A presentation pitch deck for a venture capital start up that required thoughtful infographic design
the brief
The brief was to create a pitch deck for both print and digital mediums, primarily for presentations and networking events. As it was information-heavy, the design had to convey complex facts and figures in a digestible manner in order to appeal to a broad range of investors.
constraints
The audience were investors from all walks of life who were interested in investing in a venture capital start up. The risk came with how the start ups performed. It was a long-term investment and the complexities of it could dissuade a potential investor. The document aimed to convince, something that comes more naturally when the information is presented comprehensively yet simply.
Overall, the investment had to look trustworthy, the information reliable, and the opportunity exciting.
process
Structuring the pitch deck
While I was briefed with a document outlining what copy needed to go on what page, I was free to challenge those overarching decisions for clarity or design reasons. Most of my synthesising happened page-to-page, taking specialised financial information and making it digestible. First, I had to understand the content and learn concepts so I could work with it. Then, after understanding the overall document and its purpose, I took it section-by-section, page-by-page, using my statistics studies and analytics experience to identify which types of graphs and visualisations would best suit the data being presented.
Design decisions
Before I began my work creating a branded document, I created a brand style guide. Working at a start up I wore many hats and this was part of it. At first the brand guide was a simple document just for my use, but I later formalised it into document for use across the organisation.
Once I had my colour palette and fonts sorted, I could begin presenting the data visually. I designed customised infographics for each page, without ever repeating a visualisation. I ensured visual cohesion throughout by carefully building font and colour hierarchies.
In addition to the infographic and visual elements, I prioritised user accessibility and understanding by including clear section and subsection titles, section naming conventions, and section colour coding. I put together other decks, presentations and templates in this way.
Overall, I was given free creative reign and edits to my design choices were usually minor or were clarifying a choice I'd made given new information.
outcome
Overall, the pitch deck was used by managers for key stakeholder presentations and informed conversations in more intimate settings. The feedback was very positive and the personalised infographics built engagement and trust with potential investors.
The deck has been censored to protect confidential information.
