Eliminate Spreadsheet

Overload by Presenting

Data VisualizationsDave Paradi

Author of “Select Effective Visuals”, “Present It So They

Get It”, and “102 Tips to Communicate More

Effectively Using PowerPoint”

FP&A

FP&A CA

Communication Action

Ineffective

Communication Action

Audience insights

Overload issue

Creating a clear message

The HVF Approach

Audience insights

Presentations are becoming more

commonly used to communicate

13.4% 14.2%

19.7%

22.6%

27.4%

2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

% of people who see at least one presentation per day

Reading large amounts of text from the slide

is the most annoying thing you can do

The speaker read the slides to us 71.7%

Text too small to read

48.6%Full sentences for text

47.7%

453 respondents; Sep 2015

Visuals too complex 36.9%

Financial presentations have too

many numbers, too few visuals

66.7%

50.8%

45.0%

43.3%

Too many numbers on the slide

Font too small

Too much information for the time

given for the presentation

Mostly tables of numbers and few

visuals such as graphs

Too many financial presentations are

boring and confusing

Overload issue

Spend categories 2012

Spend Type 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

5 Year

Average

5 Year Average

% 2012%

General 249,054 2,481,352 1,767,562 1,591,451 1,391,017 1,496,087 15% 14%

Auto Parts & Service 1,271,069 1,273,898 1,448,000 1,317,280 1,434,094 1,348,868 14% 14%

Sponsorship-Community 1,102,207 1,154,687 1,665,917 1,534,918 1,186,727 1,328,891 14% 12%

Other 502,987 966,370 1,478,990 1,191,972 1,270,398 1,082,143 11% 13%

Garden Centre 642,300 274,998 606,483 687,719 551,829 552,666 6% 6%

ABC Money Promotion 283,773 470,059 587,860 455,188 680,664 495,509 5% 7%

Christmas 476,715 346,755 534,734 393,656 441,355 438,643 4% 4%

Sponsorship-Sports 492,361 291,510 59,647 382,744 930,222 431,297 4% 9%

Clearance 1,201,427 103,221 313,535 224,121 190,840 406,629 4% 2%

Leisure & Sports Products 267,147 405,436 342,616 360,742 318,695 338,927 3% 3%

RPM 249,218 300,025 300,000 255,000 300,000 280,849 3% 3%

Directory Advertising 414,517 165,320 303,511 282,255 198,572 272,835 3% 2%

Auto Parts & Service-PostCard Marketing 419,273 374,879 258,773 149,466 89,681 258,414 3% 1%

Home Products 553,493 243,638 115,939 152,622 105,538 234,246 2% 1%

Signage 261,170 173,136 185,723 222,735 194,207 207,394 2% 2%

Publications 412,161 185,490 134,807 162,822 122,145 203,485 2% 1%

Contests 169,745 46,248 333,049 154,728 217,701 184,294 2% 2%

Target Marketing 130,486 37,532 210,065 148,776 176,510 140,674 1% 2%

BounceBegin 27,204 12,594 166,820 77,100 102,023 77,148 1% 1%

Store Hours 54,442 42,464 22,292 60,454 26,522 41,235 0% 0%

Back to School 9,355 4,296 20,407 11,809 12,818 11,737 0% 0%

Correction Notice 2,869 2,338 3,464 1,745 610 2,205 0% 0%

Total 9,192,969 9,356,247 10,860,192 9,819,303 9,942,170 9,834,176 100% 100%

Source: AFP GUIDE: Data Visualization: How to Tell Number Stories with Pictures

Simple

Dumb down

Clarity

Measurement, Performance, or

Actionable Insights

Measurement

What did we do?

aka “Data”

Actionable

Insight

What do we do

next?

Requires context &

thought

Performance

How did we do?

“Information” from a

spreadsheet

Here is an example of moving to actionable

insight

62transactions

last month

Measurement

results

62 > goal of 60

We are above our

goal! Hooray!

Performance results

What the executives

need is the insight

Number of transactions continues to drop

each month; will not meet goal next month

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July

Transactions per

month (est. for July)

Goal of 60 per month

Goal not

met in July!

Pre-read vs. Presentation

The analysis What it means

The details The conclusion

Spreadsheets Graphs

Spreadsheets Table of insights

All the points Only the key points

In case they ask What they need to know

Including hidden backup slides

in your file

Creating a clear message

Use a GPS approach

At the end of

the

presentation,

the audience

will …

Where are

they now?

Key steps along the

journey with points &

supporting information

HVF approach to

creating an effective slide

1. Headline: write a headline that

summarizes the key message

2. Visual: select and create an

effective visual

3. Focus: use techniques to focus

the audience during delivery

Tips for writing a headline

Summary sentence at top of the

slide

Study newspapers

Keep it simple & Don’t use

jargon/acronyms

Answer the “So what?” question

Numbers Sequence Time Entities Object Example6 categories

30 groups &

sub-groups

66 visuals

Comparing

numbers/

value/size

Relationship

of sequence

Relationship

over time

Relationship

between

entities

A person,

place, or

object

An example or

demonstration

0

1

2

3

4

5

Location 1 Location 2 Location 3 Location 4

Un

its p

rod

uc

ed

pe

r h

ou

r o

n

avera

ge

Goal: 3.75

Half of the locations meet standard

for units produced per hour

Comparing numbers > Comparing to a standard > Single value > Dashed line on column graph

Driver’s licenses represent more

transactions than other services

0

10

20

30

40

50

Driver'slicense

Huntinglicense

Propertytransfer

Generalinquiry

Average transactions

per day

Comparing numbers > Comparing values > Single data series > Column graph

2012 Global Programs Results Summary

19,684 Total Responses

8,342 New Contacts Responses

4,151 Qualified leads sent to

Telemarketing/Inside Sales

444 Qualified

Opportunities

Comparing numbers > Comparing values > Single data series > Proportional objects

Category C has strongest % gain in

past year

Category A 0.8%

Category B 4.9%

Category C 15.9%

Category D 4.2%

Comparing numbers > Comparing values > Single data series > Table of insights

Most areas better than

last year and budget

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Gifts Food Wine Tours

Thousands

2013Budget

2014

Comparing numbers > Comparing values > Multiple data series > Multiple width overlapping column graph

In Q3 2014, 66% of phones sold were

smartphones

Source: Gartner

Smartphones

Comparing numbers > Components > One vs. total > Donut graph

Breakdown of claim denials shows

vast majority are correct

81

86

88

64

91

85

12

6

4

12

4

11

7

8

8

24

5

4

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Correct Process error System error

Percentage in each category that week

Comparing numbers > Components > One vs. total > Multiple 100% stacked bars

The LA call center has the best

ratings from customers

LA

Phoenix

New York

Miami

Ratings from automated survey in October 2012 - % shown in chart above

5 or lower 6-7 8-9 10

Goal is score of 8 or above

Comparing numbers > Components > One vs. total > Multiple 100% diverging stacked bars

Cash position down from end of

2012

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

Cash atstart of2013

Net cashfrom

operations

Net cashused in

financing

Net cashused in

investing

Effect ofexchange

rates

Cash atend of2013

6,938

28,833

-8,148

-23,811 -8

3,804

Comparing numbers > Components > Explain a difference > Waterfall chart

Manual review of declined applications

shows major problems in automated

system

Automated system Manual review

32%

accepted

68%

rejected

78% of

rejections

had

acceptable

scores

22% had

low scores

85% of

applications

should have

been

accepted by

the system

Comparing numbers > Components > Break down > Stacked column breakdown graph

Stock market not strongly correlated

to unemployment rate

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

4 5 6 7 8 9 101112 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112 1 2

Time (monthly data April 2012 – Feb 2014)

TSX Composite

Unemployment rate (%)

Comparing numbers > Trend > Multiple data series > Dual axis line graph

Design

interfaceCode

interface

Test interface Fix errors Final user

acceptance

testing

Process for developing new

customer service screens

Sequence > Linear > Single path > Shapes and arrows

How to determine which purchasing

procedure is required

Is value

over

$1,000?

Informal

Process

Is value

over

$20,000?

Formal

Quotation

Process

Formal

Bid

Process

No

Yes

Yes

No

Sequence > Linear > Multiple paths > Decision tree

Timeline for plant expansion project

Initial engineering

Public consultation

Revisions to plans

Approval

Tender

Construction

Wrap-up

Months1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Time > Duration shown > Gantt chart

Both options for CR62 are viable

Criteria Option 1 Option 2

Farmland impact 3 new ditch

crossings required

Utilize existing right-

of-way corridor

Relocations None 3 residential

Impact on Village Minimizes future

impacts

Results in additional

traffic flow in village

Construction costs Higher Lower

Entities > Comparison > Table

Approving water & sewer

infrastructure projects benefits

residents

Create jobs and economic development

+ Stewardship of the environment

+ Improve health & safety for residents

Increase in quality of life for residents

Entities > Mathematical > Equation diagram

Case study: Consolidation with

sustainable solution

Challenge:

Merge several offices into a single site solution

Cost Impact:

All-in lease cost remain the same & meet

LEED requirements to reduce operating cost

Solution:

3 Stories of large floor plates allow

consolidation into a single building with sustainable

features

Benefit:

Departments easily expand & contract within large

open floor plates. Project achieved LEED Silver

XYZCorporate Office

Anytown, AK

125,000 sq ft; opened Sep ‘09

Example > Written > Case study

Spend categories 2012

Spend Type 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

5 Year

Average

5 Year Average

% 2012%

General 249,054 2,481,352 1,767,562 1,591,451 1,391,017 1,496,087 15% 14%

Auto Parts & Service 1,271,069 1,273,898 1,448,000 1,317,280 1,434,094 1,348,868 14% 14%

Sponsorship-Community 1,102,207 1,154,687 1,665,917 1,534,918 1,186,727 1,328,891 14% 12%

Other 502,987 966,370 1,478,990 1,191,972 1,270,398 1,082,143 11% 13%

Garden Centre 642,300 274,998 606,483 687,719 551,829 552,666 6% 6%

ABC Money Promotion 283,773 470,059 587,860 455,188 680,664 495,509 5% 7%

Christmas 476,715 346,755 534,734 393,656 441,355 438,643 4% 4%

Sponsorship-Sports 492,361 291,510 59,647 382,744 930,222 431,297 4% 9%

Clearance 1,201,427 103,221 313,535 224,121 190,840 406,629 4% 2%

Leisure & Sports Products 267,147 405,436 342,616 360,742 318,695 338,927 3% 3%

RPM 249,218 300,025 300,000 255,000 300,000 280,849 3% 3%

Directory Advertising 414,517 165,320 303,511 282,255 198,572 272,835 3% 2%

Auto Parts & Service-PostCard Marketing 419,273 374,879 258,773 149,466 89,681 258,414 3% 1%

Home Products 553,493 243,638 115,939 152,622 105,538 234,246 2% 1%

Signage 261,170 173,136 185,723 222,735 194,207 207,394 2% 2%

Publications 412,161 185,490 134,807 162,822 122,145 203,485 2% 1%

Contests 169,745 46,248 333,049 154,728 217,701 184,294 2% 2%

Target Marketing 130,486 37,532 210,065 148,776 176,510 140,674 1% 2%

BounceBegin 27,204 12,594 166,820 77,100 102,023 77,148 1% 1%

Store Hours 54,442 42,464 22,292 60,454 26,522 41,235 0% 0%

Back to School 9,355 4,296 20,407 11,809 12,818 11,737 0% 0%

Correction Notice 2,869 2,338 3,464 1,745 610 2,205 0% 0%

Total 9,192,969 9,356,247 10,860,192 9,819,303 9,942,170 9,834,176 100% 100%

Largest differences in 2012 spend

vs. 5 yr avg

5%

2%

2%

-2%

-2%

-2%

Sponsorship – Sports

Other

ABC Money Promotion

Sponsorship – Community

Clearance

Auto Parts & Service – PostCard Marketing

Above 5 yr average

Below 5 yr average

Action items

Communication Action

Audience wants clarity

C-level needs insight

Plan message before creating slides

Headline & visual on slides

Dave Paradi, MBA

www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com