2.5Sections & organization of a large presentation
The essentials in 30 seconds
- From 15-20 slides, sections are no longer a luxury but a necessity.
- Collapse all = the plan view which reveals the balance (or imbalance) of the parts.
- A section moves, duplicates and deletes in bulk.
Spun mini-case — Sections & organization of a large presentation
Amel organizes a launch committee of forty slides: market, product, production, price, communication and planning. Sections should allow you to navigate and quickly return to a point.
Continuation of the common theme: the Blida agri-food SME is preparing its market launch.
1. The sections: the controllable summary
Right click between two slides → Add section: name (Context, Diagnosis, Recommendations, Budget, Decision). The sections are reduced, move as a block, feed the Summary Zoom (level 4) and structure the Sorter.
2. Architecture that holds 50 slides
Opening (title + 4-point plan) → sections (section titles = messages) → appendices (detailed evidence, outside plan). Rule: what is used in presentation stays in the plan, what is used in questions goes in the appendix.
3. Manage weight and duplicates
In Sorter + sections: identify duplicates (two slides that say the same), orphans (outside sections), text series that are too long. Compress media, remove ghost masks: a great presentation is a garden that you prune.
🔎 Concrete example — Concrete example — Reorganized 40-slide assessment
1. Create 4 sections: Context / Diagnosis / Recommendations / Budget
2. Section titles in messages (“Deadlines have fallen by 30%”)
3. Move 8 detailed slides to “Appendices” (outside plan)
4. Sorter: check balance (not 15 text slides in a row)Reading: the plan is contained in 4 messages, the proofs await in the appendix.
Lesson: number + Enter during the projection jumps to the appendices.
Section vocabulary
- Section
- Named divider grouping contiguous slides: right click between two thumbnails → Add section.
Simple example: Amel mobilizes “Section” in preparing for the launch.
What it is not: treat “Section” as a detail unrelated to the message.
Reflex: Does this choice make the presentation clearer for the audience?
- Collapse/expand
- Click on the triangle of a section: it folds into a line — the plan view of the presentation.
Simple example: Amel mobilizes “Reduce / expand” in preparation for the launch.
What it is not: treat “Collapse/expand” as a detail unrelated to the message.
Reflex: Does this choice make the presentation clearer for the audience?
- Move a section
- Right click on the section title → Move up/down section: the whole block follows.
Simple example: Amel mobilizes “Move a section” in preparation for the launch.
What it is not: treat “Move a section” as a detail unrelated to the message.
Reflex: Does this choice make the presentation clearer for the audience?
- Sorter + sections
- Sorter mode displays sections in banners: the ideal place to restructure a large presentation.
Simple example: Amel mobilizes “Sorter + sections” in preparing for the launch.
What it is not: treat “Sorter + sections” as a detail unrelated to the message.
Reflex: Does this choice make the presentation clearer for the audience?
In practice — Putting 20 slides in order
- On a presentation of at least 8-10 slides, right click before the 1st → Add a section → “Introduction”.
- Create 2 other sections (“Analysis”, “Recommendations”) in the right places.
- Collapse everything (right click → Collapse all): your presentation fits into 3 lines.
- Switch to Sorter: move the “Recommendations” section before “Analysis” (right click → Move up section), check, then put back.
Script ready to say — Sections & organization of a large presentation (25 sec)
“Structure a long presentation into sections and easily rearrange the blocks. Concretely, I check this point before projecting: from 15-20 slides, the sections are no longer a luxury but a necessity. »
Short wording, to be adapted to the audience and the context of the meeting.
Copy and paste template — “Sections & organization of a large presentation” checklist
CHECKLIST — Sections & organization of a large presentation
1. From 15-20 slides, sections are no longer a luxury but a necessity.
2. Reduce all = the plan view which reveals the balance (or imbalance) of the parts.
3. A section moves, duplicates and deletes in bulk.
4. The sections also feed into the Summary Zoom (level 4): name them properly.
EXPECTED RESULT: A large presentation that has become navigable and restructurable in entire blocks.Express version
Apply only the essentials and the first key point, then check the rendering in projection.
Remote
Share the file and check fonts, contrasts and text size before the video conference.
As a team
Lock in the common model and document choices to keep colleagues consistent.
Printed version
Keep the message titles and the text outline; remove animations that are no longer needed.
✓ Best practices
- 4 to 6 sections named in messages.
- Appendices for evidence, plan for messages.
- Cut using a sorter: duplicates, orphans.
✗ Common pitfalls
- 40 slides without any sections.
- Keep everything “just in case” in the plan.
- Sections named “Part 1” (no meaning).
Key takeaways
- From 15-20 slides, sections are no longer a luxury but a necessity.
- Collapse all = the plan view which reveals the balance (or imbalance) of the parts.
- A section moves, duplicates and deletes in bulk.
- The sections also feed into the Summary Zoom (level 4): name them properly.
48 hour challenge — apply tomorrow
Resume putting 20 slides in order on the Amel launch presentation: On a presentation of at least 8-10 slides, right click before the 1st → Add a section → “Introduction”. Time 20 minutes and note what has changed for the audience.
- I can explain and apply: From 15-20 slides, sections are no longer a luxury but a necessity.
- I can explain and apply: Reduce everything = the plan view which reveals the balance (or imbalance) of the parts.
- I can explain and apply: A section moves, duplicates and deletes in bulk.
Frequently asked questions
Does deleting a section delete its slides?
Two right-click options: “Delete Section” (insert only, slides remain) and “Delete Section and Slides” — read before you click.
Can I print or export just one section?
Indirectly: select its slides (clicking on the section title selects them all) and use Print → Custom Range, or copy them into a separate presentation.
What are sections used for in a presentation?