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Find amazing uses of a Ladder in PowerPoint. Discover how this simple diagram can help you convey a wide variety of business concepts and make your presentations visual.
A quick word about this diagram:
Ladder can be seen as a metaphor for ‘a tool that helps you move up’. For the purpose of this article, we will call any diagram that uses the metaphor of steps as ‘Ladder diagram’.
First, we will learn how to create a simple ladder for a diagram in a step by step manner. Then, we will see a wide variety of uses for the diagram.
*Updated Video* for Ladder Diagram in PowerPoint
You can follow this video in PowerPoint 2013,2016 and higher
Ladder Diagram Tutorial in PowerPoint
Interestingly, a ladder is quite easy to create in PowerPoint. Just follow these simple instructions:
1. Draw the rails
Use ‘Rounded rectangle’ tool from auto shapes menu to draw two parallel rails as follows:
Select both the shapes, right click and go to Format shape. Choose ‘Fill’ -> Gradient fill -> Preset Gradients. In the preset gradient palette choose ‘Chrome II’ as shown below:
Your steel rails are ready. The next step is to…
2. Draw the steps
Again use ‘Rounded rectangle’ tool to create ‘step’ shape as follows:
Fill it with the same chrome gradient as before and stick copies of this shape along the rails to complete the ladder:
Make sure that you select all the steps -> Arrange -> Align -> Align center and distribute vertically. Once done, you can group all the elements and apply shadow effect as follows:
This gives the ladder a 3D perspective. Wasn’t that simple?
Related: Simple Staircase Diagram in PowerPoint
More ideas for business presenters
The difference between a ‘boring PowerPoint presentation’ and an ‘inspiring business presentation’ is in the way you convey your ideas to your audience. Powerful visual diagrams like a ladder can take your message to a whole new level.
Unfortunately, most busy business presenters don’t have the time to create such elaborate visual diagrams from the scratch. That is why they rely on our “PowerPoint Graphics and Concepts CEO Pack 2.”
Take a look at a few samples from the pack that showcases the wide variety of uses:
1. Conceptual use – Loyalty ladder
One of the common uses of a ladder chart in a marketing presentation is to portray -‘loyalty ladder’. See how the steps in the ladder are used as text placeholders in the following diagram:
Source: Ladder from PowerPoint Graphics CEO Pack 2
The diagram comes in handy to portray any kind of hierarchical relationship in your business presentations.
2.As a slide element – Presentation agenda
If you want to make a presentation that deals with several levels of a given topic, you can use ‘Ladder’ as a supporting visual to layout your agenda items. Take a look at the following diagram template that uses the idea:
3. As a Visual Metaphor
Here are some examples that use ladder as a ‘Visual metaphor’:
Path to Growth:
When you place a ladder slanting on a 3D arrow, you convey the idea of ‘Steps to grow up’. See this diagram template for example:
Source: Ladder from PowerPoint Graphics CEO Pack 2
Overcoming barriers:
When you slant the ladder on a 3D wall graphic you convey the idea of ‘overcoming a barrier’. See how the following diagram template captures the idea:
Source: Growth Concept: 750+ PowerPoint Charts & Diagrams CEO Pack
Moving from current situation to a desired situation:
A ladder metaphorically connects you from your current situation to a desired situation. The following Ladder diagram template conveys the idea effectively:
Source: Ladder from PowerPoint Graphics CEO Pack 2
Three phases of a project:
You can use the Ladder diagram to convey the ascending, steady state and descending phases of a project. See how the following diagram template captures the three phases clearly:
Source: Ladder from PowerPoint Graphics CEO Pack 2
All the 815+ diagrams in the CEO pack 2 are fully editable and surprisingly easy to use. You just need to copy our diagrams to your slides and replace sample text. Your professional presentations get ready in minutes.
Why waste time creating your diagrams from the scratch, when you have such high quality solution available off the shelf? Please browse through our pack now and discover how the pack can change the way you create your business presentations forever.
If you found this tutorial useful, do look around our site. You will find 200+ such advanced PowerPoint tutorials.
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