Redundancy
Beach Walk Insights - Volume 2, Issue 15 - Play time 1m 38s
In the sixth episode of this mini-series, I take a closer look at the sixth multimedia design principle, which came from the excellent research conducted by Prof. RE Mayer, J Sweller et al.
If you are explaining a particular point to your audience, then don't have the very same explanation on the screen. This forces them to make a choice between listening to you or reading your slides. Whichever they choose, they will be distracted by the other - making it less likely your message will be remembered.
Likewise, if you want them to read a customer testimonial, for example, then allow them to do just that. Turn towards your slide to direct your audience's attention to the slide and away from you, read the slide silently yourself, count to ten, and then face your audience and re-engage them.
The rule of thumb is: "If you show it, don't say it, and if you say it, don't show it".
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