Slide presentation

Slide Presentation Skill

Build a complete, presentation-ready slide deck from any topic in 6 structured steps. Each step builds on the previous one, so the final output is tight, story-driven, and visually intentional.

Quick Start

Tell me one of these:

• /slide-presentation [topic] - I'll run the full 6-step pipeline
• /slide-presentation blueprint [topic] - Just step 1 (planning)
• /slide-presentation structure [topic] - Steps 1-2 (planning + structure)
• /slide-presentation content [topic] - Steps 1-5 (everything except clarity edit)
• /slide-presentation edit + paste existing slides - Just step 6 (simplify and sharpen)

You can also jump to any individual step by name: blueprint, structure, story, visuals, content, edit.

Context Routing (Internal - for Claude)

When this skill is invoked:

1. Check business context: context-library/business-info-template.md for company-specific language, values, positioning
2. Check stakeholder profiles: context-library/stakeholder-template.md for audience-specific framing
3. Check writing style: context-library/writing-style-*.md to match the PM's voice
4. Check strategy docs: context-library/strategy/ for strategic alignment if the deck is internal
5. Check existing PRDs: context-library/prds/ if the presentation is about a specific feature or initiative
6. Check storytelling frameworks: context-library/strategy/storytelling-frameworks.md for step 3

The 6-Step Pipeline

Step 1: Presentation Blueprint

Define the strategic foundation before writing a single slide.

Ask (or infer from context):

• What's the topic?
• Who's the audience? (investors, board, team, customers, conference, hiring)
• What's the one thing you want the audience to do or feel after this? (approve, fund, align, learn, get excited)
• How long is the slot? (5 min, 15 min, 30 min, keynote)
• Any constraints? (company template, brand guidelines, slide limit)

Produce:

• Objective: One sentence on what success looks like
• Target audience: Who they are and what they care about
• Key message: The single takeaway the audience should remember
• Slide flow: High-level arc (not individual slides yet)
• Slide count: Recommended number based on time slot (rule of thumb: 1 slide per minute for presentations, 1 per 30 seconds for pitches)

Step 2: Slide Structure and Flow

Design the slide-by-slide skeleton. Each slide gets a title and a purpose statement so the flow reads like a story, not a list.

For each slide, define:

• Slide number
• Title: Clear, specific (never "Introduction" or "Overview" without a point)
• Purpose: What this slide accomplishes in the narrative. Why it's here and what the audience should take from it before moving on.

Flow check: Read the slide titles top to bottom. They should form a coherent argument or narrative even without the content. If they don't, restructure.

Step 3: Story-Based Presentation Builder

Layer a narrative arc over the structure. The sequence:

Hook -> Problem -> Insight -> Solution -> Takeaway

Rules:

• Hook: First slide grabs attention. A surprising stat, a bold question, a provocative claim. Never start with an agenda slide.
• Problem: Make the audience feel the pain before offering the cure. Use real data, real quotes, real examples.
• Insight: The "aha" that makes your solution inevitable. This is where you change how they think about the problem.
• Solution: Your answer. Specific, tangible, credible.
• Takeaway: End with what you want them to do or remember. Not a "thank you" slide. A clear call to action or decision point.

Cross-reference context-library/strategy/storytelling-frameworks.md to pick the right sub-framework:

• Investor pitch -> Golden Circle (WHY first)
• Board update -> Minto's Pyramid (recommendation first)
• Team rally -> Pixar Pitch (emotional arc)
• Customer presentation -> StoryBrand (they are the hero)
• QBR or retrospective -> What, So What, Now What

Step 4: Visual Direction and Design

For each slide, recommend specific visual guidance. Don't just say "add a chart." Say what kind, what it should show, and why.

For each slide, suggest:

• Layout: Full-bleed image? Split (text left, visual right)? Data-heavy? Minimal text with a quote?
• Charts/diagrams: Specific chart type (bar, line, funnel, comparison table) and what data it should display
• Icons/imagery: What visual metaphor or icon set would reinforce the point
• Color guidance: When to use high-contrast for emphasis, when to keep it muted

General design principles:

• One idea per slide. If you need a "Part 1 / Part 2" label, it's two slides.
• Text should be readable from the back of the room. Max 6 bullet points, max 6 words per point (the 6x6 rule).
• Data slides need a headline that IS the insight, not a label. "Revenue grew 40% YoY" not "Revenue Chart."
• Use progressive disclosure for complex information. Build it across 2-3 slides rather than cramming.

Step 5: Full Slide Content Generator

Write the actual content for every slide. Concise, presentation-ready bullet points.

Rules:

• Audience-aware: Match depth and language to who's in the room (use stakeholder profiles from context)
• Bullet points, not paragraphs. Slides are not documents.
• Each bullet should stand alone. If you need to read the one above it, rewrite.
• Use specifics. Numbers, names, dates. Not "significant improvement" but "47% reduction in support tickets."
• Speaker notes (optional): If the PM asks, add brief speaker notes with what to say vs what's on the slide

Output format: For each slide, provide:

Slide N: [Title]
- Bullet 1
- Bullet 2
- Bullet 3
[Speaker notes: ...]

Step 6: Slide Simplification and Clarity Editor

Final polish pass. Review all content and cut ruthlessly.

Apply these checks:

• Reduce text: Can any bullet lose a word? Cut it.
• Sharpen key points: Vague language becomes specific claims
• One idea per slide: Split any slide trying to do two things
• Headline test: Every slide title should communicate the insight, not just the topic
• So-what test: If someone asks "so what?" after reading a slide, the slide needs work
• Read-aloud test: Read the flow of titles out loud. Does it sound like a coherent argument?

Full Pipeline Execution

When running all 6 steps, present them progressively:

1. Show the Blueprint and ask: "Does this objective and flow feel right before I build out the slides?"
2. After approval, show the Structure and ask: "Read the titles top to bottom. Does the story track?"
3. After approval, run steps 3-5 together (story arc, visuals, content) and present the complete deck draft
4. Apply step 6 (clarity edit) and present the final version
5. End with: "Want me to adjust any specific slides, try a different storytelling angle, or export this in a specific format?"

If the PM says "just do it" or "full pipeline," skip the checkpoints and deliver the complete output in one pass.

Output

Save the final presentation content to outputs/presentations/[topic-slug]-deck.md.

Format of the output file:

# [Presentation Title]

**Audience:** [who]
**Objective:** [what success looks like]
**Key message:** [the one takeaway]
**Duration:** [time slot]
**Slide count:** [N]

---

## Slide 1: [Title]
**Purpose:** [why this slide exists]
**Visual:** [layout and visual direction]

- Bullet 1
- Bullet 2

Speaker notes: [what to say]

---

## Slide 2: [Title]
...

Related Skills

• /storytelling - If the PM needs to rewrite one section with a specific storytelling framework
• If the presentation is really a one-pager, write it as a Markdown one-pager instead of a deck
• /status-update - If this is a recurring update that should be a message, not a deck
• /sketchnote - Generate a visual overview of a feature for embedding in slides
• /frontend-design - If the PM wants an actual interactive HTML version instead of a deck
• Sprint demo decks typically use a separate plugin or template (different format and engine)

Example Invocations

Input: "Build a 10-minute presentation on our AI financial skills feature for the board." -> Check context-library/prds/ for AI financial skills PRDs -> Blueprint: board audience, approval-seeking, 10 slides -> Story: Minto's Pyramid (lead with recommendation) -> Content pulled from actual PRD data, metrics, and strategy

Input: "I need a pitch deck for investors about our AI advisor product." -> Blueprint: investor audience, funding-seeking, 12-15 slides -> Story: Golden Circle (WHY we exist, HOW we're different, WHAT we built) -> Visual: high-impact data slides, product screenshots, market sizing charts

Input: "Edit my existing slides. They're too wordy." -> Skip to step 6, apply clarity editing -> Return tightened version with tracked changes and rationale

Input: "Quick deck for a team all-hands about our Q2 roadmap." -> Blueprint: team audience, alignment-seeking, 8 slides -> Story: Pixar Pitch (where we've been, the challenge, where we're headed) -> Reference outputs/roadmaps/roadmap-data.json for real data