case study powerpoint template

case study powerpoint template

Creating an Effective Case Study PowerPoint Template

1. Introduction

A case study is a useful tool in helping to understand one complex thing. It can be considered an exercise in understanding or a problem-solving method. The result is the same: it provides direction. In our example, we’re going to try to understand how the tool can be used to improve the report that it is referencing. Step 2 is to define a structure for your case study. This can be anything from a simple written concept to a complex interactive presentation. In this tutorial, we’re going to define a PowerPoint presentation. It is often useful at this stage to define a brainstorming session. This can help to produce a lot of ideas in a short period of time and will allow easy organization of these ideas. It is a good idea to keep an open mind and try not to force anything. If something does not seem to fit, you can always revisit your task. Step 3 is to locate and organize information for your case study. This can be research from an external source, it can be a personal experience, or it can be simulated. In any case, the information needs to be of decent quality and it must be relevant. In our tutorial, we’re going to perform a simulated test. This involves actually using the tool and writing down any ideas or problems that we encounter. This task may take a while, so it is a good idea to have a means of saving and organizing information as it is gathered. In this case, it may be beneficial to make use of a sample case report template.

This approach walks through the entire process of creating an effective case study PowerPoint template. It will take you from defining your audience and structuring your story, through to delivering a memorable experience, and finally getting the response you want from your audience. Step 1 is to establish the need for your case study. You need to explain the purpose of your work and what it entails. For this tutorial, we’re assuming that the case study is part of an overall marketing or sales effort. In other words, the audience in some way needs or desires your product or service. For this particular case, let’s assume that the product is a tool that generates reports, and the audience is a report consumer. In this step, you will also want to determine the environment. This is useful for deciding how to create a setting in your images. In our example, the tool can be used for many different report generation tasks. So we’ll say that our environment is a specific report based on a set of data from an experiment. The final part of this step is to define the audience. This is essential as it will guide the level of technical information that you would choose to include.

Case studies are one of the most powerful ways for a brand owner to demonstrate what it delivers rather than what it offers. And an effective case study is one that resonates with your prospects and convinces them to take action. Creating an effective case study for your business is easy if you follow the simple and structured steps.

2. Key Elements of a Case Study PowerPoint Template

Slide 1: Title Slide – This slide is the guiding light for the case study. It should consist of a title and the primary author’s name. If it is a group project, you may add the names of the other contributors to the case study.

Case studies are often completed in Microsoft PowerPoint. This is a very effective platform for creating case studies. In the digital age, it is still the go-to place for information formatting. The entire case study should consist of at most 10 slides, excluding any references. The idea is to dissect an entire situation while only using the necessary details. After drafting your case study, you may need to make edits. You may find a few details need adjusting or that some information is irrelevant. No need to worry; with the incorporation of titles, text boxes, and highlighting, a revision can be far less time-consuming than copying and pasting in a word document. A case study done in PowerPoint also features a standalone quality, meaning you can quickly gather specific information. You can use it as the basis for a speech or, if it is school-related, a PowerPoint case study can serve as a group project which will be easy to assess. Following are specific techniques which can be implemented in PowerPoint.

3. Designing an Engaging Case Study Layout

Consider using multiple-layout itineraries to convey different types of information. For example, using one layout for quotes, another for key statistics, another for explanations of the problem, and so on. This can bring much more aesthetic appeal and effectiveness in communication to the case study. This also provides a structured navigation through the content for the reader.

Start going through your case study and identifying the content using an organized pattern in your mind. This will help organize the layout later on. Once you’ve analyzed the content of your case study and know what is going to be used, your next step is laying out the content in a legible and eye-catching manner. If the content is copy-pasted into the PowerPoint layout without any design effort, the result will most likely be a disappointing series of bullet points. This certainly will not engage the reader, and will not effectively communicate the message from your case study.

Redesigning a case study effectively requires being both a good communicator and a skillful designer. Since case studies are intended to convey an abundance of information to the reader, the material must be organized in a clear and coherent fashion.

4. Incorporating Visuals and Graphics

Audio/Visual aids can also be incorporated into a PowerPoint to create a more lasting impression on the viewer.

In the case study I provided the example of a surgery to fix a bladder problem at an equine hospital. I included several pictures of the urinary system in horses and diagrams of the procedure. I believe the best visual in this case was the hand drawn animation one of the vets did to explain the surgery to the owner. This “before and after” animation gave the owner a good idea of what would be done to the horse, how it would help, and what to expect during the horse’s recovery. The animation was a major selling point that helped the hospital gain the owner’s consent for the surgery.

The visual message can often times be even more powerful than the written message. Last year my dad had a heart attack and I had to take him to the emergency room. It was an extremely traumatic experience. I remember when it was all over I went to a health resource website to try to understand what had happened. The website was a fact sheet about heart attacks. It described the symptoms, the biology behind what happens during a heart attack, ways to prevent a heart attack, etc. But the one thing that really caught my attention was a video clip that showed an animated sequence of what happens to the heart during a heart attack. This video clip was extremely effective because it was an accurate representation of what had happened to my dad. After I watched this clip I had a better understanding of what had happened and I was able to start the healing process. This is a great example of how a visual can be more effective than words.

To incorporate visuals and graphics, you need to first decide what you want to communicate and to whom. For example, if you are trying to attract prospective engineering students, you may want to show pictures of current engineering students, professors, projects, labs, etc. Make sure your pictures and graphics are relevant and that they help your readers understand your message. Limit the amount of visuals you use to ones that will create the most impact and help your readers understand your message. Too many visuals can be distracting and take away from the message. Also, do not use visuals for the sake of using visuals. Make sure there is a clear purpose for each visual. During your presentation, be sure to explain each visual to your audience. Lastly, do not forget to cite your visuals if they are not your own.

5. Finalizing and Presenting the Case Study PowerPoint

Customize the sections and title. Finalizing and presenting the case study PowerPoint finally includes the tricky part of the case study. Use the case format to convince them that your case is worthy of their attention. Remember they have to be convinced. The class presentation is an excellent way to interest them in the case. Teaching notes can be used or the slide presentation can be orally presented (what you would say if you were presenting each slide in a classroom setting) to guide the presentation. For an oral presentation, it is best if one person does the talking, with possible other group members answering the question. Use the format to guide you in your presentation, taping the crucial areas of the case. Again, be sure to rehearse the presentation. Be prudent, and not every part of the case has to be presented to the class for a rich discussion. This just means that you may find certain areas of the case are much less valuable than you first thought and you can quickly amend or put less stress on that area of the case. Lastly, be sure to write “lessons learned” and “teaching note” on the PowerPoint printout of each slide to guide future presenters of the case and avoid confusion.