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.
Parts
- Mark — The core mark of Pitch decks is one idea per slide; a chart only if it is the sentence.
- Scale — The scale must show zero (or a declared break) and units.
- Axis — Axis titles name the variable, not a mood.
- Legend — A legend is weaker than a direct label. Write beside the mark when you can.
- Label — Numbers are optional. If comparison is the job, label the ends only.
- Grid — Keep the grid faint. Data should own the ink.
- Annotation — One annotation sentence. Date the source.
- Frame — A thin frame. Never a 3-D box.
Variants
- Investor slides — Variant 1 of Pitch decks (Investor slides). Same encoding, different layout.
- Story spine — Variant 2 of Pitch decks (Story spine). Same encoding, different layout.
- One-pager cousin — Variant 3 of Pitch decks (One-pager cousin). Same encoding, different layout.
- Pitch decks 4 — Variant 4 of Pitch decks (Pitch decks 4). Same encoding, different layout.
Labels
- Axis — On Pitch decks, make Mark readable.
- Legend — On Pitch decks, make Scale readable.
- Label — On Pitch decks, make Axis readable.
- Grid — On Pitch decks, make Legend readable.
- Annotation — On Pitch decks, make Label readable.
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.