Intermediate
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
+65 XP

Design Principles: a Tour of Well-designed Presentations

Explore effective presentations in VET-relevant formats such as slides, visual pitches, infographics and short-form video. Identify CRAP design principles, then select the best format for your VET project with justification.

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    1 - Introduction ~5 mins

    {{img:img_format_spread}}

    Today you study presentations that actually work, then pick one format that could carry your Something Real project into the VET interview.

    Welcome

    You will look at a short tour of slides, visual pitches, infographics, and short-form video. You will name the design moves that make them clear, then lock a preferred format for your VET-facing work.

    If your Something Real topic is still rough, write a one-line working title now (for example a Work Experience task or a community project). You can revise it later; you need something concrete to plan against today.

    By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

    • Identify CRAP design principles in a small set of VET-relevant presentation formats
    • Name Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity in working examples
    • Choose one format that best suits the VET project and justify why

    Warm-up

    Think of the last post, video, or slide that made you stop scrolling or pay attention. Was it the layout, the colours, how clear the main point was, or something else? Keep that example in mind; we will use the same kind of judgement today.

    2 - Key Concepts ~12 mins

    Your teacher will show a short example of each format below. For every piece, ask: What do I notice first? Which CRAP principle is working? Who is this for?

    Four formats in today's tour

    • Slide deck (PowerPoint Online / Google Slides): structured live talk
    • Visual pitch / one-pager (e.g. Canva, PowerPoint Online, Google Slides): designed leave-behind or multi-page visual pitch
    • Infographic: headline, a few data points, one takeaway
    • Short-form vertical video (15–60 sec): strong opening, then one clear idea

    Other formats (explainer video, podcast clip, social carousel) also exist. You may note one for a second audience later; today's live choice should fit the VET interview room.

    Key point

    Four design principles show up again and again in strong work. Designers often remember them as CRAP: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. Keep the four-panel CRAP poster on screen as a reference while you watch the tour — you do not need to memorise the whole table first.

    {{img:img_crap_overview}}
    ConceptWhy it mattersExample
    Contrast — making the important thing stand out through size, weight, colour, or spaceExaminers and clients skim; contrast tells them where to look firstA VET slide title in large dark type against a plain background, with body text much smaller and lighter
    Repetition — reusing the same fonts, colours, spacing, and layout patternsA repeated look feels intentional and brand-like, not randomThe same accent colour and heading style on every slide of a Work Experience pitch deck
    Alignment — lining elements up on shared edges or invisible columnsLined-up edges make a page feel calm and professionalLogo, heading, and body text all left-aligned on a sponsor pitch one-pager
    Proximity — grouping related items close together and separating unrelated onesGrouping related facts makes the page easier to read at a glancePrice, date, and call-to-action packed in one block on a community-event infographic

    Plus: format fit

    Format fit

    Format fit is not a fifth CRAP letter. It means choosing the medium that matches purpose and audience. A great design in the wrong format still fails the job. Example: a structured slide deck for a live VET interview; a short vertical clip as a teaser for a different audience later.

    3 - Design Judgement Line ~12 mins

    Place your marker on each statement. There is no single school answer; the point is to take a position and hear why others stand elsewhere. Keep the CRAP words on the board from the tour in view, and name a real example from the tour when you speak.

    Interactive activity

    4 - Common Issues ~1 mins

    Common Issues

    Tip

    Keep this table open as a quick reference while you write your portfolio notes. Use a row only if you get stuck — you do not need to read it all first.

    IssueSolution
    I can name a format I like, but I cannot name a design principleUse the four CRAP words only: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity. Pick the one that matches what you noticed first (size/colour jump, repeated style, lined-up edges, or grouped facts).
    Every format seems right for my projectAsk who will be in the room and what they must walk away knowing. For the live VET interview, choose the format that supports a calm, structured talk. Save other formats for a second audience later.
    My notes just retell the tour instead of applying itEach principle line must include how you will use it on your Something Real / VET work. If there is no "I will…" clause, rewrite the line.
    I am stuck choosing between slides and a visual pitchSlides suit a live examiner-led talk. A visual pitch / one-pager suits a leave-behind. If your VET moment is spoken and timed, start with slides unless your teacher agrees another format fits the interview hardware.

    5 - Portfolio Build ~20 mins

    Independent Practice

    Your goal: Capture three design principles you can actually use, and lock a preferred format for your VET-facing presentation so later lessons build on a clear choice.
    Time: ~20 minutes
    Task: Wait for the short class example on the board before you write your own lines. Then open your {{code:Project_Portfolio}} folder in your cloud storage, go into {{code:09_specialism/sm2/}}, and create a new document called {{code:sm2_design_principles_notes}}. Match the sample layout on screen: headings for Project, three Principle lines, and Preferred format for VET. Write notes for your own Something Real project — at least three CRAP principles (Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, or Proximity), each with a one-line "I will…" plan, plus one preferred format from today's tour and a clear reason tied to audience and purpose. If you still have no project topic, use a one-line provisional Work Experience or community title and revise it later.

    Use this template in your document:
    • Project: (one line naming your Something Real idea)
    • Principle 1 — [Contrast / Repetition / Alignment / Proximity]: I will…
    • Principle 2 — [name]: I will…
    • Principle 3 — [name]: I will…
    • Preferred format for VET: … because (audience / purpose)…

    This is a planning page, not a finished design. Short "I will…" sentences beat fancy layout. If choosing a format feels big, pick a slide deck for the live interview and note a second format for a later audience.

    Success criteria:
    • {{code:sm2_design_principles_notes}} is saved inside {{code:09_specialism/sm2/}} in your {{code:Project_Portfolio}}
    • At least three principles are named from Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, or Proximity, each with a concrete "I will…" line for your project
    • One preferred format from the tour is named, with a reason that mentions audience or purpose (not just "I like it")
    • A reader who was not in class can tell what your project is and how the design choices support the VET interview
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