| name | presentation-template-guide |
| description | Creates brand-aligned presentation template guidelines with slide layouts, color usage, font hierarchies, and do's and don'ts. Use when standardizing team presentations. |
| allowed-tools | Read Write Glob |
| metadata | {"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"} |
Presentation Template Guide
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Create guidelines for brand-consistent slide decks
- Design a master template system for company presentations
- Standardize pitch decks, sales decks, or internal presentations
- Brief a designer on presentation template creation
DO NOT use this skill for writing presentation content, creating actual slide decks, or designing individual slides. This is for template guidelines and standards.
Core Principle
EVERY SLIDE SHOULD COMMUNICATE ONE IDEA IN 5 SECONDS — IF A VIEWER CANNOT GRASP THE POINT IMMEDIATELY, THE SLIDE HAS TOO MUCH ON IT.
Phase 1: Brief
Required Inputs
| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|---|
| Presentation types | "What types of presentations does your team create? (pitch, sales, internal, training)" | Sales and internal |
| Platform | "Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote, or Canva?" | Google Slides |
| Brand guidelines | "Do you have brand colors, fonts, and logo?" | Must be provided |
| Current pain points | "What is inconsistent or frustrating about current presentations?" | Inconsistent styling |
| Audience | "Who views these presentations? (clients, investors, internal team)" | Mixed audiences |
| Content types | "What content appears most? (text, charts, images, comparisons, timelines)" | Mix of all |
GATE: Confirm brief before proceeding.
Phase 2: Design
Master Slide System
Define these core slide layouts:
- Title slide — brand name, presentation title, date, presenter
- Section divider — bold section title, minimal design
- Single point — one key message with supporting visual
- Two-column — comparison, before/after, or text + image
- Data / chart — single chart with headline takeaway
- Bullet list — 3-5 points maximum, not a wall of text
- Quote / testimonial — featured quote with attribution
- Image full-bleed — full-screen image with overlaid text
- Closing / CTA — next steps, contact info, call to action
Design Standards
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 (widescreen)
- Margins: Minimum 0.5-inch safe zone on all sides
- Font sizes: Title 36-44pt, subtitle 24-28pt, body 18-22pt, footnotes 12pt minimum
- Maximum bullets per slide: 5
- Maximum words per slide: 40 (for text-heavy slides)
GATE: Present the slide system and standards for approval.
Phase 3: Build
Deliverables
1. Template Guidelines Document
- Every master slide layout described with specifications
- Color usage rules per element (backgrounds, text, accents)
- Typography hierarchy with exact sizes and weights
- Image treatment guidelines (filters, overlays, crop ratios)
2. Slide-by-Slide Specifications
- Layout grid for each master slide
- Placeholder sizes and positions
- Color and font specifications per element
3. Do's and Don'ts Guide
With visual examples:
- DO: Use one chart per slide with a headline stating the takeaway
- DON'T: Put two charts on one slide with no interpretation
- DO: Use brand colors consistently
- DON'T: Use rainbow colors for chart data series
- DO: Leave white space
- DON'T: Fill every inch of the slide
4. Template Handoff Checklist
Phase 4: Polish
Team Adoption
- Share a sample deck that demonstrates every master slide in use
- Hold a 15-minute walkthrough for the team
- Pin the template link in the team communication channel
Review Cadence
Update the template quarterly or when brand guidelines change. Remove unused layouts and add new ones based on team feedback.
Example 1: Sales Deck Template (10 slides)
Title → Problem → Solution → Features (3 slides) → Social proof → Pricing → FAQ → CTA. Clean dark background, white text, brand accent on key numbers.
Example 2: Internal Update Template (5 slides)
Title → Key metrics → Highlights → Challenges → Next steps. Light background, minimal design, heavy on charts and data visualization.
Anti-Patterns
- Wall of text slides — if you are reading from the slide, you are the world's most expensive teleprompter. Slides support speaking, not replace it.
- Inconsistent fonts and colors — one rogue slide with the wrong font undermines the entire deck's professionalism.
- Logo on every slide — the first and last slide are sufficient. Logos on every slide add clutter without adding brand recognition.
- Overly complex charts — if a chart needs 30 seconds of explanation, simplify it or split into multiple slides.
- Template tyranny — the template should make creation faster, not harder. If people bypass it because it is rigid, add flexibility.
Recovery
- Team ignores the template: Ask why. Common reasons: too rigid, too hard to find, or does not cover their use cases. Adjust and simplify.
- Brand guidelines are incomplete: Define minimum standards (one font pair, 3 colors, logo placement) and build from there.
- Multiple platforms in use: Create guidelines that translate across platforms rather than platform-specific templates.
- Presentations need custom layouts: Allow a "custom" slide zone with brand color and font rules but flexible layout. Not every slide fits a template.
