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The purpose of this slide deck is to help you create insightful and powerful presentations.

Ideas and information are power, only if they can be conveyed. That is what a great presentation does – it conveys your message effectively.

7 Deck Rules will guide you through the art and the science behind creating a great presentation.

Happy decking!

The rules outlined here have evolved over the years based on

work at various organizations.

Author’s Message

7 Deck Rules uncovers the art and science behind creating great presentations.

Acknowledgement

The author wishes to acknowledge the inspiration taken from the Landis Template, created by Ken Landis (Deloitte), in developing 7 Deck Rules

A big thank you to clients and colleagues who have helped me grow over the years (Tim Westendorf, David Hodgson, Sumit Malhotra, Jordane Elmassian and Sundeep Nehra)

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What is a Deck?

Decks are documents in slide format (like this one!).

Deck can be used to communicate ideas in a more informative and persuasive manner.

Reasons to

create documents

in a

Deck format

Easier to connect with your audience

Easier to structure ideas as slides are discrete objects

Easier to shorten the document creation process

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Deck

A deck is a document laid out using slides in a presentation format – it helps communicate a message in a compelling and insightful way

Document

In its essence a document is communicating a message or an

idea

Easier to be solution oriented and make decisions

Easier to read slides (instead of lengthy documents)

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4

5

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Types of Documents

Most types of documents can be created using a deck format.

Executive Summary

Strategy Document

Business Case

Research Paper

Technical Paper

Thesis

Meeting Document

Planning

Status Report

Requirements & Specs

Instructions & Guides

Procedures

Request for Proposal

Proposal Responses

Sales Pitch

Brochures

White Paper

Point of View

Resume

Personal Portfolio

Personal Profile

Decision Analysis

Business Document

Design Document

Various types of documents can be written in the deck format.

We recommend all documents be built in a deck format.

See Slide 8 for Benefits

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Avoid Death by Bullets. Follow 7 Deck Rules and standout.

Death by Bullets

10 Billion presentations are created every

year . 95% are bad - they do not convey

the intended message.

Bullets do kill in this case. PowerPoint

bullets that is.

95% of presentations suck.

Following 7 Deck rules will help you

speed up the document creation process

so that you can convey your message

in a compelling and insightful way.

Be in the Top 5%.

5%

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The Rules

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7 Deck Rules – Overview

Follow 7 rules to make compelling presentations.

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Understand the Canvas

Keep itSimple

Make it Sing

Tell a Story

Leverage a Library

Solve a Problem

Focus on Composition

7 DECK RULES

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V

II

IIIVI

VII

IV

Follow them all to

successfully convey your

message.

There are 7 Rules behind the

art and science of creating a

great presentations.

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7 Deck Rules – Benefits

Leverage a tested mechanism to produce excellent presentations in a short time-frame.

It inspires you with proven problem solving

techniques.

It will save you time by helping you quickly build

deliverables

7 deck rules provides a methodical approach to

building deliverables

It helps structure your ideas and information in solution oriented way.

Bottom line: It will help you convey your message in a compelling

way.

It provides a template so you can focus on the

content & not the format.

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Rule # I:

Understand the Canvas

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Rule I: Understand the Canvas

A typical slide has 6 distinct components.

The Headline is a short title describing the slide1

The Lead is a brief, sharp statement summarizing the slide2

The Body is the core part of the slide (also known as the Storybox)3

The Company Logo is displayed for branding purposes4

Page number in the middle of the slide5

The Department or Project Name is displayed for branding purposes6

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Rule # II:

KeepitSimple

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Rule II: Keep it Simple

Simplicity is necessary to properly convey an idea.

Powerful Simple

Col

lect

Organize

Reducing complexity is in of itself complex and

takes a focused approach

Continuously Organize, Collect and Reduce

content as the Deck as the deck is being built

The goal of simplicity is to emphasize the

insightful and remove the distractful

Natural tension between simple and powerful,

finding the right balance is the goal

Eliminate

Reducing Complexity

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Rule # III:

TellaStory

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Rule III: Tell a Story – Storyboarding Depicted

Storyboarding is a simple method to keep the Deck focused and coherent.

A great storyline has an engaging beginning, insightful content & a

clear conclusion

Its easier for the audience to understand complex concepts when explained in a storyline

In combination, the Slide Title and the Slide Lead

will summarize the entire deck

The storyboard process converts brilliant,

abstract ideas into a coherent storyline

Storyboarding is the method for the creation of a storyline of a deck

How these 5 point would be storyboarded

2 51 43

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Rule # IV:

SolveaProblem

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A Deck should solve a problem. A methodical approach should

be taken when solving a problem.

Rule IV: Solve a Problem

Principle 2: OrganizationPrinciple 1: Process

Divide the problem into smaller discreet parts such that there is no overlap, no gaps.

A methodical process should be used to find the right viable solution, not just any solution.

Principle 3: Frameworks Principle 4: Focus

Problems can be complex – typical with little effort a major part of the problem can be solved. So focus on what is important.

Using formal frameworks to structure your analysis will help support the conclusions reached.

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Rule # V:

Focus onComposition

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Follow these 6 principles to ensure writing is informative and direct.

Focus writing on the subject matter

Align writing with the deliverable objective

Use clear, concise and precise language

Utilize ethical and inoffensive Language

Use correct grammar, punctuation & spelling

Follow conventional rules

Rule V: Focus on Composition

Use active voice (vs. passive voice)

Express ideas in positive terms

Distill your message (levels of details)

Using headings to label content

Group thoughts into clusters

Sequence thoughts logically

Principle 5: Leveling & Labeling Principle 6: Voice & TonePrinciple 4: Structure

Principle 2: Language Principle 3: SubstancePrinciple 1: Rules

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Rule # VI:

LeverageaLibrary

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Rule VI: Leverage a Library

Why re-invent the wheel when building deliverables? Have a library of slides handy and leverage.

All objects and models that can be used for visualsWork bench with basic objects that are frequently used

Set 2: Objects and ModelsSet 1: One Pager

Established frameworks and methodologiesA standard one page executive summary template

Set 3: Executive Summary Set 4: Frameworks and Methodologies

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Rule # VII:

MakeitSing

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Rule VII: Make it Sing

Function (information) and form (design) go hand in hand.

Accentuate with VisualsChoose your Colors Direct the Eyes

Colors have deep meaning.

Choose your colors as would choose

your words – carefully.

Use creative diagrams to illustrate – as

simply as possible – concepts, models

and processes

The slide flow should be understood in a

flash. To achieve this, structure the slide

in a way so as to guide the viewer eyes.

DesignInformationHuman’s are

visual creatures

Information

is power

Design your information so it can be

conveyed in an understandable power

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In Conclusion:

Make a Decklaration

Get your message heard

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The art and science behind creating a compelling presentations simple – always follow the 7 Deck Rules.

Conclusion – 7 Deck Rules

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Understand the Canvas

Keep itSimple

Make it Sing

Tell a Story

Leverage a Library

Solve a Problem

Focus on Composition

7 DECK RULES

I

V

II

IIIVI

VII

IV

In the time-pressed world we

live – who won’t find this

useful?

Follow ALL these rules

collectively to building

insightful presentation, fast.

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Salahuddin KhawajaDeveloped and Designed by

salahk@gmail.com

More at Decklaration.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Salah has 14 years of experience, primarily in the

Financial Services Industry. Before joining JP Morgan

he spent 11 years at Deloitte & Touche helping Fortune

500 clients with various types of Strategic Initiatives.

He is currently is based in Hong Kong with responsibility

for delivering the next generation platform for Securities

Processing.

Areas of Expertise: Strategy Development, Business

Transformation, System Integration, Program & Project

Management, Mobile Strategy, Data Analytics, Executive

Presentations

Sample Clients: Bank of America, Citi , MasterCard