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Chapter 22: The Slide Audit

Chapter 22: The Slide Audit

Once the deck is built, challenge every slide.

  • Not: "Does this slide look good?"
  • But: "Is this slide doing its job?"

A strong slide must answer six questions.

1. Message

What is the one thing the judge should remember? This is the slide's purpose. For example: High-value customers account for most of the lost profit. If you cannot state the message in one sentence, the slide may be trying to communicate too much.

2. Evidence

What proves it? The slide should contain enough evidence to support the message. Depending on the slide, that might include:

  • a chart;

  • financial calculation;

  • case fact;

  • research;

  • customer data;

  • competitor comparison.

Ask if the judge were to challenge this headline, could we point to evidence on the slide? If not, the message may be unsupported.

3. Visual

Is this the clearest way to show the evidence? A table may contain the correct information but still be difficult to interpret. Ask:

  • Would a chart work better?

  • Would a timeline be clearer?

  • Would a single number be enough?

  • Could we simplify the table?

  • Do we even need a visual?

The right question remains: "What do we want the audience to see?"

4. Implication

Why does it matter? Do not leave the audience with: "Interesting." Leave them with: "Therefore…" For example:

  • Evidence: High-value customers are churning at twice the average rate.
  • Implication: Prioritise retention over broad-based acquisition.

The implication connects the analysis to the decision.

5. Speaker

What will I say that isn't already written on the slide? The speaker should add:

  • interpretation;

  • emphasis;

  • context;

  • meaning;

  • connection.

If the answer is: "I'm going to read the bullets," the slide or speaking approach needs work. Return to:

SLIDE = WHAT
SPEAKER = SO WHAT

6. Transition

Why are we going to the next slide? Every slide should create the need for what follows. For example: "Now that we've established that retention is the core problem, the next question is which strategy provides the strongest response." That transition leads naturally into alternatives. The transition test reveals whether the deck is truly a story.

The Six-Part Slide Audit

For every slide, complete:

Audit Question
Message What should the judge remember?
Evidence What proves it?
Visual Is this the clearest way to show it?
Implication Why does it matter?
Speaker What meaning will I add?
Transition Why does the next slide follow?

If you cannot answer one of those questions, the slide probably needs more work.

Add the Necessity Question

I would add one final question to your original audit:

  • Necessity: What happens if we delete this slide?

If nothing important is lost, why is it there? This turns the six-part audit into an even stronger final test: Message → Evidence → Visual → Implication → Speaker → Transition → Necessity.

Audit the Slide in Context

A slide can be strong on its own and still weaken the deck. Perhaps:

  • it repeats the previous slide;

  • it interrupts the story;

  • it appears too late;

  • the evidence belongs somewhere else.

Therefore, don't audit slides only one by one. Also ask whether this slide belongs here. Deck architecture matters as much as slide quality.

Audit the Headlines Together

Remove all slide content. Read only the titles. They should form a logical argument. For example:

  • Customer churn is driving the decline in profitability.
  • High-value customers account for most of the lost value.
  • Customer experience is the primary driver of churn.
  • Retention creates greater value than additional acquisition.
  • A targeted loyalty strategy provides the strongest response.

That is a story. If your titles read:

  • Customer Analysis
  • SWOT
  • Alternatives
  • Financials
  • Implementation

you have categories. Not an argument.

Audit for Consistency

The slide audit should also look across the deck for:

  • consistent terminology;

  • consistent recommendation wording;

  • consistent financial numbers;

  • consistent fonts;

  • consistent chart treatment;

  • consistent phases;

  • consistent risk language.

The judge should not have to wonder whether Customer Segment A and Premium Customer refer to the same group. Consistency protects clarity.

Audit for Time

Ask how long each slide actually takes to communicate. A slide may be visually simple but require 90 seconds of explanation. Another may need only 15 seconds. Do not assume: 10 slides = one minute each. Time should reflect the message's importance and complexity.

The Three-Pass Slide Audit

A useful final workflow is to audit the deck three times.

  • Pass 1 Logic
    • Ask:

      • Does every slide have a message?

      • Does the story flow?

      • Does the recommendation emerge logically?

  • Pass 2 Visual
    • Ask:

      • Is the important information obvious?

      • Can the slide be understood quickly?

      • Is anything cluttered or unreadable?

  • Pass 3 Delivery
    • Ask:

      • What does the speaker add?

      • Are transitions natural?

      • Can we communicate within the time available?

Each pass looks at the deck through a different lens.

Discover Your MAD Skills Principle

Every slide needs a job. Every element on the slide needs a reason.

If you cannot explain the job, reconsider the slide. If you cannot explain the reason, reconsider the element.

The Bottom Line

Audit every slide through: Message → Evidence → Visual → Implication → Speaker → Transition → Necessity. A slide is ready when:

  • its purpose is clear;

  • its evidence is credible;

  • its visual is easy to understand;

  • its implication matters;

  • the speaker adds value;

  • it advances the story;

  • and removing it would weaken the argument.

That is when the slide has earned its place.

MAD Skills Drill

For this part, I would finish with a Deck War Room Audit. Put the entire presentation into slide sorter view or print the slides as thumbnails. Then review the whole deck as a team. For every slide, write one sentence answering: The judge needs this slide because __________. If the team cannot complete the sentence, flag the slide. Then classify each flagged slide:

  • Keep: it is necessary but needs improvement. 
  • Move: it belongs somewhere else in the story.
  • Appendix: useful for Q&A but not essential to the argument.
  • Delete: it does not earn presentation time.

Finally, run the headline-only test: Read every slide title aloud from beginning to end. The judges should be able to hear the complete argument: Problem → Insight → Choice → Recommendation → Proof → Execution → Impact. If that story works before anyone presents a single chart, the deck architecture is doing its job.

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