tmj-90 Convert ideas into structured, deliverable slide decks
Slides are not documents. One idea per slide. The constraint is a feature, not a bug.
Deck archetypes (determine before writing)
| Archetype | Purpose | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch deck | Fundraising or executive buy-in | Problem → Market → Solution → Traction → Ask |
| Product demo | Show a feature working | Context → Demo flow → Outcome → Next steps |
| Report / update | Status, data, retrospective | Summary → Data → Insights → Actions |
| Talk / keynote | Conference or all-hands | Hook → Thesis → 3 points → Call to action |
| Design review | Critique a design | Objective → Current state → Proposal → Trade-offs |
Slide anatomy
Every slide has one job. Ask: "What should the viewer believe or do after this slide?" If the answer is two things, split the slide.
TITLE — the claim (not the topic). "Revenue grew 43%" not "Q2 Revenue"
BODY — the evidence for the claim (one paragraph, one chart, or one list)
TAKEAWAY — optional; the one-sentence so-what if it isn't obvious
Output formats
| Format | Use case |
|---|---|
| Markdown slides | Marp or Slidev; deliverable as .md; in version control |
| Reveal.js HTML | Self-contained; shareable as a URL; no install |
| Structured outline | For the user to paste into their own tool (Google Slides, Keynote, PowerPoint) |
Default: Markdown slides (Marp format) unless the user specifies otherwise.
Marp frontmatter (standard)
---
marp: true
theme: default
paginate: true
footer: "Company · Deck Title · Month Year"
---
Slides separated by ---. Speaker notes after <!-- on a blank line below the slide.
Pitch deck structure (12 slides)
- Title — company name + one-line value prop + date
- Problem — the specific pain; quantify it
- Solution — what you do; one sentence
- Demo / Product — screenshot or flow; show don't tell
- Market — TAM/SAM/SOM or specific segment size with source
- Business model — how you make money; unit economics if available
- Traction — the best metric you have; growth rate preferred
- Competition — honest 2×2 or table; say why you win
- Team — relevant prior experience only; no fluff
- Roadmap — 12-month milestones; tied to the ask
- Financials — 3-year projection; key assumptions
- Ask — specific amount; use of funds; timeline
Steps
- Determine archetype. Ask if not obvious from context.
- Gather inputs. Key message, audience, time limit (slides × 2 min is a rough guideline), any existing content.
- Outline first. One line per slide, in order. Confirm the flow makes a logical argument before writing content.
- Write slides. One claim per slide. Titles are claims, not topics. Cut any slide whose removal wouldn't weaken the argument.
- Add speaker notes. 3–5 sentences per slide; the detail the audience gets verbally; not a transcript.
- Format and export. Apply consistent heading hierarchy, spacing, and brand colours if provided.
- Verify. Read the title of every slide in sequence — they should form a coherent summary of the argument without looking at the body.
Review checklist
- One idea per slide — no slide makes two separate claims.
- Titles are claims — "Revenue grew 43%" not "Revenue".
- Speaker notes present on every substantive slide.
- Deck tells a story without body copy — title sequence is a coherent argument.
- No wall-of-text slides — body ≤ 5 bullet points or 1 chart or 1 short paragraph.
- Ask/CTA explicit — the last slide states what you want the audience to do.
Rules
- Title = claim, not topic. This is the single most impactful change you can make to most decks.
- Cut slides ruthlessly — a 10-slide deck that lands beats a 40-slide deck that exhausts.
- Speaker notes are for the speaker, not a transcript — never read notes verbatim.