Lesson 40: Cutting Through the Clutter — How to Create Slides People Actually Read
“The soul never thinks without a mental image.”
— Aristotle
Why Bullet Points Are Silent Presentation Killers
Cognitive load theory tells us that the human brain can only process a limited amount of information at once. When a slide is crammed with bullet points, your audience is forced into an impossible choice: either read the dense text or listen to you, but rarely both.
Eye-tracking studies reinforce this: when faced with word-heavy slides, viewers mentally check out, causing engagement, comprehension, and retention to plummet.
If you want your message to stick, your slides must work with you, not against you.
Research Insight: Text Density vs. Audience Retention
Studies show that slides with excessive text can reduce audience retention by up to 33%, while slides following visual simplicity principles (like the 6×6 Rule) can improve comprehension and recall by up to 55%.
Clutter doesn’t just look bad—it makes your ideas forgettable.
What Is the 6×6 Rule?
The 6×6 Rule is a practical guideline for creating clear, engaging slides:
No more than 6 words per line.
No more than 6 lines per slide.
The idea is simple:
Slides are not for delivering essays. They are there to support, highlight, and reinforce your spoken message—not to replace it.
Using keywords, bold phrases, and relevant visuals ensures that your audience can glance at a slide and immediately understand the key idea.
Practical Slide Design Strategies
Replace blocks of text with powerful images or simple icons.
Use short phrases rather than full sentences.
Leave plenty of white space—it’s not “empty”; it’s “essential.”
If a 5-second glance at your slide can’t reveal the core idea, the slide needs editing.
📝 Interactive Exercise
You are given two slides:
One is packed with bullet points, and the other applies the 6×6 Rule.
Analyze both slides.
Which one would keep your attention longer, and why?
Write 3–4 sentences comparing their impact on engagement and clarity.
Key Takeaways
Less is more. Your slides should simplify, not overwhelm.
Design for listening, not reading. Support your spoken words visually, don’t compete with them.
Follow the 6×6 Rule. No more than six words per line and six lines per slide.
Use visuals wisely. Replace unnecessary text with powerful images or icons.
White space is not wasted space. It helps focus attention and keeps your slides breathable.
A well-designed slide doesn’t just look good—it makes you sound better.
