When to use

Pitch decks encodes values as one idea per slide; a chart only if it is the sentence. Sequoia/a16z memo culture plus Keynote-era startup theatre.

In reports, ads and assignments it fits fundraising, sales kickoffs, grant talks, competition finals. Skip it when dumping the whole dashboard — a deck is a speech, not a warehouse.

Use when

• Use when 1 — fundraising, sales kickoffs, grant talks, competition finals
• Use when 2 — Excel or Google Sheets
• Use when 3 — PowerPoint
• Use when 4 — lab reports and poster boards
• Use when 5 — Meta, Google and retail print

Avoid when

• Avoid when 1 — dumping the whole dashboard — a deck is a speech, not a warehouse
• Avoid when 2 — 3-D, dual axes, rainbow scales
• Avoid when 3 — Undated numbers, undated time series
• Avoid when 4 — Four charts on one slide

Audiences

• Work — PowerPoint
• Ads — Meta, Google and retail print
• School — lab reports and poster boards

Pitch decks: honour one idea per slide; a chart only if it is the sentence, and switch when dumping the whole dashboard — a deck is a speech, not a warehouse.

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