Design is a fundamental literacy for every researcher.
— Design for Research, Suzuki Lab Forum 2026
Slide design is not aesthetics. It is the strategic design of information: extracting the essence from vast information and rebuilding logical structure visually. The question is not "how does it look?" but "what does it convey?" The ultimate goal: reduce the cognitive load on your audience.
Deeper DiscussionStructured slides give the audience space to think about underlying meaning and generate sharp, productive questions
Communication EfficiencyDiagram techniques convey logic instantly — eliminate repetitive explanations and maximize time for core discussion
More Time for ResearchOnce design principles are internalized, material preparation time shrinks — freeing time for experiments and writing
Learning design is an investment in your research itself.
Today's Agenda
0
IntroductionWhy design determines the quality of your research
1
Strategic StructureBuilding a logical storyline before opening your slides
2
Three Core PrinciplesClarify 3 elements · Focus · Visualise
3
Fonts and Color StrategyMaximising legibility through typography and color choices
4
Advanced Diagram TechniquesObject design and graphic optimisation
5
PowerPoint TipsKeyboard shortcuts and Slide Master — cut production time in half
6
Presentation Preparation and Q&AFinishing the slides is only half the work
B
Bonus: Poster PresentationsDifferent medium, different design priorities
PART 1
Complete the Logic Before You Open Your Slides
Strategic Structure
The First Rule: Do Not Open PowerPoint Yet
Opening PowerPoint and writing straight away is the worst approach. You miss logical gaps and face major revisions later. The correct order:
① Design the story
Write the flow of your talk in Word or plain text
② Outline
Enter titles only in Outline view — no content yet
③ Build slides
Move to PowerPoint only when "what the next slide should say" is crystal clear
30 minutes of planning saves 2 hours of production.
Standard Research Talk Structure: 6 Key Questions
1
BackgroundWhat is known, and what remains unknown?
2
PurposeWhat is the academic and social significance of this research?
3
MethodsWhat original procedures were used to investigate?
4
ResultsWhat data and findings were obtained?
5
InterpretationHow well do the results fulfill the purpose, and what is their value?
6
ConclusionWhat is the final claim, and what are the remaining limitations?
Build the background in a funnel structure: broad context → what is known → what is not known → why this gap matters. Acknowledgements and group introductions are unnecessary — they distract.
Audience Analysis: Adjust Your Level of Detail
Specialists (Conference)Focus on method details and statistical validity · Use technical jargon · Background can be brief · Encourage critical scrutiny
Non-specialist ResearchersExplain background, problem statement, and historical context fully · Avoid jargon · For symposia
General Audience / StudentsEmphasize practical utility and social impact · Simplify or omit equations and procedures · For seminars and lectures
Analyze your audience before deciding your structure. The same research requires different framing for different audiences.
Storyline Design and Time Allocation
Design logic as a chain of questions and answers. Each slide is a Q→A pair: Q1: "Why solve this?" → A: "Because ○○." Read it aloud from start to finish — does the logic hold?
| Talk Length | Recommended Slides |
|---|
| 10 min | 8–10 slides |
| 15 min | 12–15 slides |
| 30 min | 25–35 slides |
| 60 min | 50–65 slides (including backup) |
Never exceed your time limit — not by a single second.
PART 2
Three Core Principles of Slide Design
Clarify · Focus · Visualise
Three Core Principles
Principle 1 — Clarify 3 Elements
Topic (Question) · Key message (Answer) · Supporting info (Evidence)
Write each layer distinctly
Principle 2 — Focus
One slide, one message. Mercilessly cut everything not directly needed to support the message. Deleted content goes to backup slides.
Principle 3 — Visualise
Minimise prose text. Express importance and relationships visually. Convert words to diagrams.
Following these three principles alone transforms your presentations.
Principle 1: Clarify 3 Elements
Every slide has three layers:
- Topic (Question) — The point the audience wants an answer to
- Key message (Answer) — A concise answer in ~25 characters at the top of the slide
- Supporting info (Evidence) — Data, diagrams, and facts that strengthen the message
When the key message is grasped instantly, the brain shifts from "decoding" to "thinking." This is the core of cognitive load theory — and the source of high-quality discussion.
BAD: No message or vague
"About experimental results"
(topic label, not an answer)
"In this study, we examined…"
(describes action, gives no answer)
GOOD: Clear and declarative
"Proposed method doubles accuracy vs. baseline"
(concise · declarative · immediately understood)
"Temperature rise is largest in Arctic regions"
(specific value · clear location)
The moment the audience sees the slide, they must know what you are claiming.
Principle 2: Focus
Remove everything not directly needed to support the key message. Resisting the urge to add "this is also important" is the mark of a professional. Deleted content goes to backup slides — move it, don't discard it.
The decision to cut, not the urge to add, raises presentation quality.
Principle 3: Visualise
The human brain processes figures, graphs, and diagrams far faster than text:
- "A influences B" → convert to a diagram with an arrow
- "There are three elements" → convert to side-by-side cards or a triangle
- Numerical data → present as a graph; a table of numbers is a last resort
- Too much prose in text boxes → a sign that visualisation is insufficient
Aim for fewer than 100 characters of text on a single slide.
Three-Principles Checklist
- Does every slide have a key message in plain language (<25 chars)?
- Does each slide contain exactly one thing you want to convey?
- Have you converted text into diagrams, graphs, or visuals?
- Can the viewer understand the answer just by reading the title?
- Has every non-essential piece of information been moved to backup?
- Can the audience think rather than decode?
PART 3
Fonts and Colors Are Strategic Weapons
Maximising Legibility
The Font Rule: Always Use a Sans-serif
Always use a sans-serif (gothic) typeface for slides. Serif typefaces work for print but detail gets crushed when projected. "Any font is fine as long as it's readable" is an unprofessional attitude.
Japanese fonts
[Best] Hiragino Kaku Gothic (Mac) — most elegant, excellent legibility
Yu Gothic Medium or heavier (Win) — never use Light weight
Meiryo (Win/Web) — robust on projectors
BIZ UD (Win) — misread-resistant
Latin fonts
Avenir (Mac) — geometric, clean, timeless
Segoe UI (Win) — Office default, high legibility
Helvetica (Mac) — the design classic
Latin characters in Japanese fonts look unbalanced — always pair with a Latin font
Use one font throughout — mixing typefaces signals amateur work. A single font choice changes the perceived credibility of your talk.
Font Size Guidelines
Slide font sizes
Headings: 32 pt or larger
Body text: 24 pt or larger
Captions / refs: 14 pt
If text is too small, it means you need to cut content
Poster font sizes
Title: 72–100 pt
Section headings: 36–50 pt
Body text: 24–32 pt
Must be readable from a distance
Common mistake
Slides nobody in the back row can read → sign of too much content
Do not shrink font to squeeze more information in
"Can someone in the back row read this?" is the final legibility test.
Color: CUD and the 70 : 25 : 5 Rule
Approximately 5% of Japanese men have red-green color vision differences. Never combine red and green in the same diagram. Do not distinguish information by color alone — pair with shape, contrast, or labels.
70% — Base
Background: white as default
Text: near-black deep tone
Minimises noise and makes the main color stand out
25% — Main
Brand or theme color
Headings, emphasis frames, primary graph lines
Suzuki Lab: teal blue #356f8c
5% — Accent
Reserved for the most critical points only
Suzuki Lab: gold #c6a54a
Overuse destroys the emphasis effect
Fewer colors = stronger emphasis effect. The more colors you add, the harder it becomes to know what is important.
PART 4
The Purpose of Diagrams: Show Relationships at a Glance
Advanced Diagram Techniques
Converting Explanations into Visuals
- Cause → Effect relationship: express with an arrow
- A is contained within B: express with nested shapes
- A and B are equivalent: express with side-by-side cards
- A is larger than B: express with a bar chart or area
"Cannot diagram this explanation" = "Have not yet clarified the relationship."
If you can't diagram an explanation, it hasn't been fully organised yet.
Object Design Rule: Fill or Border — Never Both
BAD: Fill + Border Together
Boundaries are over-emphasised → becomes visual noise → unclear which element matters more → gives an amateur impression
GOOD: Fill or Border Only
Fill only: use background color to categorise → clean, uncluttered look
Border only: use lines to define sections → content stands out
"A distorted rounded rectangle is a symbol of distorted logic" — be precise in the details. Choosing one reduces visual noise dramatically.
Consistency: Corners, Margins, Arrows
- Corner radius (R value) — Unify across all objects → variation looks unprofessional
- Even margins — Consistent spacing between text and frame edges, and between objects
- Arrow consistency — Same arrowhead size and stroke weight on every slide
- No SmartArt — Built-in SmartArt, shadows, and gradients break visual unity
- Custom callouts — Built-in callouts deform badly → make your own from a triangle + rectangle
Consistent details create the impression that your research is meticulous. One hour building a custom diagram communicates ten times better than five minutes with SmartArt.
Diagram Quality Checklist
Structural Integrity
- Fill or border — only one
- Corner radius (R) unified
- Custom callouts
- No SmartArt / shadows / gradients
- Arrow weight and heads unified
Margin & Alignment
- Consistent text-to-frame spacing
- Consistent object spacing
- Elements aligned
- White space groups information
- Borders don't blur categories
Degree of Visualisation
- Relationships shown with arrows
- Diagrams dominate over prose
- Text is supplementary only
- Importance shown by size/color/position
- Slide readable without text
PART 5
Proficiency with PowerPoint Directly Translates to More Research Time
PowerPoint Tips: Work at Full Speed
Essential Shortcut Reference
Fumbling with PowerPoint breaks the concentration needed to think about your talk's flow. Memorise these and your speed doubles.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|
| Enter / exit text box | F2 / Esc | F2 / Esc |
| Centre align | Ctrl + E | ⌘ + E |
| Superscript | Ctrl + Shift + ; | ⌘ + Shift + ; |
| Subscript | Ctrl + ; | ⌘ + ; |
| Select range | Shift + Arrow | Shift + Arrow |
| Copy format | Ctrl + Shift + C/V | ⌘ + Shift + C/V |
| Group | Ctrl + G | ⌘ + G |
| Distribute evenly | Format → Arrange | Format → Arrange |
Spend the first week consciously practising shortcuts until they are automatic.
Locking Structure with Slide Master
Set in Slide Master: title position, font, and size. Also define bullet indent, font, and line spacing. This makes the title not move by even one pixel across all slides — minimising eye movement when switching between slides.
Procedure: View → Slide Master → Edit layouts. Save as a template and never start from zero again.
30 minutes setting up Slide Master saves countless hours of production.
PowerPoint Tips — Checklist
- Unify all slide design using Slide Master
- Minimise mouse use with keyboard shortcuts
- Enter and exit text boxes fluidly (F2 / Esc)
- Place only titles first using Outline view
- Use format copy (Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + C/V) to maintain consistency
- Use Align and Distribute functions actively
PART 6
Finishing the Slides Is Only Half the Work
Presentation Preparation and Q&A
Final Check: Time Allocation and Slide Count
Never exceed your time limit — not by a single second. It disrespects the audience and the next speaker. For a 30-minute talk, 45–60 slides (including backup) is appropriate. If using video or demos, measure playback time and adjust your slide count.
Overrunning is the greatest discourtesy. Practise relentlessly with a timer.
Q&A Is Exchange, Not Attack
Wrong mindset
Questions = criticism → respond defensively → relationship worsens → discussion goes nowhere
Right mindset
Questions = contributions from a different perspective → blind spots surface → research becomes stronger → may lead to collaboration
Questioners are not your adversaries — they are your first collaborators.
10 Essentials for Q&A
Response Techniques
1. Answer with the conclusion first
2. Paraphrase the question (buys thinking time, prevents misunderstanding)
3. Treat every question as an opportunity ("that is an extremely important point")
4. Prepare backup slides for anticipated questions
Honesty & Brevity
5. Handle unexpected Q honestly — grasp the questioner's intent
6. Don't fear "I don't know" — acknowledge unknowns honestly
7. Be concise — don't spend too long on one answer
8. Structure your answer: "there are two reasons"
Confirm & Continue
9. Check after answering: "Does that answer your question?"
10. Propose to continue if time runs out — "can we talk after the session?"
The quality of Q&A defines the memory of your talk. Practising these 10 repeatedly will make them second nature.
Three Steps for Final Rehearsal
1
Record and review objectivelyCheck your speech habits and timing with slides. Self-review catches what you can't notice while presenting.
2
Refine your scriptSlides carry visual info; supplementary details go in verbal notes. Write out the transitions between slides explicitly.
3
Test on venue equipmentVerify font rendering and video playback before the day. Embed fonts when saving. Avoiding technical failures on the day is the presenter's responsibility.
Final Presentation Checklist
- Does your slide count match your allotted time?
- Does every slide have a key message in plain language (<25 chars)?
- Have you prepared 10 or more backup slides?
- Have you recorded and objectively reviewed your rehearsal?
- Have you confirmed font rendering and video playback on the venue PC?
- Have you prepared answers to 10 anticipated questions?
BONUS
A Poster Is Seen, and Then You Are Drawn In
Poster Presentations
Slides vs. Posters: Design Differences
Slide Presentation
Presenter advances in order → audience listens passively. One message per slide is the rule. Keeping to the time limit is essential. Animations and video are possible.
Poster Presentation
Visitors browse freely → presenter actively draws them in. Design the entire flow on one sheet. "First minute" determines everything. Static design shows the whole at once.
A poster is a medium where you have to bring people to you. The three core principles still apply — but legibility standards are higher.
Poster Design: Legibility Standards
Font sizesTitle: 72–100 pt
Section headings: 36–50 pt
Body text: 24–32 pt
Readable from a distance is the prerequisite
Font choiceAlways sans-serif
Japanese: BIZ UD, Meiryo
Latin: Segoe UI, Helvetica, Avenir
Same standard as slides
Color principlesBackground: white as default
Text: near-black
Accent: 1–2 colors only
Red-green combination forbidden
CUD is mandatory
Minimise explanatory text; use white space actively. If details cannot fit, include a QR code linking to a detailed PDF. Over-cramming information is the single biggest reason posters go unread.
"Key points visible from a short distance away" is the legibility pass mark.
Poster Presentation in Practice: 3 Keys
The First Minute Is Everything
Prepare a hook: "In one sentence, this is a study about ○○." Getting someone to stop is the first goal.
Centre on Dialogue
Watch the visitor's reactions and adjust detail level. "How familiar are you with this topic?" is a powerful opener.
Prepare for Q&A
Anticipate likely questions. Q&A shapes your next research direction. Have business cards ready to connect with other researchers.
A poster session is your biggest opportunity to build a researcher network.
SUMMARY
Design Is a Researcher's Literacy — and It Can Change from Today
Design for Research — Full Review
0
Design is the strategic design of information — it determines research quality
1
Complete your storyline before opening your slides
2
Apply three core principles (Clarify / Focus / Visualise) to every slide
3
Maximise legibility with fonts and colors — observe CUD
4
Visualise relationships — fill or border, consistent margins, no SmartArt
5
Cut production time in half with PowerPoint Tips
6
Complete your research value with thorough preparation and Q&A skills
B
Poster = dialogue medium — legibility and the first minute are everything
Three Actions to Start Today
1
Before your next set of slides, always write the storyline in Word first
2
Review every finished slide against the three-core-principles checklist
3
Give feedback on a colleague's slides — articulating it out loud cements your own understanding
Try applying this in the very first slides you make after today's session. Knowing the design principles is meaningless on its own — repeated practice is what brings you to the level of "doing it without thinking."