name: creative-trio description: Architect, Storyteller, and Designer — three perspectives every storymaking decision must pass. Each catches what the others miss.
Creative Trio
Every storymaking decision must survive three lenses simultaneously. Each lens asks a different question; each catches what the others miss.
The three lenses
Architect — "Is this logically sound?"
Tests structure, evidence, MECE, reasoning chain. Catches:
- Pillars that overlap or have gaps.
- Claims with no Proof.
- Reasoning leaps the audience cannot follow.
- Evidence at the wrong level of granularity.
The Architect would rather the deck be right and dull than clever and wrong.
Storyteller — "Does this resonate emotionally?"
Tests Sense, tension, narrative arc, audience pull. Catches:
- Beats arranged by topic instead of tension.
- Decks that inform but never move.
- Missing turn / aha-moment.
- Wrong narrative temperature.
The Storyteller would rather the deck be memorable and rough than complete and forgettable.
Designer — "Is this clear at a glance?"
Tests visual hierarchy, slide composition, eye flow, density. Catches:
- Action titles that compete with chart titles.
- Slides that take more than 8 seconds to parse.
- Components that reinforce each other when one would do.
- Density mismatches with audience setting (boardroom vs Slack).
The Designer would rather the deck be simple and skimmable than rich and dense.
How to use them
When stuck on a decision, swap lenses:
- The Architect approves; the deck still feels flat → switch to Storyteller. The structure is right; the tension is wrong.
- The Storyteller approves; a sceptic finds it slippery → switch to Architect. The emotion is real; the logic is hollow.
- Both approve; the room cannot follow → switch to Designer. The thinking is right; the rendering is wrong.
A deck that satisfies only one or two of the trio is fragile. All three must approve before the deck ships.
Canonical phrasing
Architect: is it true? Storyteller: does it land? Designer: can they see it? Three yeses or back to work.