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npx skills add https://github.com/jwynia/agent-skills --skill presentation-designWorks with Paperclip
How Presentation Design fits into a Paperclip company.
Presentation Design drops into any Paperclip agent that handles this kind of work. Assign it to a specialist inside a pre-configured PaperclipOrg company and the skill becomes available on every heartbeat — no prompt engineering, no tool wiring.
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Pre-configured AI company — 18 agents, 18 skills, one-time purchase.
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---name: presentation-designdescription: "Design and evaluate presentations that communicate effectively. Use when designing a presentation, creating slides, getting presentation feedback, structuring a talk, or reviewing slides. Keywords: presentation, slides, talk, PowerPoint, Keynote, reveal.js."license: MITmetadata: author: jwynia version: "1.0" type: diagnostic mode: diagnostic+assistive domain: documents--- # Presentation Design Diagnostic ## Purpose Design and evaluate presentations that communicate effectively. Provides frameworks for planning, visual design, cognitive load management, and evaluation. Applicable to any presentation tool (reveal.js, PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides). ## Core Principle **Audience-centered design.** Every decision should serve audience understanding, not presenter convenience. --- ## Quick Reference: Common Problems | Problem | Symptom | Fix ||---------|---------|-----|| Wall of Text | Slides are paragraphs | Assertion-evidence structure || Bullet Point Disease | Lists instead of visuals | One concept + visual evidence || Kitchen Sink | Everything included | Essential vs. expandable content || Pretty but Empty | Design without substance | Message-first design || Cognitive Overload | Too much per slide | One key concept per slide | --- ## Phase 1: Audience & Content Planning ### Key Questions 1. **Who specifically is my audience?** What's their knowledge level?2. **What's the ONE main message?** What should they remember?3. **What are 3-5 supporting points?** How do they reinforce the message?4. **What evidence supports each point?** Visual, data, examples?5. **What action should they take?** What's the call to action?6. **What are time constraints?** What's essential vs. optional? ### Actions - [ ] Create audience persona(s)- [ ] Write one-sentence main message- [ ] Organize supporting points in logical flow- [ ] Identify evidence for each point- [ ] Define essential vs. expandable content- [ ] Sketch presentation flow --- ## Phase 2: Visual Strategy ### Assertion-Evidence Structure **Replace bullet points with:**- **Assertion:** Clear, complete sentence stating the point- **Evidence:** Visual that supports the assertion **Instead of:**```Key findings:• Data shows increase• Users engaged more• Revenue improved``` **Use:**```"User engagement increased 43% after redesign"[Graph showing the increase]``` ### Visual Principles - **Limited palette:** 3-5 colors maximum- **Typography hierarchy:** 2-3 fonts with clear roles- **Whitespace:** Let content breathe- **Consistency:** Same layouts, same treatment- **Visual progress:** Help audience track where they are --- ## Phase 3: Cognitive Load Management ### One Concept Per Slide Each slide should answer: "What's the ONE thing I want them to take from this?" ### Progressive Disclosure Reveal information sequentially instead of all at once:1. Show initial state2. Add first element with context3. Add second element building on first ### Spoken vs. Shown | Show on Slide | Speak Aloud ||---------------|-------------|| Key assertion | Elaboration || Visual evidence | Context and explanation || Critical data | Interpretation || Next step | Why it matters | ### Code Examples (Technical Talks) - Syntax highlighting always- Highlight the critical line- Build up complex examples- Remove boilerplate when possible --- ## Phase 4: Structure Patterns ### Horizontal vs. Vertical (Multi-Level Navigation) **Horizontal slides:** Main narrative flow**Vertical slides:** Supporting details (optional deep dives) Example:- Horizontal: "Three Key Factors in Customer Retention"- Vertical (under that): Detailed slide for each factor ### Time Flexibility Mark content as:- **Essential:** Must cover in any version- **Standard:** Include with normal time- **Expandable:** Include only with extra time --- ## Evaluation Framework ### 1. Audience-Centered Design (Rate 1-5) | Criterion | Score | Notes ||-----------|-------|-------|| Content matches audience knowledge level | | || Clear value proposition for audience | | || Adaptable to time constraints | | || Navigation structure aids understanding | | | **Red Flags:**- Presenter-focused rather than audience-focused- No consideration of audience's existing knowledge ### 2. Visual Clarity (Rate 1-5) | Criterion | Score | Notes ||-----------|-------|-------|| Assertion-evidence structure used | | || Visual elements balance text | | || Visual hierarchy guides attention | | || Consistent design elements | | || Thoughtful whitespace | | | **Red Flags:**- Bullet-point overuse- Text-heavy slides- Cluttered layouts ### 3. Cognitive Load (Rate 1-5) | Criterion | Score | Notes ||-----------|-------|-------|| One key concept per slide | | || Appropriate text density | | || Judicious animations/transitions | | || Code properly formatted (if applicable) | | || Supporting details accessible, not distracting | | | **Red Flags:**- Multiple complex concepts per slide- Excessive text competing with speech- Animation overuse ### 4. Accessibility (Rate 1-5) | Criterion | Score | Notes ||-----------|-------|-------|| Works across display sizes | | || Sufficient color contrast | | || Inclusive imagery and language | | || Font sizes appropriate | | | **Red Flags:**- Poor contrast- Too-small fonts- Non-inclusive content --- ## Implementation Checklist ### Structure- [ ] Main message clear in first 2 minutes- [ ] Supporting points organized logically- [ ] Essential vs. expandable content marked- [ ] Navigation aids understanding ### Content- [ ] Assertion-evidence structure used- [ ] Visual evidence supports assertions- [ ] One concept per slide- [ ] Code examples properly formatted ### Visual- [ ] Consistent color palette- [ ] Typography hierarchy- [ ] Sufficient whitespace- [ ] Elements aligned ### Accessibility- [ ] Color contrast verified- [ ] Font sizes appropriate- [ ] Alternative text for key images --- ## Improvement Prioritization After evaluation: **1. Critical Issues (Fix immediately):**- Blocks audience understanding- Accessibility failures- Core message unclear **2. Important Enhancements (Second priority):**- Cognitive load issues- Visual consistency problems- Structure improvements **3. Nice-to-Have Refinements:**- Advanced animations- Custom styling- Polish details --- ## Anti-Patterns ### 1. The Data Dump**Pattern:** Every slide full of data, charts, and statistics without interpretation or hierarchy.**Why it fails:** Audiences can't process raw data in real-time. Without interpretation, they're left doing analysis instead of learning. Most data is forgotten immediately.**Fix:** One insight per slide with visual evidence supporting the insight. State the conclusion; show the proof. The audience should understand your point before seeing the data. ### 2. The Script Reader**Pattern:** Slides that contain the speaker's full script—bullet points that are really paragraphs.**Why it fails:** Audiences read faster than speakers talk. They read ahead, then tune out when you say what they already read. The slides become teleprompter, not communication tool.**Fix:** Slides show what you can't say; you say what you can't show. Visuals, diagrams, and key assertions on screen. Context, explanation, and elaboration spoken. ### 3. The Template Trap**Pattern:** Dropping content into a generic template without considering how the design serves the message.**Why it fails:** Design should support comprehension, not just look professional. Generic templates create generic communication. One-size-fits-all fits no one well.**Fix:** Design serves message. Ask: what visual structure helps this specific audience understand this specific content? Start from communication need, not template options. ### 4. The Animation Circus**Pattern:** Transitions, builds, and effects everywhere—flying text, spinning images, fade after fade.**Why it fails:** Animation is attention. Every effect says "look at this." When everything animates, nothing stands out. Audiences become overwhelmed or numbed.**Fix:** Animation only for progressive disclosure (building complex ideas step by step) or emphasis (highlighting the key point). Default to no animation; add only with purpose. ### 5. The Bullet Point Disease**Pattern:** Slide after slide of bullet point lists—the default structure for everything.**Why it fails:** Bullet points are for documents, not presentations. They encourage equal weight for unequal ideas, text-heavy slides, and passive reading instead of active viewing.**Fix:** Use assertion-evidence structure. Replace bullet lists with clear assertions supported by visual evidence. If you need a list, question whether it needs to be a slide. ## Integration ### Inbound (feeds into this skill)| Skill | What it provides ||-------|------------------|| speech-adaptation | Spoken content structure to coordinate with visuals || story-sense | Narrative structure for presentation flow || (content expertise) | Subject matter to communicate | ### Outbound (this skill enables)| Skill | What this provides ||-------|-------------|| (implementation) | Design principles for any presentation tool || (delivery) | Slides designed to support effective speaking | ### Complementary| Skill | Relationship ||-------|--------------|| speech-adaptation | Presentation-design handles visuals; speech-adaptation handles spoken content. Design together for coordination || voice-analysis | Understanding the presenter's voice helps design slides that match their natural delivery style |