The literature on presentation design involves a variety of strategies, tactics, and best practices. Every designer has their own ideas about what makes a beautiful, sleek, and sophisticated presentation. And the debates run rampant. But one of the most contentious debates in the presentation design arena is whether designers should incorporate conceptual or literal images. Let’s break this down.
Literal
Dictionary.com defines literal as “in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical.” Basically, if you are talking to an audience about “power.” You could show an image of a pitcher getting ready to throw a baseball or of an electrical outlet. But that image may not accurately convey what you were trying to get across about power in relation to your greater topic.
Conceptual
That’s where conceptual imagery steps in. Merriam-Webster defines conceptual as “based on or relating to ideas or concepts.” So, instead of inserting one of the images described above into your PowerPoint slide, you might create an illustration that demonstrates how an individual can gain power in the education field by networking with influential peers.
The consensus among many in the presentation design industry is that conceptual imagery usually communicates a piece of information more effectively than literal imagery. Here are 3 reasons why:
1 Conceptual imagery narrows the audience’s thinking precisely to your concept.
2 Literal imagery leaves their minds open to wander and think about a similar, but unrelated topic.
3 Conceptual imagery just comes across as being more professional within a presentation than literal imagery.
In your presentation design, there is a definitely a time and a place for literal imagery, so don’t completely avoid it. As always, understanding what type of imagery to use in your presentations must be determined by the characteristics and preferences of your audience.
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