pptx-custom

pptx-custom: Presentations Skill (Academic + Corporate)

This skill handles two presentation modes. Read this file fully, then route to the correct section.

Quick Reference

Task	Guide
Academic content & argument structure	content_guidelines.md — Academic sections
Corporate content, narrative structure, deck types	content_guidelines.md — Corporate sections
Slide implementation patterns (all types)	slide_patterns.md
Technical file creation	PPTX skill → `pptxgenjs.md`
Technical editing of an existing file	PPTX skill → `editing.md`

Step 0: Detect Mode

Before anything else, classify the request into one of two modes:

🎓 Academic Mode

Triggers: conference paper, seminar, thesis defense, dissertation, grant briefing, lab meeting, invited lecture, research presentation, academic deck, "make slides for my paper/study/dataset".

→ Follow the Academic sections of content_guidelines.md and academic patterns in slide_patterns.md.

🏢 Corporate Mode

Triggers: solution proposal, sales pitch, client presentation, executive briefing, strategy deck, roadmap, business case, QBR, capability showcase, RFP response, project kickoff, client pitch.

→ Follow the Corporate intake workflow below, then the Corporate sections of content_guidelines.md and corporate patterns in slide_patterns.md.

When in doubt

If the user mentions a paper, study, dataset, thesis, grant, or conference → Academic. If the user mentions a client, proposal, business, strategy, sales, or executive → Corporate. Ask the user only if it genuinely cannot be determined.

Corporate Mode: Intake Workflow

Always follow this sequence before planning or building any corporate deck.

1. Confirm deck type

Identify which corporate deck type applies (match to user's request):

Deck Type	Primary Goal	Default Length
Solution Proposal	Win a deal by mapping a specific solution to a client's problem	12–18 slides
Sales Pitch	Introduce your company/offering and open a conversation	8–12 slides
Strategy / Roadmap	Align stakeholders on direction and priorities	14–20 slides
Executive Briefing	Give a time-pressured senior audience the key facts and decision	6–10 slides
Business Case / ROI	Justify investment with evidence and financial analysis	10–16 slides
QBR / Status Update	Review performance and align on next steps with an existing client	10–14 slides
Project Kickoff	Align a new team or client on scope, plan, and ways of working	10–14 slides
Capability Showcase	Demonstrate what your team/product/service can do	8–12 slides

If the deck type is ambiguous, propose 2–3 structure options and let the user choose before proceeding.

2. Ask for the client brand color

Always ask this before building:

"What is the primary brand color for [Client Name]? (A hex code is ideal, but a rough description works too.) If you don't have one, I'll use a clean corporate default palette."

Store the provided color and apply it consistently as the primary color throughout the deck.

3. Confirm the audience

Identify the audience level and adapt tone, depth, and vocabulary accordingly:

Audience	Tone	Depth
C-suite / executives	Confident, direct, outcome-first	High-level; lead with business impact
Mixed (business + technical)	Balanced; plain-language for business sections, precise for technical	Modular; use appendix for deep-dives
External clients / prospects	Professional, solution-focused, credibility-building	Evidence-heavy; include case studies
Internal stakeholders	Collaborative, transparent, honest about risks	Include risk & mitigation; show full context

4. Name-based context

If the user explicitly names a client or project (e.g., "this is for Acme Corp"), remember the client name and context for the rest of the session. Apply it consistently in the deck content. If the user starts a new named project, update the context.

Corporate Mode: Design System

Style Selection

Select the visual style based on the deck type and audience. Do not ask the user — make the call, then state it briefly.

Style	When to use	Palette
Premium / Polished	Sales pitches, capability showcases, high-stakes client pitches	Dark backgrounds, bold gradients, white text, vibrant accent
Clean Corporate	Solution proposals, QBRs, status updates, internal decks	White/light bg, client brand color as primary, structured grid
McKinsey / Analytical	Business cases, ROI decks, strategy decks with heavy data	Black/white with selective color highlights, annotation-rich
Client-Matched	Any deck where the user provides a template or brand guide	Match provided template; override nothing without asking

Default Corporate Color Palettes

Clean Corporate (default if no brand color provided):

bg:        F8F9FA   (near-white)
primary:   1B2A4A   (deep navy)
accent:    0F6FBF   (corporate blue)
body:      2C3E50   (dark slate)
muted:     6C757D   (gray)
highlight: E8F4FD   (light blue tint)
cta:       E63946   (red — for CTA buttons/emphasis only)

Premium / Dark:

bg:        0D1117   (near-black)
primary:   FFFFFF   (white text)
accent:    6C63FF   (violet)
secondary: 00D4AA   (teal)
muted:     8B949E   (muted gray)
surface:   161B22   (card bg)

McKinsey / Analytical:

bg:        FFFFFF
primary:   000000
accent:    CC0000   (red — highlight only)
body:      333333
muted:     888888
rule:      DDDDDD

Typography (Corporate)

Element	Size	Weight
Slide title / headline	28–36 pt	Bold
Section header	22–24 pt	Bold
Body bullets	18–20 pt	Regular
KPI / stat callout	36–48 pt	Bold
Chart labels / annotations	14–16 pt	Regular
Footnotes / caveats	11–13 pt	Regular, muted

Font face: Inter (preferred) or Calibri as fallback. Single face throughout.

Layout Rules (Corporate)

Lead with the business outcome or key message — never bury it.
Use KPI callout boxes for key metrics (e.g., "3× ROI", "$2M saved").
For solution slides: problem on the left, solution on the right.
For timeline slides: use a horizontal swim-lane or milestone track.
For case study slides: client logo + challenge + approach + outcome (4-quadrant or top-to-bottom flow).
16:9 widescreen by default. Ask the user if the deck will be projected at a known venue with a different ratio.

Corporate Mode: Required Slides by Deck Type

Solution Proposal

Title slide (client name, proposal title, date, your company)
Executive Summary (one-slide overview: problem, proposed solution, headline outcome)
Understanding the Challenge (situate the client's problem — show you listened)
Proposed Solution / Approach (architecture diagram or methodology visual)
How It Works (optional deep-dive, 1–2 slides)
Case Study / Proof of Concept (comparable prior engagement or reference client)
Timeline / Implementation Roadmap
Team & Credentials (for external decks)
Investment / Pricing (if appropriate)
Next Steps / CTA (specific, time-bound ask)
Appendix (technical specs, risk register, detailed pricing, FAQ)

Sales Pitch

Title slide
The Problem (paint the pain — make it vivid and specific)
Why Now (urgency frame — market shift, regulatory change, cost of delay)
Our Solution (one crisp statement + visual)
Proof (metrics, logos, case study snippet)
How We Work Together (onboarding, process, timeline)
Next Steps / CTA
Appendix

Strategy / Roadmap

Title slide
Executive Summary (situation, key decisions, recommended direction)
Current State / Baseline (where we are today)
Strategic Goals (what success looks like in 12–24 months)
Strategic Options Considered (show you evaluated alternatives)
Recommended Approach (rationale, trade-offs)
Roadmap (timeline with phases and milestones)
Resource & Investment Requirements
Risks & Mitigation
Next Steps / CTA
Appendix

Corporate Mode: QA Checklist

Corporate QA checklist:
□ Deck type identified; correct template structure applied
□ Client brand color applied consistently (or clean corporate default used)
□ Executive Summary present (one slide, self-sufficient)
□ Every slide title is a headline statement (outcome or key message), not a topic label
□ No bullet-wall slides — maximum 5 bullets, ~30 words of body text per slide
□ At least one visual exhibit per 2 slides (diagram, chart, table, timeline, or callout)
□ Case study / proof slide present for external decks
□ Architecture diagram or solution visual present for solution proposals
□ Timeline / roadmap slide present for strategy and proposal decks
□ "Next Steps / CTA" is the last main slide — specific, time-bound, owner assigned
□ Appendix present with supporting detail
□ CTA on the final slide is concrete (not "let us know if you have questions")
□ No generic filler slides (no "About Us" walls of text, no "Thank You" as last slide)
□ Audience-appropriate depth and vocabulary applied throughout
□ If named client: client name and context used consistently

Academic Mode (unchanged)

Step 1: Identify Presentation Type

Structured Argument (default): conference papers, seminar talks, thesis defenses, dissertation chapters, grant briefings, internal lab presentations, policy briefings.

Priority order: argument structure → data → layout → aesthetics.

Visual / Narrative: public engagement talks, science communication, funding pitches to lay panels.

Step 2: Plan the Deck

Produce a slide-by-slide outline and confirm with the user if the deck is > 10 slides. Use the ghost deck test: action titles alone must tell the complete argument.

Step 3: Design Standards

White background for all content slides.
Single sans-serif font (Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica).
Max three colors: dark navy primary (1F4E79), mid-blue accent (2E75B6), white background.
No decorative gradients, no icons, no clip art.
Max ~40 words of body text per slide. Body text ≥ 20 pt.

Step 4: Build and QA

Academic QA checklist:
□ Every content slide has an action title (complete sentence stating the takeaway)
□ Ghost deck test passes (action titles alone tell the full argument)
□ One exhibit per results slide; key finding annotated directly on the chart
□ Every borrowed figure or data point has an in-slide citation
□ References slide exists at the end
□ Conclusions slide is the last non-appendix slide (not "Thank You" or blank)
□ Contact info / QR code on final slide
□ Body text ≥ 20 pt throughout
□ No decorative elements
□ Section dividers or breadcrumb bar present for decks > 15 slides

Anti-Patterns (Both Modes — Never Do These)

Generic slides with no clear message — every slide must earn its place with a specific point.
Weak or missing CTA — corporate decks must end with a concrete, time-bound next step.
No storytelling — information without a narrative arc loses the audience. Always pick a spine (SCR, funnel, answer-first, or problem-solution-proof).
Audience mismatch — never write for a generic audience; always calibrate depth and vocabulary to who is in the room.
Bullet-wall slides — if the audience is reading, they are not listening.
"Thank You" as the final slide — end on conclusions (academic) or Next Steps/CTA (corporate).

Cleanup (Temporary Files)

When creating a .pptx file, Claude writes a temporary PptxGenJS script (e.g., create_presentation.js or similar) and executes it with node. This file is temporary and must be deleted automatically after the .pptx is confirmed to exist.

After every successful .pptx generation, run:

rm <script_name>.js

Rules:

Only delete the .js file after confirming the .pptx was created and is non-empty (ls -lh <output>.pptx).
If the script fails and no .pptx is produced, keep the .js file so the user can inspect and debug it.
Never delete the .pptx, any supporting assets, or any user-provided files.

Dependencies

pip install "markitdown[pptx]" — text extraction for QA
npm install -g pptxgenjs — creating .pptx from scratch
LibreOffice (soffice) — PDF conversion
Poppler (pdftoppm) — PDF to images