Storyline – OSCAR

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Ask yourself if your presentation presents an argument or is it purely informative?
Should it be inductive grouping or deductive argument?

“If one of the groupings is not accepted, the case may still be won on the strength of the other groupings.”
The human mind tends to sort information into distinctive pyramidal groupings in order to comprehend it.
Inductive grouping can be presented as an implied question and answer dialogue.
Inductive Grouping – is supported by separate ideas.
Groups should be constructed according to one theme as shown in the examples above (chronological, structural, geographical, etc.)
Inductive Grouping storylines for informative presentations.
Elements within a group must be mutually exclusive collectively exhaustive (MECE)”.
Grouping Categories: time order, structural order, ranking, geography.
Breaks the conclusion down into elements with reasons/support for each subsequent conclusion.
“Use it when the audience is interested and ready to accept.”
Inductive Grouping is usually ‘reasons’

“Use it when the audience is likely to resist the conclusion and/or could be surprised.”
Deductive Storylines for Persuasive presentations
“Does not allow any flexibility if someone spots a flaw in the logic.”
Deductive Argument is supported by a progression of ideas
Use deductive argument when it includes a ‘therefore’ point.
Use deductive argument when you have a strong conclusive case.
Builds an argument leading to a clear conclusion.
Puts on high pressure to convince and persuade.
Audience likely to resist conclusion and/or could be surprised.
Usually answers the ‘why’ question.
Deductive argument clearly shows how conclusions are drawn.

Storylining completed, now choose the Right ‘Diamond Structure’

The Diamond Structure is to help you arrange your information
The Storyline helps break the presentations into sections so that the audience can follow the presenter. Pick the best Structure to deliver the information.
Structure Presentations with Storylines
The Diamond Structure should be used as a framework for a presentation.
There are various structures that can be used for a presentation depending on the objective of the presentation and the level of audience in attendance.
This structure can be used to decide the rhetoric needed at various parts of the presentation.
Identify when you can tell a good story/give a good analogy, ask a question, give handouts, do a exercise, conduct a discussion, etc.
“The following 3 Diamond Structures are dependent on the audience and objective.”

General Audience can be a mixture of non-execs, execs and management
Show your credibility on the topic that you are about to present
A good hook grabs the audience attention and focusses it to the Title/Objective. A hook is optional.
Use to share information and when you know you will get pushback and need to educate the audience beforehand.
Use when presenting to large groups.
Use when there are many sections in the presentation and for long presentations (> 30 mins)
Use for inductive storylines.
“Slides for these presentations may need ‘a slide tracker’ to help audience follow.”
“Summarise by repeating one important fact (no new facts) from each body so the audience remember the key messages”

Show your credibility on the topic that you are about to present.
Use when there is a standard presentation format to follow.
Use for technical presentations.
Conduct the Q & A before your final remarks.
Know how to phrase your final remarks when you ask for approval/endorsement.
In the event unconditional approval/ endorsement is difficult, ensure that at least you get conditional approval/endorsement.
“Management does not like to wait to understand your data, that’s why the Executive Summary is important.”
Middle Management Presentations can sometimes be technical presentations.

Show your credibility on the topic you are about to present.
Use when you are given less that 15 mins.
Keep the Executive Summary succinct.
If many questions are asked during the Executive Summary, your Executive summary needs to be better.
Conduct the Q & A before you conclude.
“Top Management prefer presentations short and to the point, emphasising the impact.”
Top Management presentations should be short.
“If you are explaining, you are ‘losing.”