Current and Future Presentation Design Trends

To develop visually appealing and effective presentations, designers must stay current on the newest design trends. The presentation design industry is being shaped by a number of major design trends in 2023, opening up new possibilities for producing engaging and memorable presentations. Let's take a look at what we're seeing today:

Minimalism with Bold Typography: Minimalism continues to be a popular design trend in 2023, with a focus on clean and simple layouts. However, one of the emerging trends is the use of bold typography to create eye-catching headlines and titles. Large, bold fonts in unique and creative styles are being used to make key messages stand out, creating a powerful visual impact.

Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/news/monotype-typography-trends

Custom Illustrations: Custom illustrations are gaining popularity in presentation design as they add a touch of personality and uniqueness to the content. These illustrations are created specifically for the presentation and help to convey complex ideas or concepts in a visually appealing and memorable way.

Source: https://medium.com/envato/the-rise-of-custom-illustrations-in-publishing-73433da24878

Dark Mode: Dark mode has become a prominent trend in recent years across various digital platforms, and it is making its way into presentation design as well. Dark backgrounds with contrasting text and visuals create a sleek and modern look, providing a unique visual experience for the audience.

Source: https://zamora.design/10-design-trends-in-2023/

Animated Infographics: Animated infographics are being used to add interactivity and engagement to presentations. Infographics are no longer static; they are becoming dynamic with animations that help to explain complex data or statistics in an interesting and visually appealing way.

Source: https://www.animaker.com/hub/how-to-create-animated-presentations/

Customized Icons and Graphics: Customized icons and graphics are being used to create a consistent visual language in presentations. These icons and graphics are tailored to match the overall design aesthetic and brand identity, adding a unique touch to the presentation.

Source: https://zamora.design/10-design-trends-in-2023/

Emphasis on User Experience: Presentation design is no longer just about aesthetics; it's also about creating a seamless user experience. Presentations are being designed with a focus on intuitive navigation, interactive elements, and user-friendly interfaces to enhance the overall experience for the audience.

Source: https://uxdesign.cc/nailing-your-next-design-presentation-7ad68faec303

Use of Authentic and Diverse Imagery: In 2023, there is a growing trend of using authentic and diverse imagery in presentations. Representing diverse cultures, ethnicities, genders, and abilities in visuals helps to create a more inclusive and relatable presentation that resonates with a wider audience.

Source: https://venngage.com/blog/graphic-design-trends/

Presentation design trends for 2024 are projected to continue to develop and adapt to the shifting context of communication and design. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology to produce dynamic, personalized presentations that respond to specific audience preferences and demands may be one of the design trends to watch out for. Another area is virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR). Interactive and immersive experiences may become increasingly common in presentations, enabling presenters to make really memorable and engaging experiences for their audience.

Utilizing Adult Learning Theory in Your Presentations

When presenting new or technical concepts to your audience, understanding adult learning theory can be extremely beneficial. I spent time building e-learning courses on a variety of technical business topics before deciding to focus my career on presentation design. I researched all I could get my hands on regarding how adults learn and remember new information at this time.

Adult learning theory, often known as andragogy, is a set of principles that educators and trainers can use to create effective learning experiences for adult learners. Andragogy makes the following assumptions regarding learning design:

1. Adults need to know why they need to learn something

2. Adults need to learn experientially

3. Adults approach learning as problem-solving

4. Adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value

Today we will explore how understanding these principles can help you create better presentations for your audience.

First, let's consider the characteristics of a typical adult learner. They have a wealth of life experience and want to connect new information to that experience. They also want to be involved in the learning process and have a say in what they learn. Adult learners are often goal-oriented, meaning they want to learn something that is relevant to their lives or their work. Since they have limited attention due to their busy schedules, they need to see the practical application or relevance of what they are learning quickly.

With this in mind, let's explore how understanding adult learning theory can help you create more effective presentations:

Connect new information to prior knowledge

One of the most important aspects is that your audience must connect new information to past knowledge and experience. When presenting new or complex topics, it is critical to find methods to relate the content to something your audience already knows. This could include employing analogies or real-life examples to help your audience grasp how the material relates to their career, department, or sector.

Involve the learner

Adult learners prefer to be involved in the learning process, which necessitates that they be engaged with the topic. This involves, as a presentation designer, figuring out how to make your presentation dynamic and engaging. This could include exercises, conversations, or other sorts of audience interaction.

Make the material relevant

Your audience is often goal-oriented, which means they want to learn something that is relevant to their lives or their work. This means finding ways to make the material relevant to your audience by highlighting how the information will benefit them or their organization, or framing the information in a way that shows its practical application. Know your audience!

Keep it practical

Finally, adult learners need to see the practical application of what they are learning. This means finding ways to make the material concrete and applicable. This could include the use of case studies, demonstrations, or simulations to help your audience understand how the information applies to their real-world situations.

Presentations 101: The Importance of Simplifying Your Message

Presentations, whether you like them or not, are an important part of our business environment. For the majority of my career, my presentations were frequently utilized to communicate complex technical information to a large, non-technical audience. Because presenting complicated information can be difficult, the skill of simplifying complex information is crucial.

Simplifying complex information is not about dumbing down or oversimplifying the content. It's about breaking down complex ideas and concepts into manageable pieces and presenting them in a way that is clear and concise. This approach enables the audience to understand the information better and engage with it more effectively.

The enterprise architecture industry is a great example of a field that often works with complex information. Enterprise architecture (EA) is the process of matching a company's business and information technology strategy. It can sometimes be a difficult field that necessitates a thorough understanding of an organization's business processes as well as its technological infrastructure.

Here are some strategies for simplifying difficult content in EA presentations:

Use Visual Aids

Visual aids are an effective way to simplify complex information. By using diagrams, charts, infographics, and other visual aids, you can break down complex ideas and concepts into more manageable pieces. For example, a diagram showing the different components of an organization's IT infrastructure can be used to illustrate how they fit together.

Tell a Story

Telling a story is an excellent way to simplify complex information. By framing the information in the context of a story, you can make it more relatable and understandable. I touch on this in greater detail in my blog post titled "The Art of Storytelling".

Focus on the Key Points

When presenting complex information, it's essential to focus on the key points. While this point can seem a bit obvious, you would be surprised how many times I have had to help presenters weed out the unnecessary information or data. Rather than overwhelming the audience with a vast amount of information, identify the critical points that need to be conveyed and focus on them. Otherwise, your presentation turns into a laundry list of things you already know instead of information the audience needs to remember.

Use Plain Language

Using plain language is an essential part of simplifying complex information. Technical jargon and acronyms can be confusing to the audience and make the information more challenging to understand. Using plain language can help to remove these barriers and make the information more accessible.

Use Analogies

Analogies are a useful tool for simplifying information. By comparing complex ideas to something familiar, you can make the information more accessible and understandable. This is why it is important to know your audience!

Simplifying complex content in presentations is an art that takes great thought and organization. Visual aids, storytelling, focusing on key themes, clear language, and analogies are all useful methods for simplifying difficult information. Technical presenters can use these strategies to communicate difficult material in a clear, concise, and easily accessible manner to their non-technical audience.