Celebrate Simplicity Over Decoration—The Power of Doing Less for Greater Impact

A product manager at a tech company was preparing for a pitch to a group of investors. Her initial deck was a dense forest of charts, bullet points, and colorful effects meant to impress. After reviewing feedback from a mentor—who pointed out that nothing stood out and most slides felt cluttered—she decided to strip everything back. Inspired by the Japanese bento box, she reorganized the entire presentation so that every slide addressed only one question or need, and each visual was chosen to support a single idea.

The result? Instead of being distracted by swirling animation or tiny footnotes, listeners could focus on the story and the key takeaways. At a crucial moment in the Q&A, an investor mentioned that they could see the company’s vision clearly for the first time. The deck might have become shorter, but its impact tripled. The team began applying this 'do less, but better' mindset to all communications, finding that simplicity brought more clarity, faster decisions, and even higher morale.

Next time you prepare any communication—whether it’s an email, a meeting agenda, or a slide deck—take the time to strip away any part that isn’t vital. Think of each element as having to earn its place, just as items in a well-organized lunchbox do. All content should support a clear, central message; anything else creates noise. Ask someone outside your immediate workflow to take a look and see what feels clear or cluttered. Try it out this week, and pay attention to how people respond.