How I build PowerPoint presentations

After years of coaching from some great communicators and my own trial-and-error, I’ve distilled my favorite principles into this simple approach.

1) Verbal Drafting

This gets the process started.
↳ Start talking about the topic however you're comfortable
↳ Speak while driving or walking. Thought dump into Word. Capture it in a voice-to-text note
↳ Let it flow, stream-of-consciousness

The point is to get ideas flowing. Writing and editing are separate processes. You’ll edit later. Get the thoughts out there.

2) Write a 10-Sentence Narrative

Create the Horizontal Logic of your presentation. It ensures you’re telling a complete story.
↳ Group your verbal drafts into themes
↳ Distill those groups into 8-10 total sentences
↳ Read those 8-10 sentences. These key ideas should communicate your narrative clearly and completely. If not, try again.

Forget precision, this is about stringing together key ideas to construct a coherent narrative.

3) Create a Detailed Outline

The outline provides the Vertical Logic of your presentation. Vertical logic supports each key idea from the previous step.
↳ Make your 8-10 key ideas from the previous step into bullet points
↳ Make sub-bullets summarizing supporting facts, ideas, and data
↳ Check for missing data/support and gather what you need

At this point, your presentation has horizontal logic (clear narrative) and vertical logic (internal support). Now you can open PowerPoint.

4) Make a Wireframe

Open PowerPoint - it’s time to start building your slides.
↳ Create one blank page for each of your 8-10 key ideas.
↳ Write each slide’s key idea in a takeaway box at the bottom of each page.
↳ Add a title page, agenda, executive summary, and closing slide (usually next steps or a thank you).
↳ Using simple shapes, block out space on each slide and write a 5 second explanation of what you want to build there.
↳ Ensure each slide’s planned content completes the vertical logic, supporting the takeaway

Don’t start with pre-built slides because you'll shape your narrative to fit the slide's layout. Exception: it's a recurring, standardized slide.

5) Build the Presentation

Visuals first. Words only when necessary. We want the audience listening to your voice, not reading your words.
↳ Be as visual as possible while keeping vertical logic
↳ Build in this order: pictures, diagrams, charts, words
↳ Ensure each slide, contains a fully-supported, compelling key idea
↳ Delete every non-essential word. If it can be removed without altering meaning, delete

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That’s the process:
1) Verbal drafting
2) 10-sentence narrative
3) Detailed outline
4) Wireframe
5) Build the Presentation

What does your presentation process look like?