Pyramid Principle
An executive-communication structure, associated with Barbara Minto's work at McKinsey in the 1970s, that leads with the conclusion or the single most important fact before providing supporting detail, in contrast to a build-up structure that arrives at a conclusion only after extensive background.
Defined in 3 GAGE programs, which carry 3 distinct definitions of it. The wording above is taught in AI Data Governance: The Data Chair.
How each discipline defines it
The same term does different work depending on who is using it. These are the definitions as each program teaches them, unedited.
An executive-communication structure, associated with Barbara Minto's work at McKinsey in the 1970s, that leads with the conclusion or the single most important fact before providing supporting detail, in contrast to a build-up structure that arrives at a conclusion only after extensive background.
Barbara Minto's answer-first communication method developed at McKinsey in the 1960s: lead with the answer, group supporting points, then provide evidence beneath each; the standard structure for executive communication.
A top-down writing structure described by Barbara Minto, stating the governing idea first, then grouping supporting arguments beneath it, each summarized before its own detail follows.
Where it is taught
The exact lessons this term appears in. The first 7 topics of every program are free with a free account.
- Prompt Template Library for Communication Scenarios · Practical AI Workflow Design and Prompt Engineering, AI Literacy & Professional Conduct
- Data literacy for the C-suite: the briefing that changes what leadership asks for · The Humans of Data, AI Data Governance: The Data Chair
Terms it appears with
Not an alphabetical neighbourhood: these are the terms taught in the same lessons, ranked by how often they appear together.