Build Phase

The Build Phase is where you create and gather the content for your presentation. This is the foundation - everything else builds on the content you create here.

Purpose

The Build Phase focuses on:

Creating presentation content.
Gathering necessary information.
Researching topics.
Organizing data into tables.
Building a content repository.

Key principle: Focus on content, not formatting or layout. The AI will handle slide design later.

Working with Content Pieces

Content in the Build Phase is organized into "pieces":

Main Content Piece

When you start a slide deck, a main content piece is automatically created. This is your primary working area.

Additional Content Pieces

You can create additional pieces for:

Separate tables
Different sections
Attachments or references

Content Types

Text Content:

Written in Markdown format
Supports headers, bullets, emphasis
Can include presenter notes
Structure with slide-like sections

Table Content:

2D array of data
Headers and data rows
Used for quantitative information
Can be referenced in text

The Content Assistant

Your primary helper in this phase is the Content Assistant chatbot.

What the Content Assistant Can Do

Content Creation:

Write presentation content
Generate bullet points
Create narratives
Develop key messages

Research:

Search web for information
Find current data
Gather supporting facts
Locate sources

Data Organization:

Structure information into tables
Format data appropriately
Create comparison tables

Brainstorming:

Suggest content ideas
Generate themes
Propose structures

Content Improvement:

Refine existing text
Expand on points
Simplify complex ideas

How to Work with the Content Assistant

Making Requests:

"Create content for a product launch presentation about our new mobile app"

"Research recent trends in remote work adoption and create a summary"

"Generate a table comparing our product features to top 3 competitors"

"Expand on the market opportunity section with more detail"

Important: Be specific about what you want. The more context you provide, the better the results.

Content Structure Best Practices

Use Markdown for Structure

# Executive Summary
A brief overview of the key points...
 
## Market Opportunity
- Total addressable market: $50B
- Growing at 15% annually
- Key segments: Enterprise, SMB, Consumer
 
## Our Solution
**Product Overview:** Our platform enables...
 
### Key Features
1. Feature one: Description
2. Feature two: Description
3. Feature three: Description

Think in Slide-Like Sections

Organize content into logical sections that could become slides:

# Opening - Q1 Performance Review
 
# Summary - Q1 Highlights
- Revenue up 25% YoY
- Launched 3 new products
- Expanded to 2 new markets
 
# Revenue Performance
Detailed revenue analysis...
[TABLE: Monthly revenue breakdown]
 
# Product Launches
Details on new products...
 
# Market Expansion
Our new markets...
 
# Challenges & Lessons
What we learned...
 
# Q2 Priorities
Looking ahead...

Include Data and Facts

The more specific and quantitative, the better:

❌ Bad:

Sales increased significantly
We have many customers
Performance was good

✅ Good:

Sales increased 23% YoY to $2.3M
Customer base grew from 150 to 400 accounts
NPS score improved from 62 to 78

Provide Context

Don't just list facts - provide context and implications:

## Customer Growth
We added 250 new customers in Q1 (up from 100 in Q4).
 
**Why it matters:** This 150% increase demonstrates strong product-market fit 
and validates our new marketing strategy. The higher acquisition rate also 
improved our customer acquisition cost from $500 to $350.
 
**Key driver:** 60% of new customers came from our enterprise pilot program, 
suggesting we should double down on enterprise marketing.

Working with Data Objects

For data-driven presentations, you can connect real data from your data collections.

Pre-Configured Data (Workflow Mode)

If you started with a template that has data-connected shapes, your data was configured before reaching the Build phase:

Connected Data appears in a separate section of your content list
Data objects are read-only (sourced from your collections)
Charts and tables will be populated automatically during generation
You can reference this data in prompts to the Content Assistant

Adding Data Ad-Hoc

You can also add data objects during the Build phase:

Click "Add Content"
Select "Add Data Object"
Set parameters (dates, portfolio IDs, etc.)
Resolve and preview the data
Add to your content

Using data in prompts:

"Summarize the key trends from the sales-data object"

"Create a narrative around the top performers in the portfolio-holdings data"

"Compare this month's figures to the previous month"

The Content Assistant can read and analyze your data to create relevant content.

For more details, see Data Integration.

Working with Tables

For quantitative data, create tables:

Creating Tables

Via Content Assistant:

"Create a table showing monthly revenue for each product line"

"Generate a comparison table of our pricing vs competitors"

Via Manual Entry: Add table data in the interface (if available) or describe it clearly for the assistant to create.

Table Best Practices

Include headers:

| Month | Product A | Product B | Total |
|-------|-----------|-----------|-------|
| Jan   | $100K     | $75K      | $175K |
| Feb   | $120K     | $80K      | $200K |

Keep tables focused:

One topic per table
Relevant columns only
Not too many rows (consider splitting)

Provide context:

## Revenue by Product Line
 
The table below shows monthly revenue breakdown by product. 
Note the strong growth in Product A starting in February 
after the marketing campaign launch.
 
[TABLE: Monthly Revenue by Product]
 
Key insight: Product A growth is driving overall revenue, 
while Product B remains steady.

Research and Web Search

The Content Assistant can search the web for current information.

When to Use Research

Need current data or statistics
Want to include recent trends
Looking for supporting facts
Need competitive intelligence
Want to cite external sources

How to Request Research

Be specific:

❌ "Tell me about AI trends"

✅ "Find recent statistics on enterprise AI adoption rates 
   and investment levels in 2024"

Provide context:

"Research our top 3 competitors' pricing models and 
create a comparison table. We're focusing on enterprise 
SaaS products in the project management space."

Evaluating Research

Verify facts if critical
Check date relevance
Consider source credibility
Cross-reference important data

Content Development Strategies

Start with Outline

Create a high-level outline
Fill in each section
Add detail progressively
Refine and polish

Example:

First pass:
# Executive Summary
# Market Analysis
# Our Solution
# Results
# Next Steps

Second pass:
Add bullet points under each

Third pass:
Add detail, data, context

Fourth pass:
Refine language, add tables

Build Incrementally

Don't try to create everything at once:

Session 1: Create main outline and executive summary Session 2: Add market analysis and data Session 3: Add results and case studies Session 4: Polish and complete

Collaborate with AI

You provide: Direction, data, priorities, key messages AI provides: Structure, phrasing, research, expansion

Example workflow:

You: "Create an outline for a product launch presentation"
AI: Provides 8-section outline
You: "Expand the market opportunity section with data"
AI: Adds detailed market analysis
You: "Add our key differentiators"
AI: Creates comparison and unique value props

Content Amount

How Much is Enough?

For a 10-slide presentation:

1000-2000 words of text content
2-4 data tables
Clear section breaks

For a 20-slide presentation:

2000-4000 words
4-8 data tables
Multiple distinct sections

Too little:

Sparse, generic slides
AI struggles to create substance
Requires more refinement later

Too much:

Better than too little!
AI can distribute across slides
Easier to cut than to add

Quality Over Quantity

Focus on:

Specific data and facts
Clear key messages
Logical organization
Relevant context

Rather than:

Generic statements
Vague descriptions
Disorganized thoughts
Unnecessary filler

Finalizing Build Phase

Before moving to Structure Phase:

Content Checklist:

All key topics covered
Data and facts included
Tables created for quantitative content
Content organized into logical sections
Sufficient detail for AI to work with
Key messages clear

Review:

Read through all content
Fill any gaps
Add missing data
Clarify unclear sections

Ready to proceed when:

Content tells a complete story
All necessary information included
Comfortable with what you have
No major gaps remaining

Moving to Structure Phase

Click "Next" or "Analyze Structure" to proceed.

What happens next:

AI analyzes your content
AI reviews template
AI proposes slide structure
You review and refine the structure

Common Questions

Q: Do I need to organize content into slides? A: No - that's the Structure Phase's job. Focus on creating good content with logical sections.

Q: Can I edit content after moving to Structure? A: Yes, you can navigate back to Build Phase anytime before committing.

Q: How detailed should content be? A: More detailed than bullet points, but not full prose. Think "expanded outline" with data.

Q: Should I include images or charts? A: Describe what should be shown. The template determines visual elements. For data, create tables.

Q: What if I don't have all the data yet? A: Use placeholders and update later. Mark sections that need data: [NEED Q3 REVENUE DATA]

Q: Can multiple people work on content? A: Currently, one person at a time to avoid conflicts. Coordinate with your team.

Next Steps

Proceed to Structure Phase - Organize into slides
Learn about Content Assistant - Master the AI helper
See content examples - Real-world content patterns

Overview Structure Phase