This is How to Use a Graph In a PowerPoint

What’s the best way to use graphs during a PowerPoint presentation.

You’ve heard me talk about this theme of two separate PowerPoint one that you’re projecting.

One that you’re handing out or emailing it again.

It’s about how people actually use things in a particular environment.

If you’re in a room listening to someone speak and there’s a screen 10 15 20 50 feet away and you glance up, you’re not going to sort of get out of your chair and look at the key of what every single element on a chart might mean

if someone’s handing you a piece of paper it’s really interesting you might turn and look at it.

So you’ve got to simplify

if you’re going to put a chart that you’re projecting.

My advice is focus on just two relationships and one main variable you want people to focus on.

If profits have gone down 50 percent in the last 18 months let’s just focus on where you were 18 months ago where you are today or if it’s doubled in the last six months.

Let’s show where we were then show where we are now where people can clearly see a doubling and then explain the one most significant reason why

the problem many people have is they want to show a chart that shows monthly revenues every month for the last three years and in all sorts of color codes and all sorts of text and that just isn’t how people process information.

Looking at a screen while someone else is turning the page.

Keep that complex graph for the email for the handout

the one that you’re showing needs to be simplified.

Rule of thumb eye is no more than two relationships and focus on one one main idea that you want them to take away from that chart.