Pyramid principle: one-page summary
Answer first. Then the three reasons.
The pyramid principle puts the conclusion at the top and the supporting arguments underneath, each backed by its own evidence. On the canvas the hub card is the answer, and each argument is a card you can open to check the numbers.
- Price
- Free
- Online
- Runs in your browser — two runs with no account, then a free account
- Desktop
- Also works on your own files and writes the result up
Runs on the MindMax thinking canvas →All online tools
When to use the pyramid principle
Whenever someone busy has to make a decision from what you wrote: a recommendation, an update to leadership, the summary of a long analysis.
- The top line is the decision, the place and the deadline — someone who stops reading there should still know what to do.
- Arguments under it should stand on their own and not overlap; three is usually enough.
- Evidence sits at the bottom, so a reader can check any argument without reading the others.
How the canvas builds it
Type the problem
One sentence is enough — the question you would bring to a whiteboard.
Pick “Pyramid principle”
The framework decides how the problem is cut: which cards appear and what each one must answer.
Read the map
One card per branch, plus a hub card that says what the branches add up to.
Go deeper where it matters
Expand any item: break it down again, ask a follow-up, or apply another framework to that branch.
Where it gets hard
- Two runs with no account, then a free account
Type your problem and the canvas builds it right in your browser. Two runs need no account; after that, sign in with a free account and runs use the AI allowance in your plan. Canvases stay in this browser — export them, or share a read-only link, to keep them elsewhere.
- Structure, not proof
The pyramid makes an argument easy to follow, which is also why a weak one can look convincing. Check that every piece of evidence is real before you send it.
- In the desktop app today
There is no pyramid skill on the desktop canvas yet; it is coming with the online version. The desktop canvas can already break the question down first (Decompose) and turn the result into a document.
Common questions
What is the pyramid principle?
A way of structuring a document or presentation: state the main conclusion first, group the supporting arguments beneath it, and support each argument with evidence.
How many arguments should there be?
Usually three, sometimes two or four. More than that and the reader stops holding them in mind — group them under fewer, broader points.
Is it free?
Yes. Two runs online need no account; after that a free account is enough, and runs use the Free plan’s weekly AI allowance. Exploring the examples is always free, and the AI canvas in the desktop app works on the Free plan too.
Turn your analysis into one page someone will read
Two runs need no account, then a free account. To work on your own files, use the free desktop app.