# Template Design

> Design reusable document and presentation templates that enforce consistency, reduce effort, and maintain brand or quality standards. Use when creating templates for reports, decks, proposals, meeting notes, or any recurring document type.

- Skill: `itsual/template-design` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add itsual/template-design`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/itsual/template-design/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: itsual (https://skillmd.com/u/itsual)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/itsual/template-design

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# Template Design

## Overview

Good templates encode good judgment. They make the right structure and formatting the path of least resistance.

## When to Use

- Creating templates for a team or organization
- Standardizing recurring documents (status reports, proposals, reviews, etc.)
- Building slide master / theme files

## Design Principles

- Encode structure (sections, placeholders, guidance text)
- Enforce visual consistency (fonts, colors, margins, styles)
- Provide just enough guidance without being rigid
- Make common variants easy (e.g., different report lengths)
- Include examples or sample content where helpful
- Design for editing, not just for looking good when empty

## Practical Tips

- Use real placeholder text that shows expected length and tone
- Protect or lock styles that should not be casually changed
- Provide a short “how to use this template” note
- Version templates and communicate changes

## Verification

- [ ] A new user can produce a compliant document quickly
- [ ] The template prevents the most common formatting mistakes
- [ ] It remains flexible enough for real-world variation