domains / business / presentation-deck / presentation-deck

presentation-deck

Skill card

combined

The two skills overlap in the goal of structuring a persuasive presentation, but they are not interchangeable. The first copy is a design-focused guide that defines presentation types (stakeholder update, design review, final showcase, portfolio), a universal 6-part narrative arc, slide design principles, and audience adaptation for executives, engineers, and designers. The second copy is a business/SME-focused workflow that emphasizes context-first intake, strict validation of facts (marking unknowns as Unknown rather than inventing them), a specific 10-slide recommendation for a 15-minute slot, and the generation of a structured 'slide register' in formats like CSV, SQL, or JSON. The first copy lacks the rigorous intake and data-source validation steps of the second, while the second lacks the design-specific presentation types and visual design principles of the first. Combining them captures both the structural design advice and the rigorous business data validation.

Repositories

Other copies

Combined skill

# Presentation Deck

## Overview
Structure a presentation that communicates clearly and persuades effectively. This skill covers both design-focused narratives and business-focused evidence-linked decks.

## Step 1: Intake & Validation
1. **Identify Intent:** Determine if the user wants to build, review, or structure a deck.
2. **Gather Context:** Ask for Audience, Ask (desired outcome), Evidence, Constraints, and Setup.
3. **Validate Facts:** Never invent business facts. Mark missing data (revenue, dates, names) as `Unknown`. A figure without a source is a liability.
4. **Determine Type:**
   - **Stakeholder Update:** Inform and align (Context, Progress, Decisions, Next Steps).
   - **Design Review:** Get feedback (Objectives, Walkthrough, Rationale, Open Questions).
   - **Final Showcase:** Gain approval (Problem, Process, Solution, Evidence, Impact).
   - **Business Pitch:** Demonstrate value (Challenge, Approach, Key Decisions, Outcome).

## Step 2: Structure the Narrative
Use a universal arc adapted to the type:
1. **Hook:** Why should the audience care? (Problem, data, or story).
2. **Context:** Background and constraints.
3. **Journey/Process:** How did you get here?
4. **Solution:** The proposal or design.
5. **Evidence:** Research, testing, or data backing the solution.
6. **Ask:** What do you need from them? (Approval, feedback, resources).

**Recommendation:** For a 15-minute slot, aim for ~10 slides. One job per slide. The opening earns attention, the middle is evidence, and the end is the ask.

## Step 3: Slide Design & Content
- **One Idea Per Slide:** A slide has one job. `Key Message` should be a repeatable sentence.
- **Show, Don't Tell:** Use visuals over text. Max 3 bullets per slide.
- **Data Sources:** Every number on a slide must have a visible source.
- **Progressive Disclosure:** Reveal complexity gradually. Put detailed technical specs or backup data in appendices.
- **Design for the Room:** Large text, high contrast, speaker notes for context.

## Step 4: Audience Adaptation
- **Executives:** Lead with impact and business value. Be concise.
- **Engineers:** Include technical details, interaction specs, and edge cases.
- **Designers:** Show process, rationale, and design system alignment.
- **Mixed:** Layer detail progressively; lead with the big picture.

## Step 5: Output & Delivery
- **Speaker Notes:** Include context and timing cues.
- **Slide Register (Optional):** If requested, output a structured register (CSV/JSON) mapping slides to Key Messages, Bullets, and Data Sources.
- **Rehearsal:** Rehearse with a colleague. Prepare backup slides for likely questions.
- **Follow-up:** Send a summary document after the presentation.