Have you ever wondered why some presentations are just way more engaging, energising and overall a pleasure to be in? The answer could very possibly lie in whether or not the background of the presentation was a darker shade colour as opposed to the white background that people often use.
Did Presentation Design Rules Go Out of Fashion?
I often joke that I have been helping business people get their message out into the world since the days of DOS, but facts are facts. After graduating, my very first job was as a Presentation Consultant at Ideadata way back in 1993! Presentations were printed out from Harvard Graphics for DOS on 35mm slides, and only the printing process alone took a couple of hours to complete!
One of the first things I learned in the extensive training I received was never to use a white or light background under any circumstance! That was a cardinal sin. Always use a dark background, preferably a darker tone blue with light elements on top of it. Bright yellow headings and white text was the preferred way of designing your slide.
This, together with a couple of other basic rules like never to use full sentences and never to stuff your slide with too many elements, was one of the basics at the time. Sadly, very few people know and adhere to these rules. Did it go out of fashion? The reality is that the human eye still works exactly the same as then, and I have it on good authority that our eyes will still work exactly the same going forward.
The basics of design and communication rules remain the same. Now and forever. Technology might change, and the extreme light used in the 35mm slide projectors of those days have changed, but the basics still remain.
The Mechanics of the Human Eye Influencing Presentation Design Effectiveness
In case you are still unsure whether I am sucking the above out of my thumb, I have prepared a deep-dive into the mechanics of the human eye to explain why a white background with dark elements on your presentation slides will lead to eye strain and fatigue. Be warned, we are going to do some heavy lifting on the technical side of the eye.
Several aspects of the eye’s function explain this phenomenon:
Luminance Contrast
A high luminance contrast, such as black text on a white background, forces the eyes to work harder to focus and process information, resulting in eye fatigue.
Adaptation
The retina adjusts to exposure through the photoreceptors, which are rods and cones that detect light and convert it into electrical signals. Rods handle low light and night vision, while cones enable color vision. When one eye adapts differently than the other, the brain compares the signals between the two eyes, causing color to appear washed out.
Eye Components
Light enters through the cornea, which focuses incoming light. It then passes through the pupil, which regulates the amount of light entering the eye. The lens further focuses the light onto the retina. The cornea’s condition is vital for proper eye function, and any issues with its surface or clarity can disrupt vision.
Refocusing
Combinations of colors that are far apart on the visible spectrum may require users to constantly refocus their eyes, resulting in visual discomfort.
Want to know more about the ins & outs of how to design your presentation to get your audience to remember your message and act on it?
Then, I suggest you sign up for addVentures Business Club, where we share the ins and outs of building your brand, one step at a time, while keeping your sanity as a human being!!
