points you made without adding any new information. You can also make an appeal to your audience in the end.

2. Useful Phrases

Here you'll find several phrases that you'll need in every presentation. Of course, you should adapt them and use them in a context that is suitable for your setting. The phrases are divided into subcategories so you can find what you're looking for more easily.

Starting your Presentation

In your introduction, you should:

Welcome your audience

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!

Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to my presentation about...

Introduce yourself

I am ... (from company ...) and today I would like to introduce you to the topic of ...

My name is ... and I am going to talk about ... today.

Icebreakers (for audience engagement)

Icebreaker polls are an amazing way to engage your audience instantly. They function as a fun and playful element at the beginning, giving you the perfect start you need to give a successful presentation. Click here to read our detailed post about icebreaker polls!

Mention the presentation topic and the reason for giving the presentation

I am grateful to be here today and tell you you about...

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about ...

I am here today to talk to you about ...

The reason why I am here today to talk about ... is ...

The purpose of this presentation is to ...

My goal today is to ...

Hopefully, by the end of the presentation, you will all know more about ...

Give a short overview of the content

To make it as understandable as possible, I divided my presentation into ... parts. In the first part, I will concentrate on ..., the second part will be about ..., ...

First of all, I will give you a short introduction, then we will move on to ...

... and finally, I will give you some insights to ...

Here are a few phrases that you could use during the whole presentation, but especially in the main part.

Engage your audience

In order to raise the audience's attention and improve their engagement, it is extremely important to make contact with them. A great way to do so is by adding interactive elements such as polls. If you would like to know more about this topic, read our article on How To Boost Audience Engagement . You can also use a software like SlideLizard , which allows you to conduct live polls, do Q&A sessions with your audience, share your resources and many more benefits that take your presentation to the next level.

Please raise your hand if you ...

Have you ever thought about ... ?

I would like to do a poll about ...

Please ask any questions as soon as they arrive.

On one hand, … on the other hand…

Comparing … with …, we can see that…

Clearly, … makes more sense than …

Whereas Option A is …, Option B is …

Making new points

Firstly,… Secondly,…

What also has to be mentioned is…

Next, I would like to bring up the topic of…

That being said, now we are going to take a look at…

Let's move on to the next topic.

On the next slide,…

The last thing I would like to mention is…

We made a whole blog post about how to pose questions in your presentation: The Right Way to do a Question Slide .

Talking about images or videos

In this image you can clearly see that ...

We are now going to take a look at a picture/video of ...

I'm going to show you a video by ... about ... now.

I've prepared a video about ...

Talking about statistics and charts

I am now addressing this graph that refers to the results of study XY.

In the graph on this slide, you can see that ...

The average is at ...

This graph clearly shows that the majority ...

According to this graph, the focus should be on ...

What that study tells us for practice is that we should ...

Emphasizing

I would like to emphasize the importance of ...

Moreover, it has to be said that ...

I want to stress the importance of ...

We always have to remember that ...

This is of high significance because ...

That part is especially important because ...

When something goes wrong

I am sorry, but it seems like the projector isn't working.

Could someone please help me with ...?

Is anybody here who knows how to ...?

Could someone give me a hand with ...

I would like to apologize for ...

I apologize for the technical problems, we are going to continue in a minute.

I am sorry for the inconvenience.

End of Presentation

In the conclusion, you should...

Sum up the main points

In conclusion I can say that…

To sum up the main points,…

With all mentioned aspects taken into consideration, I can say that…

Make an appeal

So please, in the future, try to be conscious about...

Please take a moment to think about...

I would like to encourage you to...

Thank your audience and say goodbye

It was a pleasure being here today.

Thank you for listening and goodbye.

Thank you for being such a great, engaged audience. Goodbye.

Thank you so much for listening, see you next time.

What is the structure of a presentation?

Your presentations should always have an Introduction, a Main part and a Conclusion.

What is a good way to begin a presentation?

You can start by introducing yourself, giving an overview of your topic, telling a little story or showing the audience an introductory video or image.

What are good phrases to use in English presentations?

There are many phrases that will make your presentation a lot more professional. Our blog post gives you a detailed overview.

Related articles

About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

Get 1 Month for free!

Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

Top blog articles More posts

Elegant Architecture - Free PowerPoint Template

How to add a Countdown Timer in PowerPoint

Get started with Live Polls, Q&A and slides

for your PowerPoint Presentations

The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

Hybrid event.

When an event consist of both virtual and in-person parts, this is called a hybrid event. This type of event is popular as it combines the benefits of both online and live events.

Break-out-Room

In live online training, it is sometimes useful to divide the students into small groups for certain exercises, as it would be impossible to have conversations at the same time. Break-out-rooms are used so that people can talk to each other without disturbing the others. When the exercise is over, they are sent back to the main room.

Audience Demographics

Audience Demographics are the characteristics of listeners like age, gender, cultural backgrounds, group affiliations and educational level. The speaker has to consider all these characteristics when adapting to an audience.

Informative Presentations

An information presentation is created when no solution is currently available. Facts, data and figures or study results are presented and current processes are described.

Be the first to know!

The latest SlideLizard news, articles, and resources, sent straight to your inbox.

- or follow us on -

We use cookies to personalize content and analyze traffic to our website. You can choose to accept only cookies that are necessary for the website to function or to also allow tracking cookies. For more information, please see our privacy policy .

Cookie Settings

Necessary cookies are required for the proper functioning of the website. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information about the number of visitors, etc.

Innovative Presentation Ideas: Captivate Your Audience with Creative Approaches

Creating an engaging presentation requires more than just delivering information—it’s about capturing your audience's attention, making your message memorable, and encouraging interaction. To help you stand out and leave a lasting impression, here are some innovative presentation ideas that can elevate your content and captivate your audience.

1. Interactive Polls and Q&A Sessions

Engagement through interaction.

Integrating interactive elements such as live polls or Q&A sessions can significantly increase audience participation and engagement. These tools make your presentation more dynamic and allow you to tailor your content based on real-time feedback.

How to Implement:

• Live Polls: Use platforms like Slido or Mentimeter to conduct live polls where the audience can vote on questions or provide opinions. Display the results immediately to spark discussions.
• Q&A Sessions: Allocate time for a Q&A segment where the audience can ask questions. Consider using a tool that allows anonymous submissions to encourage more candid questions.

Scenario: During a marketing strategy presentation, start with a live poll asking the audience about their biggest marketing challenges. Use the poll results to shape the rest of your presentation, addressing the most common issues.

2. Storytelling with Visuals

Bring your message to life.

Storytelling is a powerful technique for making your presentation memorable. Combine storytelling with compelling visuals to create a narrative that resonates with your audience and makes your message more impactful.

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation as a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Introduce characters, conflicts, and resolutions to make your content relatable.
• Visual Aids: Use high-quality images, videos, and infographics to illustrate key points and evoke emotions. Tools like Canva or Adobe Spark can help create visually appealing content.

Scenario: In a pitch for a new product, start with a story about a customer’s journey before and after using your product. Use images and video clips to illustrate the transformation, making the benefits of your product tangible and relatable.

3. Gamification

Make learning fun.

Gamification involves incorporating game-like elements into your presentation to make learning more engaging. This approach can turn routine information into an interactive experience, boosting motivation and retention.

• Quizzes and Challenges: Include quizzes or challenges throughout your presentation. Award points or prizes for correct answers to keep the audience engaged.
• Interactive Scenarios: Create scenarios or simulations where the audience can make decisions and see the outcomes. This can be particularly effective in training or educational presentations.

Scenario: During a workshop on project management, organize a team-based challenge where groups compete to solve a case study. Use a leaderboard to track progress and provide rewards for the winning team.

4. Live Demonstrations and Showcases

Show, don’t just tell.

Live demonstrations can make your presentation more engaging by providing practical, hands-on examples of your product or concept. This approach allows your audience to see your ideas in action and better understand their application.

• Product Demos: If you’re presenting a new product, demonstrate its features and benefits live. Allow the audience to interact with the product if possible.
• Live Simulations: For educational or technical presentations, conduct a live simulation to showcase how a process works in real time.

Scenario: In a tech conference presentation, perform a live demo of your software, showing its key features and benefits. Allow the audience to ask questions and interact with the software during the demo.

5. Audience Participation Activities

Encourage active involvement.

Involving your audience in activities can make your presentation more interactive and memorable. Participation activities can range from group discussions to hands-on exercises, depending on your presentation’s goals.

• Breakout Sessions: Divide the audience into small groups to discuss specific topics or solve problems. Have each group share their findings with the larger audience.
• Interactive Exercises: Incorporate activities such as role-playing, brainstorming sessions, or creative workshops to engage the audience actively.

Scenario: During a leadership training session, organize a role-playing exercise where participants act out different leadership scenarios. Facilitate a discussion afterward to reflect on the exercise and extract key lessons.

6. Incorporating Augmented Reality (AR)

Enhance the presentation experience.

Augmented Reality (AR) can create immersive experiences that captivate your audience and bring your content to life. This technology can be particularly effective for presentations involving complex data or concepts.

• AR Apps: Use AR applications to overlay digital content onto physical objects or environments. Tools like Zappar or ARKit can help integrate AR into your presentation.
• Interactive Models: Create interactive 3D models that the audience can explore using AR, enhancing their understanding of the subject matter.

Scenario: In a presentation about architectural design, use AR to allow the audience to view 3D models of building projects through their smartphones or tablets, giving them a better sense of the design and layout.

7. Utilizing Data Visualization

Simplify complex information.

Effective data visualization can help simplify complex information and make it more accessible. Using charts, graphs, and infographics can enhance understanding and retention.

• Infographics: Create infographics that summarize key data points and trends. Tools like Piktochart or Tableau can assist in designing effective visualizations.
• Interactive Charts: Use interactive charts and graphs that allow the audience to explore data in real time.

Scenario: During a financial report presentation, use interactive charts to display revenue trends and projections. Allow the audience to filter the data by different criteria to explore various scenarios.

8. Incorporating Live Feedback

Adapt and improve in real time.

Collecting live feedback during your presentation allows you to adjust your content based on audience responses and interests. This approach can help you address the most relevant issues and maintain engagement.

• Live Feedback Tools: Use tools like Mentimeter or Slido to gather real-time feedback from your audience. Pose questions or request opinions throughout the presentation.
• Instant Polls: Conduct quick polls to gauge the audience’s understanding or interest in specific topics, and adjust your content accordingly.

Scenario: In a product launch presentation, use live polls to ask the audience about their preferences or concerns regarding the product. Use the feedback to address these points in real time.

Innovative presentation ideas can significantly enhance your ability to engage and captivate your audience. By incorporating interactive elements, storytelling, gamification, live demonstrations, audience participation, AR, data visualization, and live feedback, you can create a presentation that is not only informative but also memorable and impactful. Tailor these ideas to fit your presentation’s goals and audience to ensure a successful and engaging experience.

Table of contents

Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials Anatomy of a .PPTX File: Unpacking the Open XML Format

Anatomy of a .PPTX File: Unpacking the Open XML Format

The .pptx file format, a cornerstone of modern presentations, is widely used by individuals and businesses alike. Introduced with Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, it has become the standard format for storing and sharing presentations. However, few people understand what goes on behind the scenes of a .pptx file. By unraveling its structure, we gain insights into its flexibility, adaptability, and the technological advancements that make it so valuable.

What is a .pptx File?

A .pptx file is a presentation file format based on the Office Open XML (OOXML) standard. Unlike the older .ppt binary format, .pptx files are essentially ZIP-compressed folders containing multiple files and directories. This architecture allows for improved compression, enhanced security, and better compatibility with other applications.

The move from .ppt to .pptx was motivated by the need for a more modern, open standard that could support a broader range of content types and integrate more seamlessly with other applications. As a result, .pptx files offer numerous benefits, such as reduced file size, easier data recovery, and increased opportunities for customization and automation.

The Structure of a .pptx File

The .pptx file format is structured using the Open XML standard, which represents documents in a modular fashion. When you open a .pptx file with a file extraction tool (like WinZip or 7-Zip), you’ll see a collection of folders and files. Here’s a breakdown of the primary components:

• ppt/ : Contains the core presentation data, including slides, media, and layouts.
• docProps/ : Holds the document properties, like title, author, and metadata.
• _rels/ : Contains relationships between the various parts of the document, such as links to images or slide layouts.
• [Content_Types].xml : An XML file that defines the MIME types for all parts of the .pptx file, helping applications understand how to handle different components.

Breakdown of Key Components in a .pptx File

Each folder within the .pptx file serves a specific purpose, contributing to the presentation’s overall structure and functionality:

Slides ( ppt/slides ) : This folder contains individual slide files, named sequentially (e.g., slide1.xml , slide2.xml ). Each slide file contains the content of that particular slide, defined in XML format.

Media ( ppt/media ) : All multimedia content—images, audio, and video—used in the presentation is stored here. The media files are linked to their respective slides via relationship files.

Themes ( ppt/theme ) : This folder defines the visual style of the presentation, including colors , fonts, and effects. Each theme file ( theme1.xml , theme2.xml , etc.) specifies the design settings applied to the slides.

Slide Layouts ( ppt/slideLayouts ) : Contains predefined layouts used by the slides. Slide layouts control the positioning of text, images, and other objects on a slide, allowing for consistent design throughout the presentation, which is essential to designing effective company brand presentations .

Slide Masters ( ppt/slideMasters ) : The slide master files manage the default settings and slide layouts for slides. They ensure that any changes made to the master (e.g., font changes or logo placements) are automatically reflected across all slides that use that master.

Embedded Objects ( ppt/embeddings ) : Details about embedded objects, such as linked Excel sheets , charts, or other documents. These objects are encapsulated within the presentation and can be edited directly from PowerPoint.

Comments and Annotations ( ppt/comments ) : Metadata related to comments and annotations made by reviewers or collaborators. This can include text, author details, timestamps and other metadata in PowerPoint.

How Animations and Transitions Are Coded in a .pptx File

Let’s understand how PowerPoint animations and transitions are coded in a .pptx . Both are defined using XML elements within the slide files.

Animations are coded using specific XML tags within each slide file (e.g., slide1.xml ). The primary tags used are <p:anim> , <p:par> , and <p:seq> , which specify the type of animation (like “fade” or “fly in”), the target elements (such as text boxes or images), and the timing or sequence. Animations can be triggered automatically or manually and may involve complex sequences or parallel actions, all controlled by these XML structures.

Transitions

Transitions, which control how one slide changes to the next, are defined with the <p:transition> element in each slide file. This element specifies the transition effect (e.g., “fade,” “wipe”), the speed ( spd ), the direction ( dir ), and whether the slide advances automatically ( advTm ) or on a mouse click. For example, a fade transition with medium speed might be coded as <p:transition spd="medium"><p:fade /></p:transition> , providing a seamless flow between slides.

By understanding these XML elements, developers and advanced users can programmatically modify or create custom animations and transitions, to make interactive presentations beyond the default capabilities of PowerPoint.

How .pptx Files Work Internally

Internally, .pptx files use XML (Extensible Markup Language) to define the structure and content of the presentation. Each part of the presentation—slides, themes, media—is stored as a separate XML file. Relationships between these parts are managed through relationship files (found in the _rels folder), which link, for example, a slide to a specific image in the media folder or to a specific layout in the slideLayouts folder.

This modularity allows PowerPoint to efficiently read, write, and render presentations. It also makes it possible for other software programs to manipulate .pptx files programmatically, enabling advanced features like automated slide generation, content extraction, and customized presentation building.

Comparing .pptx with Other Similar Formats

While .pptx is the most widely used format for presentations, other formats offer different features and compatibilities:

• OOXML PresentationML File : The .pptx format is part of the broader OOXML standard, specifically the PresentationML subformat. The main difference is that PresentationML can refer to presentations stored in alternative XML structures or components outside the .pptx ZIP format, offering more flexibility for developers working with XML data directly.
• ODP (OpenDocument Presentation) : An open standard format used by software like LibreOffice Impress. Unlike .pptx , which is tightly integrated with Microsoft’s ecosystem, ODP offers better compatibility with open-source tools but may lack some advanced features and formatting options available in .pptx .
• Legacy Formats (.ppt) : The older .ppt format was binary and did not use XML or ZIP compression, making it less flexible and harder to customize programmatically. While still supported by modern software, .ppt is considered outdated and less secure compared to .pptx .

Why Understanding the .pptx File Structure Matters

Understanding the anatomy of a .pptx file has several advantages:

• For Developers : Knowledge of the .pptx structure can help automate tasks like generating presentations from databases, converting presentations to other formats, or extracting specific content programmatically.
• For Troubleshooting : If a .pptx file becomes corrupted, understanding its internal structure can aid in recovery. You might manually extract the contents, identify the damaged components, and attempt to repair them.
• For Customization : Users and developers can create scripts or tools that directly manipulate .pptx files, allowing for unique customizations beyond the default capabilities of PowerPoint.

There are many practical applications for understanding the anatomy of a .pptx file:

• Editing and Automating Presentations : Developers can use scripting languages like Python or VBA to automate your presentations , the creation, editing, or analysis of .pptx files.
• Extracting or Replacing Content : You can extract images, audio, embedded videos, or text from a .pptx file, or replace content in bulk, which is useful in scenarios like updating company branding or translating a presentation.
• Creating Custom Software : Businesses can develop custom tools to manage presentations, such as applications that dynamically generate slides for reports or client meetings, or an AI PowerPoint generator tool.

The .pptx file format is the standard that Microsoft uses to enhance how we create, share, and manipulate presentation content. By understanding the structure and internal workings of a .pptx file, users and developers can unlock new possibilities for customization, automation, and troubleshooting, ultimately making the most out of their presentation software.

Like this article? Please share

Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials

Related Articles

Filed under Design • September 11th, 2024

8 Best Canva Alternatives for Presentations in 2024

Don’t feel restricted about what one application can do for presentation design. Meet a list of the best Canva alternatives in this article.

Filed under Google Slides Tutorials • September 11th, 2024

How to Make an Image Circular in Google Slides

Want to create circular images in Google Slides? Follow this quick and easy tutorial to make your visuals stand out.

Filed under Google Slides Tutorials • September 9th, 2024

How to Convert Canva to Google Slides

Need to switch from Canva to Google Slides? Follow this guide to easily convert your Canva designs into Google Slides in minutes.

Leave a Reply

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• Drug Shortages
• Current Drug Shortages
• -1 ? window.location.search.substring(1) : '')"> Add To Favorites

Methylphenidate Extended Release Oral Presentations

Products affected - description.

• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 10 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0401-45
• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 15 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0402-45
• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 20 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0403-45
• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 30 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0404-45
• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 60 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0407-45
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Amneal, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 00115-1738-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Lannett, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 00527-4581-37
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Teva, 10 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5295-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Teva, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5296-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Teva, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5297-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Teva, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5298-01 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Teva, 60 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5293-01 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Teva, 50 mg 100 count, NDC 00093-5292-01 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Teva, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5346-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Teva, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5347-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Teva, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 00093-5348-01
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 10 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0075-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 15 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0076-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 20 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0077-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 30 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0078-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 40 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0079-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 60 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0081-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 10 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3854-19
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 15 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3862-19
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 20 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3869-19
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 30 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3873-19
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 40 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3891-19
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 60 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3902-19
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Camber, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 31722-0952-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Camber, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 31722-0953-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Camber, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 31722-0954-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Camber, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 31722-0955-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Lannett, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 62175-0313-37
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Sun Pharma, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 57664-0606-88 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Sun Pharma, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 57664-0607-88 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Sun Pharma, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 57664-0608-88 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Sun Pharma, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 57664-0609-88 - discontinued
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Teva, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 62037-0725-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Teva, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 62037-0734-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Teva, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 62037-0726-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Teva, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 62037-0727-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, XLCare, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 72865-0133-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, XLCare, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 72865-0134-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, XLCare, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 72865-0135-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, XLCare, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 72865-0136-01

Reason for the Shortage

• Acella was not available to provide information.
• Adlon discontinued Adhansia XR in July 2022.
• Amneal discontinued the extended release tablets in March 2023. The company has the extended-release (CD) capsules available.
• Aytu BioPharma has Cotempla XR-ODT extended-release oral disintegrating tablets available. Cotempla is dose equivalent to methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release (CD) capsules.
• Camber discontinued methylphenidate extended-release tablets.
• Ironhorse has Jornay PM available.
• Janssen has Concerta extended-release tablets available.
• KVK-Tech was not available to provide information
• Lannett has methylphenidate tablets on shortage due to increased demand and shortage of active ingredient. Lannett is shipping most presentations to forecast.
• Mallinckrodt has all presentations available.
• Patriot discontinued methylphenidate extended-release tablets (authorized generic) in January 2023.
• Rhodes has Aptensio XR capsules available.
• Sandoz has methylphenidate (LA) capsules and Ritalin LA capsules available.
• Sun Pharma discontinued methylphenidate extended-release tablets.
• Teva states the reason for the delay is manufacturing delay. Teva has the extended-release (LA) capsules temporarily unavailable. Teva discontinued the 40 mg, 50 mg, and 60 mg extended-release (CD) capsules in December 2023.
• Trigen has methylphenidate extended-release tablets available.
• Tris Pharma has Quillichew ER chewable tablets and Quillivant XR liquid available.
• Vertical has Relexxii tablets available.
• XLCare has methylphenidate extended-release tablets on shortage because the company is awaiting DEA allocation for active ingredient.

Available Products

• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 40 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0405-45
• Aptensio XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 50 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0406-45
• Concerta extended release tablet, Janssen, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 50458-0585-01
• Concerta extended release tablet, Janssen, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 50458-0588-01
• Concerta extended release tablet, Janssen, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 50458-0586-01
• Concerta extended release tablet, Janssen, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 50458-0587-01
• Cotempla XR-ODT oral disintegrating tablet, Aytu BioPharma, 17.3 mg, unit-dose blister pack, 30 count, NDC 70165-0200-30
• Cotempla XR-ODT oral disintegrating tablet, Aytu BioPharma, 25.9 mg, unit-dose blister pack, 30 count, NDC 70165-0300-30
• Cotempla XR-ODT oral disintegrating tablet, Aytu BioPharma, 8.6 mg, unit-dose blister pack, 30 count, NDC 70165-0100-30
• Jornay PM extended release capsule, Ironhorse, 100 mg, 100 count, NDC 71376-0205-03
• Jornay PM extended release capsule, Ironhorse, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 71376-0201-03
• Jornay PM extended release capsule, Ironhorse, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 71376-0202-03
• Jornay PM extended release capsule, Ironhorse, 60 mg, 100 count, NDC 71376-0203-03
• Jornay PM extended release capsule, Ironhorse, 80 mg, 100 count, NDC 71376-0204-03
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Amneal, 10 mg, 100 count, NDC 00115-1736-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Amneal, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 00115-1737-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Amneal, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 00115-1739-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Amneal, 50 mg, 100 count, NDC 00115-1740-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Amneal, 60 mg, 100 count, NDC 00115-1741-01
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Lannett, 10 mg, 100 count, NDC 00527-4579-37
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Lannett, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 00527-4580-37
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Lannett, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 00527-4582-37
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Lannett, 50 mg, 100 count, NDC 00527-4583-37
• Methylphenidate CD extended release capsule, Lannett, 60 mg, 100 count, NDC 00527-4584-37
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Mayne Pharma, 10 mg, 100 count, NDC 51862-0609-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Mayne Pharma, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 51862-0610-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Mayne Pharma, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 51862-0611-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Mayne Pharma, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 51862-0612-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Mayne Pharma, 60 mg, 30 count, NDC 51862-0614-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 10 mg, 100 count, NDC 00781-2361-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 00781-2362-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 00781-2363-01
• Methylphenidate LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 00781-2364-01
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Rhodes, 50 mg, 90 count, NDC 42858-0080-45
• Methylphenidate XR extended release capsule, Teva, 50 mg, 90 count, NDC 00591-3895-19
• QuilliChew ER extended-release chewable tablet, Tris Pharma, 20 mg, bottle, 100 count, NDC 24478-0074-01
• QuilliChew ER extended-release chewable tablet, Tris Pharma, 30 mg, bottle, 100 count, NDC 24478-0075-01
• QuilliChew ER extended-release chewable tablet, Tris Pharma, 40 mg, bottle, 100 count, NDC 24478-0076-01
• Quillivant XR extended-release oral powder for suspension, Tris Pharma, 5 mg/mL, 120 mL bottle, NDC 24478-0322-04
• Quillivant XR extended-release oral powder for suspension, Tris Pharma, 5 mg/mL, 150 mL bottle, NDC 24478-0323-05
• Quillivant XR extended-release oral powder for suspension, Tris Pharma, 5 mg/mL, 180 mL bottle, NDC 24478-0324-06
• Quillivant XR extended-release oral powder for suspension, Tris Pharma, 5 mg/mL, 60 mL bottle, NDC 24478-0321-02
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 68025-0095-10
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 68025-0096-10
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 68025-0097-10
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 45 mg, 30 count, NDC 68025-0088-30
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 68025-0098-10
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 63 mg, 30 count, NDC 68025-0089-30
• Relexxii extended release tablet, Vertical, 72 mg, 30 count, NDC 68025-0084-30
• Ritalin LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 10 mg, 100 count, NDC 00078-0424-05
• Ritalin LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 20 mg, 100 count, NDC 00078-0370-05
• Ritalin LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 30 mg, 100 count, NDC 00078-0371-05
• Ritalin LA extended release capsule, Sandoz, 40 mg, 100 count, NDC 00078-0372-05
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Lannett, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 62175-0310-37
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Lannett, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 62175-0311-37
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Lannett, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 62175-0312-37
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Mallinckrodt, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 00406-0127-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Mallinckrodt, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 00406-0136-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Mallinckrodt, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 00406-0154-01
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 18 mg, 100 count, NDC 13811-0706-10
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 27 mg, 100 count, NDC 13811-0707-10
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 36 mg, 100 count, NDC 13811-0708-10
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 45 mg, 30 count, NDC 13811-0711-30
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 54 mg, 100 count, NDC 13811-0709-10
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 63 mg, 30 count, NDC 13811-0700-30
• Methylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release tablet, Trigen, 72 mg, 30 count, NDC 13811-0710-30

Estimated Resupply Dates

• Camber has methylphenidate 18 mg, 27 mg, 36 mg, and 54 mg XR capsules on allocation.
• Lannett has methylphenidate 54 mg extended-release tablets on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date. The 30 mg extended-release (CD) capsules are on intermittent back order and the company is releasing supplies as they become available.
• Rhodes has Aptensio XR 10 mg and 20 mg, capsules on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date. Aptensio XR 15 mg, 30 mg, and 60 mg capsules are available but with short dating (June 2025 for the 15 mg and 30 mg capsules and April 2025 for the 60 mg capsules). Generic methylphenidate 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, and 60 mg extended-release capsules on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date.
• Teva has methylphenidate 18 mg, 27 mg, 36 mg, and 54 mg extended-release tablets on intermittent back order and the company is releasing supplies as they become available. Teva has 10 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg extended-release (CD) capsules on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date. The 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, and 60 mg extended-release (XR) capsules are on intermittent back order and the company is releasing supplies as they become available.
• XLCare has methylphenidate extended-release tablets on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date.

Implications for Patient Care

• Lannett and Mallinckrodt extended-release tablets have a therapeutic equivalence rating of BX in FDA's Orange Book. The available data on these generic drug products are insufficient for FDA to determine therapeutic equivalence with Concerta
• The CDC has issued a health advisory regarding potential disrupted access to care in patients taking prescription stimulant medications and possible increased risks for injury and overdose. The health advisory can be found at https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2024/han00510.asp

Updated September 8, 2024 by Elyse MacDonald, PharmD, MS, BCPS. Created December 20, 2022 by Leslie Jensen, PharmD, Drug Information Specialist. © 2024, Drug Information Service, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.

Drug Shortage Bulletins are copyrighted by the Drug Information Service of the University of Utah and provided by ASHP as its exclusive authorized distributor. ASHP and the University of Utah make no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to such information, and specifically disclaim all such warranties. Users of this information are advised that decisions regarding the use of drugs and drug therapies are complex medical decisions and that in using this information, each user must exercise his or her own independent professional judgment. Neither ASHP nor the University of Utah assumes any liability for persons administering or receiving drugs or other medical care in reliance upon this information, or otherwise in connection with this Bulletin. Neither ASHP nor the University of Utah endorses or recommends the use of any particular drug. Any application of this information for any purpose shall be limited to personal, non-commercial use.

« Back to Drug Shortage Product Bulletins

• Midyear Clinical Meeting 2022
• Match Day Resources
• continuing education
• drug shortages
• policy positions and guidelines
• for presenters
• get involved in a meeting