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Storytelling Slide Deck Creation by McKinsey

Oct 17, 2024

Lecture on McKinsey's Approach to Slide Deck Creation

Introduction

  • McKinsey's goal in a project is to influence clients to implement recommendations, not just create unused presentations.
  • Stakeholder management is key in influencing clients.
  • McKinsey uses a structured slide deck to persuade clients.

Example: King County Homelessness Project

  • McKinsey was involved in tackling homelessness in King County, Seattle.
  • The slide deck's effectiveness comes from the underlying storyline.

Storyline Structure

  • Importance of a Storyline: A strong storyline persuades action; a weak one fails.
  • Universal Framework: Top firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain use a structured approach (SCR/SCQA framework) for storylines.
  • SCR vs. SCQA: Both are similar, McKinsey prefers SCR.

SCR Framework

  1. Situation (S): Provides context and introduces the problem.
  2. Complication (C): Explains the problem and its significance.
  3. Resolution (R): Offers solutions and recommendations.
    • SCR also has an implied Question (Q) about how to address the problem.

Application in McKinsey's Slide Deck

  • McKinsey’s King County project used the SCR structure.
  • Situation: Homelessness is a rising issue.
  • Complication: Increasing rental costs worsen the problem.
  • Resolution: Investment in affordable housing is a cost-effective solution.

Creating Your Own Storyline

  • Complete analysis and conclusions before storylining.
  • Use Word for storylines, not PowerPoint.
    • Word Advantages: Easier to read, edit, and ensure logical coherence.
  • Dot-Dash Structure:
    • Dots: Key statements in the storyline.
    • Dashes: Supporting data for each key statement.

Steps to Create a Slide Deck

  1. Draft Storyline in Word:
    • Use bullet points (dots) for main points and dashes for supporting data.
    • Revise and finalize with feedback.
  2. Transfer to PowerPoint:
    • Action Titles: Summarize each slide’s purpose.
    • Slide Body: Contains data and visuals supporting the action titles.
  3. Ensure Logical Flow:
    • Horizontal Flow: Action titles alone tell the complete story.
    • Vertical Flow: Slide bodies must support their action titles.

Conclusion

  • Finalize storylines in Word before building slides.
  • Ensure the slide deck’s logical coherence in action titles and slide bodies.
  • Further learning available through a course on creating consulting-style slide decks.

Full transcript