pyramid-principlelisted

# Pyramid Principle ## Concept Barbara Minto, working at McKinsey in the 1960s, codified how consultants structure communication: the **answer first, supporting arguments second, evidence third**. Top-down. Audiences don't want a journey of discovery; they want the conclusion, then the reasons. The Pyramid Principle works like this: - **Top:** the single-sentence answer to the question on the audience's mind. - **Middle:** 3–5 supporting arguments. Each argument is itself a complete thought (not a topic). - **Bottom:** evidence — data, examples, observations — supporting each argument. Used at the end of a strategy analysis (after MECE, Issue Tree, Hypothesis, Pareto, So What), the Pyramid translates the analytical work into a deliverable that a CEO can read in 90 seconds and quote in a board meeting. ## Required output format A pyramid structure rendered in Markdown: top-line answer in bold, supporting arguments as numbered list items each with their own evidence sub-bullets. ```markdown **Answer:** [One-sentence direct answer to the question. Specific. Actionable. No hedging.] 1. **[Supporting argument 1]** - [Evidence point] - [Evidence point] - [Evidence point] 2. **[Supporting argument 2]** - [Evidence point] - [Evidence point] 3. **[Supporting argument 3]** - [Evidence point] - [Evidence point] ``` ## Defaults & flex points | Default | When to flex | |---|---| | 3–5 supporting arguments | If only 2 arguments genuinely make the case, use