slide-architect

---
name: slide-architect
description: Build professional PowerPoint presentations and slide decks from scratch. Use when creating, structuring, or improving presentations for business, sales, investor pitches, training, technical architecture, case studies, or strategy reviews. Handles slide outlines, content writing, layout suggestions, speaker notes, visual recommendations, and deck optimization for clarity and executive readability.
---

# SlideArchitect

Transform ideas into polished, presentation-ready slide decks. Acts as strategist, writer, and design advisor combined.

## Core Workflow

### Step 1: Gather Requirements

Before creating content, confirm:

| Element | Questions |
|---------|-----------|
| **Topic** | What is the presentation about? Core message? |
| **Purpose** | Inform, persuade, train, pitch, update, or decide? |
| **Audience** | Executives, clients, investors, team, technical, mixed? |
| **Tone** | Formal, conversational, persuasive, educational? |
| **Length** | Target slide count or time limit? |
| **Context** | Standalone deck or presented live? Virtual or in-person? |
| **Source Material** | Existing documents, notes, data, or starting from scratch? |

### Step 2: Create Structure

Build a slide-by-slide outline before generating content:

1. **Opening** - Title slide + agenda/roadmap
2. **Context** - Problem, opportunity, or background
3. **Body** - 3-5 key sections with logical flow
4. **Supporting Evidence** - Data, case studies, examples
5. **Closing** - Summary, next steps, or call to action

Use [references/layout-patterns.md](references/layout-patterns.md) for slide type selection.

### Step 3: Write Slide Content

For each slide, generate:

- **Title** - Clear, active, benefit-oriented (5-7 words max)
- **Subtitle** - Supporting context when needed
- **Body Content** - Bullet points, max 5 per slide, 1-2 lines each
- **Speaker Notes** - Key points to verbalize (not on slide)
- **Visual Suggestion** - Chart, diagram, image, or icon recommendation

**Content Rules:**
- One idea per slide
- Use parallel structure in bullet lists
- Lead with outcomes, not activities
- Replace dense paragraphs with visual hierarchy
- Active voice, present tense

### Step 4: Recommend Layout & Visuals

Assign each slide a layout type and visual direction.

See [references/layout-patterns.md](references/layout-patterns.md) for:
- 15+ slide layout templates
- When to use each layout
- Content arrangement guidance

See [references/visual-guidelines.md](references/visual-guidelines.md) for:
- Chart selection logic
- Icon and illustration usage
- Color and typography guidance

### Step 5: Optimize & Review

Final quality checks:

- [ ] Every slide supports the core message
- [ ] No slide exceeds 6 elements (title + 5 bullets max)
- [ ] Data has suggested visualization
- [ ] Transitions between slides are logical
- [ ] Speaker notes add value beyond slide text
- [ ] Closing slide has clear next steps or CTA

## Deck Type Specialization

See [references/deck-types.md](references/deck-types.md) for:
- Business review decks
- Sales decks
- Investor pitches
- Training materials
- Technical architecture
- Case studies
- Strategy reviews

## Content Transformation Modes

### From Rough Ideas
1. Capture all concepts (brainstorm mode)
2. Group into themes
3. Sequence for narrative flow
4. Build outline → Generate slides

### From Meeting Notes
1. Extract decisions, actions, and key points
2. Structure into problem/solution/outcome
3. Create supporting visuals
4. Add context slides for absent attendees

### From Documents
1. Identify key arguments and evidence
2. Strip detail to core insights
3. Convert paragraphs to visual hierarchies
4. Preserve data, simplify explanations

### From Case Studies
1. Situation → Challenge → Solution → Results
2. Pull quotable metrics
3. Build before/after contrast
4. Add customer quote slide

## Output Format

Present decks in this copy-paste friendly structure:

```
# [Deck Title]

## Slide 1: Title Slide
**Layout:** Title + Subtitle
**Visual:** Company logo, professional background

**Title:** [Title Text]
**Subtitle:** [Subtitle Text]
**Notes:** [Opening hook, speaker introduction]

---

## Slide 2: [Slide Title]
**Layout:** [Layout Type]
**Visual:** [Specific recommendation]

**Title:** [Slide Title]

- Bullet 1
- Bullet 2
- Bullet 3

**Speaker Notes:** What to say while this slide is shown

---
```

## Advanced Capabilities

### Create Variants
- **Short version** - 5-7 slides, high-level only
- **Detailed version** - Full deck with appendix
- **Client-facing** - Branded, polished, no internals
- **Internal** - Detailed, notes-heavy, data-rich

### Improve Existing Slides
1. Review current content
2. Identify overload or confusion
3. Restructure for clarity
4. Rewrite for impact
5. Suggest visual upgrades

### Data Visualization

Match data to chart type:

| Data Purpose | Chart Type |
|--------------|------------|
| Compare categories | Bar chart |
| Show trends over time | Line chart |
| Show composition | Pie or stacked bar |
| Show distribution | Histogram |
| Show relationships | Scatter plot |
| Show hierarchy | Tree map or org chart |
| Show process flow | Flow diagram |
| Show timing | Timeline or Gantt |

## Theme Direction

Suggest consistent visual direction:

- **Typography** - Clean sans-serif (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica), 24pt+ for body
- **Colors** - 3-4 color palette (primary, secondary, accent, neutral)
- **Spacing** - Generous white space, consistent margins
- **Imagery** - Professional photography or clean illustrations
- **Icons** - Consistent icon style (line, filled, or outlined)

## Best Practices Reminders

- 10-20-30 rule: 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30pt font minimum
- 6x6 rule: Max 6 bullet points, 6 words each
- F-pattern layout: Important content top-left
- Contrast: Dark text on light background (or inverse)
- Alignment: Consistent left-align or center-align per deck
- Transitions: Simple fades or none; avoid animations that distract