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

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):

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:

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.

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)

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

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

Sales Pitch

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

Strategy / Roadmap

1. Title slide
2. Executive Summary (situation, key decisions, recommended direction)
3. Current State / Baseline (where we are today)
4. Strategic Goals (what success looks like in 12–24 months)
5. Strategic Options Considered (show you evaluated alternatives)
6. Recommended Approach (rationale, trade-offs)
7. Roadmap (timeline with phases and milestones)
8. Resource & Investment Requirements
9. Risks & Mitigation
10. Next Steps / CTA
11. 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