Let’s take a look at some of the most messed-up, incomprehensible recent examples of quantation. Not surprisingly, all are graphs. But some come from sources that definitely should know better.
In my last article, I listed four questions you should ask yourself, and the order you should ask them in. In this article, we address Question #1: Which is the most effective way to impart your key information?
When the graph is the right way to present your FP&A information, several important questions should be asked.
In this episode of the FP&A Trends Video Series, Randall Bolten, author of "Painting with Numbers" talks about how to effectively present numbers for FP&A professionals. Presenting numbers is communicating, and therefore there are certain tips to make sure it is done correctly.
Some time ago, the FP&A Board in London saw members debate whether fancy business intelligence (BI) software tools are a wise or even necessary investment. The general consenus was that boardroom members often don’t want to see complicated graphs, instead preferring to see the numbers in a flat 2D table. “I’ve worked for a chief financial officer [CFO] who hated graphs,” said one senior FP&A professional. “As a finance person, he wanted numbers, not graphs. He even got his PA to print off a dynamic clickable dashboard I produced! A lot of a presentation depends upon who you are presenting to. I’ve certainly adapted my technique and tools depending upon who is listening.”
“A good sketch is better than a long speech…” a quote often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. Companies are collecting, organising, storing, and analysing data from hundreds of sources, and the volume is increasing exponentially. But this data is only relevant if it can be used to drive outcomes and make timely business decisions. So it is essential to you can understand and evaluate the data quickly, and this is where data visualisation comes in.