What Is The 10/20/30 Rule For Presentations?

Imagine you’re in a meeting room, about to share your big idea. You’re excited, but as you start, you notice people getting bored. It isn’t an easy task, right?  But what if there’s a simple trick to make your presentations way better? That’s where the 10/20/30 rule comes in. It’s a super way to keep people interested. Simple, clear, and effective. Let’s break down what the 10/20/30 rule for PowerPoint presentations (or Canva, Keynote, etc.)  is, why it matters, and how it can make your presentations awesome. 

What is the 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint?

The 10/20/30 PowerPoint rule or 10/20/30 presentation rule is a strategy developed by Guy Kawasaki (a Silicon Valley venture capitalist). I can almost hear you asking, “What does 10/20/30 mean? What does the 10/20/30 rule refer to?” It means your presentation should have ten slides, last about twenty minutes, and use a font size of at least thirty points. This rule helps keep your audience interested and focused.  Here’s Guy Kawasaki briefly explaining the 10/20/30 presentation rule: The 10/20/30 PowerPoint rule is a simple guideline for making better presentations.  – With fewer slides, you can explain things better without overwhelming people. We all get bored with overly long texts and unnecessary details, right? – Twenty minutes is a good length because it’s enough time to cover your main points without dragging on.  – And the 30-point font ensures your text is big enough for everyone to read easily.  In this rule, each element works in harmony. So, following this rule makes your presentations clearer and more engaging for everyone.

 

Why it’s important? 

Even if you are talking about a very important, interesting subject, product, or development, there is no guarantee that your presentation will impress the other party. People getting bored and distracted are still possibilities. Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule aims to make your presentation clear, readable, and concise.  All these features (with effective content) ensure that the presentation maintains the audience’s attention. Therefore, for a more memorable, effective and eye-catching presentation, Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule appears as an important aid.

10 slides

When you use fewer slides, you focus on critical elements. Limiting your presentation to ten slides forces you to focus on the most important points, avoiding unnecessary clutter.  This means making slides that are focused on exactly what you’re talking about. Believe me, when you do this, you will take your presentation one step ahead. This makes it easier for your audience to understand and remember the key messages you’re trying to convey.

20 minutes

First of all, I must say that longer presentations are also acceptable. However, it is clear that 20 minutes is a much more manageable time period than longer ones. Adhering to the 20-minute time limit ensures that your presentation is concise and to the point. It respects your audience’s time and attention span, keeping them engaged throughout without overwhelming them with too much information. Also, in this way, you will allocate enough time for the question and answer part.

30-point font

If you use a font size smaller than thirty points, it might be hard for people to read your slides. Using a font size of at least thirty points makes your text more readable, especially in larger meeting rooms or when presenting to a diverse audience.  Now your audience will not try to read long texts because the key points of your presentation are short and “focused”. They will “really” listen to your speech. Of course, the font style and color you choose should be readable, too. This ensures that everyone can easily follow your presentation, regardless of their distance from the screen or any visual impairments they may have. As a result, you will create an accessible presentation. And one more bonus: When you use a larger font size, the less text you can fit on the slide. This way you force yourself to write only the necessary parts, which is good practice. Overall, by following the 10/20/30 rule for presentations, you can deliver presentations that are clear, focused, and impactful.

 

The benefits of using the 10/20/30 presentation rule

Well, you may still ask “How is the 10/20/30 rule effective?” Let me explain. The 10/20/30 rule of presentations provides many benefits such as: – Improving your presentation skills,  – Not getting lost in complex data/texts,  – Making sure that the presentation conveys your message clearly.

Write short and relevant

If you limit yourself to 10 slides, you will only write the most relevant and necessary main points on the slide. This is very important for presentations that don’t overwhelm the audience and emphasize the message in a memorable way.

Manage your time, wisely

A 20-minute presentation is easier in many ways, such as managing, remembering parts/flow, etc. Additionally, by allocating enough time to answer audience questions, you will have a highly interactive, productive meeting.

Convey the key message

If the font size is large, you need to discard unnecessary text and as a result, you will be left with text that directly emphasizes the main message. This way, your audience doesn’t read the screen, they listen to you. In addition, when combined with appropriate and high-quality visuals (sometimes it is not even necessary), you will get a stylish and professional presentation. Remember, catchy, engaging, and persuasive presentations bring success.

 

Final thoughts

Every presentation has its own requirements. Some topics require you to pay extra attention to the relevant images. For example, when promoting a technical product. Sometimes you pay more attention to the storytelling and focus on a certain emotion. Your target audience, your purpose, the technologies you use, etc. and many other factors affect the structure of the presentation. In general, it’s a good idea to keep presentations simple. However, if your presentation is not adaptable to this rule (or other similar rules), I recommend that you don’t try to adapt it. Don’t remove useful, important information to shorten your presentation. You use a different design and prepare accessible presentations by writing in less than 30-point font. Then you don’t need to insist on using a 30-point font. Also, you may not need a 30-point font in online presentations. Focus on making your presentations consistent, organized, and readable that convey your message effectively. If you need professional support on this issue, you can always write to us.