Build McKinsey-Style Presentations with ChatGPT (Full Tutorial)

Step 1 — Plan

Start by asking: what am I trying to say? “AI in the workplace” is a topic; “AI will completely transform workplace productivity” is a message.

Break the message into 2-3 supporting ideas using the Pyramid Principle — main idea on top, component arguments below. ChatGPT accelerates this:

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You are a management consultant.
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I am trying to build out a pyramid according to Barbara Minto's Pyramid Principle
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based on the ideas below. Eventually I would like to convert each point of the
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pyramid into titles for my presentation.
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Can you help me develop 2-3 ideas under each supporting point? Then turn each
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point (including mine) into a complete sentence that could be used as a slide title.
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Feel free to adjust mine as needed.
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Key Message: AI will completely transform workplace productivity
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Key Idea #1: AI is being adopted into existing workplace software (e.g. MS Office)
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Key Idea #2: There has been a rise in low-cost or free AI tools (e.g. Chat GPT)
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Key Idea #3: Everyday business professionals have been willing to adopt new technologies like AI
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As you build out the new slide titles, make sure each is a complete sentence that
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reads like a normal sentence such that if you read them altogether it would sound
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like a cohesive story.
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The end result should just be a list of slide titles, broken down in a 3-level
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hierarchy according to the tenets of the Pyramid Principle.

The output gives you slide titles that form a coherent narrative when read in sequence.

Step 2 — Create

Set up your template and slide skeleton.

Where to get a template:

1. Your company — ideal, branding is pre-configured
2. Umbrex — free McKinsey-style template that looks like a real consulting deck
3. Microsoft built-in — search for “Bright Business Presentation” for a content-heavy option
4. Ampler — tool with a built-in slide library and chart features (free 1-month trial)

Customize in Slide Master: View -> Slide Master lets you change colors, fonts, layouts, add your logo, and delete templates you won’t use.

Build the skeleton — two fast methods:

• Outline View (Ctrl+Shift+T): paste main points and titles auto-populate
• Ctrl+M trick: start with a blank slide, type the first title, press Ctrl+M to duplicate-and-clear. Repeat until all slides are in place.

Don’t worry about design yet — just get the structure down.

Step 3 — Research

Source evidence for each slide. Research a few ideas at a time to avoid overwhelming ChatGPT, and specify the type of data you want:

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This is great. Now can you provide me with data or information that supports
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each of the sub-points? My preference is for quantitative data that I could put
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into a chart (i.e. a table of data, not just a single data point), but feel free
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to include relevant and reputable qualitative data as well (e.g. quotes from
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industry experts). In all cases, please provide a link to the source, and only
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include data that is credible and reliable.

For content-specific slides (e.g., a list of tools):

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Can you give me a list of 5-7 free AI tools that are popular for workplace
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productivity? For example, ChatGPT. Then also give me a 1 sentence description
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for each. Can you also put it in a table so I can export it to a slide?

Key principles:

• Collect broadly first, refine as you go
• You may find data that supports or challenges your main ideas — update accordingly
• For consulting projects, supplement with expert interviews, projections, or surveys
• Paste findings into slides with sources. Formatting comes later.

Step 4 — Design

Three slide layouts that cover most consulting needs:

1. Chart Slide — A single chart centered on the slide, supporting one clear title-message. Surprisingly common and highly effective when you have data for a single conclusion.

2. Subtitle / Header Horizontal — Break your title into 2-3 subtitles across the top, then place supporting data (charts, tables, text) underneath each. Directly mirrors the Pyramid Principle: main idea on top, supporting ideas below.

Example: “AI adoption among workers” split into two columns — “adoption by generation” and “adoption by industry,” each with its own chart.

3. Table / Header Vertical — Categories on the left, details on the right. Ideal for mixing qualitative and quantitative data.

Example: Rows for different productivity tools, columns showing how each has adopted AI, with stats and descriptions side by side.

Reference: SlideStart — SlideStart.com is a database of real slides from top consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.). Filter by slide type and company to find layouts that work.

Step 5 — Finalize

Three passes:

1. Flow check — read all slide titles in sequence. Do they form a coherent story? Each should make sense independently and together.
2. Emphasis — add bolding, callouts, and arrows to draw attention to what matters most on each slide.
3. Consistency — verify fonts, colors, sizes, and formatting are uniform. Check for typos and missing sources.

Optional: send the deck to a coworker or trusted peer for feedback before sharing widely.