PowerPoint tip 16

PowerPoint tip 16.

Use appropriate charts
Always be asking yourself, “How much detail do I need?” Presenters are usually guilty
of including too much data in their on-screen charts. There are several ways to
display your data in graphic form; here are a few things to keep in mind:

Pie Charts.
Used to show percentages. Limit the slices to 4-6
and contrast the most important slice either with
color or by exploding the slice

Horizontal Bar Charts.
Used to compare quantities. For example,
comparing sales figures among the four regions of the company.

Line Charts.
Used to demonstrate trends. For example, here is
a simple line chart showing that our sales have
gone up every year. The trend is good. The arrow
comes in later to underscore the point: Our future looks good!

In this title slide, the image is primary. In this slide of the same presentation, the
image is secondary and “pushed” to the back
by editing it first in Photoshop.

In general, tables are good for side-by-side comparisons of quantitative data.
However, tables can lack impact on a visceral level. If you want to show how
your contributions are significantly higher than two other parties, for example, it
would be best to show that in the form of a bar chart (below, right). If you’re
trying to downplay the fact that your contributions are lower than others,
however, a table will display that information in a less dramatic or emotional way.