Story Framework
Situation-Complication-Resolution
A McKinsey-style structure that builds tension before delivering the insight. Establish the context everyone already agrees on, introduce what has changed or what challenge has emerged, name the key question that change raises, then deliver the recommendation that resolves it. The tone is logical: a tight causal chain from context to recommendation. Best for strategy presentations, consulting decks, and analytical reports; typical decks run 4-10 slides (management consulting report, strategic recommendation, board update).
Beat Diagram
- 1Situationlist / list
- 2Complicationtwo-column / text
- 3Questionstatement / text
- 4Answertimeline / timeline
OPF Config
narratives:situation-complication-resolution{
"$schema": "https://openpresentation.org/schema/opf/v1",
"name": "PPTX.gallery — narratives/situation-complication-resolution",
"narrative": "situation-complication-resolution",
"tags": [
"gallery:narratives/situation-complication-resolution"
],
"slides": [
{
"id": "gallery-preview-1",
"layout": "text",
"title": "Narrative preview",
"subtitle": "Storyline scaffolded by the \"situation-complication-resolution\" narrative."
}
],
"catalogs": {
"default": {
"source": "https://www.pptx.gallery",
"narratives": {
"situation-complication-resolution": {
"name": "Situation-Complication-Resolution",
"summary": "McKinsey-style structure that builds tension before delivering insights.",
"description": "A McKinsey-style structure that builds tension before delivering the insight. Establish the context everyone already agrees on, introduce what has changed or what challenge has emerged, name the key question that change raises, then deliver the recommendation that resolves it. The tone is logical: a tight causal chain from context to recommendation. Best for strategy presentations, consulting decks, and analytical reports; typical decks run 4-10 slides (management consulting report, strategic recommendation, board update).",
"audienceFit": [
"senior-leadership",
"consultants",
"strategy-teams"
],
"duration": {
"min": 5,
"max": 20
},
"tags": [
"strategy",
"consulting",
"minto",
"recommendation"
],
"beats": [
{
"id": "situation",
"name": "Situation",
"description": "Set the scene with relevant background and context everyone agrees on.",
"instructions": "State the shared context the audience already accepts.",
"type": "list",
"layout": "list"
},
{
"id": "complication",
"name": "Complication",
"description": "Introduce what has changed or what challenge has emerged.",
"instructions": "Introduce the change, risk, or tension.",
"type": "text",
"layout": "two-column"
},
{
"id": "question",
"name": "Question",
"description": "Articulate the key question that the complication raises.",
"instructions": "Frame the decision question raised by the complication.",
"type": "text",
"layout": "statement"
},
{
"id": "answer",
"name": "Answer",
"description": "Deliver your recommendation or insight that resolves the question.",
"instructions": "Deliver the recommendation that resolves the question.",
"type": "timeline",
"layout": "timeline"
}
]
}
},
"layouts": {
"text": {
"name": "Text",
"summary": "Prose. Several blocks sit side by side when short and stack when long.",
"tags": [
"Text"
],
"direction": "column",
"regions": [
{
"name": "title"
},
{
"name": "body",
"accepts": [
"text",
"list",
"quote",
"code",
"group"
],
"role": "primary",
"flow": "auto"
}
],
"description": "Explain one idea in continuous prose. Use paragraphs or flowing blocks for detail that needs to be read in sequence.",
"preview": {
"vectorSrc": "https://www.pptx.gallery/layout-previews/text.svg"
}
}
}
}
}
}Load this config in the gallery's visual editor, or in the Inspector at pptx.dev.
Pace
4-10 slides
5-20 minutes
4 beats, one slide each
Audience Fit
Tone
Logical - builds a tight causal chain from context to recommendation.
Best For
Strategy presentations, consulting decks, analytical reports
Example Deck Types
Management consulting report, Strategic recommendation, Board update
Example
Establish the current context, introduce the challenge or change, pose the key question, then deliver your recommendation.
Beat-by-Beat Guide
Situation
Set the scene with relevant background and context everyone agrees on.
Instruction: State the shared context the audience already accepts.
Complication
Introduce what has changed or what challenge has emerged.
Instruction: Introduce the change, risk, or tension.
Question
Articulate the key question that the complication raises.
Instruction: Frame the decision question raised by the complication.
Answer
Deliver your recommendation or insight that resolves the question.
Instruction: Deliver the recommendation that resolves the question.