Presentation Story Architecture

Build the story architecture

Use when story-architecture is the current gate.

• Read repo instructions, PRESENTATION-BRIEF.md, EVIDENCE-LEDGER.md, and the cited source files before structuring the talk.
• Require one memorable thesis.
• Require an explicit audience change from where the talk starts to where it should end.
• Write STORY.md from templates/STORY.md.
• Write STORYBOARD.md from templates/STORYBOARD.md.
• Build the story from the approved brief and supported evidence claims only.
• If a chapter needs unsupported evidence, return the work to evidence instead of letting the chapter enter the story.
• Assign each chapter a role such as context, tension, proof, decision, action, or closing commitment.
• Write spoken transitions that explain why the next chapter or slide must exist.
• Separate the main-talk range from backup or Q&A material.
• One Dominant Message per Slide: Require one necessary job per slide. Split the slide rather than shrink text or pack distinct messages onto one page. Remove ornamental, duplicate, or “nice to have” pages.
• Meaningful Brevity (Anti-Over-Pruning): Text pruning must eliminate fluff and secondary clutter while preserving clear, grammatically sound, and intellectually substantive core takeaways. Do not reduce statements to cryptic 2-word fragments.

Instructional design & 4MAT learning cycle

Incorporate adult learning dynamics (ATD / 4MAT / Kirkpatrick Level 2 & 3 behavior transfer):

1. Why (Relevance & Emotional Safety): Open with visceral pain points and validation to establish psychological safety before introducing solutions.
2. How / Logic (Underlying Cognitive Insight): Deconstruct the psychological and systemic mechanisms (e.g. dignity defense, family subsystems) so the audience understands the why behind behaviors.
3. What (Actionable Tool Chunking): Deliver chunked, memorable tools, role definitions, and boundary frameworks with high memory stickiness.
4. Action / What If (Behavioral Rehearsal & Transfer): Provide concrete dialogue templates, case vignettes, and takeaway scaffolding so learning converts into immediate real-world practice.

• Keep chapter order tied to the promised audience outcome, not to the order sources were found.
• Allow SCQA but never force it.
• Use another structure when it better fits the product, audience, and evidence.
• Stop once the thesis, audience journey, chapter roles, transitions, main/backup boundaries, and slide jobs are coherent enough for story grilling or prototyping.