Ever sat through a tedious presentation with dozens of slides crammed full of tiny text? By the end, your eyes hurt and you forgot the main point. Guy Kawasaki – a former Apple evangelist turned venture capitalist – saw this happen too often. To help presenters be clear and concise, he popularized the 10/20/30 rule: a presentation should have 10 slides, last no more than 20 minutes, and use at least 30-point font. This one rule can dramatically improve the clarity and impact of business presentations, from startup pitches to sales decks. In this post, we’ll break down what each part of the 10/20/30 rule means, why it matters, how to apply it (with examples), common misconceptions, and some practical tips for more effective presentations.

What Is the 10/20/30 Rule?

The 10/20/30 rule is a straightforward guideline for creating focused, audience-friendly presentations. No more than ten slides, no longer than twenty minutes, and no font smaller than thirty points. Kawasaki first introduced this concept in the context of pitching to venture capital investors, but it’s applicable to almost any business presentation where you need to inform or persuade an audience. Let’s unpack each element of the formula:

10 Slides: Focus on the Essentials

“Ten is the optimal number of slides in a PowerPoint presentation because a normal human being cannot comprehend more than ten concepts in a meeting,” Kawasaki explains. In other words, forcing yourself to stick to around 10 slides keeps you from overwhelming your audience. Each slide should communicate one key idea or topic. If you think you need more than ten slides to get your message across, it’s a sign you may not have distilled your story clearly enough. By limiting slide count, you prioritize the most important points you want people to remember, rather than delving into every minor detail.

This doesn’t mean every presentation must exactly have ten slides – but ten is a good rule of thumb. If you can cover your content in fewer slides, that’s fine (your audience certainly won’t complain about a shorter deck). If you feel you need more than ten, be careful: ask yourself if those extra slides add essential insight or if they’re just nice-to-have details. Often, what doesn’t fit in ten slides can be provided as a separate handout or appendix for those who want more information. The goal is to keep the live presentation itself streamlined and impactful.

20 Minutes: Keep It Concise

Aim to present your slides in twenty minutes or less, even if your meeting is scheduled for longer. People’s attention spans are short, and it’s better to leave your audience wanting more rather than wear them out. Kawasaki gives a few practical reasons for the 20-minute limit: First, if you have a one-hour slot, you’ll often lose time to set up delays or people arriving late. Second, finishing in 20 minutes leaves plenty of time for discussion and Q&A, which is often the most valuable part of a meeting. And third, by constraining yourself to a 20-minute speaking window, you naturally allocate roughly 2 minutes per slide – a reasonable pace that forces you to get to the point on each slide.

Think about the last 60- or 90-minute presentation you attended – how much do you truly remember from it? Probably not much. It’s human nature to tune out a long, information-heavy monologue. By contrast, if you deliver a succinct 20-minute presentation, you maintain higher energy and attention. You can then use any remaining time for an interactive conversation, which often leaves a stronger impression than plowing through extra slides. In business settings, time is precious, so a shorter presentation that respects your audience’s schedule can actually make you more persuasive. (If you’re allotted a very brief slot – say a 5-minute pitch – the same principle applies: trim your slide count further and hit only the highlights.)

30-Point Font: Make It Readable

Kawasaki’s final rule is no font smaller than 30 points on your slides. This is about readability and focus. Text on a slide should be easily readable even to the person in the back of the room (or on the far end of a video call). More importantly, using a large font inherently limits how much text you can put on a slide, preventing the common mistake of cramming slides full of paragraphs or data. If your slide text is tiny, that’s a red flag that you’re trying to say too much on one slide. A 30-point (or bigger) font forces you to distill each slide to a punchy headline or a few key words. The slide then serves as a visual aid for your talking points, not a document to be read line-for-line by the audience.

Why does font size matter so much? When an audience sees a slide packed with 10-point or 12-point text, two things happen: (1) They likely can’t read it all without straining, and (2) as soon as they realize you’re essentially reading your own slides, they’ll jump ahead and read faster than you talk. You lose control of the pacing and their attention. By contrast, with a clean slide of just a few large-font words, the audience gets the gist at a glance and then turns their focus to you to elaborate. Using ~30-point text also ensures anyone can read it, including people with visual impairments or those viewing on smaller screens – 30-point is roughly double the minimum size considered easily legible (16pt). The rule of thumb: if you feel tempted to use a smaller font to fit more text, that content probably belongs in your spoken commentary or a handout, not on the slide.

(One funny aside: Kawasaki quips that the smallest font size you use should be determined by the age of your oldest audience member – e.g. for a 60-year-old executive, use 30-point (60/2) font. Tongue-in-cheek or not, the message is clear: err on the side of larger text.)

Why the 10/20/30 Rule Matters

This rule has caught on because each of its constraints addresses common presentation pitfalls. Brevity, focus, and legibility are at the heart of effective communication. By limiting slides and time, you’re encouraged to be concise and prioritize your core message, rather than drowning people in details. As a result, your presentation becomes clear and memorable instead of muddled. Audiences are more likely to stay engaged when you stick to the key points and move along briskly. The 10/20/30 framework essentially guards against the “death by PowerPoint” syndrome of endless slides and tiny text that put people to sleep. In practical terms, here’s how the rule improves clarity and impact:

• Clarity of Message: With only ~10 slides, you must choose the most relevant content and cut the fluff. This helps make your key message crystal clear to the audience. They’re more likely to grasp and remember your main ideas when you haven’t diluted them with dozens of secondary points.
• Better Engagement: A 20-minute limit means you focus on delivering a punchy, well-structured narrative. The audience isn’t checking their watches because they know you’ll get to the point. You also have time left for Q&A or discussion, which invites the audience to participate – boosting engagement and making the session more interactive and valuable.
• Visual Impact: A minimum 30-point font leads to clean, readable slides. Big text (often paired with images or graphics) acts as a visual anchor for what you’re saying, rather than a distraction. Your slides will look more professional and less cluttered, which in turn keeps the audience’s attention on you and your story. It also conveys confidence – you’re not hiding behind walls of text, you’re highlighting key words and speaking to them.
• Professionalism and Respect: Implicitly, following 10/20/30 shows you respect your audience’s time and capacity. Decision-makers (investors, executives, clients) appreciate a presenter who is organized and brief. It increases your credibility and the likelihood of achieving your presentation’s goal, whether that’s securing a deal or simply getting your message across.

In short, the 10/20/30 rule forces you to do the critical thinking and editing that result in a clear, powerful presentation. It’s a recipe for avoiding common mistakes and making your talk more effective.

Applying the 10/20/30 Rule in Practice

Guidelines are great in theory, but how do you actually put 10/20/30 into action when crafting your next slide deck? It starts with planning. Outline your presentation story first, and identify 8 to 10 major points you need to communicate. These points will become your slides. Think about what your audience truly cares about – those are your must-have slides. Everything else is supporting detail that you can convey verbally or save for the Q&A.

For example, if you’re pitching to investors, a ten-slide deck typically includes a Title slide (with the company name and presenter’s info), a Problem slide (the customer pain point you’re addressing), a Value Proposition slide (how your product or idea solves the problem), an Underlying Magic slide (your secret sauce or technology), and a Business Model slide (how you’ll make money). You would then cover your Go-to-Market Plan (strategy for reaching customers), a Competitive Analysis slide (your positioning vs. competitors), your Team slide (key team members and their expertise), Financial Projections (forecasted numbers or key metrics), and finally your Current Status / Ask slide (progress to date, milestones, and what you’re seeking from the audience). These ten slides cover the essential questions any investor would have, while keeping the presentation tight and focused.

If you’re not pitching a startup, you can adapt this approach to your own topic. The principle is to structure your talk around ten (or fewer) main points. For a sales proposal, for instance, your slides might include: Introduction, Customer Needs, Product/Service Solution, Value/Benefits, Case Study or Proof, Implementation Plan, Pricing, ROI Analysis, Next Steps, and Conclusion. For an internal project update, you might have: Project Overview, Objectives, Progress, Key Issues, Timeline, Budget Status, Risks, Team, Next Steps, and Summary. The exact slides will vary, but in any scenario you’re forcing yourself to choose what truly matters and give each important idea a moment in the spotlight.

While building your slides, remember the 30-point font rule as a design checkpoint. Use short headlines or phrases, not long sentences. A good practice is to present one idea per slide (don’t try to shove multiple concepts into one slide). You can always speak to additional details or layers of nuance – but those don’t all need to be on the screen. If you find a slide getting text-heavy or complicated, split it into two simpler slides (yes, you might end up with 11 or 12 slides doing this, which is okay so long as you’re still concise – see the next section on flexibility). Also consider adding visuals: a graph, an icon, or an image that reinforces your point can often replace words and make the slide more engaging. Just ensure any visuals are relevant and clear, not decorative fluff.

Sticking to 20 minutes means you should rehearse your presentation and time yourself. As you practice, you might realize you have too much material per slide – which is a cue to cut down content. A common tactic is to allocate about 2 minutes per slide. Some slides (like a title or conclusion slide) might only need 30 seconds, which gives you a bit more time on a particularly important slide. But if you have, say, 10 slides and you’re consistently taking 3-4 minutes on each, you’ll run over – and you risk losing momentum. Trim your talking points to fit the timeframe. It often helps to write down the core message of each slide in one sentence; that’s what you speak to when that slide is up. If you can’t articulate a slide’s takeaway in one concise sentence, you might not need that slide at all.

Finally, plan for the Q&A or discussion. With a 20-minute presentation in a 30- or 60-minute meeting, you can anticipate and welcome questions once you finish your prepared slides. It’s wise to prepare a few backup slides that you don’t show in the main presentation but have ready in case someone asks about details (for example, a deep-dive financial model or technical architecture diagram). These can be in an appendix beyond your 10 core slides. That way you remain concise in the main talk, but still have answers at your fingertips for the discussion.

Common Misunderstandings (Flexibility of the Rule)

Like any rule of thumb, the 10/20/30 rule is a guideline, not an absolute law of nature. Here we’ll address a few common questions and misconceptions:

• “Do I absolutely have to use 10 slides? What if I have 8 – or 15?” – You won’t be arrested by the presentation police if you use 8 or 12 slides. Ten is an approximate sweet spot. Using fewer than 10 slides is fine if you can cover everything important with, say, 7 well-chosen slides. In fact, Kawasaki jokes that if you can hit all the key points in fewer slides, “that probably means you have a very focused idea or you’re just really good at brevity!” The real intent is no more than necessary. If you go significantly over 10, be wary – you risk losing clarity and audience attention. Some presenters mistakenly think more slides = more information = more convincing, but often the opposite is true. If you believe you need, say, 15-20 slides, consider whether some of those could be distributed as a document or moved to an appendix. One expert notes that if your pitch involves complex or technical information that truly requires more detail, you can include extra slides in an appendix so as not to overload the main presentation. In other cases, what might have been 20 slides can often be distilled into 10 by focusing on overarching points rather than minutiae.
• “What if my presentation slot is 45 minutes or an hour? Should I still aim for 20 minutes?” – Generally, yes. The idea is to present for 20 minutes and use the rest of the time for discussion or interactive elements. Audiences appreciate a presentation that finishes early and opens the floor for conversation. If you truly have to fill a longer time (e.g. a training seminar), break it into multiple segments or modules – essentially a series of mini-presentations with pauses in between. You might do two or three 15-20 minute sections with Q&A or activities after each. This respects the natural attention span limit. The worst approach is to drone on for the full hour lecturing from your slides. Even in longer formats, try to apply the spirit of 10/20/30: limit how much content you cover before giving the audience a break to digest or respond.
• “Is 30-point font really mandatory? What if I have to show a detailed chart or code snippet?” – Think of 30-point as a minimum for body text. It’s a good rule in almost all cases – it ensures everyone can read the slide and forces you to keep text sparse. If you have some essential detail that physically can’t fit in 30-point text (like a complex table or schematic), that might be an indication it doesn’t belong in the main presentation. Perhaps provide it in a handout or switch to a live demo, or show a simplified version on the slide and verbally explain the rest. The truth is, any information heavy graphic is hard to absorb in a live presentation; you’re usually better off summarizing the takeaway. Some modern presenters argue that on high-resolution screens or in documents, smaller fonts are readable , but when presenting live you should err on the side of larger text. Remember, the goal is not to cram every detail onto your slides – it’s to communicate clearly. A neat trick: stand six to ten feet back from your laptop screen; if you can’t comfortably read the slide, your font is too small. In a conference room, always assume there’s someone at the back with less-than-perfect vision. Using at least 30-point fonts is a simple way to be inclusive and ensure no one squints at your slide instead of listening to you.
• b – Not every single presentation will neatly fit this framework. Kawasaki developed it with business pitches in mind (startups seeking investment, entrepreneurs making sales pitches, etc.), where keeping things concise is paramount. In academic lectures, technical deep-dives, or instructional workshops, presenters sometimes need a different approach (e.g. more slides or more time for clarity). Even so, the underlying principle of simplicity still applies. You might relax the exact numbers but still strive to minimize clutter and avoid overlong monologues. In any context, you generally won’t regret being concise and engaging. If you do choose to deviate – say, 15 slides for a complex topic – be sure those extra slides truly add understanding. There’s no harm in bending the “rules” as long as you uphold the spirit: respect your audience’s time and attention. As one presentation expert puts it, there’s really no single formula that fits all cases – the best approach is to tailor your talk to your audience and purpose, using guidelines like 10/20/30 as helpful starting points rather than rigid mandates.

Practical Tips for Better Presentations

To wrap up, here are a few actionable tips that complement the 10/20/30 rule and will help you present with clarity and confidence:

• Present one idea per slide. Don’t overload slides with multiple messages or a laundry list of points. Stick to a single main idea or takeaway on each slide. This makes it easier for your audience to absorb what you’re saying and remember it later. If you find a slide getting crowded, split it into two slides – there’s no penalty for having an extra slide if it improves understanding (just remember to keep your total slide count lean). One idea per slide also helps you, the presenter, maintain a clear structure and flow.
• Keep slides simple and legible. Embrace white space and simple design. Use a large font (30-point or above, as discussed) and high-contrast colors for text so that it’s readable at a glance. Avoid dense blocks of text, distracting backgrounds, or overly complex diagrams. Graphics and templates should support your content, not steal the spotlight. A clean, uncluttered slide focuses attention on your message. As a test, each slide should be understandable within a few seconds – if someone has to read a paragraph or decipher a tiny chart, simplify it.
• Balance text with visuals. A picture can be worth a thousand words – or at least it can convey a point faster than text. Consider using images, icons, or graphs to illustrate your points in place of text where possible. Visuals are processed quickly by our brains and can make your presentation more engaging and memorable. For example, if you’re talking about market growth, a simple chart showing the trend is more impactful than a bullet list of numbers. Just ensure your visuals are high quality and directly relevant (and remember to explain what the audience is looking at). Likewise, don’t go overboard with images without context – a balance is key. Each slide might have a short title or phrase (big font) plus a supporting visual. This combination keeps your slides interesting and informative.
• Practice and time your talk. Even a well-designed deck can flop if you haven’t practiced your delivery. Rehearse your presentation out loud at least a couple of times to get comfortable with the timing. This helps you confirm that you can cover everything in ~20 minutes and find spots to trim if needed. While practicing, avoid the temptation to script every word – instead, know the key points you’ll speak to on each slide. You want to sound natural and knowledgeable, not like you’re reciting from memory or reading off the screen. By knowing your material well (partly thanks to having less text on slides), you can speak more conversationally and maintain eye contact with the audience. Also plan your transitions between slides so the narrative flows logically. The more you practice, the more confident and fluid you’ll be during the real thing.
• Engage your audience. Finally, remember that a presentation is about communicating with people, not at them. Use your freed-up time (from being concise) to interact. This could mean asking a rhetorical question, pausing to see if anyone has questions at a midpoint, or including a brief audience activity if appropriate. Even simply showing enthusiasm and making eye contact goes a long way. Begin with a strong opening that grabs attention – for instance, a surprising statistic, a short anecdote, or a question that frames the problem you’ll solve. And end with a clear conclusion or call to action rather than just trailing off. Summarize your key message at the end (possibly on a final summary slide) so the audience walks away with it fresh in mind. If you want them to do something (invest, approve a plan, change a behavior), explicitly encourage that next step as you conclude. A concise, well-structured presentation delivered with a bit of personality and audience awareness is a winning combination.

By following the 10/20/30 rule – and the above tips – you’ll significantly improve your presentations. You’ll be concise, clear, and engaging, which your business audiences will appreciate. Guy Kawasaki’s rule is ultimately about the art of restraint: saying less so that your message comes across more powerfully. The next time you prepare a talk, give it a try: trim down your slides, simplify your text, and aim to finish in 20 minutes. You might be surprised how much more impact you can make by doing less. Happy presenting!