Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 12Presenting Model Output

Once a model has been built, you then need to display its results clearly and concisely to get your message across, via a written report or oral presentation. The output and presentation of the results are just as important as the rest of the model-building process, because there is no point in having a fantastically built model that none of the decision-makers knows about or is able to interpret. This final stage of the model-building process is sometimes not given much focus by modellers, particularly those whose skills are often more analytical than visual.

PREPARING AN ORAL PRESENTATION FOR MODEL RESULTS

Many analysts and modellers would agree that public speaking is not their favourite part of the job and whilst it might be fun to imagine your senior management in their underwear, it might be more helpful to be prepared and follow these basic tips.

As the person who knows the model best, financial modellers are often requested to communicate the results of the financial model as a formal presentation to the board or senior management. Understandably, many detail-oriented analysts often find that it is quite a challenge to distil their 20MB financial model that has taken weeks to build into a 10-minute presentation.

Although most senior management may not be interested in seeing the model itself, they might like to see live and changing scenarios. If the model is built correctly, you'll be able to make a single change to the input assumptions ...