DesignSpeak: The OC Blog

“What’s the plan?”

I heard this my whole life, and I drive my kids crazy with the same question. Always have a plan. Listen, I love Sundays, like anyone...

If it’s action you want, use action words.

Action words, or verbs, are the powerhouses of your presentation. They don't just convey information—they inspire, motivate, and drive...

“Nobody on my team knows how to design a presentation.”

Not everyone loves PowerPoint. Not everyone knows where to start. Everyone loves loading the presentation with as much information as...

I had no idea what a presentation designer was.

When I first heard the term ‘presentation designer’ I didn’t realize it was an actual job. Making PowerPoint presentations full time?...

Do you ‘word diet’? Make it simple.

According to Harvard Business Review, people should be able to understand a PowerPoint slide in about THREE SECONDS . This is known as...

If You Hate PowerPoint, This May Be Why

Overuse and Misuse: When presentations rely too heavily on slides filled with bullet points, it can bore or overwhelm the audience. Lack...

Nobody Wants to Admit It, But Looks Matter.

Imagine walking into a room where the lights are dim, the furniture is old and worn, and the walls are bare. Your first impression might...

“I didn’t understand one thing in that presentation.”

Feeling lost during a presentation is like being stranded in a foreign land without a map. You sit there, trying to decipher the...

“Holy Toledo, how long is that man going to speak for??”

Famous words spoken out loud by my grandmother at my 8th grade graduation in 1988, but they ring true for any speaker or presentation...

“My presentation didn’t work, no one paid attention.”

Unfortunately, we may have all felt this at one time or another. Why didn’t anyone pay attention if it was such a great topic that they...

“What makes you different?" I didn’t have an answer.

When I started to think about it, my answer was very clear - it was my 20+ years in training & development. It prepared me to do what I...

I hate public speaking. In fact, I'm terrified.

The mere thought of standing before a sea of faces makes my stomach churn, my heart race, and I wish the floor would open beneath me. But...