The method

TLSM — one framework from thought to message.

How do you explain things simply without losing nuance? Be concise without losing depth? Convincing with balanced honesty? TLSM answers those questions with one framework that runs from the quality of the thinking to the design of the message.

The four steps.

  1. T

    Thinking · 

    understand your audience and clarify your purpose. Purposeful, meaningful, proportionate.

  2. L

    Logic · 

    build content that is correct and coherent, concise and comprehensive — and unbiased.

  3. S

    Story · 

    shape a narrative that is attractive, influential and memorable.

  4. M

    Media · 

    design slides and documents that are easy to understand.

The order matters: most communication fails at T and L — before a single slide exists. That is why fixing the slides rarely fixes the presentation.

The TLSM framework, hand-drawn: 12 steps around Thinking, Logic, Story and Media

Why it is different.

Complete

Thought to message

Most approaches own one edge: structure (Minto), data (Tufte), story and delivery (Duarte, Gallo), or the cognitive science (Kahneman). TLSM welds thinking, logic, story and media into one method.

Validated

Science, not trends

Grounded in cognitive science — Kahneman's dual-process thinking, Mayer's multimedia learning, Minto's pyramid — and developed with the universities of Ghent and Leuven, Vlerick, London Business School and IE.

Practical

Proven at work

Time-saving, easy to use at all levels, and tested in real business situations by more than 7,000 professionals — from analysts to executive committees.

Presentation Thinking & Design — book cover
"However skilled you think you are, I guarantee this book will make you a better presenter."
Julian Birkinshaw — Professor, London Business School

The method is published as Presentation Thinking & Design (Financial Times Publishing) — over 10,000 copies in 5 languages. All editions →

See the method at work.

The fastest way to judge it: a keynote for your team, or a deep dive on one of your own documents.

Workshops & keynotes