In Module 3 of CFO Reporting Re-Imagined — Visual Storytelling, From Data to Action, you’ll move beyond spreadsheets full of numbers and examine visuals that drive decisions. Discover how to pair Excel’s charting, sparklines, and formula-driven conditional formatting with clean, executive-ready layouts that make trends and risks pop instantly. Then see Gen AI in action – suggesting optimal chart types, drafting concise commentary, and even providing follow-up questions—so you deliver clear, compelling insights quickly and accurately.
Learning Objectives
- Select chart types that best reveal trend and comparative insights for stakeholders.
- Apply conditional-formatting rules and clean layouts to spotlight risk by indicating outliers and reducing cognitive load.
- Use Gen AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT or Copilot) to propose chart options, generate audience-focused narratives, and determine follow-up questions for decision-makers.
Major Topics
Chart Selection for Trends & Comparatives — lines for rolling-LTM, clustered columns for YoY, waterfalls for bridge analysis, sparklines for quick context. Conditional Formatting for Storytelling — heat maps, icon sets, and formula-driven highlights that flag KPIs needing immediate action. Storyboarding with the “What-Why-How” Model — craft a three-sentence narrative that moves leaders from awareness to action. AI-Assisted Narratives & Chart Suggestions — see live prompts that turn variance tables into first-draft commentary and recommend the most persuasive visual.
