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How to Create a Problem-Solving Google Slides Presentation

At its core, running a business is a problem-solving practice. To conquer challenges, you'll need team buy-in. It helps to create presentations that highlight problem solution slides.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to use 7-step problem-solving techniques in presentations. It's critical to present the problem in a way that makes sense to the audience.

You'll see presenting problem examples to drive great discussions. Then, you'll learn how to create slides that share a solution to the problem at hand. Let's jump in!

Jump to content in this section:

Problem-Solving Presentations and Basic Slides to Include

Learn more about google slides, more top google slides templates.

• The Best Source for Google Slides Templates (With Unlimited Downloads)

You Just Learned Problem Solution Slide Skills

Problems are a fact of life and business, but they can also be repositioned as opportunities for improvement. When a problem is framed properly, you can present options and move past it with growth.

In this tutorial, we'll tackle how to create problem solution slides. Not only will it show you how to frame a problem, but it will also help you get support from your team.

To save time and create great designs, we'll use a design from Envato Elements. The 7S Problem Solving Google Slide Template has a litany of pre-built slides we can use. With these out-of-the-box visuals, we can simply update the template with our specifics.

This template includes many great designs that connect to the  7-Step Problem-Solving framework. The 7-Step Problem-Solving approach is a hybrid of many common management frameworks for problem-solving. 

Here are the key steps:

• Define the problem: It's important to start by framing the problem. Use a slide to explain the problem and its possible causes.
• Analyze the problem: After an initial hypothesis, it's important to turn to data. Use data analysis to dig deeper into the "why" for the problem and solution.
• Define the goals: Before you solve a problem, you should set goals. You can then test your potential solutions to ensure they move you toward those goals.
• Generate potential solutions: Brainstorming is crucial. You need a range of options to choose from, so generate ideas with an open mind.
• Select the solution: After sifting through potential options, narrow the scope to a single path forward. 
• Implement the solution: Once a solution is selected, you need an action plan to put it into practice. Use a slide to share the implementation plan.
• Evaluate the results: You might not  choose the perfect solution to a problem. It's important to monitor results with an open mind. That gives you the freedom to adjust your solution to the problem.

Now, let's review seven slides that connect to the 7-step problem-solving framework.  You could use slides like these to spark a group discussion. Plus, they can help you align on the path forward. Or use them to explore problems and solutions in your own business. Let's dive in!

1. The Problem Statement Slide

Let's build out an example slide that focuses on defining the problem. This is an under-appreciated part of the problem-solving process.

If the group doesn't agree on the problem presented, how can you develop a solution? Slide 2 is ideal for teeing up the problem and building up the "why" factors that contribute.

In my experience, sharing a problem statement slide sparks discussion. Use this as a working session to define the problem being presented. It's best to start out with an open, candid conversation.

Start the session with only two things complete: the slide title and the Problem  statement. Then, use a working session with your team to fill out all of the  Why?  points on the slide. It's crucial to use this process to build buy-in from your team.

2. The Problem Analysis Slide

Here's a tip I've found for framing the problem presented: you need to bring data to the table. Tie your approach back to the problem, and the solution will become clear. 

Slide 14 is what's known as a  Pareto chart,  and it's ideal for showing parts that make up the entirety of the problem. In many cases, the Pareto chart highlights two to three key drivers that explain almost the entire story.

In a Pareto chart, you'll list the key statistical factors that contribute to your problem. Populate the leftmost bars with the largest drivers. You can use the overlaid line chart to build toward 100%. This visual highlights the most prevalent root causes, which can help you formulate solutions to the problem options.

If you don't have data, you might want to rethink how you're framing the problem. After all, if you lack data about the problem, how can you arrive at a solution? Consider taking a step back to collect data that builds buy-in for change.

3. The Objective-Setting Slide

If you don't set a goal, how will you know if you've solved your problem? It's important to create a slide that sets the objective for solving the problem presented.

I'll start with Slide 3 in the presentation, which most closely resembles a timeline. But there's no reason that you have to use it for chronological data. I'm going to customize it to show the key pillars of my objectives.

Remember that at this stage in the process, we haven't decided on an exact path forward. I like to use an objective-setting slide to paint a high-level vision.

As an example, I customized the slide with key objectives. In my case, I opted to remove the icons and simplify the "timeline" to just four key pillars. This brings more focus to the slide.

Remember that every slide in our presentation is totally customizable. It's designed to give you a starting point. Then, you can use these presenting problem examples to describe  your  scenario.

Don't forget: if the icons on this slide don't match your business purpose, you can source other icon sets on Envato Elements . Your subscription unlocks Google Slides problem-solving templates and icons.

4. The Solution Exploration Slide

By now, some trends should emerge in your exploration of the problem. You've probably started to zone in on several key options you could use to solve the problem.

At this stage, I suggest gathering the potential range of solutions and building out a slide that shares them. You could use any slide for this approach, but I like to display them all for discussion. You can use slide 6 in our template for this.

Remember that great slides can serve as the catalyst for a discussion. By sharing your ideas, you're sure to ignite more ideas for collaboration.

5. The Solution Selection Slide

It's time to share the solution implemented. For this, I'll use slide 11.

In situations like this, I employ a tactic that I call "something for everyone." You want to create buy-in from every group and let them know they were considered in decision-making.

Slide 11 is great for this concept. Think of each of these blocks as an opportunity to explain your decision. Use one block per group or team affected, and then share your idea.

6. The Solution Implementation Slide

Once you've settled on a solution to the problem presented, you're ready to formulate a plan. That means taking the individual action steps and sequencing them. For this, I love slide 12, which uses a  Gantt chart.

The Gantt chart methodology is common and powerful for planning a project. Most projects consist of many actions that run in parallel. By using a Gantt chart, you can show each of those steps and who owns them.

For a complete guide to creating a Gantt chart in Google Slides, check out our tutorial below:

7. The Results Review Slide

Change management is an ongoing process. It means revisiting your results over time to ensure that the solution addresses the problem. 

I recommend using a slide like slide 13 to keep your team posted with the results of your solution. You can use each of these points on the slide to monitor metrics to measure project success.

That's it! You've created a deck that includes all of the essential problem solution slides. With this approach, you can spark great group discussion and formulate a plan. Jump in and try it yourself to share the problem and the solution.

Google Slides is easy to get started with, but there's plenty of power under the hood. Building great presentations takes practice. We've got you covered with more helpful resources that teach you Google Slides features.

You can master Google Slides skills with the help of our tutorials. The tips here will help you fill out your problem-solving templates with less work than ever before. Check out top Google Slides tutorials below:

In this tutorial, we featured a template as we learned how to create problem statement slides. Then, we tackled presenting problem examples with that same template. We frequently feature top Google Slides templates that make  any  project easy, and you can see more top choices below.

Many of these templates can help you frame the problem and the solution. Remember: templates are flexible to  your  content. That means that many of these will function perfectly as problem-solving templates.

The Best Source of Google Slides Templates (With Unlimited Downloads)

Looking for the fastest way to develop your presentation? It's best to start with a premium template from Envato Elements.

Envato Elements is the best source to find problem statement slide templates. It comes with an offer that can't be beaten: unlimited downloads.

With Elements, one subscription unlocks everything you need. You'll benefit from unlimited access to presentation templates, stock photos, illustrations, and more. Presenting problem examples is much easier with great visuals to share.

It's easier than ever to find what you need with the new AI-powered search tool ! Elements includes millions of assets. With AI-powered search, the tool finds the perfect creative assets for you. Just enter your description, and you'll have everything you need.

Don't delay creating your best presentation ever. Join Envato Elements and you're on your way!

Problems are a fact of life and a constant in business. Presenting problem examples is a crucial skill. You learned tips so that the problem presented is clear. Then, you learned how to share and monitor a solution to the problem using Google Slides templates .

Now, it's your turn. I'm going to challenge you to use a problem-solving template for a challenge of your own. Use our tips and problem-solving templates to explore the challenge from a new angle. You're on your way to finding creative solutions!

How to write a problem statement slide for PowerPoint

Access step-by-step guidance and ready-to-use templates, helping you create an impactful problem statement PowerPoint template.

Bharti Jain

Building presentations

A well-crafted problem statement slide serves as the foundation of a compelling PowerPoint presentation. It sets the stage for your narrative, guiding your audience through a coherent story. This slide captures the essence of your presentation by highlighting the problem, its impact, and potential solutions. In this short article, we'll look into crafting an impactful problem statement slide, complete with example templates , to ensure your next presentation resonates effectively.

What is a problem statement?

A problem statement slide is a concise and precise way to outline the key challenge or issue your presentation seeks to address. It's the backbone of your presentation, guiding the narrative and giving the audience a clear understanding of the problem at hand. This slide plays a critical role in establishing a common ground with your audience, helping them recognize the existence and significance of the problem. Furthermore, it garners support from decision-makers, team members, or funding bodies by presenting a compelling case for why the problem needs attention and resources.

A good problem statement slide should:

• Provide a clear explanation: Offer a concise and unambiguous description of the specific issue at hand.
• Explain the significance: Highlight why the problem is critical and demands immediate attention.
• Bridge the gap: Illustrate the discrepancy between the current state and the desired state, underscoring the need for resolution.

Importance of a problem statement slide

An effective problem statement slide plays a critical role in guiding the narrative of your presentation, acting as an anchor that establishes clarity and direction. By clearly defining the issue at hand, it enables the audience to follow along seamlessly, laying the groundwork for meaningful discussion and solutions. Here's how a problem statement slide contributes to the overall success of a presentation:

• Clarity: It establishes the context, helping the audience understand the problem's relevance and ensuring they stay engaged. This clarity also reduces ambiguity, making the presentation's narrative more effective.
• Focus: It sets the stage, guiding the presentation's flow and preventing it from deviating from its intended path. This focus ensures that the discussion moves logically towards addressing the issue.
• Impact: A well-crafted problem statement creates a lasting impression, making the presentation more memorable. It also garners support from decision-makers, team members, or funding bodies by presenting a compelling case for why the problem needs attention and resources.

Problem statement elements

Identifying the problem statement

Provide a concise overview of the problem. Clearly define the problem statement, what the issue is, who it affects, and why it matters. For example:

• Issue : Outline the primary challenge or deficiency.
• Who it affects : Identify the target audience or group impacted.
• Importance : Explain why addressing this problem is crucial.

Supporting data

Use data points and statistics to support your problem statement. For example:

• Statistics : Cite relevant statistics that highlight the severity or prevalence of the problem.
• Case studies : Share specific examples or case studies that illustrate the problem in real-world contexts.

Explain the broader impact of the problem:

• Consequences : Detail the potential negative outcomes if the problem is not addressed.
• Opportunities : Highlight opportunities for improvement or innovation that can arise from solving the issue.

Solution pathway

Briefly introduce the potential solutions or approaches to tackling the problem:

• Strategies : Outline the key strategies or methods that will be explored later in the presentation.
• Goals : Define the main goals to achieve by addressing the problem

How to present a problem statement and solution? Step-by-step guide

Stages in this process starts by thoroughly investigating the problem. Gather relevant data, case studies, and expert insights to understand the issue comprehensively. This research helps in identifying the problem's root causes, its significance, and the potential impact it has on different stakeholders. By building a solid foundation of information, you can create a problem statement that is accurate and compelling, laying the groundwork for meaningful solutions.

Draft the statement

Using the information gathered, write a concise problem statement. Ensure it covers all the key components, including a clear description, supporting data, impact, and solution pathway.

Design the slide

With the problem statement drafted, focus on designing a visually appealing and informative slide:

• Visual appeal: Choose a clear, easy-to-read font and layout, ensuring the slide is engaging without being overly complex.
• Data visualization: Represent supporting data visually, using charts, graphs, or infographics to enhance understanding.
• Consistency: Maintain consistency in design, font, and color scheme with the rest of the presentation to ensure a cohesive look and feel.

Rehearse and refine

Review the slide multiple times, making necessary adjustments:

• Clarity: Ensure the statement is clear, concise, and free from jargon or unnecessary complexity. This clarity helps the audience grasp the problem quickly.
• Flow: Check that the slide flows smoothly into subsequent slides, maintaining coherence throughout the presentation.
• Audience feedback: Seek feedback from peers or mentors to refine the slide further, ensuring it resonates effectively with the intended audience.

Mistakes to be avoided while writing a problem statement pitch deck

1. being vague or too broad in defining the problem.

A vague or broad problem statement can undermine the success of your presentation. A vague statement lacks clear insights, leaving the audience unsure of the issue's significance, while a broad problem statement dilutes the effectiveness of the proposed solution by attempting to tackle multiple issues at once.

To ensure your problem statement is clear and impactful, focus on quantifiable data and narrow the scope to a single, well-defined issue. This approach helps in crafting solutions that can be effectively measured and evaluated.

Vague problem statement: The company's marketing strategies need to be more effective. We should increase customer engagement, boost sales, and improve brand recognition.

Improved problem statement: The company's online engagement rate has dropped by 25% in the past year, leading to a decrease in sales by 15%. We need to implement a targeted digital marketing campaign to increase engagement by 10% and sales by 8% over the next quarter.

By concentrating on a single, specific issue with measurable goals, your problem statement provides clarity and direction, ensuring the solutions presented are both actionable and impactful.

2. Overlooking root cause

To effectively resolve a problem, it's crucial to start by thoroughly analyzing its foundational elements. This approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the issue and its underlying causes, enabling the development of meaningful solutions. Failure to identify the root cause can lead to a superficial or ineffective problem statement, resulting in solutions that miss the mark and don't address the core issue.

Here's a fictitious template for clarity

In our fictional problem statement, several factors contribute to the escalating healthcare expenses of a hypothetical organization such as;

• The national healthcare cost inflation.
• The impact of COVID-19.
• The health status of the employees
• The absence of fitness programs for employees.

While the initial causes may be external and outside of the organization's direct control, the remaining factors can be tackled internally. By focusing on these internal issues, the organization can work to mitigate its corporate healthcare costs effectively.

3. Addressing symptoms vs. root causes

Imagine breaking your arm and relying solely on painkillers to cope with the discomfort. While this might provide immediate relief, it doesn’t address the root cause – the broken bone. For true healing, you need to visit a doctor and get a cast, allowing the bone to mend properly.

In a corporate setting, failing to tackle the underlying problem can lead to recurring challenges and inefficient resource allocation.

In our example, XYZ healthcare might opt for a new insurance partner offering better rates, temporarily reducing healthcare costs. However, a more comprehensive and sustainable solution involves implementing wellness programs and prioritizing employee health, addressing the root cause and reducing healthcare expenses in the long term.

4. Using biased or subjective language

Using biased or subjective language can distort the reality of a problem, leading to a skewed and inaccurate representation. This underlines the importance of maintaining objectivity in a problem statement, ensuring that it accurately reflects the facts and reality of the issue at hand.

Examples of problem and solution templates

Problem-solving template 1: the simple structure.

• Title: State the problem clearly.
• Description: Provide a brief overview of the problem, including who it affects and its significance.
• Data: Include a relevant statistic or case study.
• Impact: Explain the consequences and opportunities.
• Solution pathway: Introduce potential strategies.

Example of a simple structure PPT + Google slides

• Title: High Employee Turnover
• Description: Employee turnover at our company has increased by 20% in the last year, affecting our team's stability and overall productivity. This impacts the organization's ability to meet targets, retain institutional knowledge, and sustain consistent growth.
• Data: According to HR records, turnover rates in key departments such as Sales and Marketing have risen significantly, with the Sales department experiencing a 25% turnover increase and Marketing seeing a 30% increase over the past 12 months.
• Impact: The high turnover has led to delayed project timelines, increased recruitment and training costs, and decreased morale among remaining employees. It also limits the company's ability to deliver consistent results to clients, affecting client satisfaction and long-term profitability.
• Solution pathway: To address this, we propose implementing retention strategies such as enhanced employee benefits, professional development programs, and regular feedback mechanisms. These measures aim to reduce turnover rates, improve team stability, and increase overall productivity.

Problem statement template 2: The data-driven approach

• Title: Introduce the problem.
• Data visualization: Include a chart or graph to represent key statistics.
• Description: Provide additional context and analysis of the data.
• Impact: Discuss the broader implications.
• Solution pathway: Briefly outline solutions.

Example of data-driven approach PPT + Google slides

• Title: Rising Healthcare Costs in Our Organization
• Data visualization: A bar chart showing the average healthcare costs per employee over the past three years, demonstrating a steady increase from $3,000 in 2021 to $4,500 in 2023.
• Description: The chart illustrates a 50% increase in healthcare costs per employee over a three-year period. This rising trend poses a significant challenge to the organization's financial stability and impacts overall profitability.
• Impact: The increase in healthcare costs not only reduces profitability but also affects employee morale, as resources are diverted away from other initiatives, such as wellness programs or salary raises. This trend could lead to decreased employee satisfaction and retention over time.
• Solution pathway: To address this issue, we propose implementing a comprehensive wellness program aimed at improving employee health and reducing healthcare claims. Additionally, negotiating with insurance providers for better rates and reviewing internal processes to cut administrative costs can help control overall healthcare expenses.

Problem statement template 3: The narrative style

• Title: Pose the problem as a question.
• Story: Tell a brief narrative that illustrates the problem in a real-world context.
• Data: Support the story with statistics or case studies.
• Impact: Explore the potential consequences.
• Solution pathway: Suggest initial solutions.

Example of narrative style PPT + Google slides

• Title: Why are Healthcare Costs Rising for our Organization
• Story: Over the past year, our organization's healthcare expenses have seen a significant increase. Jane, a 45-year-old employee with our company for over a decade, recently experienced a serious health issue requiring extensive treatment. This treatment, coupled with ongoing medical costs for other employees, has driven up our overall healthcare expenses. Rising healthcare costs have not only impacted Jane and her colleagues but also strained the company's financial resources.
• Our organization's average healthcare claim cost per employee has increased by 50%, from $3,136.20 in 2021 to $4,704.30 in 2022.
• Employee absenteeism due to health-related issues has risen by 20% over the past year, leading to a noticeable decrease in productivity.
• Employees: Increased healthcare costs place a financial burden on our workforce, reducing their disposable income and impacting morale.
• Organization: Higher healthcare costs strain the company's budget, limiting funds available for other initiatives, and decreased productivity further hampers growth.
• Wellness program: Introducing a comprehensive wellness program to encourage healthy lifestyles, reducing the risk of health-related issues and claims.
• Insurance negotiations: Negotiating with our insurance provider to secure more favorable rates and reduce overall costs.
• Productivity initiatives: Implementing programs to support employees in managing health-related absenteeism, boosting productivity and morale.

Create the best problem statement PPT with Prezent

When crafting a compelling problem statement presentation slide, utilizing the right tools can make all the difference. Prezent offers a comprehensive solution, streamlining the process of creating impactful PowerPoint presentations. Here’s how Prezent can help you design the best problem statement slide:

Slide library: Access 35K+ slides in your company's brand-approved designs

Prezent’s Slide Library offers a diverse collection of slide templates, allowing you to choose designs that match your presentation's style. From clean, professional layouts to more detailed, data-driven designs, the Slide Library provides ample options including multiple problem statements. These powerpoint templates ensure your problem statement slide is visually appealing, consistent, and integrates seamlessly with the rest of the presentation.

Best practice library: Access 10K+ curated problem-solving slides from across the globe

The Best Practice Library offers broad access to high-quality presentation materials curated by experts, leveling the playing field for all users, including those outside the realm of management consultants. These resources cover a diverse range of roles and functions, offering an invaluable head start for your projects. Whether you're addressing a complex business problem or seeking to streamline a strategy presentation, these ready-to-use slides save time and money, ensuring your presentations are professional and effective.

Overnight presentation service: Receive designer-quality PowerPoint presentations

For time-sensitive presentations, Prezent offers the Overnight Presentations feature, allowing you to generate high-quality slides quickly. This service ensures that even under tight deadlines, you can produce impactful problem statement slides that maintain clarity, consistency, and visual appeal. Submit your request by 5:30PM (PST), include any draft files or instructions you may have and receive a highly professional pitch deck by the next business day (9:30AM PST)

In conclusion, Prezent offers a comprehensive suite of tools that streamline the process of creating problem statement slides. From automation and narrative structuring to templates and examples, Prezent provides everything needed to design a successful and impactful presentation. Checkout all the above features and more with a 14-day free trial. Schedule a demo , and speak to us to reserve 7 days extra free trial.

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3. Problem / Solution

Identify a problem your audience has that your presentation will contribute to solving.

If you want to capture and keep the attention of your audience every time, then make sure that each presentation you make focuses on helping your audience to solve an important problem. This is critically important: if you’re not helping to solve a problem for your audience, then why are they listening to you?

The problem that you choose to focus on must be a real one, one that is likely going to cause pain for your audience, professionally and perhaps personally, if it is not solved. Ideally, there should be clear risks and real dollars at stake; for example, their business profits are going to suffer, so their bonuses will be reduced or eliminated, and their career prospects will be hurt.

You can use the  problem-solving hierarchies  to help you identify the relevant problem.

Write down this problem (“The problem my audience has is…” etc.) and also what contribution to solving the problem your presentation is going to make.

Then go on to step 4: evidence .

How to use the audience problem to make boring data interesting .

Why you should never give an FYI presentation .

Problem-solving presentations and career visibility .

What if you just can’t get your thoughts straight on what solution to recommend? Sometimes you will feel completely stuck. You know you have something to say or a recommendation to make, but you cannot seem to get clear in your mind what you are trying to recommend. Solution? Try writing it in prose: write a brief letter or memo describing what you have in mind. I find Procter & Gamble’s one-page memo format very useful for this.

For answers to any of the following questions, see Advanced Presentations by Design .

• What has problem solving got to do with presentation design? (p. 40)
• How do I find the right problem? (p. 41)
• How do I find the right level of analysis? (p. 41)
• What if the problem is so big that I cannot help my audience solve it? (p. 44)
• What if all I can come up with are a bunch of small problems rather than one big one? (p. 45)
• What if I’m just presenting information or providing an update? (p. 46)
• What if I’m creating a training or educational presentation? (p. 47)
• What if there is clearly a problem, but the audience I am trying to engage just does not seem to be interested? (p. 48)
• Isn’t focusing on “problems” rather negative? (p. 48)
• What if I only have a solution to part of the problem? (p. 49)
• How do I know if I have chosen the right solution? (p. 50)
• Should I include alternative solutions to the one I’m offering? (p. 51)
• How do I handle really controversial solutions? (p. 52)
• What to do if there really isn’t a clear solution to the problem? (p. 54)

Learn the Method

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How to Write a Problem Statement Slide (with Examples)

Table of contents, what is a problem statement and why is it important.

Projects should always begin with a thorough definition of the problem as a problem statement.

A problem statement is a concise description of the issue that will be addressed in a project.

It can be tempting to skip the problem statement because you’ve seen this problem before, you already know the solution, or because a stakeholder is pushing you to move faster.

However, many projects have failed because of a false assumption that everybody understands the problem. This misunderstanding is generally not identified until the project is completed and somebody is surprised by the output.

Therefore, good problem solvers take time to define the problem precisely. Then, they socialize the problem with all key stakeholders to ensure that the definition is understood and agreed upon.

Example problem statements

In a business context, problem statements may be:

• Why has revenue growth fallen from 10% in 2021 to 5% in 2022?
• How can ACME Bank increase its market share to 15% by 2025?
• Why are over 50% of customers not renewing their subscription after month 3?

Characteristics of a good problem statement

In order to ensure that your problem statement is concise and informative, it should be:

• Specific: Ensure that you constrain the scope of your problem by making the problem statement should be specific as possible, while still being informative and valuable.
• Time-bound:  Ensure that you include time constraints on your problem statement; solutions for the short term might be significantly different than solutions for the long term.
• Measurable and testable: Ensure that your problem statement is quantified, so that there are clear criteria for you to define success.

Problem statement worksheet and downloadable templates

A problem statement worksheet articulates the problem that will be addressed in the project.

It also describes how the problem came about, defines the scope and constraints of the project, and identifies key stakeholders and sources of insight.

The problem statement worksheet looks like this:

You can download this slide (and 30 others) for free below:

Download a free problem statement slide and 29 other slide templates for free

Roadmap slides, recommendations slides, journey slides, key takeaways slides, next steps slides, panel slides, and more!

• Collections
• Strategy / Business Plan
• Problem solving

Problem Solving Presentation Templates

Present the problem-solving processes effectively with our premade problem solving powerpoint templates and google slides themes. crafted to guide you from problem identification to resolution, these free templates breathe life into complex strategies. they feature creative, fully editable infographics, like puzzles and light bulb designs..

• Analytical Thinking: Breaking down a problem into smaller parts to understand its nature.
• Creative Thinking: Thinking outside the box to find unique and effective solutions.
• Decision Making: Choosing the best course of action among different alternatives.
• Team Collaboration: Working together to generate diverse perspectives and solutions.
• Communicate the problem statement clearly to stakeholders.
• Exhibit potential solutions and their implications.
• Rally teams around a unified strategy.
• Track progress and outcomes.

In such scenarios, the design and layout of your presentation matter as much as its content. And this is where Slide Egg steps in!

• Diverse Designs: From representing problem identification, business solutions, problem-solving techniques, and strategies to process steps, our slides have it all.
• Creative Infographics: Our slides are adorned with multicolor infographics like puzzle pieces, human brains, ladders, bulbs, stars, magnifiers, locks, and keys to captivate your audience.
• User-Friendly: Our problem solution slides  offers 100% editable features, allowing you to tailor the content to fit your narrative seamlessly.
• Cost-Efficient: For those on a budget, we provide free problem and solution slides so you can experience the quality of our offerings.

Become an expert with SlideEgg

How To Build A Problem Solving PowerPoint

We're here to help you, what is problem solving presentation templates.

Problem Solving Presentation Templates is a set of pre-designed PowerPoint slides that you can use to present and explain problem-solving strategies. The templates provide visuals and text that you can use to describe the problem-solving process, from identifying the problem to finding a solution.

Where can we use these Problem Solving Slides?

You can use these Problem Solving Slides for corporate meetings, educational classes, team-building events, or workshops. You can also use them to help facilitate brainstorming sessions and critical thinking activities.

How can I make Problem Solving PPT Slides in a presentation?

Start by creating a slide that outlines the problem. This should include the problem statement and a brief description of the context. Including brainstorming, researching, listing potential solutions, analyzing the data, and finally arriving at a solution. Suppose you want to create slides by yourself. Visit Tips and tricks for detailed instructions.

Who can use Problem Solving Presentation Templates?

Anyone can use Problem Solving PPT Templates to present a problem-solving strategy or process visually engagingly. These templates can be used by professionals, educators, students, business owners, and anyone looking to share a problem-solving approach with an audience.

Why do we need Problem Solving Presentation Slides?

Presenting a problem-solving Presentation slide helps illustrate complex concepts and issues. It can also engage an audience, provide visual context and simplify data. Problem-solving slides can convey ideas and solutions effectively and explore different solutions and alternatives.

Where can I find free Problem Solving Presentation Templates?

Many websites offer free Problem Solving Presentation Templates. Slide egg is one of the best PowerPoint providers. Our websites have uniquely designed templates that allow you to share the problem and help to track progress towards a solution.

Free Problem Statement Slide Templates: PowerPoint & Google Slides

By Kate Eby | February 24, 2024

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Write effective problem statements and create engaging presentations for stakeholders with this roundup of problem statement slide templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides. Download these free, customizable templates and edit them for your needs.

On this page, you’ll find a  project problem statement worksheet slide template , a  customer problem statement slide template , a  5 Ws product problem statement template , and more. You’ll also find tips for  writing problem statements and links to  related problem-solving templates .

Project Problem Statement Elements Slide Template

Download a Project Problem Statement Elements Slide Template for

PowerPoint | Google Slides

When to Use This Template: This template is perfect for project managers and team leaders who need to articulate the challenges and objectives of a new initiative. It provides a structured format for presenting a project's problems and requirements during planning meetings or proposal presentations. The template is particularly useful in meetings where gaining consensus or approval from decision-makers is crucial.

Notable Template Features: The template breaks down the problem, scope, objectives, benefits, and resources into clear sections, making complicated information easy to understand. This focuses the discussion and ensures that all aspects of the problem are considered. The color-coded sections also help make your presentation clearer and more appealing to stakeholders.

Three-Part Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Project managers or teams can use this template to clearly communicate challenges, proposed solutions, and expected results. It serves as a foundational tool for project planning and decision-making, helping teams effectively communicate critical issues to stakeholders and align efforts toward shared objectives.

Notable Template Features: This slide template helps guide the audience from problem identification to resolution and final outcomes. The bullet points under each category allow you to list key details and focus on what matters most.

Project Problem Statement Worksheet Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  This worksheet template is designed to clearly outline the central challenge of a new project or initiative. It provides a straightforward way to write a problem statement that is clear and actionable. Teams can use this tool at the outset of the planning stage to ensure that everyone understands the issues being addressed, the criteria for success, and the boundaries of the project.

Notable Template Features:  The template's comprehensive structure breaks down the problem statement into specific components, such as context, success criteria, stakeholders, and scope. This helps teams focus their discussions and ensure a shared understanding of the problem. Teams can also use this template in presentations to provide stakeholders with context for the problem statement.

Traffic Light Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Project or product managers can use this template to present a clear problem statement in meetings or in documents. This template is particularly useful during the initial stages of project planning or when addressing project roadblocks.

Notable Template Features: The template includes sections for identifying a problem, how to solve it, and what the results should be. Each part corresponds to the colors in the traffic light graphic, which reinforces the importance of a careful approach to problem-solving.

Single-Problem Statement and Solution Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: This template is ideal for project proposals, strategy meetings, or pitches where a clearly defined problem and solution can drive decision-making. The visual juxtaposition of problems versus solutions helps stakeholders quickly grasp the core issues and the strategy for resolution.

Notable Template Features: This template has a two-column layout that visually distinguishes challenges and solutions. Each section contains placeholders for text and icons, enhancing the presentation’s visual appeal. Icons such as question and check marks guide the audience from problem to solution.

Multiple-Problem Statement and Solution Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  Project or product managers can use this template in strategic planning sessions, problem-solving meetings, or any scenario where a clear comparative analysis is needed. The slide format, which shows each challenge next to its proposed solution, can be useful during team meetings where alignment on issues and remedies is crucial.

Notable Template Features:  This template has a two-column layout that guides the viewer from problems on the left to solutions on the right. Each problem and solution pair is clearly marked, making complex information more accessible for the audience.

Customer Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  Product managers and customer service teams can use this template to break down a customer's problem into tangible parts, clarifying the issue, the attempts to resolve it, the obstacles faced, and its emotional impact. This template is particularly effective for internal presentations that aim to align team members on customer pain points and drive home the urgency of finding a solution.

Notable Template Features:  The template provides a step-by-step layout that guides the presenter through the different aspects of a customer's dilemma. Color-coded sections make the narrative easy to follow through each step of the statement. This breakdown not only captures the complexity of the issue but also fosters a deeper understanding of the problem among team members.

Circular Customer Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  Use this customer problem statement template to get a full picture of a customer's issue, from who the customer is to their goals, challenges, and emotional responses. It is ideal for sessions focused on understanding and addressing customer experiences, ensuring that teams explore every facet of the problem and link it back to the customer's perspective.

Notable Template Features:  This template features a circular flow that tells the whole story of the customer’s issue, with each segment prompting a key part of the problem. Its design encourages comprehensive analysis, and the arrangement of sections ensures that thoughts flow logically. You can also customize the template to focus on the workflow around the problem or other details rather than only the customer story.

Product Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Product managers can use this template to clearly articulate the problem their product aims to solve. This serves as an essential tool during the initial stages of product development or when proposing enhancements to existing products. By structuring thoughts and research systematically, this template helps managers secure stakeholder buy-in and align cross-functional teams toward a common objective.

Notable Template Features: Each section prompts users to delve deeply into understanding the problem and its potential impacts, customer value, and business significance. The template allows you to link externally to supporting documentation to show that all claims and assumptions are backed by research. The template's simple structure helps to streamline the problem-solving process, while its thoroughness makes the problem statement more compelling.

5 Ws Product Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Product managers and teams can use this template to define and document the who, what, when, where, and why of a problem. This ensures that team members align on the problem before moving toward solutions, fostering a focused approach to product development.

Notable Template Features:  This template prompts users to consider all aspects of a problem statement: who it affects, what the problem is, when and where it occurs, and why it is critical to address. Each column uses color-coding and clear bullet points for organized note-taking.

How to Write a Problem Statement

A problem statement serves as the foundation for any project, ensuring that everyone involved understands the core of the problem they need to solve. Crafting a well-defined statement is crucial for guiding a team toward a solution efficiently. 

Follow these steps to create a compelling problem statement:  

• Identify the Problem: Gather information about the issue through research, observations, or discussions with stakeholders. For customer problem statements, this might include using surveys or customer service calls to gather data on customer pain points. Use templates such as the 5 Ws to thoroughly understand the who, what, when, where, and why of the problem. 
• Explain the Impact: Describe how the problem affects the organization, customers, or stakeholders. Provide data or examples to illustrate the extent of the problem's impact. 
• Analyze the Cause: Investigate and identify the root causes of the problem. Understanding why the problem exists is crucial for finding an effective solution. Keep asking why and drilling down to the root cause to ensure that your problem statement describes the core problem rather than a symptom.
• Set Objectives: Define what a successful solution would look like. Outline the desired outcome and what changes or improvements you aim to achieve. Use financial and other measurable data to illustrate the benefits of your proposed solution.
• Specify Constraints and Requirements: Highlight any limitations — such as budget, time, or resources — that could impact the solution. Also, list any necessary criteria that the solution must meet, providing measurable benchmarks for success. 
• Review and Refine: Once you draft the problem statement, review it to ensure clarity. The statement can be referenced throughout the project to keep work on track, but keep in mind that factors can change, impacting solutions and action plans. Be prepared to pivot as the project progresses.

The key to an effective problem statement lies in its clarity and precision. Keep it succinct, focused on the problem, and free of jargon to ensure that it's accessible to everyone involved. 

For more tools, see this complete collection of free problem statement templates .

How Do You Present a Problem Statement?

Presenting a problem statement is your opportunity to bring the problem to life, engage your audience, and set the stage for collaborative problem-solving. While a written problem statement can be as short as an elevator pitch, stakeholders need context to understand the significance of a problem and the reasoning behind any proposed solutions. 

Here are the elements to include in a problem statement presentation:  

• State the Problem Clearly: Present the problem statement in a clear and concise manner. Use simple language to ensure that everyone understands the issue at hand.
• Discuss Causes and Impact: Briefly introduce the background and relevance of the problem to your audience. Share your insights into the causes of the problem. This helps in building a common understanding of the problem's roots and complexity. Use data, anecdotes, or real-life examples to illustrate the significance of the problem and how it affects the organization, stakeholders, or customers.
• Clarify Outcomes: Clearly state what you aim to achieve by solving the problem. Define the desired outcomes and success criteria to give your audience a clear idea of the direction you propose. Acknowledge any limitations or specific requirements that could influence the approach to solving the problem. This transparency helps in setting realistic expectations.
• Invite Feedback: Encourage your audience to share their thoughts, questions, and suggestions. Foster an open dialogue to promote collaborative problem-solving.
• Conclude With Next Steps: End your presentation by summarizing the key points and outlining next steps to ensure everyone leaves with a clear understanding of the problem and the actions required.

Keep your presentation focused, clear, and interactive to maximize understanding and participation. The goal is not only to present a problem but to motivate and guide your audience toward finding a solution together.

Related Problem-Solving Templates

Using problem-solving templates can transform complex challenges into manageable tasks, guiding you from analysis to actionable solutions. Download one of the problem-solving templates below to clearly define problems, identify root causes, and create more successful outcomes.

Root Cause Analysis Template

This  root cause analysis template provides a comprehensive report with a list of questions to help you identify the cause of an event or issue, identify actions already taken, and recommend preventative strategies.

DMAIC Analysis Template

DMAIC stands for  define, measure, analyze, implement, and  control . This  DMAIC template takes you through this process of defining the problem, measuring its significance, analyzing factors contributing to the problem, identifying potential solutions, and planning to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

5 Whys Template

The 5 Why process is a method for investigating the root cause of a problem by asking why the issue is occurring, then repeating the question until you get to the root cause. Download this  5 Whys template to evaluate a problem and determine corrective actions.

Fishbone Diagram Template

Brainstorm the possible causes of an issue with a  fishbone diagram template. The diagram provides a visual tool for identifying cause-and-effect relationships and getting at the root of an issue.

Corrective Action Plan Template

Use this  corrective action plan template to identify problems, plan action steps to mitigate the issues, and track progress.

For more related templates, including a cause mapping template and an example report, see this full selection of  root cause analysis templates .

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Home PowerPoint Templates Problem Solving

Problem Solving PowerPoint Templates

Make your presentations stand out with our Problem-Solving templates and PowerPoint and Google Slides slide designs. These templates are easy to edit and can help you create presentations about solving problems, finding solutions, and making decisions.

After downloading them, you can personalize these templates by changing the text boxes’ words. You can further change the color of the design to suit your organization’s color.

Our PowerPoint templates work with both Mac and Windows computers. They are also compatible with Keynote and Google Slides. Use any of these slide layouts to captivate your audience and end your presentation with applause.

Kepner Tregoe PowerPoint Template

New Initiatives PowerPoint Template

Conflict Resolution Presentation Template

6-Circle Venn Diagram Template for PowerPoint

Lab Report PowerPoint Template

Hackathon Planning Process PowerPoint Template

Research Paper Presentation Template

Who What When Where Why Problem Statement PowerPoint Template

Ishikawa Diagram Template for PowerPoint

Problem Solving PowerPoint Template

Blank Fishbone Diagram PowerPoint Template

Creative Fishbone PowerPoint Template

Problem-solving is required in all the operational aspects of an organization, from planning, controlling, marketing, and manufacturing to managing financial aspects, products, and customers. Our Problem Solution Slide Templates catalog presents slides that will help you analyze data across organization operations and departments to identify problems and then solve these problems.

Our Problem and Solution Slides will enable you as an organization to plan its progress path by allocating the right people and resources to solve problems. You can describe a problem-solving process visually using a slide show.

Solving certain problems can be tough, but using our pre-designed Problem-Solving Templates, you can explain the reasoning behind the solution of a problem. Combining these slides with other problem-solving techniques and tools, like the root-cause analysis slides , the 5-Why slides, or the fishbone templates , individuals and business professionals can prepare compelling presentations explaining how to solve an easy or difficult problem.

What Is A Problem Statement Slide?

A problem statement slide is a visual component to analyze and present your organizational problem and a suitable solution. It is meant to outline the specific issue or challenge that a project, initiative, or proposal aims to address.

How Do You Write A Problem-Solution Presentation?

Writing a problem solution presentation involves effectively communicating the details of a problem, your proposed solution, and the rationale behind it to your audience. Remember that an effective problem-solution presentation informs, inspires, and motivates your audience to take action.

Can I Customize The Problem Statement Slides For My Specific Needs?

You can customize the problem statement slides to suit your unique requirements. You can modify the text, colors, and fonts and add visuals to align the presentation with your style and content.

What Are The 7 Steps Of A Problem-Solving Template?

A problem-solving template can change based on the situation and the specific problem you’re dealing with. Here’s a basic outline of seven steps that are usually included:

• Define the Problem: Clearly explain the problem you want to solve. Know the background, scope, and goals of the problem.
• Gather Information: Collect useful data and facts about the problem.
• It might involve research, talking to people, surveys, and studying data. The idea is to get a good grasp of what’s going on.
• Generate Potential Solutions: Come up with different ideas to solve the problem.
• Evaluate Options: Evaluate the solutions you thought of. Look at things like if they did work, how much they cost, and what could go right or wrong. It helps you choose the most promising solutions.
• Select a Solution: Decide on the best solution based on your evaluation.
• Implement the Solution: Put your chosen solution into action. Make a detailed plan, get the things you need, and do things step by step.
• Monitor and Review: Check how well the solution works. Get feedback, track progress, and see if it’s doing what you wanted. If needed, make changes based on the feedback you get.

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Visualizing Problem-solving in your PowerPoint Presentations

Business processes need to be constantly improved and refined to keep up with the dynamic market scenarios.

We are always on the lookout for faster and better ways to work and solve problems in our daily work.

There are many tools used by business and consultancy for looking into their process and figuring out the best way to problem-solving.

Some common tools used by most consultants are Root Cause Analytics, Porter’s 5 Forces, the BCG Growth-Share Matrix, The GE McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix, Porter 5 force analysis, SWOT Analysis and so on.

When you are presenting a solution to your clients, you also want to convince them of the output and how you got there.

The presenting part is easy, but what about the convincing part?

Here is where the visualizing problem-solving in your PowerPoint presentations comes to play.

Only facts and no visualizing can be mind-numbing. Especially when you are trying to convince a client to purchase your solution.

How do you layout problem-solving visually?

There is no one-way to visualizing problem-solving through your slides.

Here at Chillibreeze, we work through the 3-levels of formatting to help our customers visualize something .

Depending on the stage of the problem-solving, we pick the right visuals/approach to use.

Sometimes it is a collaborative effort when we sit with our customers to get the best visualization solution for a slide.

Are you Formatting Your Presentation to the Right Level

Here is an important fact.

The attention rate is highest at the first and last 5 minutes of your presentation.

The opening and the closing. Make the best use of that time.

And here’s a little PowerPoint design tip: If you apply the 3 levels of formatting to your slides, apply level 3 to a few slides at the beginning and end of your presentation.

Here is a clean and perfect way you can visually communicate using DMAIC.

Adding animation along with each process enhances the effectiveness of your message.

The layout depends on the depth of your content and the project type you’re handling.

When you have a detailed structure of the whole DMAIC process having a navigation path is the best option. This way you can link the slides back and forth.

If you are using a navigation path, replace the abbreviations with icons. Color coding the icons and the content that comes along with the process helps keep the flow.

You can place the icons representing the 5 stages on the top corner of each slide or on the left-hand side and highlight them when the slides are talking about one or the other process.

Now going a little deeper into each process.

A process defining project goals, problems, the opportunity for improvements and requirements.

This can be visualized in the form of a workflow diagram or a process map.

M - Measure

As the saying goes, “you get what you measure.”

In this case…

“What you see is what you get”

The best way to visualize the measure is through charts because they are mostly data based.

Visualizing data can be challenging.

Use line or bar charts to visualize data more effectively.

A - Analyze

There are many ways you can visualize the analysis of your project. Like the RACI chart, maturity models, business cases, Pareto chart, scatter diagram, and so on.

The common tool used for analysis is the fishbone diagram which identifies the causes and effect or problem.

I - Improve

Counter Measure Matrix an evaluation tool, is a plain-looking table that can bore you to death.

Those ordinary looking excel sheets crunched with data and figures.

But why stick to that if you can make it more appealing to the eye.

C - Control

A workflow or a flow chart is used to visualize Control.

Every industry works in different ways and uses various metrics, charts, and diagrams to present data.

Some charts or diagrams might not work for certain types of data.

Reference: 15 ways to visualizing corporate PowerPoint slides for presentations

Choosing the right format contributes to getting the data across. In addition, improving visualization helps us to think and talk creative.

What tools, diagrams or charts do you use to visualize your data as a consultant?

Leave a comment below.

Related posts:

• 4 Impactful Ideas to Use 3D Pyramid Shapes in Presentations
• Quick Guide to Using New Chart Types in Office 2016
• 10 Simple Steps to Transform Your PowerPoint Presentations
• Motion Graphic Video: Solving a Marketer’s Challenge

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April 6, 2020 at 9:36 pm

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Blog Business How to Present a Case Study like a Pro (With Examples)

How to Present a Case Study like a Pro (With Examples)

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Sep 07, 2023

Okay, let’s get real: case studies can be kinda snooze-worthy. But guess what? They don’t have to be!

In this article, I will cover every element that transforms a mere report into a compelling case study, from selecting the right metrics to using persuasive narrative techniques.

And if you’re feeling a little lost, don’t worry! There are cool tools like Venngage’s Case Study Creator to help you whip up something awesome, even if you’re short on time. Plus, the pre-designed case study templates are like instant polish because let’s be honest, everyone loves a shortcut.

Click to jump ahead: 

What is a case study presentation?

What is the purpose of presenting a case study, how to structure a case study presentation, how long should a case study presentation be, 5 case study presentation examples with templates, 6 tips for delivering an effective case study presentation, 5 common mistakes to avoid in a case study presentation, how to present a case study faqs.

A case study presentation involves a comprehensive examination of a specific subject, which could range from an individual, group, location, event, organization or phenomenon.

They’re like puzzles you get to solve with the audience, all while making you think outside the box.

Unlike a basic report or whitepaper, the purpose of a case study presentation is to stimulate critical thinking among the viewers. 

The primary objective of a case study is to provide an extensive and profound comprehension of the chosen topic. You don’t just throw numbers at your audience. You use examples and real-life cases to make you think and see things from different angles.

The primary purpose of presenting a case study is to offer a comprehensive, evidence-based argument that informs, persuades and engages your audience.

Here’s the juicy part: presenting that case study can be your secret weapon. Whether you’re pitching a groundbreaking idea to a room full of suits or trying to impress your professor with your A-game, a well-crafted case study can be the magic dust that sprinkles brilliance over your words.

Think of it like digging into a puzzle you can’t quite crack . A case study lets you explore every piece, turn it over and see how it fits together. This close-up look helps you understand the whole picture, not just a blurry snapshot.

It’s also your chance to showcase how you analyze things, step by step, until you reach a conclusion. It’s all about being open and honest about how you got there.

Besides, presenting a case study gives you an opportunity to connect data and real-world scenarios in a compelling narrative. It helps to make your argument more relatable and accessible, increasing its impact on your audience.

One of the contexts where case studies can be very helpful is during the job interview. In some job interviews, you as candidates may be asked to present a case study as part of the selection process.

Having a case study presentation prepared allows the candidate to demonstrate their ability to understand complex issues, formulate strategies and communicate their ideas effectively.

The way you present a case study can make all the difference in how it’s received. A well-structured presentation not only holds the attention of your audience but also ensures that your key points are communicated clearly and effectively.

In this section, let’s go through the key steps that’ll help you structure your case study presentation for maximum impact.

Let’s get into it. 

Open with an introductory overview 

Start by introducing the subject of your case study and its relevance. Explain why this case study is important and who would benefit from the insights gained. This is your opportunity to grab your audience’s attention.

Explain the problem in question

Dive into the problem or challenge that the case study focuses on. Provide enough background information for the audience to understand the issue. If possible, quantify the problem using data or metrics to show the magnitude or severity.

Detail the solutions to solve the problem

After outlining the problem, describe the steps taken to find a solution. This could include the methodology, any experiments or tests performed and the options that were considered. Make sure to elaborate on why the final solution was chosen over the others.

Key stakeholders Involved

Talk about the individuals, groups or organizations that were directly impacted by or involved in the problem and its solution. 

Stakeholders may experience a range of outcomes—some may benefit, while others could face setbacks.

For example, in a business transformation case study, employees could face job relocations or changes in work culture, while shareholders might be looking at potential gains or losses.

Discuss the key results & outcomes

Discuss the results of implementing the solution. Use data and metrics to back up your statements. Did the solution meet its objectives? What impact did it have on the stakeholders? Be honest about any setbacks or areas for improvement as well.

Include visuals to support your analysis

Visual aids can be incredibly effective in helping your audience grasp complex issues. Utilize charts, graphs, images or video clips to supplement your points. Make sure to explain each visual and how it contributes to your overall argument.

Pie charts illustrate the proportion of different components within a whole, useful for visualizing market share, budget allocation or user demographics.

This is particularly useful especially if you’re displaying survey results in your case study presentation.

Stacked charts on the other hand are perfect for visualizing composition and trends. This is great for analyzing things like customer demographics, product breakdowns or budget allocation in your case study.

Consider this example of a stacked bar chart template. It provides a straightforward summary of the top-selling cake flavors across various locations, offering a quick and comprehensive view of the data.

Not the chart you’re looking for? Browse Venngage’s gallery of chart templates to find the perfect one that’ll captivate your audience and level up your data storytelling.

Recommendations and next steps

Wrap up by providing recommendations based on the case study findings. Outline the next steps that stakeholders should take to either expand on the success of the project or address any remaining challenges.

Acknowledgments and references

Thank the people who contributed to the case study and helped in the problem-solving process. Cite any external resources, reports or data sets that contributed to your analysis.

Feedback & Q&A session

Open the floor for questions and feedback from your audience. This allows for further discussion and can provide additional insights that may not have been considered previously.

Closing remarks

Conclude the presentation by summarizing the key points and emphasizing the takeaways. Thank your audience for their time and participation and express your willingness to engage in further discussions or collaborations on the subject.

Well, the length of a case study presentation can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the needs of your audience. However, a typical business or academic presentation often lasts between 15 to 30 minutes. 

This time frame usually allows for a thorough explanation of the case while maintaining audience engagement. However, always consider leaving a few minutes at the end for a Q&A session to address any questions or clarify points made during the presentation.

When it comes to presenting a compelling case study, having a well-structured template can be a game-changer. 

It helps you organize your thoughts, data and findings in a coherent and visually pleasing manner. 

Not all case studies are created equal and different scenarios require distinct approaches for maximum impact. 

To save you time and effort, I have curated a list of 5 versatile case study presentation templates, each designed for specific needs and audiences. 

Here are some best case study presentation examples that showcase effective strategies for engaging your audience and conveying complex information clearly.

1 . Lab report case study template

Ever feel like your research gets lost in a world of endless numbers and jargon? Lab case studies are your way out!

Think of it as building a bridge between your cool experiment and everyone else. It’s more than just reporting results – it’s explaining the “why” and “how” in a way that grabs attention and makes sense.

This lap report template acts as a blueprint for your report, guiding you through each essential section (introduction, methods, results, etc.) in a logical order.

Want to present your research like a pro? Browse our research presentation template gallery for creative inspiration!

2. Product case study template

It’s time you ditch those boring slideshows and bullet points because I’ve got a better way to win over clients: product case study templates.

Instead of just listing features and benefits, you get to create a clear and concise story that shows potential clients exactly what your product can do for them. It’s like painting a picture they can easily visualize, helping them understand the value your product brings to the table.

Grab the template below, fill in the details, and watch as your product’s impact comes to life!

3. Content marketing case study template

In digital marketing, showcasing your accomplishments is as vital as achieving them. 

A well-crafted case study not only acts as a testament to your successes but can also serve as an instructional tool for others. 

With this coral content marketing case study template—a perfect blend of vibrant design and structured documentation, you can narrate your marketing triumphs effectively.

4. Case study psychology template

Understanding how people tick is one of psychology’s biggest quests and case studies are like magnifying glasses for the mind. They offer in-depth looks at real-life behaviors, emotions and thought processes, revealing fascinating insights into what makes us human.

Writing a top-notch case study, though, can be a challenge. It requires careful organization, clear presentation and meticulous attention to detail. That’s where a good case study psychology template comes in handy.

Think of it as a helpful guide, taking care of formatting and structure while you focus on the juicy content. No more wrestling with layouts or margins – just pour your research magic into crafting a compelling narrative.

5. Lead generation case study template

Lead generation can be a real head-scratcher. But here’s a little help: a lead generation case study.

Think of it like a friendly handshake and a confident resume all rolled into one. It’s your chance to showcase your expertise, share real-world successes and offer valuable insights. Potential clients get to see your track record, understand your approach and decide if you’re the right fit.

No need to start from scratch, though. This lead generation case study template guides you step-by-step through crafting a clear, compelling narrative that highlights your wins and offers actionable tips for others. Fill in the gaps with your specific data and strategies, and voilà! You’ve got a powerful tool to attract new customers.

Related: 15+ Professional Case Study Examples [Design Tips + Templates]

So, you’ve spent hours crafting the perfect case study and are now tasked with presenting it. Crafting the case study is only half the battle; delivering it effectively is equally important. 

Whether you’re facing a room of executives, academics or potential clients, how you present your findings can make a significant difference in how your work is received. 

Forget boring reports and snooze-inducing presentations! Let’s make your case study sing. Here are some key pointers to turn information into an engaging and persuasive performance:

• Know your audience : Tailor your presentation to the knowledge level and interests of your audience. Remember to use language and examples that resonate with them.
• Rehearse : Rehearsing your case study presentation is the key to a smooth delivery and for ensuring that you stay within the allotted time. Practice helps you fine-tune your pacing, hone your speaking skills with good word pronunciations and become comfortable with the material, leading to a more confident, conversational and effective presentation.
• Start strong : Open with a compelling introduction that grabs your audience’s attention. You might want to use an interesting statistic, a provocative question or a brief story that sets the stage for your case study.
• Be clear and concise : Avoid jargon and overly complex sentences. Get to the point quickly and stay focused on your objectives.
• Use visual aids : Incorporate slides with graphics, charts or videos to supplement your verbal presentation. Make sure they are easy to read and understand.
• Tell a story : Use storytelling techniques to make the case study more engaging. A well-told narrative can help you make complex data more relatable and easier to digest.

Ditching the dry reports and slide decks? Venngage’s case study templates let you wow customers with your solutions and gain insights to improve your business plan. Pre-built templates, visual magic and customer captivation – all just a click away. Go tell your story and watch them say “wow!”

Nailed your case study, but want to make your presentation even stronger? Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your audience gets the most out of it:

Overloading with information

A case study is not an encyclopedia. Overloading your presentation with excessive data, text or jargon can make it cumbersome and difficult for the audience to digest the key points. Stick to what’s essential and impactful. Need help making your data clear and impactful? Our data presentation templates can help! Find clear and engaging visuals to showcase your findings.

Lack of structure

Jumping haphazardly between points or topics can confuse your audience. A well-structured presentation, with a logical flow from introduction to conclusion, is crucial for effective communication.

Ignoring the audience

Different audiences have different needs and levels of understanding. Failing to adapt your presentation to your audience can result in a disconnect and a less impactful presentation.

Poor visual elements

While content is king, poor design or lack of visual elements can make your case study dull or hard to follow. Make sure you use high-quality images, graphs and other visual aids to support your narrative.

Not focusing on results

A case study aims to showcase a problem and its solution, but what most people care about are the results. Failing to highlight or adequately explain the outcomes can make your presentation fall flat.

How to start a case study presentation?

Starting a case study presentation effectively involves a few key steps:

• Grab attention : Open with a hook—an intriguing statistic, a provocative question or a compelling visual—to engage your audience from the get-go.
• Set the stage : Briefly introduce the subject, context and relevance of the case study to give your audience an idea of what to expect.
• Outline objectives : Clearly state what the case study aims to achieve. Are you solving a problem, proving a point or showcasing a success?
• Agenda : Give a quick outline of the key sections or topics you’ll cover to help the audience follow along.
• Set expectations : Let your audience know what you want them to take away from the presentation, whether it’s knowledge, inspiration or a call to action.

How to present a case study on PowerPoint and on Google Slides?

Presenting a case study on PowerPoint and Google Slides involves a structured approach for clarity and impact using presentation slides :

• Title slide : Start with a title slide that includes the name of the case study, your name and any relevant institutional affiliations.
• Introduction : Follow with a slide that outlines the problem or situation your case study addresses. Include a hook to engage the audience.
• Objectives : Clearly state the goals of the case study in a dedicated slide.
• Findings : Use charts, graphs and bullet points to present your findings succinctly.
• Analysis : Discuss what the findings mean, drawing on supporting data or secondary research as necessary.
• Conclusion : Summarize key takeaways and results.
• Q&A : End with a slide inviting questions from the audience.

What’s the role of analysis in a case study presentation?

The role of analysis in a case study presentation is to interpret the data and findings, providing context and meaning to them. 

It helps your audience understand the implications of the case study, connects the dots between the problem and the solution and may offer recommendations for future action.

Is it important to include real data and results in the presentation?

Yes, including real data and results in a case study presentation is crucial to show experience,  credibility and impact. Authentic data lends weight to your findings and conclusions, enabling the audience to trust your analysis and take your recommendations more seriously

How do I conclude a case study presentation effectively?

To conclude a case study presentation effectively, summarize the key findings, insights and recommendations in a clear and concise manner. 

End with a strong call-to-action or a thought-provoking question to leave a lasting impression on your audience.

What’s the best way to showcase data in a case study presentation ?

The best way to showcase data in a case study presentation is through visual aids like charts, graphs and infographics which make complex information easily digestible, engaging and creative. 

Don’t just report results, visualize them! This template for example lets you transform your social media case study into a captivating infographic that sparks conversation.

Choose the type of visual that best represents the data you’re showing; for example, use bar charts for comparisons or pie charts for parts of a whole. 

Ensure that the visuals are high-quality and clearly labeled, so the audience can quickly grasp the key points. 

Keep the design consistent and simple, avoiding clutter or overly complex visuals that could distract from the message.

Choose a template that perfectly suits your case study where you can utilize different visual aids for maximum impact. 

Need more inspiration on how to turn numbers into impact with the help of infographics? Our ready-to-use infographic templates take the guesswork out of creating visual impact for your case studies with just a few clicks.

Related: 10+ Case Study Infographic Templates That Convert

Congrats on mastering the art of compelling case study presentations! This guide has equipped you with all the essentials, from structure and nuances to avoiding common pitfalls. You’re ready to impress any audience, whether in the boardroom, the classroom or beyond.

And remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Venngage’s Case Study Creator is your trusty companion, ready to elevate your presentations from ordinary to extraordinary. So, let your confidence shine, leverage your newly acquired skills and prepare to deliver presentations that truly resonate.

Go forth and make a lasting impact!

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How to Illustrate Solution Idea in a Presentation [concept visualization]

• October 5, 2020
• Icons of Business Concepts

Are you about to present several possible solutions to your team or clients? Read this article to get some creative ideas on how to express the solution concept visually. Visuals will help you convey a message in a simple yet visually impactful way.

The idea of a solution appears quite often in business presentations: you may want to show the problem that was solved, illustrate good and bad decisions, or visualize the problem-solving process.

If you want to save time and avoid hours spent on searching for the right graphics, use stylish and catchy icons. Below we suggest several symbol ideas and you can choose which one fits best to your presentation context.

Expressing the solution concept with outline symbols

Above you can see several icon examples in outline style. Such symbols won’t steal the attention from the slide content, but will focus audience’s attention on important points:

• male/female head with cog icon and mind symbols illustrating the brainstorming process of creating solutions
• strategy arrows as a way of finding a solution using strategic thinking
• lightbulb and key pictograms as universal solution metaphors
• puzzle graphics: in this case symbolizing challenges and confusion while problem-solving
• documents with checkmark depicting the solved task
• unlocked lock emphasizing that the problem is already solved

Style neutral visual solution concept metaphors 

Here we suggest more visualization ideas in universal simple style. Some ideas you can consider:

• game strategy symbol expressing a problem-solving idea 
• lightbulb , key and unlocked lock signs
• a completed checklist sign as a metaphor of acceptance and solved task
• Swiss knife as a sign of a universal solution that can be used in different situations
• puzzles put together representing harmony, solution and overcoming challenges

Illustrating solution concept ideas with creative graphics

If you want to be more creative and personal, use hand drawn symbols for presenting the solution principles. See the specific visual ideas below:

• Venn diagram circles overlapping each other as a symbol of finding compromise and a common solution 
• gears and wrench icons illustrating the “engineering solution”  for technicals problems
• chemical beaver glass graphics literally expressing a “solution”  or idea of making a cure – “medical mixture”
• male/female figure with gear icon showing the process of producing new solutions 

Colorful symbols to express solution idea

If you have more room for creativity, but dance flat designs, use these colorful icons to create engaging slides. Here are several examples you can use:

• smart solution or brainstorming expressed by two lightbulbs
• a financial solution as a jigsaw puzzle with a dollar sign on it
• a creative solution as a male/female head with puzzle signs 
• marketing solution showed with a shopping bag and colorful cogs

We hope our icon ideas inspire you to create more visual and therefore engaging presentation.

If you like the suggested icons, you can get them from infoDiagram library. The best way to get them is by joining subscription access to PPT graphics here . It will allow you to download these symbols, and graphics from any presentation deck you find on the website.

More concept icons ideas

Want to show another concept in a presentation? Communication, Crisis, Strength, Change you name it. Check our ultimate Concept Visualization List blog post to get inspired and balance the informative part of your presentations.

infoDiagram

Related posts.

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Presenting Process and Procedure Ideas on a PowerPoint Slide [concept visualization]

• August 10, 2021

How to Show Clarity Idea in a PPT Presentation [concept visualization]

• July 16, 2021

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Problem Statement Powerpoint Presentation Slides

Present your business problems, challenges, obstacles, hassles with the help of Problem Statement PowerPoint Presentation Slides. Use relevant and professional visuals to showcase problem statements. Invite your teammates and colleagues to be a part of discussion by showcasing them the graphics. Brainstorm ideas and find solutions to those problems using problem statement PowerPoint presentation templates. This problem statement PowerPoint deck consists of professional business visuals and icons to present them to the team. Showcase the problem and find ways to improve it using these relevant business graphics on problem statement. Improve business processes, strategies, projects, and more by identifying solutions to the problems. Incorporate problem solutions PPT templates to analyse the problems. Grab this professionally designed problem statement complete PPT to curb the business problems. Folks feel like bursting into action with our Problem Statement Powerpoint Presentation Slides. They will eagerly await your go ahead.

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Presenting problem statement PowerPoint presentation slide. It covers total of 20 professionally designed PPT slides. Our PowerPoint experts have included all the necessary layouts, diagrams and templates to meet the needs of the customers. This content ready deck is completely customizable. Edit the colour, text and icon as per your requirement. You can also add or delete the content from the presentation as per your need. You can easily download this presentation. They are high resolution PPT templates and are perfectly compatible with Google slide.

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Content of this Powerpoint Presentation

Slide 1 : This is an introductory slide for Problem statement. State Your Company Name and get started. Slide 2 : This is a Challenges & Solutions slide with respective imagery and text boxes. Slide 3 : This slide presents Challenges and Solutions in table format. Slide 4 : This slide presents Challenges and Solutions with imagery and text boxes. Slide 5 : This slide displays Challenges and solutions with images and text boxes to go with. Slide 6 : This slide presents Challenges and Solution with maze image and text boxes. Slide 7 : This slide showcases One Solution To Many Challenges under Solution heading. Slide 8 : This is a Coffee Break slide. Slide 9 : This slide is titled Charts & Graphs to proceed forward. Slide 10 : This slide presents a Clustered Bar for product comparison. Slide 11 : This slide presents an Area Chart for two products' comparison. Slide 12 : This slide is titled Additional Slides to proceed forward. Slide 13 : This is Our Mission and Vision slide with Value. Slide 14 : This is Our Team slides with image box and designations. Slide 15 : This is an About Us slide containing Values Client, Preferred by Many, Target Audiences to state. Slide 16 : This slide shows Comparison of Positive Factors v/s the Negative Factors. Slide 17 : This is an Our Goal slide showing Awareness, Quality, Success. Slide 18 : This a Quotes slide to put a quote, specification etc. Slide 19 : This slide shows Financial score in terms of Gold, Silver, Bronze. Slide 20 : This is a Thank You slide with Address, Street number, city, state, Contact Numbers, Email Address.

Problem Statement Powerpoint Presentation Slides with all 20 slides:

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July 20, 2021

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Top 5 common presentation problems and how to fix them.

Presentations play a central role at conferences and in business in general. There are hundreds of thousands of presentations made every day, and in the world of conferences and meetings, more than 90% are based on PowerPoint slides. Even though Office 365 introduced continuous updates and bug fixes to PowerPoint over a decade ago , there are still many technical problems that occur when people give their presentations.

In this blog post we’ll present five types of common presentation problems and our recommended solutions for dealing with them. We believe these five problem types cover 99% of all the presentation-related technical problems that you see at conferences and live events today.

Use these links to quickly jump to your particular problem:

• The video does not play at all.
• The formatting does not look right.
• The video doesn’t play back correctly.
• The video plays back correctly, but there’s no sound.
• The slides appear to have shrunken.

If none of these fit your particular case, please contact us . We’re curious to hear your experience and to see if we can help you out.

Problem 1: The video does not play at all

Of the common presentation problems that we at Preseria have observed at conferences, by far the most frequent issue is PowerPoint videos that won’t start playing. There are four main reasons why this might happen:

• A broken link to an external video file.
• The source of the online video is gone.
• Codec unavailable / Compatibility issue.
• The video is set to start “On Click” instead of “In Click Sequence” or “Automatically”.
• A cluttered TEMP folder.

Case 1: A broken link to an external video file

If you’ve inserted a video into a slide without embedding it, PowerPoint will create a link to the absolute path of the video on your hard drive. This feature allows you to create light-weight PowerPoints that don’t take up much storage, and is ideal if you have lots of PowerPoints referencing the same large-sized video, but will cause a problem when you try to play your PowerPoint on another computer.

Recommended solution: Remove the link and embed the file

If you have access to the source file, you should remove the link and embedded it instead. You can do that by following these steps:

• Open the PowerPoint file and click “File” in the top menu bar. This will bring up the main menu.
• In the lower right corner, under “Related Documents”, click “Edit Links to Files”.
• Click “Break Link”. The video will still appear on the slide, but it will be embedded in the presentation instead of linked.
• Save your changes. You’ll notice that the file size has increased now that the video is embedded into the PowerPoint file.

Source: Microsoft support article

Alternative solution: Copy the video to the same folder as the PowerPoint

If PowerPoint can’t find the file at the absolute path, it will look inside the containing folder of the PowerPoint file and see if it can find a file with the same filename there. If it does, it will load and play it instead.

Case 2: The source of the online video is gone

In general, I’d recommend avoiding using PowerPoint’s “Insert online video” feature if you can. You are dependent on a working Internet connection to play the video and you risk it being suddenly removed or taken down. Even if you are online, you might have to wait a few seconds for the video to load before it starts playing.

Recommended solution: Download the video and embed it instead.

This is not really a solution to an online video disappearing, but more of a prevention technique. If you own the online video (it’s published by you), but have lost the source file, you can try to grab the source file from the streaming service by using youtube-dl . I won’t go into steps on how to install and use this software, but you should be able to follow the installation instructions for your system. Keep in mind that if you don’t own the video, but still decide to download and embed it in your presentation, you are probably infringing on someone’s copyright.

Case 3: Codec unavailable / Compatibility issue

If you’ve ever had to deal with multimedia-rich PowerPoint presentations that were created with an old version of Office, or created on a Mac, but played back on a Windows machine (or the other way around), you’ve probably seen the “Codec unavailable”, “Media unavailable” or “Cannot play media” error message. This error basically says that PowerPoint recognizes that there’s a video clip on a particular slide, but it doesn’t have the necessary third-party software installed on your machine to play it.

Recommended solution: Optimize Media Compatibility

PowerPoints built in “Optimize Media Compatibility” feature can often fix videos that won’t play. Follow these steps and then check that the video plays without issues.

• Go to “Info” and click “Optimize Media Compatibility”
• Wait for the media file to be optimized, go into slideshow mode and test to see if the optimization helped.

If you encounter notable loss in audio or video quality, stuttering or visual artifacts that aren’t supposed to be there, you can try the alternate solution below.

Alternative solution: Convert to MP4

If optimizing media compatibility didn’t work, or the quality of the optimized video was bad, you can try to convert the video to another format manually. Our favorite tool for this task is a free and open-source tool called HandBrake . Instructions on how to convert nearly any format to MP4 (H.264 video and AAC audio), a format that PowerPoint supports on all platforms, are found at the bottom of this post .

Case 4: The video is set to start “On Click” instead of “In Click Sequence” or “Automatically”

This setting is not a problem or error in itself, but the “On Click” label is misleading and often misunderstood by presenters. When inserting videos into a slide in PowerPoint, you will have the options to set it to start “Automatically”, “In Click Sequence” or “On Click” / “When Clicked On”. In later versions of Office, Microsoft identified the ambiguous label “On Click” (which could be interpreted as a mouse click or a next click on a “clicker”) and changed it to “When Clicked On”. This clarification is a big improvement, but we still see presenters accidentally jumping over their video and onto their next slide, when their real intention was to start the current slide’s video.

Recommended solution: Change the video to start “Automatically” or “In Click Sequence”

Because presenters at conferences and events, in most cases, only have access to a presentation remote, a so-called “clicker” with “Next” and “Previous” buttons, we recommend starting videos “Automatically” or “In Click Sequence”. The setting “On Click” / “When Clicked On” requires the presenter to move over to the laptop, move the mouse cursor over the video and click the left mouse button to play the video. Not very seamless and easy to forget when you’re presenting in front of a live audience. The only case we see where “On Click” / “When Clicked On” is useful is if you absolutely need to present multiple videos, repeatedly, on a single slide in a non-linear fashion.

To change the way a video starts, follow these steps:

• Open your PowerPoint and navigate to the slide where you have your video.
• Click on it to select it, then click the “Playback” tab in the top menu.
• Click the drop-down menu next to the “Start:” label and change from “On Click” / “When Clicked On” to “Automatically” or “In Click Sequence”, depending on whether you want to have your video start immediately when the slide is displayed, or after a number of “next”-clicks (for example, after a set of animation steps).
• Optionally tick the “Play Full Screen” checkbox if that’s what you want.

Source: Microsoft Support Article

Case 5: Cluttered TEMP folder (or low disk space)

I honestly haven’t experienced that having a cluttered “TEMP” folder with lots of files will affect PowerPoint in any negative way, but several forums and blogs mentions it being a possible reason for why videos in PowerPoint won’t start. I believe lots of files in a TEMP folder could potentially fill up your hard drive and cause the computer to slow down because of low disk space. That could certainly have an impact on PowerPoint’s ability to load and play a file. Regardless, if nothing else works, it’s worth a try to perform a cleanup of the TEMP folder.

Recommended solution: Run a Disk Clean-up for your System Disk

Follow these steps to perform a disk clean up of your system disk (where Windows and Office are installed)

• First, close all running programs.
• Then Click Start and type “Disk”
• “Disk Clean-Up” should appear as the “best match” and suggested app to run.
• Click “Disc Clean-Up” or press “Enter” to run it.
• Select the drive with the blue Windows icon next to it (usually C:) and press “OK”
• Make sure “Temporary Files” are checked, and optionally clean up some other stuff while you’re at it.
• Click “OK” and let the cleanup process finish.
• Restart your computer, log back in, launch PowerPoint and see if the video starts.

Problem 2: Formatting does not look right

Another common problem that we often see are slides with text overlapping, line breaks missing and text boxes appearing beyond the margins of the slide, making them partly invisible when presented in slideshow mode. This is most likely a font issue, something that is not uncommon when people present on a different computer than where they created the slides. In rare cases, the formatting issues are caused by something else, like an out of date Office installation or a specific configuration on the presentation computer.

Case 1: Missing fonts on presentation computer

Not all fonts are created equal. Some safe fonts will always work, no matter what version of Office you are running or whether you’re on a Mac or Windows computer. Others, not so much. Custom fonts (fonts that do not come with Office or the OS) have to be embedded into the PowerPoint or installed on the presentation computer.

Recommended Solution: Embed the missing fonts

Unfortunately, not all fonts will let you embed their characters into a PowerPoint. There are different levels of “embeddability” that allows for different levels of viewing, printing and modification of the custom font text. If your font allows it to be shared for printing/viewing or editing, you should be able to embed into a PowerPoint, copy that file to another computer and have the fonts show up correctly. To embed custom fonts into a PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• Click “Options” at the bottom.
• In the dialog box that appears, select “Save”, then put a check next to “Embed fonts in the file”

Alternative Solution #1: Install the font manually

If you have a license for the font, but it can’t be embedded into PowerPoint, you can install the font on the presentation computer. Be careful though, you can’t just share a font file along with your presentation unless the EULA (End User License Agreement) of the font explicitly allows this. Installing a font on Windows is as easy as right-clicking the font file and clicking “Install”. After it’s installed, PowerPoint should display the text correctly (you might need to restart PowerPoint).

Alternative Solution #2: Replace font and adapt each slide to the new font

You may find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to replace the font. If so, try to find a font that is similar to avoid too much manual fixing of each slide. Microsoft Support has a step-by-step instruction on how you can replace fonts throughout your presentation or on a single slide. Unfortunately, the built-in feature for replacing fonts doesn’t always work for all fonts in your presentation. Slide design company BrightCarbon has good explanation for why this might happen and a guide on how you can replace pesky fonts that can’t be replaced using the standard method.

Case 2: Something else than missing fonts is causing it

Sometimes the text will look weird even though all the fonts are available and installed on the presentation computer. Here are some general steps you can take that might help in such cases:

• Make sure your Office installation is updated. Open PowerPoint and go to “File” → “Account” → “Update options” → “Update Now” to check it.
• Try to open the PowerPoint in “Office Safe Mode” by pressing and holding the “Ctrl” key before double-clicking on the PowerPoint file to open it.
• Make sure “Disable hardware graphics acceleration” isn’t turned. Open PowerPoint and go to “File” → “Options” → “Advanced”, then scroll down to the Display section and make sure the box is unchecked.

Problem 3: The video doesn’t play back correctly

Your presentation’s videos might play perfectly on your own computer, but when you load it up on the presentation computer at the location where you are giving your talk, you might experience issues during playback. Common issues are:

• Video plays, but only with sound — no image (black screen/rectangle where the video is supposed to be).
• Video lags behind audio or vice versa.
• Video or audio glitches and image tearing.
• Other video performance issues, similar to the ones above.

On rare occasions, the presentation computer is not powerful enough for your slides. It could be low on memory or have its CPU overloaded by other running tasks and applications. Obsolete hardware or misconfigured presentation computers are rarely the case. What’s more common is slight differences in how different operating systems (Mac vs. Windows) and different versions of PowerPoint decode video. Regardless of what’s causing the problem, following one of the two solutions below should resolve it:

The steps for Optimizing Media Compatibility can be found above, under “Problem 1” , in the section about “Codec unavailable / Compatibility issue”

Alternative solution: Convert using Handbrake

See “Converting a video clip using Handbrake” at the bottom of this article.

Problem 4: Audio playback issues

Sometimes everything works fine when testing the PowerPoint beforehand, but when you’re at the conference and live, on stage, Murphy’s law kicks in and the audio of your PowerPoint video clip cannot be heard. When dealing with lots of cables, sound mixers and speakers, there’s always the chance that there’s something faulty with the hardware, or that it’s been badly configured. But, in my experience, most technicians at conferences know their stuff and prevent such things from happening. What’s more common is actually that the sound of video clips are muted or turned all the way down by a mistake. It could be that the presenter had their system volume at max and, when practicing their talk, turned down the volume of their videos to 5%, without turning it back up before saving and submitting their presentation file.

Recommended Solution: Check the audio level, then convert if that doesn’t help

First, we recommend that you check the volume setting of the video in PowerPoint. If it’s muted or turned almost all the way down, just turn it back up to 100% again. If that doesn’t help, we suggest you try to convert the video clip to MP4 with AAC audio by following the steps in the addendum below on how to convert a PowerPoint video using HandBrake.

Problem 5: Slide format mismatch

Most projectors and big screen TVs today are using the Widescreen 16:9 format. If you’re presenting at a conference, it’s almost guaranteed that your slides will have the best fit on the big screen if they are in 16:9 format. If you have an old PowerPoint slide deck that you’ve gradually updated with new information, but kept the same style and layout since you first created it in 1905, it’s a good chance it’s in 4:3 and that you’ll see black vertical borders to the left and right of your slides when presenting it on a 16:9 screen. When presenting 4:3 slides on a 16:9 screen, your slides will be shrunken down to fit and text can become hard to read. Therefore we recommend you to always start a new presentation using the (default) Widescreen format, and convert your old slide decks to 16:9.

Recommended Solution: Convert slide decks to Widescreen (16:9)

To convert your PowerPoints to use 16:9 format, follow these steps:

• Open the PowerPoint presentation.
• Click on the “Design” tab in the top menu and then click on “Slide Size” in the “Customize” group, near the far right end of the toolbar.
• Select Widescreen (16:9)
• In the dialog box that appears, try “Maximise” first. If your slide content looks weird or doesn’t fit the slide, try again with “Ensure Fit” and manually resize text boxes and images to fit the new format.

Tip : When manually resizing images and shapes, hold down the left SHIFT key to lock the aspect ratio.

Addendum: Extracting a video from PowerPoint and converting it using HandBrake

Before you install and run HandBrake you need to make sure that you have the video file that you want to convert. You can’t just load your PowerPoint into HandBrake and expect it to fix your video. First you need to extract the embedded video from it, then convert it to MP4 and finally re-insert the converted video into the correct slide and position. If you already have a copy of the video file, and not just the PowerPoint, you can skip this step.

How to Extract a video from PowerPoint

• Open your PowerPoint file and navigate to the slide where you have your troublesome video.
• Right-click on the video and select “Save Media As”.
• Choose a path, for example, your “Desktop”, and save the file. It will often be called “Media1.mp4” or similar if you’ve optimized the media file in PowerPoint earlier.

Once you’ve located your video file, you can open HandBrake and continue with the manual conversion.

How to convert a video into a format that PowerPoint accepts using HandBrake

• Download and install HandBrake.
• Open your video file by dragging and dropping into the gray area or clicking the “File” button.
• After opening the file you’ll be presented with a lot of options. Don’t worry, the default preset (“Fast 1080p30”) is often good enough, but depending on the quality of your source video you might want to tweak the settings so that the converted video isn’t visually or audibly worse than the original. We recommend you first try the default preset and do a test run by clicking “Start Encode”.
• The resulting file will have an .m4v file extension. If you want to, you can save it as .mp4 (it doesn’t matter). Open your PowerPoint file and navigate to the slide with the video.
• Make a note of the approximate coordinate of where the original video is placed on the slide (maybe take a screenshot?), click it and note down the selected options in the Playback tab (“Start on”, etc.) so that you can replicate it when inserting your converted video.
• Now remove your original video and insert your converted version, embedding it into the PowerPoint. Adjust the placement and playback options to match the original.
• Test run your PowerPoint in slide show mode and verify that it runs. Also check that the audio and video quality isn’t notably worse than the original. If so, try to convert again using the “Production Standard” preset in HandBrake. It might create a file that takes up more space than the original, but now there should not be any loss in audio or video quality.

To prevent common presentation problems and avoid having to fix your presentation in the first place, you should follow these points:

• Embed any new media and break existing links to external files.
• Optimize all media for compatibility.
• Avoid using non-standard fonts or make sure they are embedded.
• Avoid using setting videos to start “On Click”.
• Use Widescreen (16:9) slide size.

Additionally, we recommend all presenters to read and follow the presenter guidelines of the particular event you’re presenting at. You’ll likely find useful information on slide design, slide templates to use and what technical equipment is available in the room where you’re presenting. We can’t really emphasize enough how important it is follow the best practices regarding audio and video in PowerPoint and check your presentation for common issues, especially if you are not presenting from your own computer.

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Woodbury has a problem. It's time for a solution

3-minute read.

The campaign to establish the Village of Woodbury — nearly 20 years ago — featured a common refrain from the strongest backers: the new village would only cost taxpayers $1. While I supported the creation of the village as a means of protecting zoning in the community, most voters — from teenagers at the time like me to longtime residents — knew this claim was likely false.

Decades later, your tax bills speak for themselves: two government offices; two sets of salaries for elected officials; two attorneys; two engineers; two clerks; two treasurers/controllers; two beautification committees; two websites; two insurance policies; and more. Needless to say, this duplication, while admittedly not millions of dollars, far exceeds the $1 that was promised — and you’re paying for it.

Furthermore, any elected official who speaks with the average Woodbury resident knows full well the constant confusion that exists when dealing with the village or town. Someone has a water bill question — “do I call the village or town?” Someone has a pothole — “do we have a town highway department or village department of public works?”

Last but certainly not least, spanning multiple supervisors and mayors since day one, the town and village have been in constant conflict. There have been fights over virtually every issue imaginable to the point where, just several years ago, the town and village were in court over a property dispute — taxpayers were absurdly paying taxes for one of their local governments to sue the other to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even today, the village is now trying to take over control of the town’s police department and animal shelter — against the town’s will. It would not surprise me if this, too, winds up in court, all at the expense of local taxpayers.

This dynamic is outrageous, expensive, confusing and no longer tenable. Any town or village elected official that defends current circumstances is putting their own self-interest above our community’s.

To put an end to the anti-taxpayer madness, I am proposing a solution: special legislation to provide unique authorization for a single governing board to manage both the town and village. The current boundaries of both the town and village would not change and, due to the fact the village would still exist, the zoning protection that most Woodbury residents voted for two decades ago would remain in place.

I am committed to sponsoring and putting the full force of my office behind passing this special legislation, but there is a catch: under state law, majorities on both the town and village boards must pass a resolution supporting this special legislation otherwise the State Senate and Assembly cannot bring it up for a vote.

For nearly two decades, almost all village and town elected officials — of both parties — have supported a responsible merging of the two boards. Once the legislation is finalized in the coming days, I will be formally requesting both boards pass the required resolution and, at that point, we will know who is truly willing to put our community ahead of political self-interest. I will be calling out each and every local elected official who refuses to partner on this commonsense solution.

Some so-called leaders will, no doubt, try to lie about this proposal or fearmonger but, make no mistake, any attempts to do so will be thinly veiled efforts to preserve political power and a taxpayer-funded salary. The current mayor ran on a Woodbury First ballot line last year. It is time he and all of our elected officials put Woodbury first. It is time to finally end the madness.

State Sen. James Skoufis, a Democrat, represents New York's 42nd Legislative District.

Opinion: Utah has a problem with violence against women. There’s a clear solution.

A significant amount of work and funding need to be flooded into reducing violence for girls and women — and boys and men — to shift the current trends within our state..

Utah has lots to boast about. Our mountains, universities and tech are world class. And U.S. News & World Report’s Best States rankings for 2024 just gave us top honors around education, economy and infrastructure.

But we can’t ignore the darker aspects of living in our state. The area that most concerns me is the rates of violence against girls and women, which are focused on data in three key areas: child sexual abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence.

First, according to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System’s (BRFSS) data , the “prevalence of sexual child abuse in Utah is higher than nationally (13.9% or ~1 in 7 vs 11.6% or ~1 in 9).” Several other sources also allude to findings that child sexual abuse is indeed a serious and troubling concern in Utah. Although this impacts boys, too, girls and young women experience significantly higher levels of abuse.

In fact, four years ago I published an editorial titled “ 1 in 5 Utah girls were sexually assaulted last year ,” which was based on Centers of Disease Control (CDC) data. Perhaps because it is so unsettling, in 2023 most Utahns did not believe that child sexual abuse was a problem in their own immediate community. In short, people think, “Not in my neighborhood.”

Second, we know that sexual assault is a significant social, criminal justice and healthcare issue in Utah. In fact, a seminal study in 2007 reported that 1 in 3 Utah women experienced sexual assault in their lifetimes, and 1 in 6 Utah women experienced rape.

Sadly, Utah is ranked 9th out of 50 states for the number of rapes per capita, and the Utah Department of Health reported in 2021 that Utah rape rates were 33% higher than the U.S. rape rates. Yet, it is estimated that a small percentage of individuals (11.8%) who have experienced rape or sexual assault in the state have reported the crime to law enforcement.

Third, domestic violence — including intimate partner violence — is a serious and widespread issue affecting women and families in Utah. One in 3 Utah women will experience some form of contact sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in her lifetime.

Additionally, according to The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey ( 2010-2012 State Report ), 41.6% of Utah women will experience psychological aggression, 35.5% will experience expressive aggression and 36.4% will experience coercive control in their lifetime.

Yet, in a recent representative Utah study , only 25.6% of respondents firmly agreed that domestic violence was a problem. Over 50% were either unsure or disagreed — as if “disagreeing” with domestic violence will make it cease to exist.

Sadly, denial does not make things go away. In fact, ignoring issues allows them to fester and grow. Even with all the data and evidence around this violence within Utah families and communities, we most often continue to ignore these issues and focus on conversations around what a great place Utah is to live. Even worse, many continue to excuse and rationalize why we shouldn’t be concerned. In fact, a few months ago I had an individual tell me that there was “no way Utah had higher violence rates than other states because we have such a good religious culture here.” This prompted me to write a recently published piece titled “ The link between domestic violence and religiosity .” I would argue that if we truly care about our families and Utah as a state, we must break the silence and take these issues seriously.

Power disparity is at the root of violence. Research continues to show that when men have significantly more power than women — in homes, groups, communities and societies — there tends to be more issues with abuse. At its foundation, power is about relationships. According to the Sociology Institute , power is “the capacity to effect or prevent change, to influence others, and to control resources … it often operates through subtler mechanisms like persuasion, cultural norms and institutional authority.”

The bottom-line is this: When homes, groups, organizations, and societies shift to what is called a “ Partnership System ,” violence decreases and all members of families and communities better thrive. This includes respect for all contributions including household management, childcare, volunteer work and caregiving work more generally — which is as critical and important as paid contributions. The trouble is that a lot of people and entities say they value these things, but the deeper culture does not — words versus actions. It is well beyond just saying we value these things, which is often in the form of benevolent sexism. Lip service, like denial, maintains the status quo.

A significant amount of work and funding need to be flooded into reducing violence for girls and women — and boys and men — to shift the current trends within our state. Although some people continue to excuse and rationalize why we shouldn’t be concerned, there are many brave people willing to acknowledge that things need to change, particularly for their daughters and granddaughters. Owning the hard parts doesn’t take away from the good. Only when we prioritize safety and security can our state truly thrive.

Susan R. Madsen

Susan R. Madsen, Ed.D., is the inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership & Director, Utah Women & Leadership Project , Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University.

The Salt Lake Tribune is committed to creating a space where Utahns can share ideas, perspectives and solutions that move our state forward. We rely on your insight to do this. Find out how to share your opinion here , and email us at [email protected] .

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Dear Annie: My 23-year-old unemployed daughter thinks socializing is the solution to her problems

• Published: Aug. 16, 2024, 5:30 p.m.

Annie Lane writes the Dear Annie advice column. NJ Advance Media

DEAR ANNIE: My daughter is 23 years old. She moved back in with me following a bad, toxic relationship. I told her I would help her. The problem is she doesn’t have a driver’s license or a job to stand on her own two feet and be independent. She believes going out with some friends she met online is a good start in getting her sadness and depression to go away. I told her she needs to have priorities and real goals because I’m not going to continue helping her financially.

She is not looking for a job, doesn’t want to study for the driving test or even get an education. I don’t know what else to do. The tools for her are there, but she doesn’t want them. She just continues to focus on socializing as the solution to her problems. Any advice? -- “Strict” Mother

DEAR STRICT MOTHER: Let me set the record straight: You are not being “strict” in the slightest. Your daughter needs a reality check. She is lucky to have a parent who is as supportive and willing to help her as you are when she is so in need of that help and direction. But that doesn’t mean she gets to coast through life on your generosity.

The solution is simple. Either she starts taking steps in the right direction to iron out her life -- getting a job or enrolling in school, becoming a licensed driver -- in your home, or she finds a home of her own.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected] .

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Commentary | Alicia Pederson: The courtyard block solution…

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Commentary | Alicia Pederson: The courtyard block solution to Chicago’s family flight problem

A recent analysis of census data shows that the number of young families in large urban metros is in a free fall, with the under-age-5 population falling by 15% in Cook County since 2020, according to the Economic Innovation Group. Yes, some of the decline is due to lower fertility since 2020. However, birth rates in urban counties are declining at twice the rate that they are in rural counties. In the famously family-friendly Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago, between 2010 and 2022, the under-5 population fell by more than 1,300, despite gains in total population and housing units . Why are cities losing children?

The increasing costs of single-family homes are outpacing the increase in other housing types, suggesting that an unmet demand for family-sized housing in the city is pushing young millennials to the suburbs .   Without abundant family-sized housing, cities cannot compete with the suburbs, which seemingly can easily expand to accommodate growing families and their tax dollars. This is a problem for families, which lose access to the conveniences and opportunities that are concentrated in cities. It is also a problem for Chicago, which loses these families’ spending power, productivity and tax dollars, as well as its connection to the members of the next generation of citizens who will grow up in the suburbs, alienated from urban culture and values. 

To compete with the suburbs, American cities should try an urban typology that has kept families in European city centers for millennia. With traditional courtyard urbanism , wall-to-wall buildings frame a city block so that the interior courtyard is closed off to the streets. The buildings are midrise, usually four to six stories tall and built to the property line. Because the buildings are high and wall-to-wall, the interior courtyards are safe and sound-insulated. Courtyard blocks are ideal for families because they provide residents convenient access to car-free green space where children can play safely.

Families also benefit from the walkability that arises from dense and mixed-use courtyard urbanism. The parent who needs to pick up groceries, a coffee, an antibiotic for a sick child or a six-pack can run down the stairs to the bodega, pharmacy and cafe on the ground floor. By collocating business and residential life, courtyard block neighborhoods are the most walkable and least car-dependent urban areas. They are also the greenest: Their walkability and density lead to greater energy efficiency and lower per-capita carbon emissions when compared with mono-zoned, car-dependent areas. 

President Joe Biden’s administration called on federal agencies, including the USPS, to repurpose federal property for housing where appropriate in the July housing statement. The 2500 block of West Lawrence, where a single-story 1979 USPS office currently sits with abundant surface parking, is an ideal site to show a “proof of concept” for repurposing government land as courtyard blocks. In this plan, the 160-by-270-foot site would become a five-story courtyard block with a downsized USPS office tucked into the ground floor commercial space and parking deck. The courtyard and first through fourth floors would sit on top of the parking. With parking, USPS office and other retail on the ground floor and assuming 5% of the building space in the first four floors will go to utilities, the remaining space could allow for 25 jumbo units (3,000 square feet), 20 medium units (2,000 square feet) and 10 small units (1,000 square feet).

A courtyard block on this stretch of Lawrence would transform the neighborhood and potentially serve as a model for Chicago and North America on how to do green, family-friendly density in our cities. T his plan would increase the number of housing units from none to 55. It would add 45 family-sized units to the neighborhood in the form of spacious condos that provide access to safe green space in the courtyard interior. It would offer great potential for affordable housing in the smaller units. It would reduce car dependency in Lincoln Square. It would eliminate an industrial-looking USPS eyesore on Lawrence, and i t would increase property tax revenue.

Finally, this courtyard block proposal has its roots in community-driven planning and development. Last week, members of the Greater Rockwell Organization voted to support this plan. This week, we will present this plan to the office of U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, whose support will be needed to authorize the redevelopment of the Postal Service site. We hope that Quigley will give his enthusiastic support to this new “courtyard in my backyard” or “CIMBY” project.

Alicia Pederson, Ph.D, is a member of the Greater Rockwell Organization’s Urban Planning & Development Committee, Strong Towns Chicago and Urban Environmentalists, and she is the mother of three children enrolled in a Lincoln Square elementary school. 

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected] .

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Free Press investigation into recalled vehicles: What to know

The Detroit Free Press spent months looking into one of the more vexing problems in the auto industry: the failure to get recalled passenger cars and trucks in the U.S. off the road and fixed, especially older vehicles.

Here's what we found :

• Without any federal requirement on auto companies to fix all of the potentially dangerous used vehicles, the annual repair rate rarely exceeds 65% — and much less than that for older vehicles.
• Parts to fix problems aren’t always available, even after consumers are notified about their faulty vehicles. Sometimes, no one knows immediately how to fix them.
• Vehicle recall campaigns do not place any threshold for manufacturers to reach or deadlines to fix all of the potentially flawed cars and trucks. Close federal oversight is rare.
• Proposed reforms are stalled, despite recommendations of federal officials, industry insiders and safety advocates.
• Used car retailers continue to sell potentially faulty cars and trucks with open recalls in most places while new car dealers legally can't.
• States around the country register vehicles as road-worthy despite unfixed safety defects. Most of them, through their departments of motor vehicles, have failed to sign on to a federal effort to increase awareness about recalls.

Read the investigation: Millions of older cars, trucks with dangerous defects aren't getting fixed

Some federal officials and safety advocates think they have solutions to bolster the repair rate, including:

• Ban dealers from selling used cars with open recalls.
• Modernize the notification for recalls beyond U.S. mail by requiring the use of email and texts.
• Require new cars and trucks to be equipped with in-vehicle recall notification systems.
• Encourage or even mandate automakers reach out beyond the dealership to complete repairs of recalled vehicles, including mobile repairs, the use of independent repair facilities, over-the-air updates for software issues and the setup of temporary repair facilities.
• Boost the availability of replacement parts.
• Develop a national vehicle database to track whether recall issues have been repaired.
• Bolster federal efforts to encourage states to match vehicle identification numbers to state registration information.
• Ask states to notify vehicle owners about their recall status when they renew their driver’s license, check their emissions and undergo state safety inspections. In the most severe remedy, they could even hold up registrations for vehicles with open recalls, citing a safety hazard.

This report received funding from the Abrams Nieman Fellowships for Local Investigative Journalis m.

Have a question about vehicle recalls or a story to share? Contact Matthew Dolan: 313-223-4743 or [email protected] . Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @matthewsdolan

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Rooftop solar has a fraud problem. The industry is working to build back trust

A crew installs a solar array on the roof of a home in Frankfort, Ky., in 2023. Michael Conroy/AP hide caption

PHILADELPHIA — The solar power industry is booming and that growth helps the world meet its climate goals by replacing fossil fuels . But an emerging problem in the U.S. solar business that installs panels on homes risks slowing the effort to cut the country’s emissions.

Customer complaints against the country’s residential rooftop solar industry have increased dramatically in recent years. One-star ratings on Solar Reviews increased more than 1,000% since 2018. Across the country, prosecutors are investigating high-pressure sales tactics and misleading financing arrangements. Some customers say they were victims of fraud and forgery. This threatens rooftop solar’s impressive momentum . Now, some solar companies are working to repair the industry’s reputation.

Thinking about rooftop solar? 4 things to consider and how to protect yourself

“There have been a lot of shady business practices in residential solar. And I think it's hurting the market,” says Micah Gold-Markel, who founded the company Solar States in 2008. He says the solar industry started with, “hippies who looked at the idea of getting electricity from the sun and had very pure intentions” and wanted to make that clean electricity available to everyone.

But now Gold-Markel says larger companies with more of a profit motive have introduced questionable sales and financing practices that are hurting the industry’s reputation.

Even prosecutors who are investigating companies across the country say a good idea has been corrupted.

“We think that having rooftop solar is good for the environment and does save people money. We don't want people deceived, though,” says Adam Welle, a lawyer with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office who is pursuing a case against solar financing companies.

Beyond the industry’s reputation, real people – many of them already financially vulnerable – have been hurt.

“I will die before I could pay this off”

Ninety-one year-old Emanuel Minto’s Northeast Philadelphia house has a tidy front yard, where the Jamaican immigrant proudly flies an American flag. On his roof there are solar panels. They generate electricity but also have become a source of frustration for the retired machinist.

In December 2022, Minto says a door-to-door salesman approached him about a government program to help senior citizens save on their electric bills.

“Well, everybody wants a cheaper electric bill, right?” Minto says.

“‘This program is going to cost about $20,000 out of your pocket, but don’t worry about it, you’re only going to pay about $100 a month,’” Minto says the salesman told him. The cost would be over 20 years, and Minto says the salesman told him it would cut his electric bill in half. “So I said, ‘Well, that would be good.’”

Emanuel Minto, 91, stands outside his Philadelphia home, where he says a salesman created an email address and then forged his name on an electronic contract for solar panels. Jeff Brady/NPR hide caption

But there was no such government program, and the monthly payments ended up being four times what Minto says he was promised. “I will die before I could pay this off,” Minto says.

Minto didn’t have a computer or an email address and says the salesman created an email and then forged his signature onto an electronic contract.

“Him sit right here,” says Minto, referring to the salesman and pointing to a chair on his enclosed front porch, “and said, ‘This is your email address and this is your password.’” Minto says he never saw or signed an electronic contract.

According to a lawsuit filed against the companies involved, the contract was discovered later when Minto’s granddaughter got access to the email. His attorney says the only messages in the inbox were from the solar installer and the financing company.

“I wish I could say it was surprising,” says Andy Milz, an attorney who specializes in solar fraud and who is representing Minto. “We've seen so much of this.’”

Milz says as part of the loan, a lien was placed on Minto’s paid-for home to secure a nearly $50,000 loan. “Part of the scam here, especially when it comes to elderly consumers, is to strip equity from their homes – to steal their nest egg from them.”

Why the U.S. government is spending $7 billion on solar for low-income homes

The salesman no longer works for the solar sales company Graysquare Solar. Owner Tim Koontz disputes many of the facts in the case, though he confirms the salesman created the email address. He says there are safeguards in place to prevent what Minto claims happened. And he accuses the elderly Minto of scamming him.

“I feel like I'm the one being defrauded. I feel like this is a hustle to try and get money,” Koontz told NPR. He says the case likely will bankrupt his company.

Milz says Graysquare Solar didn’t even appear in court to defend itself, “Actions speak louder than words.”

The finance company involved in the Minto case, Solar Mosaic, said in an email, “We dispute the allegations and cannot comment further due to pending litigation.”

Milz says in cases of fraud, he generally tries to get mandatory arbitration clauses voided and move the case to a regular court before a jury. But that process could last years and given Minto’s age, he’s pursuing arbitration to get it resolved as quickly as possible.

Milz says he’s handled more than 100 cases like this, and he’s part of a loose network of attorneys around the country who specialize in fraudulent solar sales.

As complaints against solar companies mount, state attorneys general are also getting involved.

Complaints grow faster than installations

In online forums like Reddit , there’s a constant stream of complaints and requests for help from dissatisfied residential solar customers. Part of the reason is that many customers who feel victimized don’t know where to turn.

“There's not really one place for consumers to complain to,” says Jenifer Bosco, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. “If they do have a problem with solar companies, they can complain to the Federal Trade Commission. They might complain to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, they might complain to their state AG's office.”

That makes it difficult to identify the exact number of complaints against residential solar companies. But it’s clear the number of dissatisfied customers has increased faster than the industry’s healthy growth rate.

Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission’s ReportFraud.ftc.gov that contain the word “solar” increased four-fold over as many years. One-star ratings on Solar Reviews increased more than 11-fold. That is much higher than the two-and-half-fold increase in residential solar installations.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently warned solar customers about hidden fees, and misleading statements about the financial benefits of solar.

“The Minnesota Attorney General's Office, like a lot of AG's offices, has received a large volume of complaints in the last few years from consumers about misleading, deceptive, high pressure tactics by certain companies selling rooftop solar panel systems,” says Adam Welle, assistant attorney general.

In July, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sued SunRun, and two smaller companies it worked with, alleging deceptive, unfair and illegal sales of solar power systems.

“The complaints we have seen—including forged signatures, impersonations of consumers, non-permitted work, and non-functioning systems—are beyond shocking,” Tong said in a statement .

In one case, the complaint says sales people signed a household up for a 25-year solar lease even though a father and daughter had both said no to the proposal. Tong’s office says the sales people used a false signature on an electronic contract and impersonated the customer on the phone.

Bright Planet and Elevate Solar, two firms sued by Tong’s office, did not respond to NPR requests for comment. SunRun says in a statement to NPR, “In these instances, the sales representatives and installation crews allegedly did not meet our expectations, which we are addressing through the lawsuit and otherwise.”

Rooftop solar panels installed on homes in Folsom, Calif. in 2020. This segment of the solar industry has grown more than 5,000% in just the last 15 years, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Rich Pedroncelli/AP hide caption

Minnesota is suing firms who finance solar power systems for homes. The case alleges that four lending companies deceived customers with hidden, upfront fees in exchange for lower interest rates.

“It's misleading people about the price of the system and misleading people about the price of financing,” says Assistant Attorney General Welle. “People have a right to know what are the costs of all these things involved. What's the cost of the system [and] what's the cost of me taking out a loan.”

One of the companies, GoodLeap, wrote in a statement to NPR that these fees are used in several industries, including auto financing.

“The practice is regulated by the Truth in Lending Act, which GoodLeap complies with, and we look forward to demonstrating our compliance in court,” wrote Jesse Comart, chief marketing and communications officer.

The three other companies being sued by the Minnesota AG, Dividend Solar Finance, Sunlight Financial and SolarMosaic, disputed the allegations but declined to comment specifically on the allegations.

Climate activists rally around Harris, seeing a chance to build on Biden’s record

In some cases Welle reviewed, he says the fees are so high they violate Minnesota’s usury law, which caps interest rates on loans.

Statistics from solar marketing firm EnergySage show that for the last half of 2023, fees for the most popular loan averaged 47% of the cost of a rooftop solar panel installation. That can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a solar panel system.

“We never had a dealer fee that high. That would have made me sick,” says Gold-Markel. He says his firm Solar States stopped offering loans with hidden upfront fees. “There were all sorts of restrictions that the lenders were putting on us, where we couldn't talk about the dealer fees, which is absolutely crazy.”

Raising residential solar business standards

Gold-Markel is among a few installers around the country involved in a cooperative called Amicus Solar . It pools resources for independent solar companies so they can compete against the large ones. It also requires members to follow certain business practices.

“We're treating our employees fairly. We're looking at the supply chain and saying, are there unethical things happening in the manufacturing side of things? And we're trying to stay away from forced-labor solar panels, that sort of thing,” Gold-Markel says.

Micah Gold-Markel founded the company Solar States in 2008. He says the solar industry started with, “hippies who looked at the idea of getting electricity from the sun and had very pure intentions.” Jeff Brady/NPR hide caption

For lending, Amicus members steer customers toward lenders, like Clean Energy Credit Union in Colorado, that don’t offer programs with hidden upfront fees.

Others in the solar industry have signed onto a service called Recheck , which will allow “companies to vet sales partners, prevent poor practices by unregistered salespeople, and identify individuals with a history of consumer protection violations who try to move from company to company.”

While Recheck’s registry isn’t intended for consumers, anyone who has a sales person’s Recheck identification number can look them up.

A technician installs a solar energy system at a home in 2018, in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. Across the U.S. solar power is booming and that helps the country meet its climate goals by replacing fossil fuels. Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo/AP hide caption

A new federal program, called Solar for All , offers solar to low-income households. To avoid “unscrupulous characters,” the Environmental Protection Agency plans to fund efforts to create lists of reputable solar installers who participate in the program.

And the trade group Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is taking on the reputation issue by developing standards member companies can agree to follow.

“We want to make sure that there are no exploitative or unfair sales practices happening in our industry,” says Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA president and CEO.

A second Trump term could slow the shift from fossil fuels as climate threats grow

The accredited standard will outline training requirements for solar salespeople and ensure customers have the information they need to make an informed decision.

“They [the standards] will have important rules around disclosing all the information about how you compare energy prices, how you talk about savings with regard to solar installation, what the long-term benefits are [and] what the long-term costs may be,” Hopper says.

SEIA is currently accepting comments on the proposed standards and expects to finalize them this Fall.

“Solar is the most popular form of energy and we are very committed to keeping it that way,” Hopper says.

Considering roof top solar? Here's what to consider and how to protect yourself

THEMES AND PROBLEMS

Middle school.

Biotechnology

Career Prep

Challenging Technology Issues

Children's Stories

Cybersecurity

Data Science and Analytics

Digital Photography

Theme: Select a career from one (1) of the following:  

• Bioenergy Technicians
• Data Architect
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Nurse Practitioner
• Genetic Testing and Counseling
• Animal Testing for Scientific Research
• The Use of Drones for Surveillance
• Privatization of Space Travel
• Nanotechnology in Consumer Goods

Determine the potential "movie success" of a fictitious feature film based on different public metrics, such as, but not limited to box office revenue, date of release, movie genre (selected by the team), movie production budget, and more.

HIGH SCHOOL

Animatronics

Architectural Design

Audio Podcasting

Biotechnology Design

Children’s Stories

Debating Technological Issues

Create a “touch and feel” or interactive storybook that introduces TSA and its benefits to young readers in an engaging manner.

The following programming languages may be used to complete the assigned problems: 

• C version C17
• C++ version C++20
• C# version 8
• Java version 21.0
• Javascript/Node version 18.19
• Python version 3.9
• Ruby version 3.2
• Rust version 1.75
• Swift version 5.10

Identify and use a "Real Estate," "Housing," and/or "Community" related open-source data set for your analyses and research. In the scientific poster, cite the source of the data, including the URL/domain and file format.

Topic : Biotechnology

• Subtopic 1 : Biometric identification poses a security threat within the digital world.
• Subtopic 2 : Gene-editing biotechnologies such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system, set a dangerous precedent for science applications in healthcare.
• Subtopic 3 : Brain interface technologies, such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink, provide a unique and beneficial solution to mental health issues.