conference-talk-builder

name

conference-talk-builder

description

Build complete conference talk presentations from a title and abstract. Creates an outline, a visually rich slide deck (.pptx), and a full speaker script — all aligned and verified. Use this skill whenever the user wants to create a conference talk, conference presentation, keynote, tech talk, meetup presentation, summit talk, or any public-speaking slide deck intended for a live audience. Also trigger when the user says "build me a talk", "create a presentation for [conference name]", "I'm speaking at...", "prepare my talk", "conference slides", or references preparing a talk with an abstract or CFP submission. This skill handles the full pipeline: research, outline, slides, script, and cross-verification. Do NOT use for internal training decks (use training-course-builder instead) or for general slide editing (use pptx instead).

Conference Talk Builder

You are helping Brent Laster (Tech Skills Transformations / TechUpSkills) create a complete conference talk from a title and abstract. The deliverables are: a talk outline, a polished slide deck, and a speaker script — all verified against each other and the source material.

Before You Start

1. Read the pptx skill — you'll need it for building slides: Read the PPTX skill's SKILL.md, then read its pptxgenjs.md reference (for creating from scratch). The PPTX skill lives at the sibling path: find it with ls ../pptx/SKILL.md relative to this skill, or search for it.

2. Read this skill's reference files:

   • references/slide-design.md — Brent's slide conventions, theme, colors, fonts, and layout patterns extracted from his existing decks
   • references/workflow.md — Detailed step-by-step workflow for the full pipeline

3. Collect inputs from the user. You need these before proceeding:

Required Inputs

Ask the user for these using the AskUserQuestion tool (or gather from conversation context):

Already provided:

• Talk title
• Talk abstract

Must ask:

• Time allocation: "How much time do you have for this talk?" Offer common options: 20 min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, 90 min. This drives slide count and depth.
• Audience level: "What's the general audience level for this topic?" Options: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced. This shapes vocabulary, assumed knowledge, and how much foundational material to include vs. diving deep.

Optional (ask if unclear from abstract):

• Any specific technologies, products, or frameworks to emphasize
• Any demos or live-coding segments planned (affects time budget)
• Conference name and context (helps tailor examples and tone)

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Workflow Overview

The full pipeline has 8 phases. Read references/workflow.md for detailed instructions on each phase. Here's the high-level flow:

Phase 1: Research

Research the current state of the industry related to the talk topic. Look for:

• Recent developments, announcements, and trends (within last 12 months)
• Interesting studies, reports, and statistics (with verifiable citations)
• How-to resources, best practices, and common patterns
• Contrarian views or surprising findings that make the talk memorable
• Real-world case studies and examples

Use web search extensively. Every statistic and claim needs a source URL that you will verify later. Collect more than you need — you'll curate during outlining.

Phase 2: Outline

Synthesize research into a structured outline with a clear narrative arc:

• Opening hook (1-2 min): A compelling story, surprising stat, or provocative question
• Context/problem (10-15% of time): Why this topic matters right now
• Core content (60-70% of time): 3-5 key sections with supporting evidence
• Practical takeaways (10-15% of time): What the audience should do Monday morning
• Closing (1-2 min): Memorable conclusion that ties back to the opening

Target slide counts by duration:

Duration	Content Slides	Total (with title/end)
20 min	12-15	15-18
30 min	18-22	21-25
45 min	25-32	28-35
60 min	32-40	35-43
90 min	45-55	48-58

Save the outline as [talk-slug]-outline.md in the output directory.

Phase 3: Build Slides

Create the slide deck using PptxGenJS (from-scratch creation). Follow the conventions in references/slide-design.md exactly — Brent's theme, colors, fonts, and branding.

Key requirements:

• First slides: Version slide + Title slide matching Brent's existing branding
• Last slide: "That's all - thanks!" slide with contact info and book covers
• Every slide must be visual — never just text and bullets. Use diagrams, charts, icons, code examples, or stock images. Read references/slide-design.md for the visual approach hierarchy.
• Citations on every slide with stats/references — include source name and year as small text at the bottom of the slide
• Section divider slides for major topic transitions
• Varied layouts — don't repeat the same layout pattern consecutively

Phase 4: Script

Write a full speaker script in Brent's voice: conversational, knowledgeable, friendly but authoritative. The script should:

• Be timed to match the allocated duration (roughly 130-150 words per minute)
• Reference specific slides by number
• Include transition phrases between sections
• Note where to pause, where to ask the audience, where to gesture at the screen
• Sound natural when read aloud — use contractions, rhetorical questions, brief asides

Save as [talk-slug]-script.md in the output directory.

Phase 5: Cross-Verification

This is critical. Go through all three deliverables and verify:

1. Outline ↔ Slides: Every outline section has corresponding slides. No slides exist that aren't in the outline. The narrative flow matches.
2. Slides ↔ Script: Every slide is referenced in the script. The script covers every slide's content. Timing adds up to the allocated duration.
3. Citations: EVERY statistic, claim, or reference in the deck has:
   • A citation on the slide (source name, year)
   • A verified source URL (use web search to confirm the citation is real and accurate)
   • If a citation can't be verified, either find a replacement or remove the claim

Phase 6: Visual QA

Convert the deck to images and inspect every slide for visual issues. Follow the PPTX skill's QA process — use subagents for fresh-eyes review. Fix any issues found.

Phase 7: Deliver Files

Save all deliverables to the output directory:

• [talk-slug]-outline.md — The talk outline
• [talk-slug].pptx — The slide deck
• [talk-slug]-script.md — The speaker script

Phase 8: Summary

Present the user with a summary: slide count, estimated timing, key narrative arc, and any notes or suggestions for delivery.

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Important Reminders

• Never skip the citation verification step. Every stat must be traceable to a real source.
• Slides should never be text-heavy. If a slide has more than 5 short bullet points, it probably needs to be split or redesigned as a visual.
• The narrative matters more than individual slides. The talk should tell a story with a clear throughline, not just present a collection of facts.
• Match the audience level. Beginner talks need more context and analogies. Advanced talks can assume vocabulary and dive into nuance. Intermediate is the hardest — balance accessibility with depth.
• Timing is critical. A 30-minute talk with 40 slides will feel rushed. A 45-minute talk with 15 slides will drag. Use the target counts as guides.