Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
When should I pick Pitch decks?
When the story is: fundraising, sales kickoffs, grant talks, competition finals.
When should I avoid Pitch decks?
Skip it in cases like: dumping the whole dashboard — a deck is a speech, not a warehouse.
Who invented or popularised it?
Sequoia/a16z memo culture plus Keynote-era startup theatre
What does it encode?
one idea per slide; a chart only if it is the sentence
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
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 — Use Pitch decks when the story is fundraising, sales kickoffs, grant talks, competition finals.
- Use when 2 — Build the first draft in Excel or Google Sheets, then restyle — do not screenshot.
- Use when 3 — In PowerPoint, one Pitch decks per slide, claim in the title.
- Use when 4 — For lab reports and poster boards, this form works when the question is comparison or process.
- Use when 5 — In Meta, Google and retail print, keep one number visible at thumbnail size.
Avoid when
- Avoid when 1 — Skip Pitch decks in cases like: 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.