presentation-design

name	presentation-design
description	Positive visual-design rules for slides — what good looks like. Slide-type taxonomy, one-message-per-slide, visual hierarchy, layout vocabulary, sequencing patterns, color/type tokens, design quality checklist. Antipattern catalog lives in slide-critique. Keywords: slides, presentation, deck, visual hierarchy, slide types, layout, design, PowerPoint.

Presentation Design

Content placement — This skill is the canonical home for positive design rules ("what good looks like"). The negative-space catalog of AI-generated slide antipatterns lives in slide-critique. Reference design systems (palettes, type scales, grids, accent rules) live in slide-design-systems.

Table of Contents

1. When to Use This Skill
2. Slide Types Taxonomy
3. The One-Message-Per-Slide Rule
4. Visual Hierarchy Patterns
5. Layout Composition — Slides as Visual Forms
6. Section Colors
7. Modern Design Trends
8. Default Color Palettes
9. Slide Sequencing Patterns
10. Design Quality Checklist

Expert knowledge for translating narrative strategies into visually compelling, professionally designed slide decks.

When to Use This Skill

Load this skill when:

• Mapping a narrative arc to a slide sequence
• Choosing the right slide type for specific content
• Designing visual hierarchy and layout for slides
• Ensuring professional design quality across a deck
• Authoring slide content (headlines, bullets, speaker notes)

Slide Types Taxonomy

Every slide in a professional deck should use one of these types. Choosing the right type ensures the content is presented in its most effective format.

Title Slide

Use for: Opening the presentation Elements: Presentation title (bold, large), subtitle (audience, date, or tagline) Rule: One per deck. Sets the tone. The title should be intriguing, not descriptive.

Section Header

Use for: Transitioning between major sections of the narrative Elements: Section title (bold), one-line context or question that frames what's coming Rule: Use sparingly — only for genuine narrative transitions, not every topic change

Key Message

Use for: Any slide whose primary purpose is communicating ONE takeaway Elements: Action-oriented headline, 2–4 supporting bullets, optional supporting visual Rule: The headline is the slide. If someone only reads the headline, they get 80% of the value.

Comparison

Use for: Before/after, option A vs. option B, us vs. competitor Elements: Two or three columns with parallel structure, clear labels, visual differentiation (color, icons) Rule: Comparisons must be fair and parallel — same metrics, same format, same level of detail

Data Visualization

Use for: Quantitative evidence, trends, distributions Elements: Chart or graph (bar, line, pie, scatter), clear axis labels, headline that states the conclusion Rule: The headline tells you what to see in the chart. "Revenue grew 40% year-over-year" not "Annual Revenue"

Quote / Testimonial

Use for: Customer voice, expert opinion, memorable statement Elements: Large, centered quote text, attribution (name, role, company), optional background or accent Rule: Quote must be punchy — trim to the essential words. Max 2 sentences.

Image-Driven

Use for: Emotional impact, product screenshots, diagrams, photos Elements: Full or large image, minimal overlay text (headline + caption) Rule: The image is the message. Text is secondary. Never cover the image with bullets.

Closing / CTA

Use for: Final slide — the decision ask or next steps Elements: Clear action statement, 2–3 concrete next steps with owners and dates, contact information Rule: Be explicit about what you want. "Approve $200K for Phase 1" not "Let's discuss next steps"

The One-Message-Per-Slide Rule

This is the single most important design principle. Every slide communicates exactly ONE key message.

Per-slide internal structure: see narrative-craft/SKILL.md 'Per-Slide AEI Structure'. One-message tells you to pick one thing; the AEI triad (Assertion / Evidence / Implication) tells you what parts the one thing must contain. Do not duplicate the AEI definition here — link.

Why It Matters

• Humans process one idea at a time
• Multiple messages compete for attention and none wins
• Presenters can't emphasize everything simultaneously
• The audience retains the headline, not the body — if the headline is vague, nothing is retained

How to Enforce It

1. Write the headline first. If the headline contains "and," you probably need two slides.
2. Check: Can someone who only sees this slide for 3 seconds get the key message? If not, simplify.
3. Every bullet, chart, and visual element must SUPPORT the headline message. If it doesn't, it belongs on another slide.
4. When splitting an overloaded slide, keep the original headline on the most important half.

How to Split Overloaded Slides

Overloaded Slide	Split Into
"Our product is fast AND reliable"	Slide 1: Speed benchmark. Slide 2: Reliability data
"Q3 results and Q4 plan"	Slide 1: Q3 results. Slide 2: Q4 plan
"Three features for three audiences"	One slide per feature-audience pair

Visual Hierarchy Patterns

The Size Scale

Element	Font Size	Weight	Font	Color on Light	Color on Dark
Title Slide headline	48–54pt	Light	Calibri Light	N/A	White #FFFFFF
Section header	44–48pt	Light	Calibri Light	N/A	White #FFFFFF
Content slide title	36–44pt	Bold	Calibri	Navy #0F1B2D	White #FFFFFF
Subtitle / tagline	22–26pt	Regular	Calibri	Teal #06B6D4	Teal #06B6D4
Body bullets	20–24pt	Regular	Calibri	Dark #1A1A2E	White #FFFFFF
Secondary body	16–18pt	Regular	Calibri	Mid gray #6B7080	Light gray #E2E4E8
Captions / labels	13–14pt	Regular	Calibri	Mid gray #6B7080	Light gray #A0A4B0
Fine print / source	10–11pt	Regular	Calibri	Light gray #A0A4B0	Light gray #A0A4B0

Whitespace Rules

• Top margin: At least 0.5" below the title for breathing room
• Side margins: 0.75" minimum — content should never touch the edge
• Between elements: At least 0.25" between title and body, between bullets
• The 40% rule: If more than 60% of a slide is covered with content, it's too dense

Color Usage — The 60/30/10 Rule

Background strategy:

• 60% of slides: Light background (#F4F5F7 off-white) — content and data slides
• 30% of slides: Dark background (#0F1B2D deep navy) — title, section headers, quotes, closing
• 10%: Bold accent backgrounds (#3B82F6 vivid blue) — impact/stat slides, special emphasis

Dark backgrounds create visual rhythm and signal narrative transitions. A deck that is all-white feels like a document. A deck that alternates dark↔light feels cinematic.

Accent Elements — Use Sparingly and Purposefully

Accent elements create visual anchoring — but overuse creates monotony. Apply them selectively:

• Top accent bar: Use on 30-50% of slides, not all. Skip on big-statement and quote slides where minimal chrome matters.
• Left accent stripe: Use on light-background content slides to create visual anchoring. Skip on dark slides.
• Title underline: Use on 0-2 slides maximum in the entire deck. Title underlines on every slide are the #1 hallmark of AI-generated presentations.
• Section-color shapes: Use shapes that carry meaning — section identity, progress indication, or data emphasis.

The test: Can you remove the accent element without losing information? If yes, it's decorative. Consider removing it.

Per-Element Copy Budgets

Source: research §B lines 57–63; ported in session 2026-05-04-5707a9ef. Complements the existing global body_word_max=30 check (which lives in pptx-structural-asserts) with per-element word caps so overlong subtitles and callouts stop slipping through.

Every text element has a word budget. Exceed it and the slide stops being scannable.

Element	Budget	Notes
Title (assertion)	≤14 words	Unless the insight genuinely requires more — rare
Subtitle / kicker	≤18 words	One supporting sentence, not a paragraph
Body bullet	≤12 words	Max 3 bullets per slide; if you need more bullets, split the slide
Callout / implication	≤20 words	One "so what?" line — see narrative-craft/SKILL.md AEI
Footnote / source	≤12 words	Citation + assumption note, 9–10pt, light gray
Speaker notes	≤120 words	2–3 sentences with concrete data + transition cue

Appendix exception: slides flagged appendix: true in deck-spec.json are explicitly exempted from these caps — read-along reference / board pre-reads are meant to stand alone densely. See references/layout-archetypes.md "Appendix Dense".

TODO — per-element structural checks: the existing pptx-structural-asserts/scripts/check_pptx.py enforces only the global body_word_max=30. Per-element caps (title, subtitle, callout, footnote) are documented here and in proposal review but are not yet checked deterministically. Extending check_pptx.py with per-element caps is left to a future incremental session — it requires plumbing element-role classification through the script and was scoped out per session 2026-05-04-5707a9ef's "no-restructuring" rule.

Layout Composition — Slides as Visual Forms

A slide is not a text container. It's a visual composition with a focal point.

The critical shift: instead of "what text goes on this slide?", ask "what VISUAL FORM best communicates this idea?"

Layout Types

Every slide maps to one of these visual forms. Use at least 3 different forms per deck, and never repeat the same form consecutively.

Visual Form	When to Use	Focal Point	Text Density
Big Statement	Key insight, turning point, provocative claim	Massive headline (54-60pt), centered, no bullets	Near zero
Headline + Bullets	Evidence, supporting arguments	Headline at top, 3-4 bullets below	Medium
Split Layout	Context + detail, image + explanation	Two clear halves — text left, visual/detail right	Medium
Metric Spotlight	Key numbers, KPIs, before/after	2-3 large numbers (60-72pt) with labels	Low
Comparison Columns	Before/after, option A/B, us/them	Two parallel columns with colored headers	Medium
Question Slide	Create tension, prompt reflection	Large centered question (48-54pt)	Near zero
Quote	Customer voice, expert authority	Large quote text with attribution	Low
Section Divider	Signal narrative transition	Centered section title, minimal	Near zero
Visual Hero	Emotional impact, product, process	Image or diagram dominates, text overlay	Low

Layout Sequencing Rule

Plan the layout sequence BEFORE writing any code. Example of good variety:

✅ Good: Statement → Split → Bullets → Big Statement → Metric → Comparison → Quote → CTA
❌ Bad:  Bullets → Bullets → Bullets → Bullets → Bullets → Metric → Bullets → CTA

The 3-Second Test

For every slide: can someone who sees it for 3 seconds identify the key message? If the slide requires reading, it has too much text. Convert to a simpler visual form.

Section Colors — Visual Narrative Structure

Assign one accent color per major narrative section. This reinforces structure and helps the audience track position in the story.

Section Role	Suggested Color	Hex	Usage
Opening / Framing	Teal	#06B6D4	Title slide accents, opening section
Problem / Tension	Coral Red	#F87171	Urgency, challenges, risks
Solution / Approach	Vivid Blue	#3B82F6	Primary content, evidence
Results / Data	Warm Gold	#F59E0B	Metrics, outcomes, highlights
Closing / Action	Emerald	#10B981	CTA, next steps, resolution

Apply section colors to:

• Section divider accent elements
• Metric highlight colors on data slides
• Subtle background tints on accent slides

This creates a subconscious "chapter" system — the audience feels the narrative structure even without reading section headers.

Design Principles — Modern 2024+ Trends

Modern deck design is moving toward:

1. Dark-mode-first aesthetics — Dark navy/charcoal backgrounds with high-contrast white text and neon-bright accents
2. Oversized typography — Titles at 44–60pt. Text IS the design element. Less decoration, bigger words.
3. Minimal chrome — No borders, no drop shadows, no gradients (except subtle bg). Flat, clean surfaces. Remove decorative elements that carry no meaning.
4. Bold accent colors on dark — Teal, electric blue, gold, coral as accent pops against dark backgrounds
5. Asymmetric layouts — Content doesn't have to be centered. Off-center placements with generous whitespace create visual tension and modernity.
6. Data as hero — Large standalone numbers (60-72pt+) with minimal labels instead of complex charts
7. Fewer bullets, more slides — One idea per slide, use more slides rather than cramming content. At least 2 slides per deck should have NO body text at all.
8. Visual rhythm — Alternate dark and light slides to create a cinematic flow through the narrative
9. Restraint as taste — The best slides have LESS, not more. Empty space is a design element. Knowing what to leave out is more important than knowing what to put in.

Professional Color Palettes (Default Quick References)

Six fully-specified design systems (palette + type scale + grid + slide-type defaults) live in slide-design-systems/references/systems/*.md. Use those for full design-system selection. The palettes below are the minimal default fallbacks the deck-builder uses when no design system is specified.

Palette 1: Executive Navy (Default)

Role	Color	Hex	Usage
Dark background	Deep Navy	#0F1B2D	Title, section, quote, closing slides
Light background	Off-White	#F4F5F7	Content slides
Primary accent	Vivid Blue	#3B82F6	Accent bars, underlines, emphasis
Secondary accent	Teal	#06B6D4	Subtitles, attributions, secondary emphasis
Highlight	Warm Gold	#F59E0B	Key metrics, big numbers, callouts
Text on dark	White	#FFFFFF	All text on dark backgrounds
Text on light	Near Black	#1A1A2E	Body text on light backgrounds
Text secondary	Mid Gray	#6B7080	Captions on light backgrounds

Palette 2: Modern Slate

Role	Color	Hex
Dark bg	Charcoal	#1E1E2E
Light bg	Cool White	#F0F2F5
Primary	Electric Indigo	#635BFF
Secondary	Mint Green	#3ECF8E
Highlight	Coral	#FF6B6B

Palette 3: Bold Corporate

Role	Color	Hex
Dark bg	Obsidian	#0D0D0D
Light bg	Pure White	#FFFFFF
Primary	Signal Red	#E63946
Secondary	Cool Gray	#457B9D
Highlight	Bright Yellow	#FFD166

Slide Sequencing Patterns

The Standard Arc

Opening Hook → Context → Tension → Evidence → Resolution → CTA

Map to slide types:

1. Title Slide — intriguing title that creates curiosity
2. Key Message — the hook (surprising fact, provocative question, bold claim)
3. Key Message / Data — context (shared understanding, current state)
4. Key Message / Data — tension (the problem, risk, or opportunity)
5. Data Viz / Comparison — evidence (proof that the tension is real)
6. Key Message — solution or proposed approach
7. Data Viz / Comparison — evidence that the solution works
8. Key Message — expected outcomes
9. Closing / CTA — specific next steps and ask

The Bookend Pattern

Open with a provocative statement or question. Return to it on the closing slide with the answer. Creates narrative closure.

The Progressive Reveal

When building a complex argument, reveal one piece at a time across slides rather than showing the complete picture at once. Each slide adds to the previous.

Design Quality Checklist

Before considering any deck complete, verify every slide passes:

Content Quality

• One message: Does this slide say exactly ONE thing?
• Action headline: Is the title a statement/conclusion, not a label?
• Minimal text: 4 bullets max, 15 words per bullet max
• Headline-only slides: At least 2 slides have no body text
• Speaker notes: Every slide has presenter talking points

Visual Composition

• Layout variety: No two consecutive slides use the same layout form
• 3+ layout types: At least 3 different visual forms used across the deck
• Visual hierarchy: Can you scan title → body → detail in 3 seconds?
• Focal point: Every slide has ONE dominant visual element
• Breathing room: At least 30% whitespace on every content slide

Design System

• Consistent typography: Same fonts, sizes, and colors across all slides
• Adequate contrast: Text is easily readable against the background
• Purposeful accents: Accent elements serve content, not decoration
• Title underlines: Used on 0-2 slides max (not every slide)
• Dark/light rhythm: No 3+ consecutive same-background slides

Narrative

• Headline story: Reading only headlines tells a coherent story
• No orphan slides: Every slide connects to the narrative — no standalone tangents
• No agenda opener: First content slide is a hook, not "Today we'll cover..."
• Concrete CTA: Final slide has specific next steps, not "Thank you"

References

For detailed layout specifications and visual patterns:

• Slide Patterns — Concrete layouts, dimensions, color palettes, typography pairings, chart selection
• Layout Archetypes — 11 business-consulting slide forms (Risk Heatmap, 2×2/Priority Matrix, Waterfall, Flywheel, Funnel, Decision Options Table, Org/Operating Model, Customer Journey, Architecture Diagram, Three-Card Recommendation, Appendix Dense) with structured metadata. Marks which archetypes have working renderers in pptx-engine/scripts/generate_deck.py and which are spec-only awaiting future builder support.
• Image Direction — Image-prompt template (subject + style + composition + lighting + crop + negatives + business relevance) and reject-list. Linked from the Visual Hero / Image-Driven slide types and full-bleed treatment rules.
• Chart Selection — Relationship→chart-type matrix (trend / comparison / composition / distribution / correlation / flow / ranking / geospatial), no-3D / no-pie rules, direct-labels-over-legends, chart-title-vs-slide-title discipline. Loaded by the deck-builder when a slide's evidence is a chart.

Rendering Subsystem Rebuild (2026-05-04)

Rendering-relevant canon updates in session 2026-05-04-7d3f9a2b (narrative content unchanged):

• F11 ody_word_max 30 (was 70). A "body" is the body text on one slide. Anything denser fails the design quality checklist and triggers body_density_violations in check_pptx.py.
• OQ4 section_divider defaults to styled — style: "styled" / style_recipe: "hero_full_bleed". Title slides default to style: "simple". See the new

eferences/style-gating.md for the full Duarte/Reynolds gating heuristic.

• Material 3 type scale is documented in

eferences/typography.md for downstream selection of size_metric_xxl, size_quote_glyph, etc.

These canon shifts only affect the rendering subsystem (the slide-builder dispatch and the structural asserts). The narrative arc / story strategy guidance in this skill is unchanged.