Fixing visual hierarchy in presentations: The Squint Test and SPECS Framework
Written by
Slidely Team
The team behind Slidely AI, dedicated to making business presentations better and faster.
Ever opened a slide and felt your eyes bounce around like a pinball? You’re not alone. Many presentations try to cram in everything at once: text, charts, images, colors, giving equal “importance” to everything. The result? Chaos. Nothing stands out, and your main message disappears in the noise.
In this piece, we’ll explore visual hierarchy in presentations and two practical ways to fix it. First, the Squint Test, a quick check to see what immediately grabs attention. Then, the SPECS Framework is a step-by-step method to adjust size, position, color, and strength, so your slides naturally guide the viewer’s eyes.
By the end, you’ll know how to turn messy slides into clear & engaging stories.
What is the squint test, and why does it matter?
Slides can be deceptive. From a distance, everything may seem balanced, but when you actually present, your audience might not know where to look first. That’s where the Squint Test comes in.
It’s a simple yet powerful method: squint your eyes at the slide and observe which elements grab attention first. Blurring the details strips away distractions and highlights the hierarchy of your content.
The Squint Test helps answer critical questions:
- Does your headline stand out?
- Are your charts or visuals immediately noticeable?
- Are secondary details fading into the background as they should?
Why it works: Human eyes are naturally drawn to contrast, size, and position. By simulating a “blurred focus,” you can catch slides that fail to guide attention.
Squinting shows which elements dominate the slide and which fade into the background, helping you identify and fix visual hierarchy issues.
Slidely’s Tip: Apply this test not just to final slides, but during creation. Often, adjusting a single element, like increasing the size of a key figure or bolding the main headline, improves clarity immediately.
Did you know? According to Nielsen Norman Group, users take less than 10 seconds to focus on key information on a slide, making visual hierarchy essential.
How can the SPECS framework improve your slides?
Once the Squint Test reveals problem areas, the SPECS Framework provides a structured method to fix them. Each element of SPECS targets a specific aspect of visual hierarchy:
- S – Size: Larger elements attract attention first. Titles, key stats, and primary visuals should dominate. Avoid making everything the same size; otherwise, nothing pops.
- P – Position: Placement guides the eye. Viewers naturally scan slides from top-left to bottom-right. Placing key information in natural focal points ensures it’s seen first.
- E – Elements: Less is more. Remove unnecessary charts, icons, or text that compete with your main message. A clean slide reduces cognitive load.
- C – Color: Color draws attention. Use bold, contrasting colors for key elements while muting secondary ones. Overusing bright colors dilutes focus.
- S- Strength: Adjust weight, opacity, or brightness. Stronger elements guide focus; weaker elements recede.
How to apply SPECS step by step for your presentations?
Using the Squint Test and SPECS together is all about iteration. Once you identify problem areas on your slide, tackle each lever one by one:
| SPECS Lever | What It Does | How to Apply | Quick Tip |
| Size | Highlights the most important elements first | Make headlines, key numbers, or visuals largest; supporting points smaller; details smallest | Start with scaling your headline or main chart to instantly guide the eye |
| Position | Guides the viewer’s natural eye path | Place key content in top-left, top-center, or center; secondary elements nearby; minor details at edges | Think of your slide like a map, guide the eye along the path you want it to follow |
| Elements | Uses visual anchors to organize content | Add subtle lines, shapes, or background rectangles to break up the slide | Even minimal shapes or spacing can reduce visual confusion |
| Color | Directs attention through contrast | Reserve bright or brand-primary colors for key points; mute secondary content | Use one primary color for your headline or key number; everything else steps back |
| Strength | Emphasizes important content through boldness and opacity | Bold headlines and key numbers; lighter body text recedes | Combine size, color, and strength for maximum clarity |
If you want to see these principles in action with real slide examples, check out this article by Slidely Co-Founder Apoorve Singhal, which walks through visual hierarchy improvements step by step.
How AI tools can help with visual hierarchy
Applying SPECS manually works, but AI tools for PPT can accelerate the process, especially for large decks. Here’s how:
- Layout Suggestions: AI can propose slide layouts that emphasize the most important content first.
- Consistent Formatting: Fonts, colors, and sizes are adjusted automatically to maintain hierarchy across slides.
- Smart Visuals: Charts, graphs, and icons are formatted to highlight key insights without overwhelming the audience.
For example, AI tools for PPT like Slidely AI can generate slides that already respect visual hierarchy, letting you focus on content and storytelling rather than tweaking every element manually.
To see how AI works in action, explore creating AI-powered PowerPoint presentations and watch your concepts transform into polished, visually engaging slides effortlessly.
Turn your presentation slides into visual stories
Now that you’ve explored the Squint Test and the SPECS Framework, it’s time to put it all into action. The goal is to guide your audience’s attention and make your message stay for a long time
Here’s a simple workflow to follow:
Squint First: Quickly blur your slides to see what jumps out. Identify elements that dominate and those that get lost.
Apply SPECS: Adjust Size, Position, Elements, Color, and Strength systematically. Start with the most glaring issues.
Iterate: Recheck with the Squint Test after every adjustment. Even small tweaks in one lever can dramatically improve clarity.
Make the most of AI: AI PPT Tools like Slidely AI can help maintain consistent formatting, suggest layouts, and make your slides visually polished without extra manual work.
AI tools can speed up slide creation and help maintain a consistent hierarchy. If you want to understand the basics, check out the AI PowerPoint generator and how it works.
Ready to make your slides speak
Visual hierarchy is the backbone of any effective presentation. Slides overloaded with text, charts, and visuals can confuse your audience, making it hard for them to grasp your main message. The Squint Test gives you a quick, practical way to see which elements immediately capture attention, while the SPECS Framework, covering Size, Position, Elements, Color, and Strength, provides a systematic method to fix the hierarchy.
When applied together, these techniques help your slides tell a clear, compelling story. Your audience can focus on what truly matters without being distracted by clutter.
Over time, this approach not only improves comprehension but also boosts retention, engagement, and overall impact of your presentations.
See the workflow in action, book a Slidely AI demo, and discover how easily you can transform your ideas into polished, visually engaging slides without spending hours on formatting.