📊 Visual Aids & Technology · Lesson 2 of 8

The Rule of Minimalism

The most powerful slides are often the simplest. Minimalism in slide design is not aesthetic preference — it is a cognitive strategy. Every element that is not essential consumes attention that should be on your message.

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The Elimination Test — Remove Everything That Doesn't Serve the Idea

The diagram shows the same slide content before and after applying the elimination test across four slide elements: title, bullets, colors, and images.

Comparison diagram showing cluttered vs minimal slide design across four elements — Cluttered slides are not a sign of thorough preparation — they are a sign of unclear thinking. Minimal slides force you to know exactly what you are trying to say.

💡 Tip: After finishing a slide, ask: 'What can I remove without losing the core message?' Remove it. Repeat until nothing further can be removed without loss.

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Worked Example: Minimal vs Cluttered Opening Slide

Topic: 'Why most professionals will never use AI effectively.' Here is the same opening slide in cluttered and minimal form.

Cluttered vs Minimal — same content, opposite effect: ✗ CLUTTERED: Title: "10 Reasons AI Fails Most Professionals" Bullets: 72% lack training · 40% productivity gap · simple tasks only · no culture · prompt quality is key Colors: blue header, orange bullets, grey sub-bullets, red accent, gradient background Images: robot clip art + company logo —— ✓ MINIMAL: Title: "Only 12% use it well." Body: Nothing — or a single bar chart (72% vs 12%) Color: White background, dark text, one red accent on the number The speaker explains everything else.

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Three Numbers to Memorise

These three constraints produce minimal, effective slides every time.

✓Maximum 3 colors — Background, primary text, one accent — used on the single most important element only
✓Maximum 2 fonts — One for headlines, one for body — never more, never decorative display fonts
✓At least 50% whitespace per slide — Half the slide should be empty — whitespace is not wasted space, it is emphasis through contrast

Key Takeaways

1Every element that isn't essential is noise — apply the elimination test after every slide
2Ask: 'What can I remove without losing the core message?' Remove it. Repeat.
3Max 3 colors, max 2 fonts, at least 50% whitespace — three constraints that work
4A single number or phrase on a white slide has maximum attention — minimalism creates impact through contrast
5Cluttered slides signal unclear thinking; minimal slides signal confident preparation

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Designing Effective Slides

Using Props Effectively

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