Eliminating Slide Jiggle in Presentations

Oct 17, 2024

Lecture on Slide Jiggle in Presentations

Introduction to Slide Jiggle

  • Definition: Slide jiggle is the unexpected movement of elements on a slide as you move through a presentation.
  • Example: Observed in a presentation for UC Berkeley where content jumps around, especially in the top left corner.

Importance of Eliminating Slide Jiggle

  1. Distraction: Draws attention away from content, making it harder to follow.
  2. Perception: Gives the impression of a rushed, sloppy, or poorly prepared presentation.

Methods to Address Slide Jiggle

1. Use of Guides and Grid Lines

  • Grid Lines: Horizontal and vertical lines to position elements accurately; useful as they prevent slide jiggle when consistently used.
  • Guides: Single vertical and horizontal lines that can be repositioned; multiple guides can be added for precise alignment.
  • Best Practice: Enable "Snap objects to grid" for automatic alignment.
    • Example: Use three guides - left border, right border, and under the header.

2. Use of Layouts

  • Slide Master: Creates a master layout reflecting on all slides.
    • Limitation: Editing affects all slides using the master layout.
  • Pre-built Slide Templates: Already formatted, ensuring no slide jiggle.
    • Advantage: Allows for individual slide edits without affecting others.
    • Suggestion: Build a repository of well-designed slides or purchase a professionally designed template pack.

3. Copy and Paste Method

  • Old School Method: Despite being manual, it's effective.
  • Functionality: Copying from one slide to another pastes elements in the exact same position.
    • Demonstration: Copying and pasting elements between slides maintains alignment, avoiding jiggle.

Conclusion

  • Three effective methods to eliminate slide jiggle include using guides/grid lines, layouts, and the copy-paste method.
  • Mention of a business strategy and consulting template pack used in the lecture as an example.

Resources

  • Link: Business strategy and consulting template pack (provided in video description)