Presentation Designer's Toolkit
Presentation Design Style Guide
What is it? A presentation design style guide, also known as presentation design guidelines, are a set of rules and standards that define how a design system should be represented across various presentation types and slide layout templates. These guidelines ensure consistency in the brand's visual and verbal communication, helping to maintain a cohesive and recognizable brand identity. It serves as a reference tool for designers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure that all materials and communications adhere to the brand's established design principles. It's often a subset of a more comprehensive brand guidelines document, tailored specifically for the context of presentations. It takes the overarching brand identity and design principles outlined in the brand guidelines and adapts them to the unique requirements of slideshows. This includes defining the appropriate use of colors, fonts, logos, and imagery to ensure that presentations maintain the same visual identity as other brand materials. When to use it Anytime slide templates will be shared with others for editing and updating. Long-term working relationship with a client who consistently requires presentation design services Remember to Create templates and guidelines that balance consistency with flexibility for different content needs. Ensure the style guide aligns with brand and messaging for a consistent brand image. Step-by-step: How to create a presentation style guide 1 Select the format Depending on the project's needs, scope, and budget, choose from formats for the style guide. Design guidelines can be digital or printed, and can be static (PDF) or interactive (web). There's no standard page size, so choose the final size and orientation based on a few draft layouts. 2 Define the contents The presentation style guide should encompass elements relevant to maintaining consistency and a cohesive look in the presentations. This includes defining key components like slide layouts, typography, color usage, imagery, and any specific design elements required for your presentation project. Adapt the guide to include other presentation-specific elements based on the project's requirements. We've got a free checklist below that can you download and use as a starting point. 3 Develop the style guide With the outline in place, create a style guide that is both informative and practical but not overwhelming. This involves providing dos and don'ts, guidelines for quality assurance checks, examples, as well as suggesting workflows and resources to maintain consistency. Remember, clarity, conciseness, and practicality are essential to create a useful guide. 4 Test and refine the style guide Before finalizing the guide, share it with users to verify clarity and comprehensibility. Confirm that it includes all essential information and gather insights on how it can be enhanced for easier understanding and use. 5 Ensure accessibility and distribution Make the style guide easily accessible and usable by hosting it on a preferred platform, and share it with all relevant project team members. Checklist coming soon
Learn more
Design Concept Board
What is it? Concept boards are like the visual blueprint of a presentation. They’re essentially a collection of visuals, typography, color schemes, and sometimes even sample slide layouts that give a client a tangible sense of how the presentation will look and feel before you dive into the detailed design work. Think of it as a mood board, but with more structure, intention, and detail. It’s about setting the tone and ensuring alignment. You’re showing the client the visual language and the key elements that will make up the presentation. The beauty of concept boards is that they allow us to test ideas early. We can gauge the client's reactions to different styles, imagery, and visual metaphors without having to design the entire presentation. It’s a strategic checkpoint where we can confirm, 'Hey, is this the right direction?' before investing time in building out all the slides. They also work as a critical self-reflection and decision-making tool for designers themselves by helping define the bigger picture first. They allow you to step back and think strategically about the visual direction and narrative you want to establish before you get caught up in the nitty-gritty. Another key advantage is efficiency. By establishing a clear visual direction upfront, you eliminate a lot of trial and error later on. Imagine designing 10 slides only to realize halfway through that the visual style doesn’t fit the message or the brand. That’s a lot of wasted time and effort. With a concept board, you’ve already made those high-level design decisions, so when you do start on the actual slides, you can move forward with confidence and speed, knowing you’re on the right track. When to use it To iterate and refine design concepts quickly without getting caught up in the intricacies of detailed design drafts. To allow stakeholders to provide input and feedback at an early stage, eliminating misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Remember to Choose impactful and representative images, typography treatments, and visual aids to convey the essence of your design concept. Keep it focused and cohesive: While it's important to explore different design possibilities, ensure that your concept board maintains a clear and coherent direction. Step-by-step 1 Gather inspiration and references Collect inspiration and references that are relevant to the project. This can include existing mood boards, Pinterest boards, existing presentation content, and any other presentations from the client. Also, look for other presentations that are similar in nature, format, or purpose to the project you're working on. 2 Define design elements Identify the key design elements you’ll use in your concept boards. For a presentation concept board, these elements usually include charts, diagrams, typography (fonts and how they work together), color schemes, icons, images, and 1-3 sample layouts. Choose specific design elements that match the content of the presentation. 3 Brainstorm and sketch ideas Start generating design ideas by brainstorming and sketching rough concepts. Don’t worry about making them perfect—focus on capturing the core ideas. Keep the brand’s identity, values, and target audience in mind. Think about details like whether to use rounded corners, solid or gradient fills, and the style of images. 4 Select the strongest concepts Review your sketches and pick the ideas that best match the brand’s goals and visual identity. Select the concepts that most effectively communicate the message you want to deliver. 5 Explore and refine concepts on digital boards Transfer your chosen sketches to digital concept boards. Create separate boards for each concept. Arrange the elements on the boards in a way that is logical and visually appealing, using layout techniques like grids to ensure consistency and balance. 6 Select concepts for client review Choose 2-3 of your best concepts to show to the client. Make sure each one is distinct but still fits within the brand’s guidelines and the presentation’s purpose. 7 Present and discuss Prepare a narrative or explanation for each concept. Clearly describe your thought process, reasoning, and the unique aspects of each design. Present these to the client and encourage discussion to gather their feedback and preferences. 8 Make adjustments and finalize Based on the client’s feedback, make any necessary adjustments to your concept boards. Once the concept is approved, finalize the board, which will guide the rest of the design process. Make any last refinements before moving forward with the project. Download the template
Learn more