Writing Clear And Interesting Slides

WRITING CLEAR AND INTERESTING SLIDES

TODAY’S OBJECTIVE

To give you the tools to write slides that communicate the results of our work in a way that helps clients understand, accept, and use those results

This session will help you through the process of writing slides

From choosing the most appropriate slide type – words, tables, graphics

To writing a slide that is clear and interesting

WHAT PUZZLES YOU OR CHALLENGS YOU THE MOST WHEN WRITING SLIDES?

WRITING CLEAR, SUCCINCT, AND INTERESTING SLIDES

How to use slides in a presentation

How to choose among words, tables, graphics

How to display information on slides effectively

Good slides, bad slides

STRONG GROWTH IN OTHER PRODUCTS OFFSET BY PARTS’ DECLINE Alarm & detection 2,551 18.3 31.9 37.6 958 17.2 Broad diffusion 5,303 38.3 10.9 45.3 2,400 43.1 IR sensors 2,372 17.1 13.8 34.9 827 14.8 Chloride 1,524 11.0 (28.5) 40.9 624 11.2 Bulk chloride 1,270 9.2 (4.0) 50.5 641 11.5 Parts 152 1.1 (36.2) (9.9) (15) (0.3) Design 691 5 (2.9) 20.0 138 2.5 Total 13,863 100 (1.6) 40.2 5,573 100 Product 1991 Sales ($000) Sales % of Total 1987-91 CAGR (Real %) GM (%) GM ($000) GM % of Total Source: Annual Division Budget Messages are buried in the data Example

THE REDESIGN PROCESS INVOLVES FOUR DISCRETE STAGES

Current Organizational Structure

Extensive customer analysis

Customer service and support requirements

Detailed internal diagnostic

Time spent by activity by responsibility

Capacity of the system

Current contact model does not have capacity to serve all customers adequately

Several low value areas consume time

TSE time consumed by activities which could be handled more efficiently by other resources

No sales growth from current model

Lots of opportunity to leverage other resources, like CAS

Most customers receptive to recommendations that allow us to leverage sales force time

Analysis Findings Customer Technical Assistance Technical Assistance Ordering Technical Assistance Technical Assistance ES CAS TSE CSR DM Plant Price Concessions Group Price Concessions Expediting Price Concessions Expediting Ordering ASP selling/implementation ISP selling Quoting/cross-referencing Expediting Technical assistance in person Rotational calls Availability Expediting Price concessions VP and Director, MWS Division VP, National Sales Telemarketing Manager (1) Zone Managers (5) CAS Reps (4) District Managers (30) ESs (46) TSEs (186) TSRs (23) CS Manager (1) VP, National Sales CAS Manager Financial Analyst Team Leader Technical Engineers Remote Technical Engineers Customer Service Reps CAS Reps Quoting Availability Current Contact Model Proposed Contact Model Zone Operations Manager Analysis: Identify opportunities Evaluate Alternatives : Opportunities point to new contact model Business Managers Remote TE TE Team Leader Customer Plant CSR CAS Proposed Organizational Structure CS Managers (10) Telemarketing TSRs (13) CSRs (65) Latrobe Telemarketing (9) ES District Managers (6) Availability Quoting ISP cross-referencing Ordering Price concessions Expediting Too much information? Example CAS Manager (1)

THE 36” LIFTER DOMINATES SALES AND PROFIT 1992 Product Family Profitability 12.0 9.7 8.3 0.85 0.02 36” 14” 12” 96” 10” Discount Rate 4.66% Current Dollar G.I. ($M) 555 19 35 179 91 Revenues ($M) 349 17 19 60 30 Note: Width of bar is proportional to CDGI *Valuation ROI - 3y median CFROI Sources: LRP; HOLT Value Model CFROI (%) Lifter Bore (Volume) Example Is the complexity necessary?

PREMIUM LOW CALORIE SWITCHING OCCURRING WITHIN PREMIUM SEGMENT, NOT NEAR PREMIUM Halt the Leaks to Competitors 1990 & 1991 Most Often Brand Switchers Within Last Three Years Source: Continuous Tracking from Sample of 29,081; Consulting Analysis

91 (68) 23 )

267 (19) 248 )

5 (82) (77)

31 (37) (6)

109 (11) 98 )

412 (149) 263 )

--- --- ---

98 (155) (57)

218 (97) 121 )

0 (21) (21)

316 (273) 43 )

102 (90) 12 )

75 (19) 56 )

26 (33) (7)

312 (45) 267 )

1,866 1,334 (677) 657 )

Starting Base Won + Lost = Competitor B Net

Total Super Prem. 60 (98) (38)

Product 1 198 (56) 142 )

Product 2 6 (52) (46)

Product 3 25 (81) (56)

Other 153 (29) 124 )

Total PFC 382 (218) 164 )

Near Prem.

Product 1 97 (218) (121)

Product 2 79 (224) (145)

Product 3 --- --- --- )

Other 1 (55) (54)

Total PLC 177 (497) (320)

Other Segments

Segment 1 62 (104) (42)

Segment 2 110 (29) 81 )

Segment 3 22 (69) (47)

Segment 4 324 (72) 252 )

Total 2,836 1,137 (1,087) 50 )

Starting Base Won + Lost = Client Net Brand/Segment Raw data only, no analysis presented to support the conclusion (hypothesis) Example

117 (61) 56 )

290 (32) 258 )

7 (50) (43)

30 (37) (7)

92 (11) 81 )

419 (130) 289 )

155 (98) 57 )

--- --- ---

224 (79) 145 )

5 (19) (14)

384 (196) (188)

69 (99) (30)

75 (7) 68 )

34 (31) 3 )

366 (46) 320 )

1,721 1,464 (570) 894 )

Starting Base Won + Lost = Competitor A Net

Good slides are:

Bad slides are:

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN A GOOD OR BAD SLIDES? We will revisit toward the end of the session

SLIDES ARE VISUAL AIDS

Focus the audience’s attention on message

Help explain the message

Provide another means for the audience to process the information

Reinforce the message–aid to memory

Should not compete with the presenter

Presenter is primary means of communicating

difficult to read and listen at the same time

Calls for simple slides - simplicity means clarity in thinking

SLIDES ARE ALSO A RECORD OF THE PRESENTATION

Left behind for clients to read

Creating tension between

The need for a stand-alone explanation and

The need for a simple visual aid

Appropriate compromise depends on the audience and the purpose of the presentation

SEVERAL COMPROMISES ARE POSSIBLE

Prepare report or annotated slide book as leave-behind

Display information more effectively

Choice depends on

Complexity of message

Desired future use of presentation

Usually preferable to keep slides simple and select an alternative option

COMPROMISE MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE

Client Case Team

Business Managers

Board of Directors

High As necessary Low 2-4 hrs. 1-2 hrs. 20-30 min. Participative discussion Question and answer Formal presenting Type of Audience Level of Detail Length of Presentation Presentation Style Source Source: Consulting Experience

Graphics

Tables

Word slides

Combinations of the above

FOUR WAYS TO PRESENT INFORMATION

BASIC GUIDELINES HELP YOU SELECT FORMATS

Do I need to illustrate a reasonably simple relationship ?

Use a table or a graphic

Especially when showing numerical data

Do I need to illustrate a complex relationship ?

Use a table

Do I have something other than a relationship ?

Use a word slide or a conceptual graphic

BUT THE FINAL SELECTION DEPENDS ON THE MESSAGE YOU WANT YOUR AUDIENCE TO TAKE AWAY

Use graphics if you want audience to

Remember relative trends

Picture the flow

Use tables when you want the audience to know or be able to refer to

Specific numbers

Methodology to calculate numbers

Use word slides if you want audience to understand

Specific logic flow

Recommendations

GRAPHICS HELP THE AUDIENCE VISUALIZE THE POINTS

Help audience identify important points quickly

Best suited to display relationships, both quantitative and qualitative

Where relationship is too complex for words

not too simple

nor too complex–multiple relationships can be obscured by graphic

Where visual impact will help convey message

Graphic format should be considered first; if a graph is not optimal, then consider words or a table

Steady growth of banking assets Lending balance keeps stable CHINA COMMERCIAL BANKING SECTOR IS LARGE WITH STEADY GROWTH 829 997 1,068 1,067 CAGR(97-99): 10% YoY: 0% Banking (1) asset at the end of the period (2) (USD BN) Lending outstanding balance at the end of the period (3) (USD BN)

Excluding post office finance, urban and rural credit cooperatives

2000 is an estimate, assuming ICBC, CCB and BOC accounting for 60% of the banking sector asset

2000 is an estimate, assuming the 4 major banks accounting for 72% of the banking sector loan outstanding balance

Source: China Financial Almanac; IMD; Lit. search; BCG analysis

Example 1,491 1,521 1,678 1,893 CAGR(97-00): 7.9%

MARKET PROJECTION PRIMARILY BASED ON COUNTRY STATISTICS AND CONSUMER RESEARCH Projection Methodology China market potential Parameters Drivers Source Volume Growth Revenue # of babies % on BF Average consumption Average price by product type Weighted volume X X X Future trend of parameters

Birth rate

Population

Geography

Income

Age of baby

Usage behavior

Product by stage

Manufacturer ownership

Package type

Share

Birth growth rate

BF usage trend

Price trend

Consumer research

Cross-country comparison

Statistics Bureau

Competitive analysis

Store checks

Trade interviews

Statistics Bureau

Consumer research

Desk research

ERC report

Competitive interviews

Example

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY? Column Pie Line Stacked Column Map Bubble Relationship Multiple Pie Area Bar Spider Scatter Changes over time Parts of a whole Comparison of several items or places Relationships between variables Descriptive Explanatory Simple information Complex information When to use what?

SOME BASIC RULES FOR DESCRIPTIVE GRAPHICS For Time Series, Use a Column or Line Chart

Western cultures read time as moving from left to right

Common convention

Use a column or stacked column chart if

Fewer than ten or so time periods

Data is accumulated in discrete occurrences

e.g., periods of production

Use a line or area chart if

More than ten or so data points/periods

Data is continuous or cumulative

e.g., number of stores, stock prices by days

Trends (i.e., slopes) are the point you want to make

GROWTH IN TRADE FINANCE SLOWED AND WILL REMAIN SLUGGISH Trade finance expected to decline 10% in 1998 Total trade finance (US$B) 15% 27% 16% 9%

Slow-down in external trade has contributed to the decline

Expected trade set back in the near future will further make trade finance decline

Source: HK banking industry; Paribas Asia Securities; HK Monetary Authority CAGR 92-97 14% 4% -10% Trade volume growth 13% 24% 17% 3% 2% -5% Example

SOME BASIC RULES FOR DESCRIPTIVE GRAPHICS For Item Comparisons or Comparison of Parts of a Whole, Use a Bar Chart or a Stacked Column Chart

Use a bar chart for

Market research survey responses

Competitor comparisons

reserves column charts for time series comparisons

leaves room for long labels on the left axis

Use a stacked column chart for

Cost structures or cost structure comparisons

Regional market share comparisons

Changes or differences in mix across time or competitors

MOTHERS WILLING TO BREASTFEED BUT WOULD USE INFANT FORMULAE AS A SUPPLEMENT Supplement baby food Baby food better for baby “ Cannot” breastfeed (not enough milk) Do not have time to breastfeed (e.g. work reasons) Others (1) (1) Typical other reason: baby likes it Source: Survey results; BCG analysis Why do you choose baby formulae? Example Total 0-6 month 6-12 month 1-3 year

FOREIGN PLAYERS ALREADY HAS A STRONG FOOT INTO FOREIGN CURRENCY BUSINESS Share of foreign currency loans (As at the end of 1999) 4 major state-owned banks Other local banks Foreign banks Example

SOME BASIC RULES FOR DESCRIPTIVE GRAPHICS For Complex Spatial and Temporal Comparisons, a Range of Mapping Techniques Are Available

Use territory map for

Market attractiveness

Competitor penetration

Use a process or time map for

Efficiency measures

Time lines

Process flows

SOME BASIC RULES FOR EXPLANATORY GRAPHICS For Regressions and Causal Relationships

Use an XY scatter chart for

Point regressions

do not show regression line if slide is for exploratory purposes

but include it if you are sure of the point you want to make

Use a bubble chart for regressions where

A third dimension is required

e.g., assets or sales

bubble size should always refer to size-related variable (e.g., assets, but not profitability)

AFFLUENT IS AN ATTRACTIVE SEGMENT, GENERATING HIGHEST CONTRIBUTION PER CUSTOMER Segment breakdown of contribution per customer Upper 150 Affluent 40 50000 7000 Annual contribution per customer (US $) -2500 Size of market (m) (No. of customers) -5 15 Mass 80 2500 Source: Press literature, AC Nielson, Business-On-Line, Ministry of Commerce, BCG case experience and analysis Example = Total contribution (B)

SOME BASIC RULES FOR EXPLANATORY GRAPHICS For “Novel” Comparisons

Use a spider chart for

Gap analysis along multiple dimensions simultaneously

perceptions vs. reality

client vs. competitors

Use “novel” graphics where an unusual point needs to be made

Difficult to devise

But sometimes nothing else works

?

TABLES ARE ALSO USED TO DISPLAY QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA

Use a table when

You have too many relationships for a graph

You want to make your calculations overt

You want to emphasize individual values

either words–types of distributors

or numbers

Do not use tables for most other applications

Tend to be cluttered and difficult to read, obscuring the message

Tend to use it as backup or appendix

WORD SLIDES HAVE SEVERAL USES

To lead audience through logic flow

Not used for proof, except for interview quotes

To summarize findings, recommendations

To present qualitative information

Most concepts can be effectively presented in words

To present very simplistic data

But don’t bury numbers in slide–difficult for audience to grasp the meaning

Presents the message both visually and verbally

Usually best with simple data or conceptual graphic

However, make sure the slides do not become too confusing

COMBINING FORMATS CAN MAKE MESSAGE STRONGER

CUSTOMER INTERACTION FAR FROM IDEAL % of Calls Handled Transferred Referred 35% of all customer service calls are transferred or referred

“ I’ve been back and forth, back and forth (between Billing and Customer Service) about six times.”

Customer of Granada Hills Customer Service when asked if he would like to be transferred to Billing

“ I’ve finally spoken with someone with some intelligence—after about six conversations.”

Irate customer of Granada Hills Customer Service

“ It would be so much easier if we could just look at the bill.”

Customer Service rep to Billing rep when calling to get information for customer

Customers are frustrated by process Sources: Call Monitoring (Granada Hills, Ohio, Louisville, Indiana, Garland); Consulting Analysis 65 25 10 Example

FOLLOWING EXAMPLES PRESENT SAME DATA IN DIFFERENT FORMATS

Quantitative data

Sales and profit over time

Comparison of features for products in market

Two options for technical specialist deployment

Qualitative data

Flow of presentation

Segmentation

Sales have grown by 11% per annum since 1989

Company X sold $60 million in 1989

Sales expected to be $90 million in 1993

Profits have grown more rapidly at 17% per annum

Company X had profits of $16 million in 1989

Profits expected to be $20 million in 1993

PROFITS GROWING FASTER THAN SALES - 1 Exercise 1 Source: Abco Data

PROFITS GROWING FASTER THAN SALES - 2 Exercise 2 CAGR (%) 11 19 Dollars ($, million) Sales Profits Source: Abco Data

PROFITS GROWING FASTER THAN SALES - 3 Exercise 1 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 CAGR (%) Sales ($, Million) Profit ($, Million) 60 66 73 81 90 11 10 12 15 18 20 19 Source: Abco Data

FOCUSING ON SMALL CUSTOMERS WILL PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM LEVERAGE - 1

A technical specialist spends more time with large customers

An average of 8 hours in person per call for large customers, versus . . .

15 minutes on phone per call for small customers

Consequently, a single specialist can cover more small customers

Can only serve one large customer per day

Can serve 8 small customers per day

Exercise 2 Source: Phone Co.

FOCUSING ON SMALL CUSTOMERS WILL PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM LEVERAGE - 2 Exercise On-site Time with Large Customer Number of customers served in one day On-phone Time with Small Customer

8 hrs.

1

15 min.

32

Source: Phone Co. Time spent per service call

FOCUSING ON SMALL CUSTOMERS WILL PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM LEVERAGE - 3 Time Spent per Service Call Possible Calls per Day 8 hrs. 15 min. 1 32 Exercise 2 Source: Phone Company

AGENDA

Order taking

Customer conversation

Order entry into system

Manufacturing

Scheduling

Production

Distribution

Packaging

Shipment

Exercise 3

AGENDA

Customer conversation

Order entry into system

Exercise 3

Scheduling

Production

Packaging

Shipment

Distribution Manufacturing Order Taking

TO DISPLAY INFORMATION EFFECTIVELY, YOU NEED TO

Focus on your audience and what they need/want to know

Start with their concerns

Tell their story, not your story

Focus on key concepts and characters

From audience’s perspective

To make text more coherent

To provide context for the audience

Organize slides around the audience and the important concepts, characters

THE SLIDE—THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCK

BODY Support for main point

Words • Schematic

Table • Graph(s)

TITLE TAKEAWAY, OR TRANSITION TO NEXT SLIDE May be oral Main point of the slide Notes, Source

HOW TO MAKE SLIDES USER FRIENDLY

Title

Context at beginning

New information at end

Body

Consistent subjects for main points

the concepts and characters

Simple grammatical structure and parallel style

THE TRANSITION RELATES THIS SLIDE TO THE NEXT ONE

Keeps the story going

Summarizes the slide, reiterates the main point, or draws out implications

Can be written or oral

The slide's exclamation point

THIS IS WHERE THE TITLE (ALL CAPS) IS POSITIONED The subtitle follows with only an initial cap

The body of a word slide follows an outline format, beginning with main points which start with a capital letter

The second level is called a bullet point; it also begins with a capital letter

the third level is called a dash point; it begins with a lowercase letter

the fourth letter is a dot point (no cap); it is best to avoid these

No end punctuation follows any of these points

RECOMMENDED FORMAT FOR TABLES AND BOXES Type of assignment Corporate strategy Marketing strategy development Client Major German brewer Major U.S. brewer Scottish brewer Various Major European brewer Australian wine & spirits company Major U.S. brewer Goal of the study Strategic alliances in Europe Acquisition strategy Strategy development Acquisitions in brewing and soft drinks in Spain European brand Brand extension strategies Brand positioning Backup

THIS IS THE FORMAT FOR TABLES Chain Segment

Off-premise

Supermarket

C-store

Drug

Gas

Liquor/Other

On-premise

Total

Market Growth 4.8 6.2 2.0 7.0 5.6 6.0 2.0 4.6 Share Gain 6.9 7.1 2.0 0.1 27.7 10.7 24.5 7.1 1989-90 CAGR Total (%) 11.7 13.3 4.0 7.1 33.3 16.7 26.5 11.7 % Due to Sales Efforts Driving Growth Source: Market Research Backup

RECOMMENDED GRAPH FORMAT 100 75 50 25 0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Scale in 12 point Y label centered in 12 point Graph heading 16 point, capital letter for first word Legend in 12/14 with box* *Optional Source: Text inside graph flexible (12 or 14 if possible) X label in 12 point (14x9) Backup

USE THESE QUESTIONS TO REVIEW YOUR SLIDES