EC-301f · Module 2

The One More Cut

3 min read

Edit until the slide is clear. Then remove one more element. This rule exists because clarity is not the same as maximum clarity. A slide that is clear has achieved the minimum standard. A slide where you have cut one element past clarity has been forced to its optimal state — because the element you removed was the one you were defending without examining.

The element you think you cannot cut is almost always the element you should cut. It is usually the element the presenter included for their own reassurance rather than for the audience's comprehension. A data label that confirms what the chart already shows visually. A secondary axis that the presenter wanted to include "just in case someone asks." A qualitative note that hedges the conclusion the presenter is otherwise confident about. These elements are not for the audience. Cut them.

Do This

  • After the element audit, identify the one element you are most resistant to removing — that is the one to cut
  • Test the slide without the element by printing it or hiding it for 30 seconds
  • If the slide still makes the same point without the element, the element was not necessary

Avoid This

  • Treat "I might get asked about this" as a reason to keep an element on the slide — that is what the appendix is for
  • Stop editing when the slide feels complete — feel complete is subjective; the one-more-cut test is not
  • Let the team vote on whether to keep an element — the standard is "does it support the headline," not "does anyone like it"