Speaker PPT Guidelines

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION GUIDELINES

The information below is to help you format your presentation to maximize visibility for your audience and to support you as needed in developing professional visual aids.

Refer to the Speaker Resources page, Benefits, and Conditions of Engagement documents for additional details for submitting your final presentation.

If you wish to use a pre-designed template with 2026 UW&GS graphics, it is available for download on the Speakers Resources page.

FORMATTING GUIDELINES

SIZING

• Slides need to be sized for on-screen show with the orientation set for landscape, widescreen 16:9.
• Font sizes: slide titles – 40+ points; bulleted text – 32+ points; other text – 28+ points. Use the same for imported tables.

FONTS

• Use only widescreen PowerPoint fonts: Arial, Impact, Tahoma, Trebuchet, Comic Sans. Avoid Times New Roman or other serif fonts.

GRAPHICS

• Import graphics and photos in standard .jpg, .gif or .tif formats.
• Evaluate the size of scanned images you import. Your image resolution does not need to be higher than your computer screen.

COLORS

• Use white or bright yellow text on black or dark blue backgrounds or vice versa.
• Avoid reds or greens as they will not project well. Additionally, avoid busy backgrounds and lengthy or animated slide transitions.

SUBMIT PRESENTATION BY: JANUARY 21, 2026

Upload your presentation on or before January 21 on the Speaker Resources page. We recommend that you also bring your presentation on a USB drive to the conference. Do not deliver your presentation to the A/V technician in your session room.

PRESENTATION REHEARSAL

All speakers using PowerPoint are strongly encouraged to conduct a practice session in the Speaker Ready Room with the audio-visual technician to help ensure compatibility with the equipment provided.

PRESENTATION WEB POSTING

We encourage you to take advantage of posting your PowerPoint presentation on the conference website, www.unifiedsymposium.org.

Presentations will be write-protected with a password. Viewers will not be able to modify the presentation.
All photos will be removed before UW&GS posts online to avoid copyright infringement.

GUIDELINES FOR MICROSOFT POWERPOINT

• Presentation from your own laptop will not be possible. You are expected to use the laptop (running Windows 10 for PC) provided on-site.
• Use versions up to PowerPoint 2021 or compatible earlier versions.
• Bring your file on a USB drive.
• Make sure your slides are sized for On-screen Show with the orientation set at Landscape, widescreen 16:9. Up to 1080 x 1920 (1080p) resolution
• Use only standard PowerPoint fonts: Arial, Impact, Tahoma, Trebuchet, Comic Sans. Avoid Times New Roman or other serif fonts.
• Font Sizes: slide titles – 40+ points, bulleted text – 32+ points, other text – 28+ points. Use the same for (imported) tables.
• Use white or bright yellow text on black or dark blue background, or vice versa. Avoid red or green text as it does not show well on the projection screen. Avoid busy backgrounds and lengthy or animated slide transitions.
• Import pictures and photos in standard formats: .jpg, .gif, or .tif.
• Video files should be .mp4 h.264 format embedded in the presentation, or the file needs to be in the same folder as the .pptx file. Do not use a web link to a video; internet is not available to retrieve the video.
• Evaluate the size of scanned images you import. Your image resolution doesn’t need to be higher than your computer screen.

EQUIPMENT PROVIDED

• Projection screen
• PC Laptop with Windows 11 operating system, PowerPoint 2021 and computer projector
• Public address system (remote microphone) and podium microphone NOTE: Make sure that you dress in clothing suitable for attachment of the small clip-on microphone.
• Laser pointers and wireless slide remote control