Use clipart but exercise restraint

Clipart is so readily available, it’s prone to abuse. We’ve all seen PowerPoint presentations with clipart that distracts because it’s too frequent or too random. If you exercise restraint, you can use clipart to enhance (vs. clutter) your message.

Tips for using clipart

Don’t start with the image; start with your message.

If you find a “cool” image and then twist your message to fit it, you compromise the communication – not a good start! Define your topic first, then break it down into three sub-topics and find a memorable visual for each one. Ensure each visual reinforces the message vs. distracts from it. In the example below, the dancing purple dinosaur becomes the metaphor for a problem with employee engagement. Even when the image is no longer onscreen, the presenter can refer to it – the dinosaur becomes part of the story.  (For help defining your topic, use the ABCaP method. For help with metaphors, try Twin Trigger exercise.)

Go beyond your usual sources

Don’t limit yourself to the clipart offered by MS Word; it is a very limited selection. Try websites that offer free or almost free clipart. I belong to iclipart.com – about $50 a year. If you want to go beyond clipart, check out my previous posts about using photographs – Provoke with Photography – and diagrams – Express concepts with diagrams.

Save time; create an inventory

When you’re browsing for images for one project, file images that might work for future projects. Later on, when you start a new project, check your inventory. You might already have what you need.

Limit the number of images

Think about your presentation as an illustrated story vs. a clipart catalogue. Too many images is the same problem as too much text: you overwhelm people and they disengage. Put ONE image against each sub-topic for a maximum of THREE images per presentation. (Utilitarian images such as diagrams and charts are outside the three limit.)

Choose images of the same style

If your three images are a B&W photo, a colour cartoon and a realistic B&W drawing, the different styles will create a visual disconnect and interrupt the flow of your communication. Finding images in the same style that tell your story is hard work but it pays off.

Choose an appropriate style

The style of your images should be aligned with your topic and with your persona as a speaker. The example below uses cartoon-style animals to convey the results of an employee engagement survey for a large company. At first glance; it might seem childish. However, the presentation was internal only – for the senior management team – and the presenter knew the executives were somewhat closed to the topic (they were ultimately responsible for the poor results) so he chose a way to get their attention while using humour to soften the blow.

Let the picture speak

If you insert an image, trust that “a picture is worth 1000 words” and don’t explain it. Give your audience credit for understanding the reference. Note: It you feel compelled to explain it, it’s a clue you’ve chosen the wrong image. Notice this before you finalize your work.

5 Responsesto “Use clipart but exercise restraint”

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