Part XI

PART XI: Building The Deck

Chapter 21: The Recommended Deck-Building Process

Don’t build the presentation in slide order.  Use this process or adapt it to fit the timing or rules of the competition.

• Step 1: Decipher. Understand the case and communication challenge.
• Step 2: Define the Core Message. What do we want the judges to believe?
• Step 3: Build the Story. Create the logical sequence.
• Step 4: Storyboard. Write one sentence for every slide.
• Step 5: Identify Evidence. Determine what facts, analysis, visuals, and calculations support each message.
• Step 6: Build the Slides. Now open PowerPoint.
• Step 7: Edit. Remove anything that doesn’t earn its place.
• Step 8: Practice. Deliver the presentation. Time may not allow for this
• Step 9: Test. Have someone unfamiliar with the case watch it. The rules may not allow for this
• Step 10: Refine. Fix the areas where the audience or team members get lost.

Chapter 22: The Slide Audit

For every slide, ask:

• Message
  • What is the one thing the judge should remember?
• Evidence
  • What proves it?
• Visual
  • Is this the clearest way to show the evidence?
• Implication
  • Why does it matter?
• Speaker
  • What will I say that isn’t already written on the slide?
• Transition
  • Why are we going to the next slide?

If you cannot answer these questions, the slide probably isn’t ready.