Structure the message, tell a clearer story, and turn complex information into visuals that work.
Effective business presentations do more than display information. They help an audience understand a problem, follow an argument, recognise what matters and decide what to do next.
This two-day, hands-on workshop goes past templates and basic slide design. You will structure presentations using SCQA, AIDA and STAR, apply visual hierarchy deliberately, build reusable presentation layouts, and turn processes, comparisons and data into clear infographics and visual explanations.
You will also use accessible AI tools to develop and critique presentation content, while keeping judgement over the final message. The workshop ends with a presentation project that combines message structure, visual design and information visualisation.
This is not a longer version of the one-day course. If you want practical Canva skills and better-looking slides, start with Canva at Work instead.
- Professionals who regularly prepare business presentations, proposals and reports
- Managers and team leaders communicating plans, recommendations and project outcomes
- Sales, marketing, communications and business development professionals
- HR and learning professionals who present information or explain processes
- Consultants, project managers and business owners explaining complex information
- Canva users wanting stronger presentation design and storytelling skills
- Evaluate and customise presentation layouts for different business communication needs
- Apply visual hierarchy, alignment, contrast, spacing and consistency to improve slide design
- Use SCQA, AIDA and STAR to structure presentations for different audiences and objectives
- Build reusable presentation layouts that support consistent business communication
- Convert complex concepts, processes, comparisons and data into clear infographics and visualisations
- Use accessible AI tools to support content development, while checking accuracy, logic and relevance
- Develop, review and refine a structured business presentation in Canva
What we cover
| Day 1 | Presentation Design — From Template to Communication Tool What business presentations are for: informing, explaining, proposing, persuading. Identifying audience, purpose and desired outcome before opening Canva. The usual problems — too much text, weak hierarchy, inconsistent layouts, unclear messages. Evaluating templates by purpose rather than looks. Separating decoration from communication. Activity: review a sample presentation and identify improvements to message, structure and design. | 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Visual Hierarchy and Slide Layout Contrast, alignment, proximity, repetition and white space. Establishing hierarchy with headings, subheadings and supporting content. Typography, colour combinations and text sizes. Grids, columns, margins. Designing for projected screens. Layouts for title, content, comparison, process and summary slides. Consistency without making every slide identical. Activity: redesign a set of poorly structured slides and explain why the changes help. | 90 min |
| Day 1 | Business Storytelling with SCQA, AIDA and STAR SCQA — Situation, Complication, Question, Answer: for proposals, problem-solving and management updates. AIDA — Attention, Interest, Desire, Action: for pitches, marketing and persuasion. STAR — Situation, Task, Action, Result: for project updates, case studies and achievements. Then choosing between them: what each is for, how to turn a framework into a sequence of slides, and writing headlines that carry the point. Activity: take a workplace scenario, choose a framework, build a storyline with draft headlines. | 90 min |
| Day 1 | Building a Reusable Presentation Template Establishing a consistent visual style. Applying organisational colours, typography and identity. Reusable layouts for common slide types — title, content, comparison, process, summary. Organising and reusing design elements. Canva brand and template features. Balancing consistency against flexibility. Activity: develop a small set of reusable Canva layouts for a recurring presentation. | 60 min |
| Day 2 | Turning Information into Infographics Knowing when an infographic beats a paragraph. Visual formats for processes, timelines, comparisons, hierarchies and relationships. Icons, shapes, connectors, labels and grouping. Simplifying without losing meaning. Establishing a reading order. Avoiding clutter and decoration. Infographics that still read in a presentation. Activity: convert a text-heavy explanation or process into an infographic slide. | 90 min |
| Day 2 | Visualising Data and Business Information Choosing formats for numbers, comparisons, trends and relationships. Charts, tables, diagrams and callouts. Deciding what the audience needs to take from the data. Highlighting the finding rather than displaying figures. Labels, titles and annotations. How scales, missing context and the wrong chart mislead. Simplifying data-heavy slides without losing accuracy. Activity: turn a set of business figures into a slide that communicates one clear finding. | 75 min |
| Day 2 | Improving Presentation Content with AI and Other Accessible Tools Using AI to brainstorm, organise and refine. Giving it context, audience, objective and constraints. Turning long information into concise headlines. Asking AI to critique a storyline and find the gaps. Checking output for accuracy, logic and tone. Moving refined content into Canva. Some Canva AI features need a paid subscription and are not required here. Activity: improve a presentation storyline with an AI tool, then build it out in Canva. | 60 min |
| Day 2 | Presentation Project, Review and Refinement Choosing a real workplace scenario and defining audience and objective. Selecting SCQA, AIDA or STAR. Building the storyline and headlines. Applying hierarchy, layout and consistency. Including at least one infographic or data visualisation. Peer feedback, then refining and presenting key sections. Activity: develop and review a short presentation combining storyline, design and visual explanation. | 105 min |
Outline shown for the two-day public run.
Upcoming public runs:
Canva for Business Presentations: Design, Storytelling & Infographics
If you're enquiring for 8 pax and above, we're able to offer you a private run. Ask us about it.
Bring a laptop with internet access and a Canva account — a free account is enough. Basic computer skills are assumed and some familiarity with Canva helps, but no professional design experience is required. AI tools are used as supporting resources; no core activity depends on paid Canva AI features or a paid AI subscription. Indicative guided learning time is 5 hours on Day 1 and 5.5 hours on Day 2, excluding breaks and transitions. This course runs in the classroom only.
Charmaine Lee
Charmaine Lee is an ACTA-certified trainer registered under TAEPP (AE250000925) with over 16 years of digital marketing experience and more than 4,500 learners trained. She specialises in practical, hands-on training in visual design, Canva, digital content creation, storytelling, presentations and generative AI. She also develops vocational curricula and supports educator training through international education initiatives.
LinkedInLaunching June 2027
- LevelLevel 2 · builds on Level 1
- Duration16 hours (2 days)
- DeliveryIn person
- Course Fee$850/pax
- Class SizeMax. 10 pax
Dates are not open yet. Join the waitlist and we will contact you first when the June 2027 intake opens.
Inside a workshop
A short look at how our sessions run: less lecture, more making.
Canva for Business Presentations: Design, Storytelling & Infographics
Go past templates: structure the message with storytelling frameworks, then turn complex information into infographics and data visuals.
- Structure a presentation with SCQA, AIDA or STAR
- Apply visual hierarchy, layout and consistency across a deck
- Build reusable Canva layouts for recurring presentations
- Turn processes, comparisons and data into clear infographics
Business Presentation with Storytelling and Infographics
Turn complex business information into clear, engaging presentations using storytelling, structure and simple infographics.
- Find the key message inside a complex topic
- Learn and apply three storytelling frameworks to your business presentation content
- Turn information into infographics
- Deliver your presentation with confidence with two delivery techniques
