From Numbers to Narratives: Engaging Presentations with Excel
"From Numbers to Narratives: Engaging Presentations with Excel" is designed for:
Business Professionals seeking to transform complex data into compelling, easily digestible presentations for stakeholders.
Marketing and Sales Teams aiming to visually showcase performance metrics, trends, and forecasts to drive strategic decisions.
Academics and Researchers who need to present their data findings clearly and persuasively at conferences, in classrooms, or in publications.
Any Excel User interested in elevating their reporting skills, making data-driven narratives accessible and engaging for any audience.
Requirements:
Excel Essentials and Intermediate; or intermediate proficiency
Experience with PowerPoint
Some presentation experience helpful
High-speed internet access
A Windows-based PC (You can follow along on your Mac, but there will be differences between the versions. A dedicated Mac class would be better.)
A desktop computer or laptop (i.e., NO tablets or phones.)
MS Office 365 subscription (Gives you all the latest tools and security updates.)
Standalone versions Excel 2019, 2021 (Some features not available in the standalone versions.)
Class Outline:
Foundation of Data Storytelling
Total Duration: 3 Hours
Understanding Your Audience and Data: Tailoring your narrative to audience needs and selecting relevant data.
Charts for Storytelling: Choosing the right type of chart (Bar, Line, Pie, etc.) for your data story. Tips on creating engaging and readable charts.
Exercise: Create a basic chart that tells a part of your data story.
Advanced Chart Features and PivotCharts: Customizing charts to enhance storytelling.
Introduction to PivotCharts for dynamic data presentations.
Exercise: Create a regular chart or a PivotChart for interactive storytelling practice.
Formatting for Impact: Using conditional formatting and custom styles to highlight key data points and trends.
Exercise: Apply conditional formatting to a dataset to automatically highlight significant figures.
Break (8-10 minutes)
All Participants will receive:
Sample Excel file for use in class and practice afterwards
Access to a recording of the class
10% off their next class!
Part 2: Crafting and Presenting the Narrative
Building Dashboards: Overview of dashboard elements. Simple strategies for combining multiple charts and data points into an engaging dashboard.
Exercise: Design a basic dashboard incorporating various charts.
Linking Excel with PowerPoint: Best practices for integrating Excel charts into PowerPoint slides for seamless presentations. Techniques for ensuring data remains up-to-date.
Exercise: Embed an Excel chart into a PowerPoint slide and explore linking options.
Narrative Techniques: Crafting your data story - how to structure your presentation for maximum impact. Tips on storytelling elements that keep your audience engaged.
Discussion: Share tips on turning data into a compelling story, using the created charts and dashboards.
Wrap-Up and Q&A: