An introduction to structured written communication using Barbara Minto’s Pyramid Principle as a key element. How to get your message across to your reader or listener in a way that he can easily understand what you want to say, how to make it reader-friendly or listener-friendly so to speak.

1. WHAT PYRAMIDS
CAN TEACH YOU
STRUCTURED COMMUNICATION

2. STRUCTURE
GOOD COMMUNICATION

3. PURPOSE OF
COMMUNICATION

4. MESSAGE
MEDIUM
AUDIENCE

5. AUDIENCE

7. MAN
 INSTINCT
 EMOTIONAL
 RATIONAL

8. INSTINCT
CONVENTIONS
LANGUAGE
CONDITIONING HABITS
BEST PRACTICES
DE FACTO STANDARDS

9. EMOTION (1)
DRAW ATTENTION POSITIVELY

10. EMOTION (2)
INSPIRE
TO ACTION

11. RATIONAL I propose that we invest in
widget A because:
- Market research
proves the opportunity
- The development of
the product is
sufficiently stable
- Our sales people are
waiting for a new
product

12. RATIO
EMO & INSTINCT RATIO EMO
INSTINCT

13. Ordinary day
EMOTIONS A quite common
morning
The man landed on the hood of the We drank tea and said
car and fell with his head against It’s a beautiful day
the windscreen. He died at the We talked about
scene from his injuries. Weighty matters
Which wine and what
The driver said he was already on We would eat
the roundabout when he suddenly Heavenly ignorant of
saw a bike-rider showing up from What we had
the left. To digest that evening
Ponderous
Incomprehensible

14. EMOTIONS

16. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
RATIO: THE PYRAMID PRINCIPLE

18. Dear Shirley, Dear Shirley,
Remember last Saturday afternoon when I was
playing in the park with my boyfriend and you I HATE you. Here are my reasons:
came over; and he told me that when my back
was turned, you kissed him?
1. You stole my boyfriend.
And also, on Sunday when you came to my
2. You insulted my mother
house and my Mom made you a tuna fish salad 3. You scared my cat.
for lunch and you said: “Yech! That’s the worst
salad I ever ate!”
And yesterday, when my cat brushed against
your leg, you kicked her and threatened to sic
your dog “Monster” on her?
Well, for all these reasons, I hate you, and I no
longer want to be your friend
Lucy.

19. PYRAMID INTRODUCTION
PRINCIPLE MESSAGE
MOTIVATION MOTIVATION MOTIVATION
ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG.
END (ACTION)

20. CLEAR
LOGICAL
FLUENT

21. PYRAMID INTRODUCTION
PRINCIPLE MESSAGE
INITIATE THE RELATIONSHIP
MOTIVATION MOTIVATION MOTIVATION
ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG.
END (ACTION)

22. Two Irishmen
met on a bridge
in a strange
city…

23. INTRODUCTION
Q C SITUATION
S S COMPLICATION
C Q QUESTION/ANSWER

24. SITUATION
Two Irishmen…
 Time and place
 Develops confirmation (“I agree, but why…”)
 Only elements that are critical for understanding
this problem
 Is self-sufficient
 Is NOT controversial!

25. COMPLICATION
QUESTION
ANSWER

27. PYRAMID INTRODUCTION
PRINCIPLE MESSAGE
MOTIVATION MOTIVATION MOTIVATION
ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG.
END (ACTION)

28. THE LOGIC
Induction, Deduction
OF LOGIC
MOTIVATION MOTIVATION
WHY
ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG. ARG.

29. INDUCTION
 We will launch widget A next month
 Market is asking for it TIME
IMPORTANCE
 Product is stable PRIORITY
 Sales force is ready RELEVANCE

30. DEDUCTION
 Widget A will be launched
 Widget A is tested and approved
 All approved products move to sales
 Sales releases all incoming products
Hence, Widget A will be launched

31. MECE
Pears, Milk, Batt
ery, Knife, Apples
, Eggs, Butter

32. Château 9 du pape
Bordeaux Vacqueyras
Gigondas
Bourgogne Red
Château 9 du pape
Côtes du Rhône White
Condrieu
French South Rosé
Loire
Toscana
Elzas
Italy Veneto
Champagne Lombardia
Spain
European wines Argentina
World wines Chili
Australia

33. Bordeaux
Bourgogne
France
Côtes d. Rhône Red
Europe Italy
Loire White
Spain
Elzas Rosé
Wine Minervois
Argentina
Languedoc
Chili
Outside of Europe Provence
South-Africa Corbières
Australia Bergerac
Champagne
Madiran
Jurançon
Port Other regions
Apero’s Sherry Pineau des charentes
Likors Ratafia

34. SUMMARY
STRUCTURE STORY
UNDERSTAND INSPIRE
R E
FT tabloids
FACTS
KNOW

35. Bringing it alive
PRESENTATION

37. EDWARD TUFTE
STATISTICAL CLEAR CLEAR
HONESTY SUB JECTS ACTIONS

38. PIP
PURPOSE
IMPORTANCE
PREVIEW

39. STRUCTURE
PROBLEM
INTRODUCTION ADVENTURE SOLUTION
(QUESTION)

40. METAPHORES

41. LISTS
 APPLE  BABIES  GOLD
 PEAR  TODDLERS  SILVER
 BANANA  TEEN-AGERS  BRONZE
LISTS MAKE STUPID
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

42. OUR KPI’S
 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
 EXPERTISE
 TAILOR MADE

43. CHOOSE YOUR GRAPH
DATA

44. TYPES OF COMPARISON
 COMPONENT (% total)
 ITEM (order)
 TIME SERIES (change of time)
 FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
 CORRELATION (logic)

45. ABOUT GRAPHS
6
C1
4 C2
2 C3
C4
0
C1 C2 C3 C4 0 2 4 6
6 6
4 4
2 2
0 0
0 2 4 6 0 2 4 6
SOURCE: GENE ZELAZNY

46. COMP. ITEM TIME FREQ. CORR.
PIE
BAR
COLUMN
LINE
DOTS

47. SALES PER PRODUCT PER REGION
6
4 R1
2 R2
R3
0 R3
R1
C1 C2 C3 C4

51. GOOGLEMAPS

52. VIAMICHELIN

53. AFRICA
EUROPE

54. R1 R1
C4 C1
C1 C2 C3 C4 30% 29%
30% 29%
C3 C2
24% 17% 24% 17%

55. BE
CREATIVE

58. THANK YOU
To catch a fish, use a net.
Once you have caught the fish, throw away the net.
To catch a rat, use a trap.
Once you have caught the rat, throw away the trap.
To catch a thought, listen to the words.
Once you have caught the thought, forget the words.
Zhuangzi
www.jenspas.be - www.dekikkerendeoceaan.be - www.dekrachtvanontmoetingen.be