Your slides are more than just a backdrop—they’re a key part of how you communicate. Well-designed slides help to clarify your message, keep your audience engaged, and make your points more memorable.
Cluttered, text-heavy slides do the opposite: they distract, overwhelm, and can even lead to disengagement. But let’s face it, they’re hard to avoid at work. I hear objections like:
"I don’t have time to fix them.""There’s too much information to share.""I’m limited in the number of slides I can use.""Company culture — or my boss — requires this approach."If any of these sound familiar, here’s what I want you to know:
I hear you.
I understand you.
But trust me, there’s always room to level up your slides.
Even if you can't get away from text-heavy decks, here are 5 quick fixes to instantly improve them:
I challenge you to give each of your slides the following test:
1. Minimise words
Alright, so maybe you can’t stick to the ideal 3-5 words per bullet point. But do you really need every single word you’ve put down? Can you express it more concisely (while keeping it professional and clear)? Could some details be moved to the notes or appendix? Or better yet—could they be replaced with a graphic or delivered through your speech?
2. Increase white space
White space is your best friend. It’s the empty space around everything on your slide: text, graphics, titles, bullet points, logos—everything. Play with sizing and positioning until it feels balanced and spacious. More white space = a polished look, better digestibility of your content, and less chance of your audience nodding off.
3. Ditch the bullet points
Seriously—bullet points often clutter your slides and eat up valuable white space. Most of the time you don’t even need them. That said, they can help when showing relationships or sub-points. For instance:
Main idea (no bullet)
Supporting point 1
Supporting point 2
4. Make your title pop
Even if your slide is jam-packed, make sure your title stands out. Increase its size, bold it, change the colour, or at the very least, give it some breathing room. It might seem like a small tweak, but trust me—it’ll make a difference in how your slide is perceived.
5. Make it interesting
You may not be crafting a TED Talk, but your slides can still be visually engaging. Add a relevant image, choose a cohesive colour palette, or switch up the layout so your slides don’t all look the same. And don’t forget to apply the tips above—great design is about bringing all the elements together!
By improving your slides, you’re not just making them look better—you’re making your presentation more effective, polished, and impactful. So, next time you’re facing a slide deck full of text, take a moment to apply these simple tips. These little tweaks will help you communicate more clearly, engage your audience, and leave a lasting impression.
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