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Guide to Sliders in Consulting Decks

Sliders are one of the most versatile and visually intuitive tools in consulting presentations. That’s not all… Best part is they’re an incredibly easy ‘hack’ to making your slides more visually interesting whenever your manager says “Let’s try making this less text-heavy”.

Dimensional sliders help convey complex assessments with clarity and precision. At their core, sliders are a simple way to visualize an assessment on one dimension. They can be used to compare different elements (e.g., products, companies, initiatives), to compare positions through time (i.e., past, current, and forecasted positions), or to compare hypotheses to conclusions. Whether you’re assessing strategic options, evaluating trade-offs, or presenting hypothesis testing outcomes, sliders can simplify communication and enhance audience engagement. Here’s a practical guide on when and how to use sliders effectively in your consulting decks.


Use cases

Below are 3 template slides that exemplify how sliders can be used. These are from the Consulting Toolkit, a comprehensive deck of consulting templates:

1. Comparing Options Across a Spectrum

Use sliders when you need to present options or variables along a continuum. For example, if you’re evaluating product development options based on the trade-off between cost and customization, a slider can visually depict where each option/company stands on that spectrum.

This “One-dimension slider” slide is perfect for summarizing where options lie between “Less [something]” and “More [something].”

2. Communicating Multi-dimensional Evaluations

For scenarios that require evaluation across multiple dimensions, sliders provide a clear visual representation of where options fall relative to key criteria. For instance, comparing strategies across dimensions such as impact, feasibility, and cost can be communicated succinctly with sliders.

This “Evaluations with sliders” slide depicts the position options/companies across variables. This format is especially useful when presenting detailed assessments to stakeholders.

3. Hypothesis Testing and Findings

Sliders can also be leveraged to present hypotheses, findings, and implications. They help clients quickly grasp the extent to which a hypothesis aligns with market feedback or research findings.

This “Hypothesis assessment” slide illustrates how hypotheses and findings can be mapped on a spectrum, offering clear recommendations to clients.


How to Use Sliders Effectively

1. Define the Spectrum Clearly

Every slider must have clear endpoints. For example, “Less expensive” vs. “More expensive,” or “Low feasibility” vs. “High feasibility.” Ambiguous endpoints can confuse your audience.

2. Add Descriptive Rationale

Complement sliders with brief descriptions to explain the placement of each option. Include the reasoning or data supporting the evaluation.

3. Limit the Number of Options

Keep the visual clean by limiting the number of options displayed on a single slider. Too many options can overwhelm the audience and dilute the message.

4. Use Consistent Visual Styles

Consistency in formatting and design is key. Ensure your sliders use uniform fonts, colors, and layouts throughout your deck to maintain professionalism.

5. Contextualize the Insights

After presenting sliders, always include a follow-up section to summarize key takeaways or implications. This reinforces your message and ties it back to the client’s objectives.


Why Sliders Work

Sliders are powerful because they combine visual simplicity with analytical depth. They:

  • Help audiences process information quickly.
  • Make complex evaluations more digestible.
  • Enable consultants to present trade-offs and recommendations with clarity.

PowerTools Consulting Toolkit: Elevate Your Consulting Decks

The slides featured in this guide are part of the Consulting Toolkit, a comprehensive template deck designed for consultants and professionals. The toolkit includes slides for every step of a consulting project—from framing hypotheses to presenting strategic recommendations.

How did we select which slide types are essential? You may ask… All PowerTools staff (seasoned ex-consultants) reviewed each other’s template decks and aggregated the best of the best. What resulted is the Consulting Toolkit. A deck of 130+ consulting slides, all categorized into slide types, sequenced by a consulting deliverable’s typical order, and formatted consistently with a professional and modern look. You’ll find everything from Gantt charts, to process flows, to quantitative analyses, AND to slider evaluations of course.

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