ppt-creator

name	ppt-creator
description	Create professional slide decks from topics or source documents, including structured content, charts, speaker notes, and complete PPTX outputs. Use when the user needs presentations, pitches, slide decks, or keynote-style materials.

PPT Creator

Goal: Transform a simple topic into a presentation-ready, high-quality slide deck. When key information is missing, use the minimal intake form (references/INTAKE.md) to gather context or apply safe defaults. Then follow the workflow (references/WORKFLOW.md) to produce an outline, slide drafts, charts, and speaker notes. After generation, self-evaluate using the rubric (references/RUBRIC.md); if the score is < 75, automatically refine up to 2 iterations until ≥ 75 before delivery. See Deliverables section for final output structure.

When to Use

Use this skill when the user requests:

• "Make a presentation/deck/PPT/slides" on any topic
• "Improve/optimize a presentation/pitch/demo"
• Converting scattered materials into a structured, persuasive slide deck
• Creating presentations with data visualization and speaker notes
• Building decks for business reviews, product pitches, educational content, or reports

Quick Start

1. Gather Intent: If critical information is missing, ask the 10 Minimal Questions (references/INTAKE.md). If the user doesn't respond after 2 prompts, use the safe default for each item and clearly note assumptions in speaker notes.

2. Structure the Story: Apply the Pyramid Principle to establish "one conclusion → 3-5 top-level reasons → supporting evidence." Each slide uses assertion-style headings (complete sentences), with body content providing evidence (charts/tables/diagrams/data points). Templates are in references/TEMPLATES.md.

3. Choose Charts: Use the Chart Selection Dictionary in references/VIS-GUIDE.md to pick the most appropriate visualization for each point. If the user provides data (tables/CSV), optionally call scripts/chartkit.py to generate PNG charts; otherwise, create placeholder diagrams with a list of required data fields.

4. Layout & Style: Follow references/STYLE-GUIDE.md for font sizes, line spacing, white space, contrast ratios, color palettes, and accessibility (WCAG AA compliance).

5. Speaker Notes: Generate 45-60 second speaker notes for each slide, structured as: opening → core assertion → evidence explanation → transition.

6. Self-Check & Score: Use references/CHECKLIST.md for a pre-flight check, then score with references/RUBRIC.md. If total score < 75, identify the weakest 3 items and refine; repeat scoring (max 2 iterations).

7. Deliverables (all saved to /output/):

   • /output/slides.md: Markdown slides (Marp/Reveal.js compatible), with assertion-style headings + bullet points/chart placeholders + notes
   • /output/assets/*.png: Generated charts (if applicable)
   • /output/notes.md: Full speaker notes and delivery outline
   • /output/refs.md: Citations and data sources
   • /output/presentation.pptx: If python-pptx is available, export to PPTX; otherwise, keep Markdown and include instructions for "one-click conversion to PPTX" in the first screen (does not block delivery)

Orchestration Mode (End-to-End Automation)

When the user requests a "complete" or "presentation-ready" deliverable, ppt-creator automatically orchestrates the full pipeline: content creation → data synthesis → chart generation → dual-path PPTX creation (Marp + document-skills:pptx) → chart insertion. This typically delivers TWO complete PPTX files with different styling for user comparison.

Activation: Phrases like "complete PPTX", "final deliverable", "ready for presentation" Duration: 4-6 minutes (parallel execution) Output: presentation_marp_with_charts.pptx + presentation_pptx_with_charts.pptx

For orchestration details, see references/ORCHESTRATION_OVERVIEW.md (start here), then navigate to specialized guides as needed.

Core Principles (Must Follow)

• Information Organization: Conclusion first, then evidence (Pyramid Principle). Each slide conveys only 1 core idea. Headings must be testable assertion sentences, not topic labels.
• Evidence-First: Use charts/tables/evidence blocks instead of long paragraphs; limit to 3-5 bullet points per slide.
• Data Visualization: Chart selection and labeling (axes/units/sources) must comply with references/VIS-GUIDE.md. If data is insufficient, provide "placeholder chart + list of missing fields."
• Accessibility: Color and text contrast must meet AA standards (see STYLE-GUIDE). Provide alt/readable descriptions for charts and images.
• Reusability: Use consistent naming, stable paths, reproducible output. Do not hard-code random numbers in code.
• Safety & Dependencies: Do not scrape the web without permission. Only run scripts when user provides data. If matplotlib/pandas are unavailable, fall back to text + placeholder diagram instructions.

Workflow Overview

Stage 0 - Archive Input: Record user's original request, defaults used, and assumptions made.

Stage 1 - Structure Goals: Rewrite the goal into "who takes what action when" (clear CTA).

Stage 2 - Storyline: Use Pyramid Principle to define "one-sentence conclusion → 3-5 first-level reasons → evidence."

Stage 3 - Outline & Slide Titles: Create a 12-15 slide chapter skeleton. Each slide has one assertion-style heading.

Stage 4 - Evidence & Charts: Use the Chart Selection Dictionary from VIS-GUIDE. If data is provided, call chartkit.py to generate PNGs; otherwise, create placeholder + required field list.

Stage 5 - Layout & Accessibility: Apply STYLE-GUIDE for font sizes, spacing, contrast ratios, color palettes; unify units and decimal places.

Stage 6 - Speaker Notes: Generate 45-60 second notes per slide: opening → assertion → evidence explanation → transition.

Stage 7 - Self-Check & Scoring: Run CHECKLIST; score with RUBRIC. If score < 75, focus on weakest 3 items, refine, re-score (max 2 iterations).

Stage 8 - Package Deliverables: Generate /output/ directory with slides.md / notes.md / refs.md / assets/*.png. If python-pptx is available, export PPTX.

Stage 9 - Reuse Instructions: Append a "5-step guide to replace data/colors with your own" at the end of notes.md.

Resources

references/INTAKE.md

Minimal 10-Item Questionnaire (use defaults if missing):

1. Who is the audience? (Default: general public)
2. Core objective? (Default: "understand and accept" a proposition)
3. Desired action/decision? (Default: agree to move to next step after the meeting)
4. Duration & slide count limit? (Default: 15-20 min, 12-15 slides)
5. Tone & style? (Default: professional, clear, friendly)
6. Topic scope & boundaries? (Default: given topic + 1 layer related)
7. Must-include points/taboos? (Default: none)
8. Available data/tables? (Default: none; can generate structure placeholder + list required fields)
9. Brand & visual constraints? (Default: built-in neutral theme)
10. Deliverable format preference? (Default: slides.md + optional PNG charts; export PPTX if available)

references/WORKFLOW.md

Detailed step-by-step process from "topic" to "presentation-ready output."

references/TEMPLATES.md

Slide Template Library (assertion-evidence style):

• Cover, Table of Contents, Problem Statement, Opportunity/Goal, Solution Overview, Evidence 1-3, Risk & Mitigation, Case Study/Comparison, Roadmap/Timeline, Conclusion & Actions, Backup Slides
• Micro-templates: Comparison (A vs B), Pyramid Summary, Process 4-Step, KPI Dashboard, Geographic Distribution, Funnel, Pareto, Sensitivity, Cost Structure (Waterfall), Contribution (Stacked)

references/VIS-GUIDE.md

Data Visualization Selection & Labeling Standards:

• Chart Selection Dictionary (common questions → chart types)
• Labeling & units (axes, units, data scope, time range; source in footer)
• Accessibility & contrast (WCAG 2.1 AA: text vs background ≥ 4.5:1; UI elements ≥ 3:1)
• Assertion-Evidence writing tips

references/STYLE-GUIDE.md

Layout & Style (neutral theme, supports brand replacement):

• Canvas: 16:9; safe margins ≥ 48px; grid column spacing 24px
• Fonts: Chinese (Source Han Sans/PingFang/Hiragino Sans), English (Inter/Calibri)
• Font sizes: Heading 34-40, Subheading 24-28, Body 18-22, Footer 14-16
• Line spacing: Heading 1.1, Body 1.3; bullet spacing ≥ 8px
• Color palette (AA compliant): Dark ink #1F2937 / Background #FFFFFF / Accent #2563EB / Emphasis #DC2626
• Components: unified 6-8px border radius; charts and images with 8px padding
• Images: add brief alt descriptions for screen readers
• Page density: ≤ 70 words per slide (excluding captions)

references/RUBRIC.md

PPT Quality Scoring Rubric (100 points; ≥ 75 to deliver): Each item scored 0-10:

1. Goal Clarity: Audience, objective, CTA well-defined
2. Story Structure: Pyramid structure complete, hierarchy clear
3. Slide Assertions: Headings are "assertion sentences" supported by evidence
4. Evidence Quality: Data/cases/citations sufficient, credible, consistent calibration
5. Chart Fit: Correct selection, complete labeling, readable
6. Visual & Accessibility: Contrast, font size, white space, color compliance
7. Coherence & Transitions: Natural chapter and page transitions
8. Speakability: 45-60 sec per slide, natural language
9. Deliverables Complete: slides.md / notes.md / refs.md / (optional) assets/*.png
10. Robustness: Gaps explicitly marked, fallback plan & next steps provided

Self-evaluation process: Run CHECKLIST first, then score each item and write top 3 low-scoring items + improvement actions. If total < 75, apply actions and re-score (max 2 iterations).

references/CHECKLIST.md

Pre-flight checklist for final quality assurance before delivery.

references/EXAMPLES.md

Two Usage Examples:

• Example A: Ultra-simple topic ("coffee") → trigger minimal questionnaire, generate 12-page framework with placeholder charts
• Example B: Small business monthly review with attached CSV → parse data, select charts per VIS-GUIDE, call chartkit.py, refine 1-2 iterations if score < 75

scripts/chartkit.py

Minimal chart renderer for ppt-creator.

Usage:

python scripts/chartkit.py \
  --data path/to/data.csv \
  --type line \
  --x date \
  --y sales profit \
  --out output/assets \
  --filename kpi_trend.png \
  --title "Monthly KPIs"

Notes:

• Requires: pandas, matplotlib
• Fallback: If packages unavailable, print instruction message and exit(0)
• Uses matplotlib defaults for readability (no hard-coded brand colors)

Advanced Tips

• This skill complements any host-provided slide export capability. Use this skill to produce high-quality structure and content, then optionally invoke the current environment's export mechanism to generate the final PPTX file.
• For complex data analysis needs, combine with other skills (e.g., data analysis, charting) before invoking ppt-creator.
• The skill is designed to be forgiving: missing information triggers safe defaults rather than blocking progress.

Overview

Use this skill for the capability described in this document.

Core Workflow

Follow the primary workflow, commands, and decision points documented in the sections below.

Examples

Use the examples and snippets already present in this document whenever they apply to the task.

Best Practices

Follow the constraints, conventions, and cautions documented below, and prefer the documented path over improvisation.

References

Use any linked scripts, assets, reference files, and companion resources mentioned in this document.