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Executive Presentations

Learn how to create and deliver high-impact Executive Presentations. Discover how to structure your narrative, design clear slides, and communicate your design ideas to convince stakeholders.

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An executive presentation is a concise and persuasive form of communication, designed to inform senior leaders and stakeholders, influence their decision-making, and obtain their support (buy-in) for a design or product initiative.

What Is an Executive Presentation?

Imagine you are a screenwriter who has 5 minutes to sell their movie idea to a very busy Hollywood producer. You do not tell them the movie scene by scene. You tell a compelling story: the concept, the protagonist, the conflict, and why it will be a box office hit. You give an “elevator pitch” designed to capture their attention and convince them to invest in your project.

An executive presentation is that “elevator pitch” for your stakeholders. Its goal is not to show every detail of your design, but to tell a clear and persuasive story that leads them to make the decision you want them to make.

How Is It Different from Other Presentations?

  • The Audience: Executives and leaders are busy, have limited attention spans, and care about business results, not design details.
  • The Objective: It is not about sharing information – it is about driving a decision. Every presentation should end with a clear ask: “Do we agree to proceed with option A?”, “Do you approve the budget for this research?”
  • The Format: It must be extremely concise. Less is more.

The Structure of a Successful Presentation

Follow a clear narrative structure:

  1. The Context (The Movie’s World):

    • Start with the “why.” What business or user problem are we solving? Why is it important now?
    • Use data to establish the magnitude of the problem or opportunity. (e.g., “30% of our new users abandon on the first day”).

  2. The Problem (The Conflict):

    • Go deeper into the user’s problem. What frustrates them? What prevents them from reaching their goals?
    • Use a quote or a short video from a real user. This is extremely persuasive.

  3. The Solution (The Hero):

    • Present your design proposal at a high level. Do not show 50 screens. Show the key flow or the main concept.
    • Clearly explain how your solution solves the problem you just presented.

  4. The Impact (The Happy Ending):

    • Connect your solution to business results. How will this help increase retention, conversion, or satisfaction?
    • Define how you will measure success ([[UX KPIs|KPIs]]).

  5. The Ask (The Call to Action):

    • End with a clear and direct ask. What do you need from this audience? A decision? Resources? Approval?

Mentor Tips

  • Start from the end: Before creating a single slide, write in one sentence the decision you want your audience to make at the end of the presentation. Then, build your entire story to reach that conclusion.
  • The one-idea-per-slide rule: Each slide should have a single clear message. If you have three important points, make three slides.
  • Use more images and less text: Executives do not read paragraphs on a screen. Use large titles, clear charts, images, and prototypes.
  • Anticipate the questions: Think about what questions or concerns your audience might have and prepare the answers. You can have extra slides in an “appendix” at the end of your presentation in case they come up.
  • Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse: Record yourself or present to a colleague. Make sure your story flows and that you can present it within the allotted time.

Resources and Guides

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ux lead communication process