Ever seen a talk where the slides felt… off?

The speaker’s talking about empathy—but there’s a stock photo of two people hugging.
They’re explaining diagnostic reasoning—meanwhile, a glowing blue brain rotates on screen.

It’s not just awkward. It’s distracting.
That’s not dual coding.
That’s dual confusion.

In my workshop at the APEC conference, I mentioned how less is often more when it comes to slide text.
That sparked a question about dual coding—and how it fits into that advice.

So here’s what I shared:
The theory, the traps, and how to do it well.

💡 ONE IDEA WELL

Why Two Channels Are Better Than One

In the late 1960s, psychologist Allan Paivio proposed something radical:
The brain processes information through two separate—but connected—systems. One for words. One for images.

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He called it Dual Coding Theory.

🧠 Hear a word → one system kicks in.
👁 See an image → another comes online.
💡 Combine them wisely → understanding improves, retention deepens.

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That’s why a well-timed diagram or simple sketch can elevate a talk.
It gives your audience two ways to process the same message—doubling the odds it sticks.

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But here’s where it goes wrong:
People assume any image will help. It doesn’t.

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You’re talking about empathy, so you add a photo of two people hugging.
You’re explaining diagnostic reasoning, and up pops a glowing, animated brain.
These aren’t helpful—they’re decorative. And they compete with your point.

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📚 This is where Cognitive Load Theory steps in.
When we’re learning something new, working memory is easily overwhelmed.
Every irrelevant image adds extraneous load—and the brain burns energy trying to decode what doesn’t matter.

🎯 The result? Confusion, not clarity.

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Here’s the real magic:
✅ One clear sentence.
✅ One clean image.
✅ One aligned message.

That’s dual coding done well.

🧰 LESS MESS, MORE MESSAGE

A cluttered slide is like a noisy room—your message gets lost in the background.

Here’s how to clean it up:

✅ Strip away filler text.
✅ Use one image with purpose—not decoration.
✅ Speak to the idea, not the bullet points.
✅ Let silence do some of the heavy lifting.

When in doubt, simplify.
Your audience will thank you with their attention.

🧭 ASK YOURSELF THIS

What if your next slide had no title…
…just one image and one sentence?

Would it make your message clearer—or scarier?

And what would that tell you?

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Speak soon,

Andy

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If your team struggles with overloaded slides or disconnected delivery, I’d love to help.
I run hands-on workshops that turn theory into practice—and make your talks actually land.