Draft Storyboard

Logical Structuring

Draft a Storyboard

A storyboard is a series of PowerPoint slides that must single handedly tell your story to the client. Your storyboard must anticipate and respond to client questions, drive home a message to which the client will respond, and leave out any information that distracts from the message. The good news is that, at this stage of the process, the raw material you need to create your storyboard is right in front of you in the form of the Logic Pyramid.

This performance support document will help you translate the information in your logic pyramid into a crisp, compelling storyboard. Specifically, it will help you:

Write compelling headings for each slide Determine the best way to represent the data you need to share Create a crisp storyboard which conforms with Deloitte standard

Drafting a StoryboardShelling a Storyboard

Storyboarding is an iterative process and each Deloitte deck is subject to numerous revisions before it is presented to a client. Once you have a completed logic pyramid and developed a high-level agenda, you can then begin to create the first draft of your storyboard or your shell.

Similar to the process you used when you planned an agenda, shelling is a planning process that allows you to think ahead and predict the information that will appear on an individual slide. Each slide in a shell consists of two parts:

A heading (either a headline or label with strapline)

Body with supporting information

When developing your storyboard, think about both the headings and the body of the slide. At this point, you are not expected to build a complete slide but rather are asked to get your high level thoughts on the page. For the body, we suggest the following guidelines:

For text, write a short sentence about how the slide will support the headline.

For graphics, write a short sentence about how you will make the supporting information visual. You do not necessarily have to have your entire graph made at the beginning of the storyboarding process.

Cutting Edge Example

Let’s look at an example from the storyboard shell for our Cutting Edge client presentation. As you can see in the slide below, we may plan to include a graph contrasting the operating costs of a manufacturing plant in Wisconsin versus one in Mexico. Though the graph itself is not ready to include in the

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deck, we can make a note of where we plan to include it and the information that it will communicate.

Writing Headings

Headings may be the only part of a presentation that your client initially reads. Therefore, they must collectively tell a story independent of the supporting data. There are primarily two methods at Deloitte for writing effective headings. Deloitte practitioners tell their story through:

Headlines Labels with straplines


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Writing Effective Headlines

A headline runs across the top of each slide, as shown below. You should create a headline for each slide in the presentation.

An effective headline:

Is a complete statement/thought

Uses an active verb

Enables the reader to know what the slide is about without reading the complete slide


Based on the three major points we identified in the Cutting Edge example the headlines for the Cutting Edge deck might be:

Cutting Edge will be able to take advantage of more advanced manufacturing technology in Mexico.

Due to lower overall costs, Cutting Edge will be able to recover the cost of moving in 6 months.

Mexico provides an operating environment that is equally as stable as Wisconsin.


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Writing Effective Labels and Straplines

The other approach to creating effective headings that successfully tell the story is to use a label and corresponding strapline as shown below:

An effective label:

Aligns with your agenda

Serves as a header for your slide

An effective strapline:

Is a complete statement/thought

Uses an active verb

Enables the reader to know what the slide is about without reading the complete slide


Based on the three major points we identified in the Cutting Edge example, the labels and straplines for the Cutting Edge deck might be:

Key Point Slide 1:

Label: Technology Advantages

Strapline: Cutting Edge will be able to take advantage of more advanced manufacturing technology in Mexico.

Key Point Slide 2:

Label: Cost Savings


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Strapline: Due to lower overall costs, Cutting Edge will be able to recover the cost of moving in 6 months.

Key Point Slide 3:

Label: Operating Environment

Strapline: Mexico provides an operating environment that is equally as stable as Wisconsin.

Determining a Strategy for your Headings

Both headlines and labels with straplines can be equally effective. The method you employ in your presentation is a matter of both personal and team preference. Regardless of which method you choose, be consistent. If you use headlines, use only headlines. If you choose labels with straplines, use only labels with straplines. Do not mix the formats.

Choosing a Means of Visual Presentation

The final key to successfully transitioning the information from your logic pyramid into a successful storyboard is to determine the best way to visually represent the information and data. If you determine that information is best represented as:

Text, you’ll have to decide on the best text format, such as a bulleted list or a table.

A chart or graph, you’ll have to decide on the type of graph (bar graph, pie graph, etc.) and the appropriate colors.

An image, you’ll need to determine an image that is appropriate, clear and professional.

Many of your slides will have both images and text, and you’ll have to decide on the best layout to represent the information as a whole. All the while, you’ll have to make sure that your storyboard adheres to the standards of the Deloitte template.

Selecting a Slide Layout

Follow these basic guidelines when deciding how to lay out the content on your slides:

Use visuals often. Visuals such as charts, graphs, and pictures can communicate complex ideas in a more efficient manner than text alone. With every piece of information on your slide, ask yourself: Can I make this information visual?

Keep it simple. Don’t make your layout so complicated that your audience can’t follow your logic. Use only the information that is completely necessary to keep your slide from becoming overcrowded.

Try multiple layouts. Sometimes, you will be able to easily determine the best layout for the information on your slide. But in most cases, you should try different layouts and decide which one best communicates your ideas.


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Consider the following slide layout:

Revising Your Storyboard

Keep in mind that storyboarding is an on-going process and every storyboard will go through several revisions. Your storyboard does not need to be perfect on your first draft, but a finished storyboard should have an easy-to-follow story, strongly written headlines, and a clean visual appearance.

As you edit your storyboard, you should focus on the grammar and design details in each slide. Honing these small details will make a big difference in the effectiveness of your story.


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Grammar and Language Issues

First, focus on the grammar and syntax of all the text elements in your slides:

Use active voice. Sentences with active verbs command more attention than sentences passive verbs or be-verbs.

o Passive voice: “Cutting Edge Corporation is based in Wisconsin.”

o Active voice: “Cutting Edge Corporation manufactures its shaving products at a plant in Wisconsin.”

Use parallel construction. If you have a sentence that contains a pattern of two or more ideas that share the same level of importance, make sure you use the same pattern of words.

o Mixed construction: “Cutting Edge will recover the cost of moving completely and with speed.”

o Parallel construction: “Cutting Edge will recover the cost of moving completely and quickly.”

Use consistent voice and verb tense.

o Inconsistent: “Labor unions will be less powerful in Mexico, which reduces the risk of a work stoppage.”

o Consistent: “Labor unions will be less powerful in Mexico, which will reduce the risk of a work stoppage.”

Be concise. Communicate your ideas in as few words as possible. Cut unnecessary words or sentences.

o Too wordy: “Mexico has the best, most advanced, state-of-the-art, plastic molding and packaging manufacturers anywhere around.”

o Concise: “Mexico has the most advanced plastic molding and packaging manufacturers.

Avoid jargon. Express your ideas in simple language.

o Unclear jargon: “Mexico’s advanced packaging technology will allow Cutting Edge to shorten its B2C time.”

o Simple language: “Mexico’s advanced packaging technology will allow Cutting Edge to bring its product to consumers more quickly.”

Limit the use of qualifiers. Avoid using qualifying words such as “possibly,” and “probably.”

Slide Design Make sure the design of your storyboard is consistent with the Deloitte PowerPoint Template:

Use consistent font size.

In bulleted lists, use squares first, then dashes, and finally circles.

Make sure the spacing between lines is not less than one.


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When using colors:

Use only the colors on slide 48 of the Deloitte PowerPoint Template.

Switch from dark to light colors to suggest a reduction.

Switch from light to dark colors to suggest certainty.

When using graphics, make sure to:

Label your axes and all other important elements of your graphic.

Only use different colors when there is a reason to use different colors.

Only reuse graphics from other presentations that are effective.

Reference information that you found from other sources appropriately.Logical Structure

Look for gaps in the logical flow of the storyboard that might confuse the reader. Make sure that the vertical logic of the storyboard is sound. Your story should make sense from one slide to the next (vertical logic). All the information on a single slide should support the governing thought in that slide (horizontal logic).

Make sure that each slide has a purpose or “so what” for the story you are trying to tell

Make your headlines flow from one to the next. The audience should be able to understand your story simply by reading your headlines.

Provide facts for every claim that your storyboard makes.Getting Feedback on Your Storyboard

By now, you should have a first draft of your storyboard. This is a good time to ask your colleagues for feedback.

As your colleagues review your storyboard, ask them to respond to the following questions:

What story do you think I am trying to tell? Is my recommendation clear?

Does the storyboard flow from one slide to the next, or are there areas where you felt there was a gap in the logic of the structure?

Can you follow my story by reading my headlines? Which headlines do you think need more work? How would you make these headlines better?

Do you understand all of my graphics? Do you think any specific graphics need more work?

Am I backing up all of my claims with data?

Would you recommend laying out any of my slides in a different way? Are there any grammatical or design errors that need correcting?


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After you receive your colleagues’ feedback and incorporate their suggestions into your storyboard, continue to refine your storyboard. If necessary, ask your colleagues to review your storyboard again and refine your work with each iteration of feedback you receive.

Proofing and Polishing Your Storyboard

Before you make your presentation to the client, your storyboard should be error-free. Use the following checklist when finalizing your storyboard:

There are no spelling or grammatical errors in the storyboard.

Font size and style are consistent.

Figures, charts, and graphs have labels.

Version number is accurate.

Copyright alert statement is visible.

All sources have been cited.


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Draft Storyboard

Documents

Transcript of Draft Storyboard