One of the central ideas that distinguishes Relational Presentation from standard presentation is the use of modular content. If a relational presenter shows 50 slides during a talk, she probably is not actually using a single slide show with 50 slides. She might, in fact, be navigating through 20 or 30 shows, with each of those shows containing only 1 to 3 slides. This modular strategy makes possible fast, random display of individual ideas as needed.

Another major difference is that visual information in a relational context often has multiple purposes. A picture might communicate information to the audience on one level, yet have an entirely different meaning or purpose to the presenter, perhaps serving as the basis for a hyperlink to hidden information.

Relational strategies do more than simply transfer knowledge. They encourage interactivity and allow a speaker to tailor messages to specific environments.