“Make sure the quantity of text used on the screen is kept to a minimum, and choose more visually engaging and compelling ways to tell your story instead.”
Denis Boudreau – www.inklusiv.ca
Inclusive Speaking Tips
Inclusive Speaking Tip #001
Last updated on May 18, 2022
by Denis Boudreau
How do I go about doing that?
Big walls of text on slides or screens are off-putting for most people. That’s especially true when it comes to someone who deals with a learning disability like dyslexia. Expecting anyone to read through large blocks of text as they’re also trying to pay attention to what you are saying as the speaker, especially from a distance, is unrealistic at best! As an audience member, ask yourself; would you be willing to read all those words on a slide during a live, in-person or virtual event? Or would you rather listen to an engaging story making the same points? You, of all people, need to recognize the power of storytelling. Make it a point to replace words with strong, compelling visuals. Come up with engaging ways to convey the same information through stories instead. Your message will reach a lot more people, and is much more powerful ways.
Inclusive Professional Speaking model
This tip applies to the Instinctive speaker stage.
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About Denis Boudreau
Denis Boudreau is a consultant, trainer, and speaker specializing in digital accessibility and disability inclusion. He works with organizational leaders who want to equip their teams with the skills to create accessible websites and digital products – so no one is left behind. A Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA), Denis has trained thousands of web professionals over the past 20+ years and delivered hundreds of workshops in both English and French. He has helped leading brands like Netflix, Salesforce, and Victoria’s Secret embed accessibility into their digital strategies, empowering them to meet legal obligations, improve user experience, and connect with more people, more effectively.