Readout Deck
What This Is
The primary presentation artifact delivered to leadership at the end of the sprint.
This deck is designed to:
- Tell a clear story
- Present findings with evidence
- Propose a prioritized roadmap
- Create momentum toward next steps
Target Length
15-25 slides for a 60-minute readout.
Less is more. Every slide must earn its place.
Deck Structure
| Section | Slides | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | 1-2 | Context and goals |
| What We Did | 1-2 | Process and scope |
| What We Heard | 3-5 | Key findings by theme |
| What We Recommend | 5-8 | Themes with ROI framing |
| Roadmap | 1-2 | Sequencing and dependencies |
| Next Steps | 1-2 | Concrete actions |
| Appendix | As needed | Evidence, details |
Slide Design Principles
| Principle | Guidance |
|---|---|
| One idea per slide | If it needs two points, make two slides |
| Headlines are conclusions | Use "Finance spends 40% of close on manual reconciliation" instead of "Finance Overview" |
| Use quotes | Direct interview language lands harder |
| Visuals over text | Tables, simple diagrams, roadmap views |
| No walls of text | If you're writing paragraphs, stop |
Key Slides to Nail
1. The "What We Heard" Slide
Summarize cross-functional themes with supporting quotes.
Example: "We spend more time validating data than using it." (Finance)
2. The Theme Slides
One slide per theme:
- What it is
- Why it matters (ROI)
- What's involved (effort)
- Example opportunities underneath
3. The Roadmap Slide
Simple timeline view. No Gantt charts.
Now Next Later
[Theme A] [Theme B] [Theme C]
[Theme D]
4. The Next Steps Slide
Concrete. Named owners. Clear timelines.
| Action | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Finance pilot kickoff | CFO + IT | 2 weeks |
| Snowflake access review | IT | 1 week |
What to Avoid
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Methodology slides | No one cares how the sausage was made |
| Org charts | Irrelevant to recommendations |
| Tool comparisons | Out of scope |
| Excessive caveats | Undermines confidence |
Appendix Strategy
Put supporting detail in the appendix, not the main deck:
- Interview summary by function
- Full opportunity list
- Systems inventory
- Scoring methodology
Reference appendix slides but don't present them.
Success Signal
The deck is successful if:
- Execs nod along during findings
- Themes feel obvious in hindsight
- Questions are about how, not what
- Next steps get assigned in the room