Preparing Powerful Consulting Presentations

The majority of business communication happens with the use of presentations. Decks of PowerPoint and Keynote slides are used during most business meetings, they are employed to summarise key ideas in written communication and even replace Word documents as the form of choice for longer text pieces that include charts and graphics. In short, presentations are ubiquitous. Whether you still study, work in business or the public sector, or do research chances are you work with slide decks almost every day. If you are involved in creating any kind of slides used to convey information you will profit from taking this course.

Consultants of the top consulting firms are widely considered the masters of powerful presentations. The reason for it is their use of specific tools and rules when preparing presentations. In this course you will learn about these methods (and see examples of their use) which include:

adjusting your presentations to its purpose and audience
using the SPQA (Situation, Problem, Question, Answers) framework to define your presentation
structuring your slides vertically and horizontally and filling them with meaningful charts
abiding by several slide construction rules and argument structuring guidelines
using checklists to make sure your slides are flawless.

I will also walk you through best practices of slides preparation and equip you with pre-defined rule sets for preparing powerful presentations that you will be able to download.

Enroll now and take your presentation skills to the next level.

What's inside

Learning objectives

You will learn how to structure ideas in your presentations both across each slide and the whole deck
The flow of your presentations will improve via proper slide sequencing
You will learn by examples how to use frameworks that help build a presentation starting from loose ideas (spqa, storyboarding, etc.)

Your presentations will contain less mistakes and inconsistencies thanks to provided guidelines and checklists
You will understand how to choose appropriate visualisation methods to support your message
Your presentations will look much better thanks to taught best practices regarding graphics used by top consulting firms (with examples)

You will learn how to structure ideas in your presentations both across each slide and the whole deck
The flow of your presentations will improve via proper slide sequencing
You will learn by examples how to use frameworks that help build a presentation starting from loose ideas (spqa, storyboarding, etc.)
Your presentations will contain less mistakes and inconsistencies thanks to provided guidelines and checklists
You will understand how to choose appropriate visualisation methods to support your message
Your presentations will look much better thanks to taught best practices regarding graphics used by top consulting firms (with examples)

Syllabus

Introduction

Lecture content: how a given situation/scenario defines the way you think about the purpose of your presentation, your audience, the slides' content and style. Also, what kind of frameworks are often employed by consultants of the top consulting firms to plan out a presentation

Key words: audience, purpose, content, style

Lecture content: There are basically three ways to start a presentation one can choose depending on the presentation circumstances. The lecture answers the questions when to choose which of the three.

Key words: diagnostic oriented, facts oriented, action oriented, starting point

Lecture content: Every presentation should be structured along two dimensions: the horizontal and the vertical. The former ought to glue adjacent slides together, while the latter makes sense of information flow on every slide. This lesson teaches how to make meaningful use of these dimensions.

Key words: horizontal logic, vertical logic

Lecture content: How to plan the work on a deck of slides. What should be done before jumping into PowerPoint and Keynote and editing slide files?

Key words: task definition, thought structuring, document drafting, work review

Lecture content: Framing the whole presentation using SPQA with the use of an actual example.

Key words: SPQA framework, situation, problem, question, answers

Lecture content: How to make use of the piramid principle in building convincing slides. Building clear inductive or deductive arguments and mapping them onto slides.

Key words: pyramid principle, argumentation, logical tree, logical chain, probing question, follow on question, core message, main message, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning

Lecture content: Building slides with the use of deduction or induction. When to use which method?

Key words: logical tree, logical chain, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, core message, supporting message

Lecture content: What to consider when constructing a slide from top (header) to bottom (footer) including general rules for all visual elements.

Key words: header, topic, body, keep it simple and stupid

Lecture content: What questions to ask when reviewing a complete presentation draft? How to confirm that the flow of your slides makes sense and that separate slides are easy to understand.

Key words: storyline, flow, sequence, logic, structure

Lecture content: Twelve specific rules on all aspects of slide deck creation including meaningful structuring, compelling visuals, homogenous use of texts and graphical elements

Key words: tracker, animations, transitions, homogenous, unification

Lecture content: Meaningful tables and charts that fit the core message versus bad examples. Learning best practices by analyzing work of others'

Key words: tables, charts, qualitative, quantitative, pie chart, bar chart, column chart, dot chart, curve chart, matrix, process, org chart, gantt chart

Lecture content: Good slides versus bad slides. Examples of real life slides with comments. Applying lessons learnt to improve slide construction for the future

Key words: header, template, graphics, charts, coloring, so what

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Covers methods and techniques used by top-tier consultants to create impactful presentations, which may be of special interest to aspiring consultants

Demonstrates which visual elements and techniques are both effective and acceptable in professional practice

Offers best practices and checklists to facilitate clarity and consistency

Guides learners through industry-ready practices for structuring and presenting slides

Reviews summary

Mastering consulting presentation structure

According to learners, this course offers an exceptionally practical and structured approach to crafting powerful presentations, particularly beneficial for professionals in consulting or business roles. Students consistently praise the actionable frameworks like SPQA and the emphasis on vertical and horizontal logic, which significantly improve presentation clarity and persuasiveness. The instructor's expertise and the provision of invaluable checklists and templates are frequently highlighted. While the course excels at teaching argument construction and logical flow, some students note a desire for more updated visual examples or practical software design tips, suggesting it's primarily focused on content strategy over graphic execution.

More valuable for those new to structured business presentations.

"Good course overall, especially for those new to consulting-style presentations."

"For an intermediate user, much of it felt like a recap of what I already knew. I was hoping for more advanced techniques for data visualization."

"Perhaps better for beginners. I was looking for advanced design techniques and software tips, which weren't really covered."

Prioritizes argument construction and message over visual aesthetics.

"This isn't just about making slides; it's about making arguments."

"The focus is heavily on structure and logic, which is good, but not what I personally needed [for advanced design]."

"It clarifies the 'why' behind effective presentations, not just the 'how'."

"I particularly loved the practical examples demonstrating the SPQA framework and the horizontal/vertical logic."

Offers actionable tools and resources for immediate application.

"A very practical course with actionable advice. The focus on the pyramid principle and structuring arguments was particularly valuable."

"The provided templates and checklists are invaluable resources. I feel much more confident in my ability to craft compelling narratives with my slides."

"Excellent course that delivers on its promise. The practical tools and clear structure provided allowed me to immediately improve how I prepare my reports and client pitches."

"The downloadable checklists are a great bonus, super useful for a final polish."

Provides powerful frameworks for logical presentation structure.

"The SPQA framework and the vertical/horizontal logic concepts were incredibly impactful. I immediately started applying these principles to my client decks..."

"Absolutely brilliant! The instructor clearly knows their stuff and explains complex concepts like the horizontal and vertical logic in a digestible way."

"I especially liked the emphasis on audience and purpose. It effectively teaches how to think like a consultant when preparing a deck."

"The course truly demystifies the art of consulting presentations. The systematic approach, from audience analysis to the final checklist, is incredibly valuable."

Some learners desired more engaging delivery or hands-on practice.

"My main feedback would be that some parts felt a bit theoretical and I was looking for more hands-on exercises or case studies to practice the concepts immediately."

"However, the pacing felt a bit slow at times, and I found myself wishing for more interactive elements or assignments."

"The production quality could be improved slightly, perhaps with more dynamic visuals in the lectures themselves."

Some examples appear dated; limited emphasis on software-specific design.

"I found some of the examples to be a bit outdated visually, and the delivery style was a little dry at times."

"While the content is excellent, I wished there were more real-world examples from different industries... some of the slide design tips felt a bit basic."

"Disappointing. The course barely touched upon actual slide design software like PowerPoint or Keynote beyond mentioning them."

"A minor point: some of the older examples might not resonate as much with current design trends, but the principles remain timeless."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Preparing Powerful Consulting Presentations with these activities:

Follow tutorials on presentation best practices

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Enhance your presentation skills by following guided tutorials that provide expert insights and practical tips.

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Explore online tutorials and resources on presentation best practices
Identify areas where you can improve your presentation techniques
Apply the lessons learned from the tutorials to your own presentations

Read 'Slideology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations' by Nancy Duarte

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Gain in-depth knowledge about the principles and techniques of effective slide design and presentation delivery.

View Good Charts for Persuasive Presentations on Amazon

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Read the book thoroughly, taking notes and highlighting key concepts
Apply the principles learned from the book to your own presentations
Share your insights and learnings with your peers

Create a presentation using SPQA framework

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Apply the SPQA framework to structure your presentations and improve their overall organization and flow.

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Identify the situation, problem, question, and answers for your presentation topic
Create an outline based on the SPQA framework
Develop the content for each slide, ensuring alignment with the SPQA framework
Revise and refine your presentation to enhance its clarity and impact
Present your final product to receive feedback and insights

Two other activities

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Show all five activities

Participate in peer review sessions for presentations

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Gain valuable feedback and insights by participating in peer review sessions, allowing you to enhance the quality and effectiveness of your presentations.

Browse courses on Peer Review

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