Day 1

Designing for Maximum Impact

Traditional presentations often follow a Problem-Argument-Solution (PAS) format. But in consulting, we flip this approach on its head – because C-suite audiences think differently.

When presenting to senior decision-makers, lead with solutions. Why? Because executives need to quickly grasp the “so what” before diving into details. Here’s how top consultancies structure their narrative:

1. Solution First: Present your recommendation upfront
2. Supporting Arguments: Back your solution with compelling evidence
3. Context & Problems: Weave in challenges and background as needed

This approach respects executives’ time and decision-making style. They want to see the destination before reviewing the journey that got you there. Your presentation becomes more compelling when it aligns with how senior leaders process information and make decisions. 

The Pyramid Principle

Barbara Minto, a former McKinsey partner, developed this influential approach to business communication and later authored a comprehensive book on the subject. The principle advocates starting with your solution, followed by supporting insights, and then backing these with relevant data.

Implementing the Pyramid Principle in Your Deck:

Here’s how to structure your presentation slides:

1. Title Slide: Presentation Topic
2. Executive Summary & Recommendations
3. Key Insight #1 Summary
4. Supporting Data Point A
5. Supporting Data Point B
6. Supporting Data Point C
7. Closing Slide: Conclusion/Next Steps

Repeat this sequence for each key insight you want to present. Structure flows from high-level conclusions to detailed supporting evidence, making your presentation both executive-friendly and logically compelling.

Think of it as an inverted pyramid: start with the big picture (what matters most to executives) and progressively dive deeper into supporting details. Your closing slide should reinforce key actions or decisions needed. 

What are Insights & what is required to show?

Companies like Deloitte, BCG or McKinsey focus on “insights”.

Insights are findings from your analysis that reveal key patterns, problems, or opportunities. They come from thorough research and data analysis, forming the critical bridge between your initial findings and proposed solutions.

For example, after studying customer behavior data, you might discover that “90% of users abandon their shopping cart when shipping costs appear in the final step” – this insight then leads to your solution of displaying shipping costs earlier in the purchase journey.

Strong insights require rigorous analysis and often uncover non-obvious patterns that drive real business impact. While solutions might seem straightforward in hindsight, the deep analytical work needed to uncover these actionable insights is what sets top consulting work apart. 

Arguments should follow a clear logical flow to support your conclusion.

For example, if our conclusion is to launch operations in Germany first, our supporting arguments would be strategically arranged:

• Germany offers the largest addressable market in the EU, with 83M consumers and €4T GDP
• Our product’s features directly address strict German data privacy requirements
• We already have an established German-speaking customer support team

Notice how each argument builds upon the previous one – from market opportunity to technical readiness to operational capabilities. This structured approach creates a compelling narrative that makes our conclusion feel inevitable, rather than just listing random facts.

This strategic arrangement of arguments is what sets apart persuasive presentations from mere data dumps. 

What’s coming next?

Over the next few days, you get more tips like:

1. How to structure Deck like McKinsey, Deloitte, BCG  
2. Importance of Storyline 
3. Secret of slide design in McKinsey style
4. Best way to find which chart to use in slides
5. Design Executive summary that impress (We are here)