presentation-design_skill

Overview

This skill designs and evaluates presentations to ensure clear, audience-centered communication. It provides practical frameworks for planning, visual strategy, cognitive load management, and an evaluation checklist that works with any slide tool (PowerPoint, Keynote, reveal.js, Google Slides). Use it to create slides, structure talks, or get actionable feedback that improves understanding and retention.

How this skill works

I guide you through four phases: audience and content planning, visual strategy with assertion-evidence structure, cognitive load management, and structure patterns for navigation and timing. I inspect slides for text density, visual hierarchy, contrast, and whether each slide has one clear takeaway. I also provide a rating-based evaluation framework and a prioritized fix list so you can turn feedback into concrete changes.

When to use it

• Designing a new slide deck to communicate a single clear message
• Converting bullet-heavy slides into visual, assertion-evidence slides
• Preparing a technical talk with code examples and progressive disclosure
• Reviewing slides for accessibility, contrast, and font size
• Editing a talk to fit different time limits (essential vs. expandable content)

Best practices

• Start with one-sentence main message and 3–5 supporting points
• Use assertion (headline) + visual evidence per slide instead of paragraphs
• Limit palette to 3–5 colors and use clear typography hierarchy
• Keep one concept per slide and reveal details progressively
• Mark content as essential, standard, or expandable for time flexibility

Example use cases

• Turn a report-style deck into a persuasive investor pitch with clear assertions and supporting visuals
• Refactor a technical presentation: highlight key code lines and build examples stepwise
• Audit a training slide deck for cognitive overload and accessibility problems
• Prepare a keynote with horizontal narrative flow and vertical deep dives for Q&A
• Create a shortened version of a 45-minute talk for a 15-minute slot by removing expandable content