presentation 6x6 rule

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How to Apply the 6×6 Rule in PowerPoint Presentation

Sometimes, you have a slide that’s just too busy. Sometimes, they’re just too wordy, and you lose your presentation in all of it. Don’t worry; you’re not alone! The good news is that there’s an easy trick to fix this problem: the 6×6 Rule.

However, some hacks many experts and public speakers accept in order to make their slides meaningful and understandable are allowed. We’re going to talk about what the 6×6 Rule is, why it’s important, and most importantly, how you can apply it in order to make your PowerPoint presentations even better.

Finally, What is The 6×6 Rule in PowerPoint Presentations?

6×6 Rule: Use no more than six lines of text on any slide, and no more than six words on any line. That’s it! That way, you won’t overwhelm your slides.

Imagine for just a moment that you are in the audience of a speaker who is trying to listen to a speaker while reading some text presented on a slide. That is really painful, right? The 6×6 Rule assures your audience has time to read, understand, and stay with your key messages as they occur within six seconds.

Why Use the 6×6 Rule?

• You Will Be Clear and Confidence: Condensing the text forces you to make the point. In this manner, your message is clear and easy to understand.
• Holds the Audience’s Attention: If slides are messy, then people read instead of listen. The 6×6 Rule keeps your audience focused on you rather than having to read through paragraphs galore.
• Keeps Them Better: This is for one simple reason. Simple and concise information is much easier to remember. Studies have proven that people remember more when the information is given in smaller, more digestible chunks.
• Looks More Professional: Let’s face it—cluttered slides are a thing of no professionalism. Following this rule will give your presentation a cleaner, polished look, which will leave a better impression on your audience.

How to Apply the 6×6 Rule to Your PowerPoint Slides ?

Here is how you could apply the 6×6 Rule to your PowerPoint slides.

• Summarize Information: Do not write long sentences; write these in short, punchy points. Instead of saying “We have witnessed a massive growth in sales due to marketing strategies employed for the last quarter,” say “Sales up 20% – better marketing.”.
• Bullets: Bullets inherently constrain what you write so it can be a very natural way of going about the 6×6 Rule. Every bullet should be a punchy short sentence or phrase.
• Keywords: Put the message in a few keywords. For example, instead of using phrases such as “The survey reveals that there is a drastic change in customer satisfaction,” say “Survey: Customer satisfaction +30%”.
• Use Visuals: Images, graphs, or charts can substitute chunks of text. A picture can say a thousand words, so use visuals to make your slide more attractive without overwhelming the audience with words.

When to Bend the Rules ?

The 6×6 Rule is a very good rule of thumb, but it certainly isn’t inviolable. Depending on your content and audience, you may have to adjust it somewhat. For example, slides on a technical topic might need a little more explanation, yet at all costs, be brief, yet make sure that all your slides are within the limit to have full effect. And if indeed you have so many words to say for a slide, split it into several slides instead of compressing everything into one.

Save Time with Pre-designed PowerPoint Templates

Perfect design presentations can be made quicker and clearer altogether with the help of pre-made professional PowerPoint templates . Pre-set, ready-to-use, editable designs adhere to best practices in the designing aspect, like spacings, and the text set up so you need not begin from scratch.

The 6×6 rule is a pretty simple but very effective method by which you can make your PowerPoint slides clearer and more effective. If you do not make your text to be more than six lines and six words per line, then it keeps the focus of your audience and provides information for the viewers in their minds for longer durations, and also adds some level of professionalism to your slides.

When preparing your next PowerPoint, remember the 6×6 Rule—and deliver a clearer, more engaging message that really leaves an impression.

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Arockia Mary Amutha

Arockia Mary Amutha is a seasoned senior content writer at SlideEgg, bringing over four years of dedicated experience to the field. Her expertise in presentation tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Canva shines through in her clear, concise, and professional writing style. With a passion for crafting engaging and insightful content, she specializes in creating detailed how-to guides, tutorials, and tips on presentation design that resonate with and empower readers.

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1-6-6 Rule for Presentations

Last updated on November 14th, 2023

As public speakers, presenters, and presentation designers, we’re always looking for strategies to make our content more impactful. One such approach is the “1-6-6 Rule” – a simple yet effective guideline for PowerPoint presentations, Google Slides, and other digital presentation platforms.

The 1-6-6 Rule Explained

The 1-6-6 Rule offers a straightforward prescription for organizing your slide layout:

• One main idea per slide
• Six bullet points per slide
• Six words per bullet point

Whether you’re working with pre-designed slide templates or creating custom designs, this rule provides a robust framework to structure your content effectively.

Benefits of the 1-6-6 Rule

Applying the 1-6-6 rule can revolutionize your presentation design approach, offering several key benefits:

• Clarity : Concentrating on one main idea per slide helps to maintain a clear and coherent narrative throughout your presentation. The rule of having one main idea per slide helps to keep your message clear and focused.
• Engagement : By avoiding text-heavy slides, you keep the audience’s attention and stimulate interest and curiosity. By keeping six bullet points per slide you prevent information overload and maintain the audience attention.
• Memorability : Simplicity aids retention with six words per bullet point. With fewer points and words, your audience is more likely to remember the key takeaways.

Examples of The 1-6-6 Rule in Action

Consider a presentation about ‘Effective Remote Team Management.’

A slide titled ‘Communication Best Practices’ might feature six bullet points, each with six words or less:

• Frequent Check-Ins
• Clear Expectations
• Open Feedback Channels
• Shared Team Goals
• Recognize Achievements
• Promote Informal Interactions

Similarly, in a presentation about ‘Sustainable Business Practices,’ a slide discussing ‘Benefits of Sustainability’ might include:

• Cost Savings
• Improved Brand Image
• Customer Loyalty
• Investor Appeal
• Regulatory Compliance
• Employee Engagement

These examples illustrate the 1-6-6 Rule in action, and how it facilitates a clear, concise presentations , and engaging slide design, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your presentations.

Alternatives to the 1-6-6 Rule

While the 1-6-6 rule is an excellent guideline, it’s not the only way to design compelling presentations. Other methods focus on different aspects of slide design, such as:

• The 10/20/30 Rule : This rule advocates for 10 slides, presented over 20 minutes, with no font smaller than 30 points.
• The 5/5/5 Rule : Here, the suggestion is to use no more than five words per line, five lines per slide, and five text-heavy slides in a row.

The 1-6-6 rule provides a solid foundation for creating clear, engaging PowerPoint presentations or Google Slides. It fosters efficient communication, enhancing the audience’s ability to absorb and retain the information. However, it’s just one tool in a presenter’s toolkit. The key to effective presentation design is to understand your audience, your content, and your context, then select the tools and techniques that best meet your specific needs. If you want to explore other ways to design our structure your presentations, we recommend you to read the article on 4W1H method.

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6×6 Rule In Presentation Design

The 6×6 rule in presentations is a guideline that suggests using no more than 6 bullet points per slide and no more than 6 words per bullet point. This rule helps keep presentations concise, engaging, and easy to follow for the audience.

What is the 6×6 Rule?

The 6×6 rule is a popular presentation design principle that aims to make slides more effective and audience-friendly. It consists of two main components:

• Use no more than 6 bullet points per slide
• Limit each bullet point to a maximum of 6 words

This rule is designed to prevent information overload and maintain audience engagement throughout your presentation. By following this guideline, you can create slides that are easy to read, understand, and remember.

Why is the 6×6 Rule Important?

The 6×6 rule offers several benefits for both presenters and their audiences:

• Improved clarity: Concise bullet points help convey key ideas more effectively
• Enhanced audience engagement: Less text on slides encourages listeners to focus on the speaker
• Better information retention: Simplified content is easier for audiences to remember
• Reduced cognitive load: Less information per slide prevents overwhelming the audience
• Increased visual appeal: Slides with less text appear cleaner and more professional

How to Apply the 6×6 Rule

To implement the 6×6 rule in your presentations, follow these steps:

• Identify key points: Determine the most important information for each slide
• Summarize ideas: Condense each point into a short, memorable phrase
• Limit bullet points: Keep the number of points per slide to six or fewer
• Edit ruthlessly: Trim each bullet point to six words or less
• Use visual aids: Supplement text with relevant images, charts, or graphs

Exceptions to the 6×6 Rule

While the 6×6 rule is a helpful guideline, there are situations where it may not be applicable:

• Data-heavy presentations: Some slides may require more detailed information
• Technical topics: Complex subjects might need more explanation
• Legal or compliance requirements: Certain presentations may need to include specific text

In these cases, consider breaking complex information across multiple slides or using appendices for additional details.

Tips for Creating Effective Slides Beyond the 6×6 Rule

To further enhance your presentations, consider these additional tips:

• Use a consistent design: Maintain a cohesive look throughout your slides
• Choose readable fonts: Select clear, professional typefaces
• Employ color effectively: Use a balanced color scheme that enhances readability
• Incorporate white space: Allow for breathing room between elements on your slides
• Use high-quality images: Select relevant, professional-looking visuals

Alternatives to the 6×6 Rule

While the 6×6 rule is popular, there are other presentation design principles you might consider:

The key is to find a balance that works for your content and audience while maintaining clarity and engagement.

Common Questions About the 6×6 Rule

Can i use full sentences instead of bullet points.

No, it’s a guideline to help create more effective presentations. Adapt it as needed for your specific content and audience.

How can I convey complex ideas within the 6×6 rule?

Use multiple slides to break down complex topics, or supplement your presentation with handouts for detailed information.

Should I always read my bullet points aloud?

It’s generally better to elaborate on your points rather than reading them verbatim. Use bullet points as prompts for your discussion.

By understanding and applying the 6×6 rule, you can create more effective, engaging presentations that resonate with your audience and help you communicate your message clearly and memorably.

Presentation Designer

It's the early '90s, and J.R. is knee-deep in the Silicon Valley tech scene. Fast forward to 1997, and J.R.'s ad tech business is humming along nicely, when he broke off the design and presentation part of the business to create a new visual marketing agency. Essentially, we became a PowerPoint factory, churning out more presentations and pitch decks than you could shake a laser pointer at. This side hustle? None other than Presentation Gurus. Over two decades later we are still designing some of the best PowerPoint presentations around.

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