This is a partial preview of the document found here: https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/structure-communication-presentation-development-storyboarding-96 Description: This presentation talks to the topics of structure communication, presentation development, and storyboarding. These topics related to formulating a cohesive, powerful business presentation.

1. Structured Communication, Presentation
Development, and Storyboarding

2. Presentations attempt to distill lots of information into conclusions and
recommendations
 Financial
Analysis
Findings:
 Focus Conclusions:
Groups (e.g., share Recommendation:
positions in (e.g., growth
by taking (e.g., grow the business
industry
share will be by targeting underserved
 Market XYZ have
difficult) segment)
Research been stable
for 10
years)
 Competitor
Benchmarking
 Industry
Trends
Your biggest problem is that you know too much: Forget about describing what you did and only
include the analysis and findings that support your arguments.
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3. Storyboarding
5

4. Tell a story your audience can follow
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5. A storyboard will help sketch out your story early on
A storyboard will guide your information needs . . . so, write one early in
the project or piece of work:
• Use the storyboard to help identify and communicate the analysis needed
• Do not wait until you have “the answer” before planning how to communicate the result
Creating a storyboard up-front will help you to:
• Visualize each page of the document
• Organize and communicate ideas
• Check the logic flow (“necessary and sufficient” arguments)
• Organize the team
• Check the team progress
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6. The storyboard should have clear headlines that tell a complete, coherent
story
Reading only the headlines should give the reader a clear idea of the
story you are telling
Headlines are the hooks that draw attention to the text below
Headlines should quickly create and hold the audience‟s interest
Relative simplicity lowers the risk of losing anyone in your audience:
– It’s hard to win back an audience once they’re off the hook
– Complex or illogical storyline raises risk
– Simple (but not simplistic) storyline lowers risk
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7. Structuring information in a pyramid is based on proven principles of
information perception
Basic ideas underlying the pyramid principle
• Information is always absorbed
sequentially
• Humans have a limited capacity to take
things in (“critical number seven”)
• Comprehension is easier when information
is summarised in logical groups
• Groupings are perceived more easily when
there is a shared criterion at the higher
level
Source: Barbara Minto ”The Pyramid Principle“
13

8. Every pyramid has three structural elements
Set-up of a pyramid
 Key statement 1 is
1 Key supported by statements that
statement follow a logical set-up (“MECE
2 Vertical relationship
principle”)
 The vertical relationship 2 is
shown by a dialogue between
questions and answers that
creates tension, that leads the
listener / reader and connects
the contents
 The horizontal relationship 3
3 Horizontal relationship
builds up lines of
argumentation
Source: Barbara Minto ”The Pyramid Principle“
15

9. All statements at one level of a pyramid are answers to the same question,
e.g. what? why? how?
2 Vertical relationship
Company X
The problem Company X
must take
with company X should apply a
action Y
is that ... proven method
because ...
Characteristics or component parts Reasons or benefits Process steps or actions
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10. We apply the MECE principle when systematically structuring a problem
The MECE principle
Statements at the same level do not overlap All statements taken together do not leave any gaps
(Mutually Exclusive) (Collectively Exhaustive)
=
Source: Barbara Minto ”The Pyramid Principle“
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11. A logic tree is not MECE if there are gaps or overlaps
Example of violating the MECE principle in a logic tree
Blue-eyed
People > 180 cm
Blonde
The world‟s population
College graduates
People  180 cm
Physicists
The branches of this logic tree reveal both gaps and overlaps: the MECE principle has not been
met!
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12. Presentations should follow the horizontal and vertical logic format
Section
Purpose of the Meeting Agenda Project Charter Executive Summary
Introduction (Optional)
Title Conclusions Recommendations
• Strategic Options
Story Story
Section 1
Vertical Logic
Findings Conclusions Recommendations
• Industry/Competitor • Strategic Options
Story Story
Section 2, etc. • Customer/Market
• Cost
• Capabilities
Next Steps
Next Steps
Analysis Market Research Detail
Appendixes
Horizontal Logic
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13. A good beginning moves from what is known to listeners to the learnings
gained through the project analysis
Structure of an introduction
Known to management “Value added” by analysis
Answer
Situation Complication Question (Solution)
Step Effect
Takes listeners / readers “by the hand”
Situation
• Made receptive for key statement
• Stable situation perceived by all
• No surprises: listeners / readers
involved
agree and follow argumentation
Complication
• What went wrong Triggers question that leads to main
• What changed statement
• Need to select among options
Question
Is sometimes asked only
• How to best respond to the implicitly
complication Pyramid
We have determined the scope of the
Answer presentation
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14. Using a Format
27

15. Headline (a complete sentence with a verb)
Subtitle
• Bullet:
– Sub-bullet (as needed):
– Sub-sub-bullet (as needed)
“Tracker”
(optional)
A look at the elements
and their names
“Kicker [box]” (optional).
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16. Presenting Data
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17. Keep tables as simple and clean as possible
• Highlight key numbers:
– Box or circle
– Boldface
• Create logical patterns and progressions:
– Low to high, left to right, past to present to future, etc.
• Use repetition:
– Present similar data in same format from page to page
– Promotes audience comfort
• Put “data dumps” in appendix
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18. Choose the right graphic for the job you want done
In general:
Share Pie Charts
Comparisons Bar Charts
Trends Line Graphs
Degree Booz Balls
Position Matrices
35

19. Comparisons = Bar Charts
Strategy 1: “Status Quo”
Projected 1999 Market Share by Distribution Channel
84%
Traditional
Non-traditional 58%
Total
41%
23%
19% 19%
17%
13%
10% 9%
4% 3%
Company Competitor 1 Competitor 2 All Other
Competitors
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20. Degree = Booz Balls
Siding
Support Requirement Distributors Retailers OEMs
Breadth of Product Line
Delivery Requirements
Order Processing
Training by Sales Reps
Financing
Packaging
Level of Support
Low Medium High
Required
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