Finance (and other) professionals often analyze current performance compared to past performance or plans to look for variances. Too often they copy the spreadsheet onto a slide. This slide makeover shows how you can focus the message with visuals when you are discussing variances.

1. Slide Makeover #86:
Focusing the message for
variance analysis
Based on Dave Paradi’s ideas at
www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com

2. Finance (and other) professionals
often analyze current performance
compared to past performance or
plans to look for variances. This is
done in spreadsheets and results
in slides like this…

3. Expense Variance Analysis
I spared you the pain of seeing the entire
spreadsheet on the slide, but you get the point.

4. Where should the audience look when
they see a wall of numbers?
How can the presenter get the audience
to focus on the few items that need
attention?
And how can the presenter prevent a
question on one of the numbers that is
not really relevant to the key messages?

5. The visual needs to focus the
audience on the key variances,
both favorable and unfavorable,
that require management attention.
By building the slide piece by
piece, the presenter has control of
the message. Start with this slide.

6. 16932
50522
16374
11706
-55496
-11445
-6737
55712
-43705
Total
Employee Comp.
Benefits & Taxes
Communications
Legal
Prof. & Misc Services
Rating Services
Other Favorable
Other Unfavorable
Greatest non-revenue expense variances to plan
due to employee related issues
Vacancies: VP, Manager, 4
sups, 2 programmers, etc.
Employee labor dispute.
Expected to continue into 2016
Credit card fees
Phone Co. refund

7. The first slide has the headline
summarizing the message the
presenter wants the audience to
leave with. On the graph, the
presenter is showing the total
variance to plan to give initial
context. The next slide is …

8. 16932
50522
16374
11706
-55496
-11445
-6737
55712
-43705
Total
Employee Comp.
Benefits & Taxes
Communications
Legal
Prof. & Misc Services
Rating Services
Other Favorable
Other Unfavorable
Greatest non-revenue expense variances to plan
due to employee related issues
Vacancies: VP, Manager, 4
sups, 2 programmers, etc.
Employee labor dispute.
Expected to continue into 2016
Credit card fees
Phone Co. refund

9. Focus first on the favorable
variances. In this case, expenses
that are below plan. Some
explanation is helpful for the
audience. Especially where that
favorable number may turn around
later in the year as things change
(ie. vacancies are filled). Next …

10. 16932
50522
16374
11706
-55496
-11445
-6737
55712
-43705
Total
Employee Comp.
Benefits & Taxes
Communications
Legal
Prof. & Misc Services
Rating Services
Other Favorable
Other Unfavorable
Greatest non-revenue expense variances to plan
due to employee related issues
Vacancies: VP, Manager, 4
sups, 2 programmers, etc.
Employee labor dispute.
Expected to continue into 2016
Credit card fees
Phone Co. refund

11. Now we get to the unfavorable
variances. Again, some
explanation is helpful, especially
where the variance may continue
to grow in the future (ie. ongoing
legal dispute). Executives tend to
focus more on unfavorable
variances, so expect more
discussion here. Finally …

12. 16932
50522
16374
11706
-55496
-11445
-6737
55712
-43705
Total
Employee Comp.
Benefits & Taxes
Communications
Legal
Prof. & Misc Services
Rating Services
Other Favorable
Other Unfavorable
Greatest non-revenue expense variances to plan
due to employee related issues
Vacancies: VP, Manager, 4
sups, 2 programmers, etc.
Employee labor dispute.
Expected to continue into 2016
Credit card fees
Phone Co. refund

13. All of the other favorable and
unfavorable variances are grouped
and shown so that the total variance at
the top is fully broken down. There is
no need to show all the details, focus
only on the variances that require
attention. Make the spreadsheet
available online if someone wants to
see all the numbers.

14. So to answer the questions I posed
at the start.

15. Where should the audience look
when they see a wall of numbers?
Don’t force them to figure it out.
Use a visual instead of a wall of
numbers.

16. How can the presenter get the
audience to focus on the few items
that need attention?
Only show them what you need
them to know. Group the other
values so the math is correct, but
leave the details to a supplemental
document you provide afterward.

17. How can the presenter prevent a
question on one of the numbers
that is not really relevant to the key
messages?
Reveal only the key messages one
at a time using multiple slides or
animation so the presenter controls
the message.

18. Before After
Lessons:
1. Use visuals instead of spreadsheets.
2. Reveal the key messages one at a time to control the discussion.
3. Only show the figures that require action. Group the rest and provide a
detailed document later.
Quick recap:
More makeovers available at www.SlideMakeoverVideos.com

19. If you would like me to help
your team create presentations
that have a clear message with
focused content and effective
visuals, get in touch:
P: 905-510-4911
E: Dave@ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com
W: www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com