We've all come across training and performance support materials that just don't look professional, don't visually communicate well, or are visually overwhelming. Sometimes we even create them ourselves! The challenge for those of us without graphic design skills is finding a straightforward, simple, repeatable way to improve this aspect of our work. If we can improve the visual communication, we can ultimately improve learning and performance outcomes. What's great is that you don't have to be a graphic design guru to make clear, visually successful materials.

In this session you'll learn a few straightforward graphic design principles that anyone can use to evaluate the visual design of materials to facilitate communication. We'll focus on C.R.A.P.: Contrast (if it's different, make it very obviously different); Repetition (if it's the same type of information, style it the same; choose a single design element or style and use it consistently); Alignment (nothing should be placed arbitrarily; line things up with each other precisely); and Proximity (if something goes together conceptually, put it together physically). We'll then apply those principles together to collaboratively critique some visual designs, finding ways that we can improve the design based on each principle. We'll use a tool you likely already use—Microsoft PowerPoint—to practice improving those examples using the same framework of graphic design principles. The types of improvements we'll make can easily transfer to other development tools used for elearning or desktop publishing so you can then take these principles and new skills back to work to improve your creations!

In this session, you will learn:

• Four straightforward graphic design principles to follow: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity
• How those principles support communication by organizing and clarifying the visual message of the content
• How to repeatably evaluate visual designs using the four principles, with collaborative hands-on practice
• How to improve visual designs following those principles, with hands-on practice using Microsoft PowerPoint text, design, and layout tools
• How to apply text styling to text content in PowerPoint
• How to apply consistent alignment to various elements in PowerPoint
• How to apply slide masters and layouts to slides in PowerPoint

Technology discussed:
Microsoft PowerPoint

Participant technology requirements:
A laptop running Microsoft PowerPoint. A tablet may also work, but I won't be able to customize or troubleshoot for them because I don't use one.