Choose the reader’s job first
A story-led slideshow helps a viewer recognize a situation and understand why an action matters. A tutorial helps someone carry out a task in order. Both can use the same feature, but their slides should answer different questions. Start by deciding whether your reader needs context or instructions, then choose the sequence accordingly.
For this fictional exercise, NorthStar Notes has project call notes with a next-step section. The facts are assumptions for planning, not a description of a verified customer or an actual campaign.
Build the story version
Slide 1: “The call is over. The follow-up is tomorrow.” Slide 2: “The next action is somewhere in the notes.” Slide 3: “Open the project note and find the next-step section.” Slide 4: “Start from the action you agreed on.” The sequence moves from a moment to a response. It does not claim the app writes or sends the follow-up.
Use a visual that fits each moment, and show a real product screen only if you can record or capture one without private information. Generated background imagery can set a mood but does not prove how software works.
| Decision | Story-led | Tutorial-led |
|---|---|---|
| Reader question | Why does this situation matter? | How do I find the next step? |
| Opening | The call is over | How to find the next steps |
| Middle | Show the problem and response | Give the ordered interface actions |
| Review | Is the situation understandable? | Can the reader follow every step? |
Build the tutorial version
Slide 1: “How to find the next steps from a call.” Slide 2: “Open the relevant project.” Slide 3: “Select the call note.” Slide 4: “Find its next-step section.” Slide 5: “Review the next action before following up.” Each slide has an ordered instruction rather than a narrative beat.
For your own product, verify every label and step using the current interface. If the steps are different, rewrite the tutorial. Add a screenshot only when it genuinely demonstrates the instruction, and avoid cropping out the context needed to understand the control.
Select and review
Choose the story when the main problem is unfamiliar or relatable context is essential. Choose the tutorial when the viewer already wants to complete the action. If the planned story merely restates every tutorial step, combine or revise rather than publishing two near-identical assets.
Read each version on a phone and ask an unfamiliar reader to explain what they learned. Check every claim, permission and destination before sharing. Neither structure guarantees better results; compare observations only after publishing, with the same measurement conditions where possible.
Copy the planning worksheet
Use this worksheet in your own notes. Fill it with verified product details and actual review observations before sharing an asset.
Verified product fact: __. Reader task: __. Story sequence: __. Tutorial sequence: __. Chosen format and reason: __.Browse the founder guide library for the next task in your workflow.