slide-architect

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.

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/mrigankad/SlideArchitect
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/mrigankad/SlideArchitect ~/.claude/skills/mrigankad-slidearchitect-slide-architect
manifest: SKILL.md
source content

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:

ElementQuestions
TopicWhat is the presentation about? Core message?
PurposeInform, persuade, train, pitch, update, or decide?
AudienceExecutives, clients, investors, team, technical, mixed?
ToneFormal, conversational, persuasive, educational?
LengthTarget slide count or time limit?
ContextStandalone deck or presented live? Virtual or in-person?
Source MaterialExisting 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 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 for:

  • 15+ slide layout templates
  • When to use each layout
  • Content arrangement guidance

See 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 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 PurposeChart Type
Compare categoriesBar chart
Show trends over timeLine chart
Show compositionPie or stacked bar
Show distributionHistogram
Show relationshipsScatter plot
Show hierarchyTree map or org chart
Show process flowFlow diagram
Show timingTimeline 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