FBLA Review: Presentation Skills (Visual Aids, Slide Design, Delivery)

FBLA – Presentation Skills (Visual Aids, Slide Design, Delivery)

Study Guide – Presentation Skills (Visual Aids, Slide Design, Delivery)
Prepared for FBLA/DECA competitive events and cluster exams

What This Is (1 short paragraph)

Presentation skills encompass the planning, creation, and delivery of visual?aided speeches that persuade or inform an audience. In FBLA, you may be asked to design a slide deck for a “Business Pitch” or deliver a “Quarter?End Report” to a board of directors. Mastery of visual?aid principles, slide design rules, and polished delivery shows you can communicate ideas clearly—an essential competency for any future business professional.

Key Terms & Formulas (8–12 bullets)

• 10?20?30 Rule – Recommended by Guy Kawasaki: 10 slides, 20 minutes max, 30?point minimum font size. Keeps presentations concise and readable.
• 6×6 Rule – No more than 6 bullet points per slide and 6 words per bullet. Prevents information overload.
• Visual Hierarchy – Arrangement of elements (size, color, placement) that guides the viewer’s eye to the most important information first.
• Contrast Ratio (CR) – CR = Luminance of Lightest Color ÷ Luminance of Darkest Color; a ratio 4.5:1 meets WCAG accessibility standards.
• Slide Master – The template slide that controls fonts, colors, and logos for the entire deck, ensuring brand consistency.
• Effective Slide Time (EST) – EST = Total Presentation Time ÷ Number of Slides. Helps you allocate speaking time per slide (typical EST 1–2?min).
• KISS Principle – “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” Use plain language, minimal jargon, and clean graphics.
• Speaker Notes – Private cues on the presenter view that keep you on track without crowding the slide.
• Body Language Score (BLS) – BLS = (Eye Contact?+?Gestures?+?Posture) ÷ 3; each component rated 1?5. A BLS 4 signals confident delivery.
• Rule of Three – Organize content in groups of three (e.g., three benefits, three challenges) for easier recall.
• Pacing Ratio – Pacing = Words per Minute ÷ 150; a ratio of 1.0 = average speaking speed, >1.2 = too fast, <0.8 = too slow.

Step?by?Step / Process Flow (3–6 steps)

1. Analyze the Audience & Objective – Identify who will watch (e.g., investors, teachers) and what you need them to do (buy, approve, learn).
2. Outline the Core Message Using the Rule of Three – Draft a three?point skeleton (Problem, Solution, Benefit).
3. Create a Slide Blueprint – Apply the 10?20?30 and 6×6 rules; decide on slide count, EST, and visual hierarchy.
4. Design Slides in the Slide Master – Set brand colors, fonts (30?pt), and logo placement; check contrast ratio (4.5:1).
5. Add Supporting Visuals – Use charts, icons, or photos that illustrate data; keep graphics to 30?% of slide area.
6. rehearse with Speaker Notes – Practice delivering each slide within its EST, monitor pacing ratio, and record a BLS score; adjust body language and eye?contact accordingly.

Common Mistakes (3–5)

• Mistake: Overloading slides with text (violates 6×6).
  Correction: Trim bullets to key phrases; elaborate verbally.

• Mistake: Using low?contrast colors (e.g., light gray on white).
  Correction: Verify contrast ratio 4.5:1; choose dark text on light background or vice?versa.

• Mistake: Reading directly from slides or notes.
  Correction: Use notes as prompts only; maintain eye contact with the audience.

• Mistake: Speaking too fast or too slow (poor pacing ratio).
  Correction: Aim for 150?wpm; practice with a timer and adjust tempo.

• Mistake: Ignoring brand consistency (different fonts/logos per slide).
  Correction: Build and apply a Slide Master; lock fonts and colors for the entire deck.

Exam Insights (2–4)

1. “Identify the error” questions often present a slide deck and ask which rule is violated. Look first for 6×6, contrast, and font?size breaches.
2. Scenario?based prompts may require you to choose the best visual aid (chart vs. table) for a given data set—remember: use a chart for trends, a table for exact figures.
3. Delivery?focused items ask you to rank body?language components; the highest?scoring element is eye contact, followed by purposeful gestures.
4. Role?play stations test the ability to adapt a slide deck on the fly; the key is to reference the Slide Master and quickly edit text size or contrast without redesigning the whole slide.

Quick Check Questions (2–3)

1. Which of the following slide designs complies with the 6×6 rule?
   A) 8 bullets, 7 words each
   B) 5 bullets, 6 words each
   C) 6 bullets, 9 words each
   D) 4 bullets, 12 words each
   Answer: B – 5 bullets 6 and 6 words 6 per bullet.

2. A presenter has a 12?minute speech and 8 slides. What is the Effective Slide Time (EST)?
   Answer: 1.5?minutes per slide (12 ÷ 8 = 1.5).

3. During a pitch, the presenter uses a dark blue background with white text. The contrast ratio is 3:1. What should they do?
   Answer: Increase contrast (e.g., lighter text or darker background) to reach 4.5:1 for accessibility.

Last?Minute Cram Sheet (10 one?liners)

1. 10?20?30 Rule = 10 slides, 20?min, 30?pt font.
2. 6×6 Rule = 6 bullets & 6 words per bullet.
3. Contrast Ratio 4.5:1 = readable & WCAG?compliant.
4. EST = Total Time ÷ # Slides (1–2?min).
5. Rule of Three = group ideas in threes for memory.
6. KISS = keep slides simple; avoid clutter.
7. BLS 4 = confident body language (eye contact, gestures, posture).
8. Pacing Ratio = Words/min ÷ 150; aim for 0.9?1.1.
9. Slide Master = one?time template for brand consistency.
10. Trap: “More slides = better coverage” – actually harms pacing and audience focus.

Good luck—remember that clear visuals and confident delivery are the twin engines of a winning FBLA presentation!