Pros and Cons Slide [Balanced presentation strategies]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
We were working on a presentation for a client recently, and in the middle of the project, our client, Sarah, asked us:
"Why does the pros and cons slide always end up being so... boring? Is there a better way to use it?"
Our Creative Director answered:
“Because people treat it like a checklist instead of an opportunity to actually engage the audience.”
Here’s the thing: the pros and cons slide is often misunderstood. It’s one of those slides that’s either used as a crutch or avoided entirely. But when done right, it can actually help you make your point in a way that’s both clear and impactful. We’ve worked on countless pros and cons slides, and let’s be honest: most of them fall flat. And it’s not because the content isn’t valuable, it’s because the design is lazy, or it’s just not structured in a way that forces the audience to pay attention.
So, in this blog, we’re going to break down how to make a pros and cons slide that doesn’t suck, and when it actually works (and when it doesn’t).
The Problem With Most Pros and Cons Slides
Here’s the deal: most pros and cons slides are painfully boring. The layout is predictable: one column for pros, one for cons, bullet points for each. It’s the visual equivalent of a boring lecture. You’ve seen it a thousand times, blank, uninspired, and, frankly, forgettable.
So why does this happen? Simple. People try to squeeze everything they can into those two columns, thinking that quantity equals quality. They pile on endless points, making the slide feel like a wall of text that nobody actually reads. Or, they add so little information that the slide doesn’t actually add any value to the presentation.
And here’s the worst part: they rarely make any effort to prioritize or weigh the pros and cons. That’s when the slide becomes useless. If all you’re doing is presenting a list of points, you’re not guiding your audience to a conclusion, you’re just presenting facts without context.
The real issue is that the pros and cons slide is supposed to help your audience make a decision. It’s supposed to act as a critical tool in your narrative, not just a “filler” slide that checks a box.
Making a Pros and Cons Slide Actually Work
1. Clarity: No One Wants to Read a Novel
We’re in the era of information overload. People don’t have time to read a dense list of bullet points, especially in a presentation. So, why would you make them? The first rule of a good pros and cons slide is clarity. You don’t need to include every possible point. Pick the most important, impactful pros and cons that directly relate to your argument or decision-making process.
This is where most people get it wrong. They think the more they list, the more convincing they’ll sound. They don’t stop to think about whether each point is truly valuable to the audience. Here's the thing: no one cares about minor details. Sure, it’s nice to show that the product or idea you’re presenting is well-rounded, but cluttering your pros and cons slide with every nit-picky advantage and disadvantage will just confuse people.
Instead, focus on the big stuff, highlight the most significant pros and cons. For example, if you’re comparing two products, don’t just say, “Product A is faster.” Say something like, “Product A saves you 5 hours a week in work time.” Now you’ve got their attention.
2. Balance: Don’t Make It One-Sided
Let’s talk about balance. When done right, a pros and cons slide gives both sides a fair shot. It’s tempting to pile on the positives and downplay the negatives, but that’s not how you build credibility. If you’re presenting a solution or an idea to an audience, you want to give them a complete view. And that means honestly addressing the cons, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Think of it this way: nobody trusts a pitch that’s all rainbows and unicorns. If all you show are the benefits and ignore the potential drawbacks, you’re setting yourself up for failure. People are smart. They know every decision comes with trade-offs, and they’ll see right through your attempt to gloss over the bad stuff.
On the flip side, don’t go overboard on the cons either. You’re not there to drag the idea through the mud. Your goal isn’t to tear it apart, it’s to help your audience see both the upsides and the downsides in a way that feels fair and thoughtful. Overloading the cons section will make the whole idea seem unappealing, and you’ll lose your audience’s trust.
A balanced pros and cons slide should let your audience know exactly what they’re getting into. And it should do that in a way that feels objective, not like you’re trying to sell them something, but rather like you’re giving them the facts to make their own decision.
3. Purpose: Use the Slide to Drive Your Narrative
The best pros and cons slides aren’t random. They don’t just show up in your presentation because “they’re supposed to be there.” They serve a specific purpose. Your pros and cons slide should actively support your argument. It’s not a filler slide; it’s a strategic tool that drives your message forward.
This means you need to tie your pros and cons back to the bigger narrative of the presentation. Whether you’re making a sales pitch or presenting a project proposal, the pros and cons slide should act as a reinforcement of your key message. The pros should highlight the things that make your idea or product valuable, and the cons should acknowledge the risks or limitations without undermining the core argument.
For example, if you’re pitching a new product, your pros might include things like efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and innovation. Your cons might mention implementation time or training costs. But even in the cons, you can frame them in a way that makes the drawbacks seem manageable or addressable.
Let’s be clear: the cons shouldn’t distract from the core benefits of your idea or product. If they do, you’ve failed at balancing your slide. The purpose of this slide is to allow your audience to see the full picture but still leave them feeling like the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
4. Structure: Less is More
One of the most effective ways to make a pros and cons slide work is through smart, minimal design. The simpler, the better. You don’t need to create a wall of text to communicate your points. Stick to short, sharp sentences or phrases that drive home the point quickly.
The layout should also be easy to follow. If you’re using a two-column format, make sure the pros and cons are clearly separated, visually and contextually. But don’t stop there. Play with the design to add emphasis where it’s needed. For example, you might highlight the most critical pros in bold or use color coding to indicate which points are deal-breakers versus just minor inconveniences.
Also, consider using visuals to complement your points. A simple icon can go a long way in making a point stand out. If you’re listing a pro like “saves time,” a clock icon next to it adds meaning instantly. If your con is “high initial cost,” you could pair it with a dollar sign. Simple images or symbols can make your slide more engaging and easier to digest.
But above all, remember that less is more. People won’t remember every single bullet point on your slide, so make the ones that matter the most count.
5. Prioritization: What Really Matters?
Now, here's the real secret: prioritize your points. What’s the most important thing for your audience to know? Focus on that. And if you’re comparing multiple options, make sure you’re presenting the pros and cons in a way that clearly shows which option is better and why.
This means you don’t need to go into exhaustive detail about every single point. Instead, you should be laser-focused on the few aspects that really make or break the decision. Is one pro more powerful than the rest? Highlight it. Is one con a deal-breaker? Emphasize it. Don’t bury the key points under a sea of less important ones.
Think about your audience’s decision-making process. They’re not looking for a thesis, they’re looking for clarity. And the way you present that clarity is through prioritization.
6. When to Skip the Pros and Cons Slide
We’re not saying you need to use a pros and cons slide in every presentation. There are times when it just doesn’t fit the narrative. If your presentation is about convincing someone of the value of something, then a pros and cons slide might not be the best option. Instead, you could present the benefits and disadvantages through storytelling or by addressing potential concerns more organically.
Sometimes, forcing a pros and cons slide into your deck will just make it feel like you’re trying too hard to be “fair.” You don’t need a pros and cons slide just for the sake of it. If the benefits of your solution are obvious and outweigh the cons by a landslide, just skip the slide altogether.
But when it’s done well, a pros and cons slide can be a powerful tool for clarity and persuasion. Use it when the decision at hand requires a nuanced perspective, or when you want to directly address the upsides and drawbacks of an idea.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.