Preface

PART 1 THE PYRAMID PRINCIPLE: LOGIC IN WRITING

1. Why a pyramid structure
a. Sorting into pyramids
i. The magical number seven
ii. The need to state the logic
b. Ordering from the top down
c. Thinking from the bottom up
2. The substructures within the pyramid
a. The vertical relationship
b. The horizontal relationship
c. The introductory flow
3. How to build a pyramid structure
a. The top-down approach
b. The bottom-up approach
c. Caveats for beginners
4. Fine points of introductions
a. Initial introductions
i. Why a story?
ii. How long should it be?
iii. Where do you start the situation?
iv. Whats a complication?
v. Why that order?
vi. What about the key line?
vii. Further examples
viii. In summary
b. Some common patterns
i. Directives
ii. Requests for funds
iii. How to documents
iv. Letters of proposal
v. Progress reviews
c. Transitions between groups
i. Referencing backward
ii. Summarizing
iii. Concluding
5. Deduction and induction: the difference
a. Deductive reasoning
i. How it works
ii. When to use it
b. Inductive reasoning
i. How it works
ii. How it differs
6. How to highlight the structure
a. Headings
b. Underlined points
c. Decimal numbering
d. Indented display
PART 2 THE PYRAMID PRINCIPLE: LOGIC IN THINKING
7. Questioning the order of a grouping
a. Time order
i. Incomplete thinking
ii. Confused logic
iii. False grouping
b. Structural order
i. Creating a structure
ii. Describing a structure
iii. Imposing a structure
c. Ranking order
i. Creating proper class groupings
ii. Identifying improper class groupings
8. Questioning the problem-solving process
a. The problem-solving process
i. What is the problem?
ii. Where does it lie?
iii. Why does it exist?
iv. What could we do about it?
v. What should we do about it?
b. Defining the problem
i. Period graph books
c. Structuring the analysis of the problem
i. Five typical logic trees
ii. Use of the logic tree concept
9. Questioning the summary statement
a. Stating the effect of actions
i. Making the wording specific
ii. Distinguish the levels of action
b. Drawing an inference from conclusions
i. Find the structural similarity
ii. Visualize the relationships
10. Putting it into readable words
a. Create the image
b. Copy the image in words
Appendix: Problem Solving in Structureless Situations