Inspired By Design
Inspired by Design is a long-running Presentation Guild webinar series built around the belief that learning happens when you show up, engage, reflect, and apply what you discover. Each episode is designed as a focused learning experience, turning everyday presentation challenges into practical insights and techniques you can immediately put to work. The series supports a two-way learning journey, where observation, experimentation, and shared experience strengthen both individual skills and the collective standards of our profession.
Across 36 episodes, Inspired by Design explores the foundations and finer points of presentation design and data visualization. Topics include core design principles such as contrast, alignment, hierarchy, repetition, and white space; effective use of typography, color, icons, images, and grids; and practical PowerPoint techniques like custom layouts, chart templates, vectors, drawing tools, and working with fonts across platforms. The series also takes a deep dive into data visualization, covering chart clarity, labeling, color use, alternatives to common chart types, and strategies for simplifying complex data.
The Inspired by Design series is created and presented by Julie Terberg (Terberg Design LLC) and Nolan Haims (Nolan Haims Creative).
Inspired by Design #1: Introduction
Inspired by Design #1: Design inspiration is everywhere—what matters is transforming what you find into something fresh, original, and uniquely your own.
Inspired by Design #2: Inspiration Notebook for Presentation Design
Inspired by Design #2: An inspiration notebook turns everyday visuals—magazines, packaging, brand collateral, photos—into a reusable library of ideas you can remix into fresh, original presentation designs.
Inspired by Design #3: Using Typography – Custom Fonts
Inspired by Design 3: Custom fonts can elevate a presentation’s personality, but designers must use them thoughtfully—and know how to make them display correctly on every system.
Inspired by Design #4: White Space – Part 1
Inspired by Design 4: White space isn’t wasted space—it’s the invisible structure that organizes content, guides the eye, and makes presentations feel clear, elegant, and easy to read.
Inspired by Design #5: White Space – Part 2
Inspired by Design 5: Use images with intentional “breathing room”—or create it yourself—so your photos support your message instead of fighting your text.
Inspired by Design #6: Using Pictures in PowerPoint – Picture Effects
Inspired by Design 6: Subtle picture effects in PowerPoint—like blur, recolor, and transparent overlays—can turn ordinary photos into cohesive, readable, on-brand presentation visuals without ever opening Photoshop.
Inspired by Design#7: Using Typography – Choosing Fonts
Inspired by Design 7: Choosing fonts for PowerPoint isn’t just about style—it’s about legibility, personality, and making sure your slides look right on every device, every time.
Inspired by Design #8: Icon Design Basics
Inspired by Design 8: Thoughtful icon design can make your slides clearer, more engaging, and easier to skim—if you choose the right style, label it well, and use formats that actually work in PowerPoint.
Inspired by Design#9: Using Design Grids for Presentation Design
Inspired by design 7: A simple, invisible design grid can turn chaotic slides into clean, cohesive layouts that are easier to build, easier to read, and far more professional.
Inspired by Design #10: Using Colors Part 1- Light and Dark Colors
Inspired by Design 10: Getting PowerPoint’s light and dark theme colors right is the key to readable charts, tables, and text—especially when you switch between light and dark slide backgrounds.
Inspired by Design #11: Using Colors Part 2 – Accent Colors
Inspired by Design 11: Thoughtfully planned accent colors can transform your PowerPoint theme from “angry fruit salad” into a cohesive, flexible system that stays readable, on-brand, and easy to maintain.
Inspired by Design #12: Using Colors Part 3 – Modifying Colors
Inspired by Design 12: By learning to tame “super hot” brand colors with PowerPoint’s HSL controls, you can keep your decks on-brand while avoiding glowing, unreadable slides and unusable tints and shades.