How to Design a Dual-Layout Infographic Presentation Slide

Creating a presentation slide that effectively communicates multiple complex ideas without overwhelming the audience is a common challenge. The image we are analyzing today handles this beautifully by splitting the slide into two distinct, highly organized infographic sections: a hub-and-spoke diagram on the left and a chronological timeline on the right.

This layout is perfect for startup pitch decks, strategic business reviews, or project updates where you need to show both a core concept with its supporting pillars, alongside a historical or projected roadmap. In this tutorial, we will break down exactly how to recreate this exact style from scratch.

Understanding the Slide Layout

The Split-Screen Strategy

Before diving into the shape tools, let's look at the foundational grid. This slide uses a 50/50 split layout. By dividing the canvas down the middle, you create two distinct zones. This prevents the viewer's eye from darting randomly around the screen. They naturally process the central concept on the left first, then move to the timeline on the right.

Managing Visual Weight

Notice how the visual weight is perfectly balanced. The left side features a larger, bolder central shape, while the right side uses a longer, continuous horizontal element (the timeline). They balance each other out through contrasting shapes—the dense cluster on the left versus the spread-out flow on the right.

Setting Up the Background and Colors

The Power of Dark Mode

The background of this slide uses a deep navy blue. Dark backgrounds are excellent for professional presentations because they reduce eye strain, especially on large, bright screens in dark conference rooms, and they make lighter elements pop dramatically.

• Background Color: Set your slide background to a solid dark navy (Hex code approximately #1A2D42).
• Primary Shape Color: Use a soft, muted light blue/gray for the primary shapes (Hex code approximately #A8BAD2).
• Text Color: Use crisp white for text resting directly on the dark background, and a dark navy or dark gray for text inside the light colored shapes.

Designing the Hub-and-Spoke Diagram (Left Side)

Creating the Central Concept Node

The anchor of the left side is the title box. Here is how to build it:

1. Insert a Rounded Rectangle from your shapes menu. Drag the yellow adjustment handle to make the corners fully rounded, creating a pill shape.
2. Fill this shape with your primary light blue color.
3. To create the border effect, copy and paste that same shape. Remove the fill color, add a solid outline in the same light blue color, and make it slightly larger so it frames the first shape. Center both shapes together.

Building the Supporting Nodes

Around the central hub are six supporting nodes.

1. Insert a standard rounded rectangle for "Text 1". Adjust the corner radius so it is soft but not quite a pill shape.
2. Inside this shape, add a small circular icon at the top and your text label below it.
3. Once you have perfected one node, duplicate it five times. Position three evenly across the top, and three evenly across the bottom.

Drawing the Connecting Lines

The elegant curved lines tie this section together. Use the Curved Connector or Elbow Connector tool in PowerPoint or Google Slides. Draw a line from the top of the central pill shape to the bottom of the "Text 2" node. Add a small circle shape at the end of the line where it meets the central hub to give it that polished, technical look.

Building the Horizontal Timeline (Right Side)

Assembling the Chevron Track

The timeline track is built using connecting chevron shapes.

1. Go to your shapes menu and select the Chevron arrow shape.
2. Draw your first block. Make it relatively flat and wide. Fill it with the light blue color.
3. Type your first year (e.g., "2016") directly into the shape.
4. Duplicate this shape four times. Connect them end-to-end. To create visual rhythm, you can alternate the shades slightly, making every other chevron a slightly darker gray-blue.

Adding the Content Blocks and Icons

This timeline uses an alternating top-and-bottom layout to save space and keep the text from feeling crowded.

• Top Blocks: For 2017 and 2019, create text boxes above the timeline.
• Bottom Blocks: For 2016, 2018, and 2020, place your text boxes below the timeline.
• Connecting them: Draw a straight vertical line from the timeline up (or down) to the text block. Change the line style to Dashed in your shape outline settings. Add a small dot or diamond at the connection point on the timeline.

Integrating Hexagon Icons

To cap off the timeline data points, the designer used hexagon shapes. Insert a hexagon shape, fill it with white or your light blue accent, and place a small, simple icon inside. Position these hexagons at the ends of your dashed vertical lines.

Choosing Fonts and Typography

Establishing Text Hierarchy

Clean typography is crucial for infographic slides. A sans-serif font is highly recommended for this modern, technical look.

• Main Title: Use a clean sans-serif like Helvetica, Arial, or Montserrat. Make it large, white, and centered at the top of the slide.
• Subtitles/Node Text: Use the same font family but reduce the size significantly. Inside the light shapes, use dark text for contrast.
• Timeline Body Text: Keep this text small (around 12-14pt depending on screen size) and use a lighter font weight so it doesn't compete with the main title. Ensure it is easily readable against the dark background.

Using Icons Effectively

Keeping Styles Consistent

Look closely at the icons used in this slide—they are all "line art" or "outline" style icons. They are not filled in, nor are they multi-colored. This consistency is a hallmark of professional design. When sourcing icons (from your presentation software's built-in library or external sites), make sure they all share the same stroke weight and style. Inconsistent icons will immediately make a slide look messy.

Final Design Polish

Aligning Elements and Balancing White Space

The final step is the most important: alignment. A messy grid ruins a great design.

• Use the Align and Distribute tools in your software to ensure the three nodes on the left are perfectly level.
• Distribute the chevron shapes on the right so the gaps between them (if any) are mathematically equal.
• Check your white space. Ensure there is equal breathing room between the left infographic, the right infographic, and the edges of the slide. Do not let your shapes crowd the borders.

Conclusion

By breaking down the slide into two manageable sections—a hub-and-spoke and a timeline—you can communicate complex business data clearly. Remember to stick to a strict color palette, use consistent icons, and rely heavily on your alignment tools. With practice, creating these premium-looking infographics from basic shapes will become second nature.