Infographic Design with PowerPoint, Excel, and AI (BUR-INFPP200)

This 2-day workshop teaches participants how to turn raw data into clear, compelling infographics, using Excel, PowerPoint, and AI tools at every stage — from the first data cleanup to a finished, presentation-ready slide. No design or programming background is required. Day one focuses on the data and storytelling foundation: organizing and analyzing data in Excel, using AI to summarize, compare, and combine datasets, and choosing the right visual for the story the data tells. Day two moves into design and execution: building the infographic in PowerPoint, using AI to draft and refine layouts, and applying core design principles so the final product is clear, accurate, and visually polished.

The AI portion of the course is largely tool-agnostic and can be delivered using whichever AI assistant your organization already uses. By the end of the session, participants will be able to take a raw dataset and produce a finished, accurate, well-designed infographic, using AI to accelerate the data and drafting work while applying their own judgment to storytelling and design choices. The workshop closes with a hands-on case study, building a complete infographic from a sample dataset, which can be customized to reflect your organization's data and branding.

1. AI and Infographics: An Introduction
   1. What makes a good infographic vs. a bad one
   2. Where AI fits in the workflow: data, drafting, and design
   3. A tour of the tools used in this workshop: PowerPoint, Excel, and an AI assistant
2. Working with Data in Excel
   1. Cleaning and organizing raw data for visualization
   2. Using AI to summarize, compare, and combine datasets
   3. Identifying the story in your data: trends, comparisons, outliers, proportions
3. Choosing the Right Visual for Your Data
   1. Matching chart types to data stories: comparison, composition, trend, relationship
   2. Common chart mistakes and how to avoid them
   3. Using AI to suggest and generate chart options from your dataset
4. Infographic Design Principles
   1. Visual hierarchy, layout, and the reader's eye path
   2. Color, typography, and iconography for clarity, not decoration
   3. Simplifying complexity: data-ink ratio and avoiding clutter
5. From Excel to PowerPoint: Moving Data into Design
   1. Bringing analyzed data and charts from Excel into PowerPoint
   2. Using AI to draft a first-pass layout from your data and key messages
   3. Building a template and design system for consistency
6. Building the Infographic in PowerPoint
   1. Structuring sections, callouts, and a clear narrative flow
   2. Hands-on: building core infographic elements (charts, icons, comparisons, timelines)
   3. Iterating with AI: refining layout, copy, and visual elements through conversation
7. Polish, Accessibility, and Quality Check
   1. Reviewing for accuracy: making sure visuals don't distort the underlying data
   2. Accessibility basics: color contrast, text size, alt text
   3. Final polish: alignment, consistency, and a fresh-eyes review
8. Case Study and Wrap-Up
   1. Case study: build a complete infographic from raw data to finished slide
   2. Presenting and critiquing infographics as a group
   3. Discussion: applying this workflow to your own projects
   4. Resources and next steps

Each student receives a comprehensive set of materials, including course notes and all class examples.