Canon glossary

Build an airtight chain of logic where each premise leads inevitably to the conclusion

Structure

Premise 1 (Accepted truth) -> Premise 2 (Observed fact) -> Therefore... (Inevitable conclusion)

Best for

Skeptical audiences, controversial recommendations, rigorous analysis

Group multiple pieces of evidence that together point to a pattern or conclusion

Structure

Evidence A -> Evidence B -> Evidence C -> Pattern/Conclusion

Best for

Time-pressed audiences, building consensus, when data is strong

Establish a tension, present data, then deliver the insight that changes everything

Structure

The Problem/Question -> What the Data Shows -> The Insight

Best for

Data-heavy sections, research findings, analytical arguments

Show the gap between two states to drive urgency or highlight opportunity

Structure

Current State -> Desired State / Benchmark -> The Gap & Implication

Best for

Competitive analysis, benchmarking, case for change

Build mystery and anticipation, then deliver a surprising or powerful conclusion

Structure

Setup the Question -> Build Suspense -> The Big Reveal

Best for

Product launches, strategic pivots, unexpected findings

Start broad, then progressively focus on specific details that prove your point

Structure

The Big Picture -> Key Area of Focus -> Specific Detail -> Implication

Best for

Technical deep-dives, case studies, detailed analysis

Systematically rule out alternatives to arrive at the only viable conclusion

Structure

The Options -> Why Not A -> Why Not B -> Why C is the Answer

Best for

Decision justification, recommendation defense, skeptical stakeholders

Explain the unfamiliar through a well-understood parallel domain

Structure

The Familiar Domain -> Key Parallel -> Applied to Our Situation -> Insight

Best for

Complex concepts, new markets, technical explanations for non-experts

Use historical or external examples to validate your approach

Structure

The Precedent Case -> What Happened -> The Parallel -> Applied Learning

Best for

Risk mitigation, strategy validation, building confidence in new approaches

Reveal that the visible problem is merely a symptom of a deeper root cause

Structure

The Symptom (Visible) -> The System (Hidden) -> The Root Cause

Best for

Consulting, complex problem solving, organizational change

Invert the typical pitch by starting with why you exist, rather than what you do

Structure

The Why (Belief) -> The How (Process) -> The What (Result)

Best for

Visionary leadership, brand positioning, mission statements

Address a common misconception head-on to clear the room for a new truth

Structure

The Common Belief -> The Friction/Failure of that Belief -> The New Truth

Best for

Rebranding, changing market perception, correcting false assumptions

Demonstrate how a single small strategic move triggers a cascade of positive outcomes

Structure

The Trigger Action -> First Reaction -> Second Reaction -> Final Impact

Best for

Strategy roadmaps, showing ROI of a specific feature, causal analysis

Humanize abstract data by walking through a single user's struggle and resolution

Structure

The User's Struggle -> The Intervention (Your Solution) -> The Resolved State

Best for

Product demos, UX reviews, investor pitches focusing on pain points

Create temporal urgency by proving that the window of opportunity is opening or closing

Structure

The Context (Trends) -> The Trigger Event -> The Window of Opportunity

Best for

Sales pitches, fundraising, requesting immediate budget approval

Frame your initiative as the nimble underdog taking on a slow, bloated incumbent

Structure

The Giant's Weakness -> Our Slingshot (Unique Edge) -> The Topple

Best for

Startups, disruptive innovation, competitive displacement

Validate a change in direction by showing it is a reaction to new intelligence, not failure

Structure

The Original Hypothesis -> The New Discovery -> The Strategic Shift

Best for

Project updates, board meetings, agile retrospectives

Set a high reference point to make your actual proposal seem reasonable and attractive

Structure

The Extreme Option (The Anchor) -> The Flaws of the Extreme -> The Balanced Proposal

Best for

Pricing discussions, negotiation, budget requests

Build trust by anticipating failure modes before they happen and solving them in advance

Structure

The Future Disaster (Hypothetical) -> What Went Wrong -> The Prevention Plan

Best for

Project kick-offs, risk management, building trust with skeptical stakeholders

Introduce a seeming contradiction that captures attention, then resolve it with a deeper truth

Structure

The Apparent Contradiction -> Why Both Seem True -> The Deeper Truth That Reconciles

Best for

Strategic pivots, innovation pitches, challenging conventional wisdom

Show the dramatic contrast between the old way and the new way through side-by-side comparison

Structure

The Old Way (Pain) -> The Moment of Change -> The New Way (Glory) -> The Measurable Delta

Best for

Product demos, process improvements, ROI justification

Build credibility by admitting a weakness or mistake before presenting your strength

Structure

The Honest Admission -> What We Learned -> How We're Different Now

Best for

Crisis communication, rebuilding trust, authenticity marketing

Borrow credibility from a recognized authority to validate your position

Structure

The Authority's Credentials -> Their Finding/Opinion -> Applied to Our Case

Best for

Technical validation, regulatory compliance, skeptical executives

Transport the audience to a future state where your solution has already succeeded

Structure

Fast Forward to Success -> What Made It Possible -> Back to Today's Decision

Best for

Vision casting, long-term strategy, investment pitches