When you’d need it

You need to show levels of importance or abstraction. A pyramid works when the reader should understand what sits above what, not just what comes first.

Key decisions

• The top layer is the highest-level idea, so the visual reads as strategy rather than a checklist.
• Execution sits at the base because it supports the higher layers.
• Four layers keep the model memorable without turning it into a dense framework diagram.

When to copy vs. adapt

Use this for strategy layers, learning levels, prioritization, or operating models. Use a funnel when the story is narrowing conversion rather than hierarchy.