Beyond the Bullets: Why Your Presentation Deck Needs a Partner in Crime (a.k.a. The Detailed Memo)—Now With Interactive Data!

I'm in the throws of developing a plan. It's taking shape as a deck—simple, straightforward, and easy to follow. But here's the thing: I've always needed more detail. Writing out my thoughts in a memo allows me to explore nuances, weigh pros and cons, and document assumptions. We do this for our code, and they are called decision documents and are vital when we are looking back to understand why we made certain decisions.

I love taking things apart and putting them back together. I'm naturally compelled to look under the hood, see how the wires connect, and understand the mechanics. This plan, in many ways, is written for me. It's my tool to clarify my thinking. And frankly, I don't just dislike PowerPoint; I loathe it. Edward Tufte summed up its flaws perfectly: complex ideas get reduced to simplistic sound bites, data density gives way to visual fluff, and superficial understanding becomes the norm as we priortize format over substance.

We've all been there: staring at slides filled with bullet points, nodding politely while quietly wondering, "Where did that come from?" Bullet points dominate because they're concise, visually neat, and supposedly get the point across fast. But are we sacrificing real depth and context for brevity?

The Problem: The Bullet Point Trap

Bullet points often represent the end of a lengthy thinking process—like the tip of the iceberg. They're the conclusions without the supporting evidence, the highlights without the underlying rationale. When we only present bullet points, we're potentially leaving behind:

Misunderstanding

Without context, the audience may misinterpret the meaning or intent behind each bullet.

Lack of Buy-In

People are more likely to support a plan they fully understand. If you hide the reasoning, you miss an opportunity to build trust.

Forgotten Rationale

Months later, you might struggle to remember the "why" behind each recommendation if all you have are bullet points.

Enter the Long-Form Memo: Your Secret Weapon for Deep Thinking

This is where the long-form memo comes in. Think of it as the companion piece to your deck—the document that holds the intellectual scaffolding for your bullet points. It's not meant to be read aloud. Rather, it's a record of your thought process, a place to explore nuances, weigh pros and cons, and document assumptions.

A well-known example of this long-form approach is Amazon's "six-page narrative," which famously replaces PowerPoint presentations in many of their internal meetings. Attendees spend the first part of the meeting reading the memo in silence, ensuring everyone starts from the same knowledge base. Only then does the real discussion begin. By focusing on narrative structure rather than bullet points, Amazon encourages clarity of thought, meticulous research, and a shared understanding that fosters more productive conversations.

Why Embrace the Memo Format?

Forces Deeper Thinking

Writing a long-form memo compels you to articulate ideas clearly and logically. You can't gloss over tough questions; you have to confront them head-on.

Captures Institutional Knowledge

These memos preserve the context behind key decisions—an invaluable resource when teams change or as time passes.

Resource for Deeper Engagement

Some audiences crave more detail. Long-form memos give them the information they need to really engage with the plan.

Feedback Loop

Sharing detailed reasoning sparks more informed feedback. Colleagues can challenge assumptions, suggest alternatives, and refine the plan.

Historical Reference for Future Decisions

When you revisit your plan in six months, the memo will remind you exactly why you made specific choices—and how you might adapt going forward.

A Presentation System Built on Depth—Let Your People Go Surfing!

Modern tools let us move beyond static documents. We can create truly interactive experiences with data, enabling a new level of engagement. Instead of a dense table of contents or a rigid Q&A at the end of your slideshow, you can let your people "go surfing." Here's what that means:

Self-Directed Exploration

Free from the limitations of a bullet-point deck, participants can dive into the material at their own pace. They can drill down on specific data points, explore backstory memos, and search or chat for deeper explanations—right when their curiosity is piqued.

Real-Time Inquiry

As someone reviews a slide, they can literally "ask" the document: "What were the key assumptions for the revenue forecast?" or "Where did this market data come from?" This bypasses the usual bottleneck of saving questions until the end.

Dynamic Search

No more endless scrolling. Users can instantly locate keywords, data points, or sources across an entire collection of memos and supporting documents.

Contextualized Insights

Intelligent linking reveals how different parts of your plan connect, helping participants see the big picture rather than isolated bullet points.

Built-In Analytics

By building your system with tracking in mind, you can analyze how people engage with your content. Which sections do they spend the most time on? What questions do they ask? These insights let you refine future presentations, plug knowledge gaps, and continuously improve your plans.

Why This Matters

Traditional presentations offer limited interactivity: the presenter speaks, then fields questions—often near the end. But when you let people "surf," you empower them to follow their own lines of inquiry. This fundamentally changes the experience—from passive listening to active exploration. With the right approach, it's also testable and improvable over time because you can see exactly where participants dive deeper and where they skim.

I May Have Overkilled the Solution...

In my case, I gathered all my documents into a repo, indexed and chunked them into vectors, put a powerful search on top, then integrated a large language model to let users “talk” to them—complete with state-of-the-art analytics for monitoring engagement. Overkill? Maybe. Perfect? Definitely. It provides me the ability to look from 40,000 feet and get to ground zero when I need to.

How It All Fits Together

Develop the Plan (Detailed Memos First)

Start with a series of long-form memos on each core aspect of your plan—just like Amazon's six-pagers. Document your research, analysis, and reasoning thoroughly.

Leverage Interactive Tools

There are likely tools that will enable to create something like what I built. Find them, leverage them, and let your people surf.

Summarize in Slides (The Deck)

Distill the main takeaways from your memos into concise bullet points for the deck. Think of the slides as highlights, not the full story.

Embed Links and Contextual Prompts

In your deck, link to relevant memo sections. Add prompts like, "Chat with this document to explore alternative scenarios," or "Search for 'competitor analysis' for a detailed breakdown."

Present With Confidence

With high-level slides supported by robust memos, you can address any question in real time—backed by data and thorough reasoning.

Example: A Slide on "Market Expansion Opportunities"

Bullet Point: Expand into the Southeast region by Q3 2024.

Click to chat with the document and see the assumptions behind the market growth projections.
Search for "Southeast Market Risk Factors" for a full risk assessment.

Bullet Point: Partner with local distributors to increase market penetration.

Link: Access the "Distribution Strategy" memo and interact with the data visualization showing potential partner performance.

The Bottom Line: Embrace Interactive Knowledge

Ultimately, bullet points are just one tool in your arsenal—not a substitute for real thinking. By pairing slides with a long-form memo and leveraging interactive document platforms, you create a deeper system of understanding, decision-making, and knowledge preservation. Stop showing only the "what" of your plan. Enable everyone to explore the "why" and the "how." Your audience—and your future self—will thank you for it.