How to enhance your data presentations in Vulcan

Interpreting large amounts of geological data for the purpose of mine planning and design is a definite challenge. But for some, presenting their findings to a room full of peers and managers is an even more daunting task.

Fortunately, we have some tips to share when it comes to effectively and professionally presenting data in Vulcan.

3 easy ways to enhance your presentations in Vulcan

1. Take advantage of the Drafting Sheet Editor

Presenting data to a large group gets complicated fast. Simplify the process by taking advantage of Vulcan’s Drafting Sheet Editor; a quick and easy tool that makes templates for your plots. Once completed, a customized drafting sheet will help your presentation look consistently professional and aesthetically appealing to the right audience.

To get to the Drafting Sheet Editor in Vulcan, simply select File, then Drafting Sheets, and finally the Drafting Sheet Editor. From there, you can create and alter the look of your drafting sheets quite easily. For each sheet, you have the ability to quickly change the following:

• Image logo (to better represent the appropriate company)
• Font styles
• Colours
• Legends—either a static legend (hardcoded to your drafting sheet) or a dynamic legend (which pulls colour from your project colour legend).

When creating a custom drafting sheet, remember to adjust the alignment of any text boxes and logos. You can use the grid snap tool to “snap” the logo to the grid ensuring it’s aligned correctly.

2. Create multi-section plots with Plot All Wizard

Plot All Wizard is another Vulcan tool that can help tailor your presentations to the right audience. Use Plot All Wizard to produce multi-section plots using data from sources like underground mine levels, open pit benches, geologic cross-sections, and even drill plans. Multi-section plots are especially helpful when presenting your findings across disciplines since each discipline might require a plot with varying levels of detail.

To create a multi-section plot, you first need to select and load your desired dynamic model and its accompanying variables into Vulcan. Once this is accomplished, you can use Plot All Wizard to select a specification file and a well-designed drafting sheet by selecting File, then Plot, and finally Plot All Wizard. Once you’re satisfied with the appearance of your plots, simply save them as PDF files for easy presenting.

In addition to multi-section plots, you can also use Plot All Wizard to create a multi-view. This gives you the option to choose different views for the same plot. By using this feature, you can present your data in either overview, plan view, level view, or cross-section view depending on the interests of your audience.

3. Test before you commit with Plot Edit

Plot Edit makes adjusting your plots downright simple. Use Plot Edit to modify an existing plot or plot additional views. For example, you can use this feature to add a new legend, add new text, add a secondary view, or even combine plots. When using Plot Edit to make these kinds of changes, we recommend you test them one at a time. This way you can see the results of each adjustment before you commit and save the file, giving you easy control over the look of your final presentation.

Take your Vulcan presentations to the next level

The Drafting Sheet Editor, Plot All Wizard, and Plot Edit are all Vulcan tools designed to take your data presentations to the next level. These tools will help directly tailor your plots to the specific interests of your audiences and make them visually engaging. They are easy to access and even easier to try out, requiring nothing but a few clicks of your mouse. Use these tips and get started today.

To see these tips in action and learn even more about this topic, please register here for our upcoming webinar, “Presenting Data in Vulcan”.