Presentation Design - The graphic on the right

Microsoft does not know much about design heckuva show, but one thing they do correctly in PowerPoint is to make available different types of charts in order to match the type of chart to the point you're trying to do with your data. There are twelve different types of graphs available in PowerPoint 2000, but few of these styles work well in low resolution world of computer-based presentations. With few exceptions, this is how you want to use the following types:

Pie charts or Share

bar charts or comparative amounts

Graphs or line trends, time

Pie charts

Pie charts (pie charts commonly misnomered) are one of the most abused, and misused, types of charts, primarily because they are so easy to make, and easy to make a good impression. They are abused when they chose to show the quantity rather than shares. The beauty of pie charts is that they show so clearly what they have to prove, ie, how each element contributes at all. In most cases, the actual amounts percentages - in this case - are actually secondary to the surface of the slices in terms of telling the story.

When you look at a pie chart with five or fewer slices, your brain can quickly see which groups dominate. We often see pie charts with more than 5 items, but then becomes more difficult to understand in a short time. In most cases, consider whether your story must include details of all the players, or insignificant if a group of employees may be classified as "other."

If you want to show how the volume of each element contributes, rather than the village, we recommend using a bar graph.

Bar Graphs

To visualize the relative sizes of different segments, and the actual amounts, we recommend using a bar graph. The bar graphs are designed to show the volumes with respect to an axis y which clearly outlines the units of measurement. Having a number of bars next to each other, we can see how each element in comparison with others, as well as the absolute volume of the element represents.

There are variations in the bar graph, as a stacked bar, where the different elements are stacked one above the other to form a series, or a bar graph 100%, where all the bars are of the same height, but are divided to show what percent of the whole volume reflects. In a presentation environment, esoteric options are best avoided.

Line Graphs

Line charts have the unique advantage to talk about right-brain biases of information. That is, when typically conditioned western minds see a chart with the lack of labeling, which automatically assigns "volume" for the y axis, with the meaning "up" "more", and a time line for the x , with his left hand meant more recently. Just as we read from left to right, moving right means unconsciously positive movement.

We recommend using a line chart, then, to show a progression in value at any moment. The elevation of the line at any point represents the amount of data tracked at that time. The public, wanting to be the first to know, automatically make assumptions about the nature of values ​​x and y axes represent. Do not disappoint them.

Data Labels

The graphics are a great way to make complex information easy to understand. But graphs work best only when you properly integrate words, numbers and images. Whenever possible, label the elements of your chart directly on the same elements, rather than relying on the ever popular murderess clarity, the legend. Legends require too much effort on the part of listeners to distinguish exactly what each data point. Just be sure the labels do not clutter up the otherwise clear "picture" of a graph can do well.

If you have a series of graphs in the presentation, you'll want to avoid an overload of data dumped on the public by an excess of each label. In fact, in many cases you can tell your story with enough force to be only the size of your data items, without burdening their minds with numbers that are likely to forget the end of the presentation. However, there is also a bad idea to have what we call "reference slides" that do not contain all the data attached to the end of your deck master slide. To really impress the crowd, install hyperlinks to the slides from those in your main show, and when some vice-president makes a stink you want to know the whole story, zap the total-info slide and give him what he wants. He probably will not ask again ....