Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
When should I pick Waterfall?
When the story is: P&L bridges, budget vs actual, headcount walks.
When should I avoid Waterfall?
Skip it in cases like: the story is a trend over many periods, not a bridge.
Who invented or popularised it?
Popularised in 1980s–90s consulting decks (McKinsey waterfall)
What does it encode?
signed bar height from a running total
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
Waterfall encodes values as signed bar height from a running total. Popularised in 1980s–90s consulting decks (McKinsey waterfall).
In reports, ads and assignments it fits P&L bridges, budget vs actual, headcount walks. Skip it when the story is a trend over many periods, not a bridge.
Use when
- Use when 1 — Use Waterfall when the story is P&L bridges, budget vs actual, headcount walks.
- Use when 2 — Build the first draft in Excel or Google Sheets, then restyle — do not screenshot.
- Use when 3 — In PowerPoint, one Waterfall per slide, claim in the title.
- Use when 4 — For lab reports and poster boards, this form works when the question is comparison or process.
- Use when 5 — In Meta, Google and retail print, keep one number visible at thumbnail size.
Avoid when
- Avoid when 1 — Skip Waterfall in cases like: the story is a trend over many periods, not a bridge.
- Avoid when 2 — 3-D, dual axes, rainbow scales
- Avoid when 3 — Undated numbers, undated time series
- Avoid when 4 — Four charts on one slide
Audiences
- Work — PowerPoint
- Ads — Meta, Google and retail print
- School — lab reports and poster boards
Waterfall: honour signed bar height from a running total, and switch when the story is a trend over many periods, not a bridge.