| name | speech-adaptation |
| description | Transform comprehensive written content into purposeful spoken guidance. Use when adapting for speech, converting to spoken format, optimizing for listening, or creating audio content from written material. Keywords: speech, audio, spoken, listening, adaptation, podcast. |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | {"author":"jwynia","version":"1.0"} |
Speech Adaptation
Purpose
Transform comprehensive written content into purposeful spoken guidance. Speech requires 3-5x compression while maintaining functional value. Apply when converting written content to audio, podcasts, presentations, or voice assistant responses.
Core Principle
Lead with value, earn attention. Listeners can't skim. Front-load what matters and offer expansion rather than exhaustive delivery.
Functional Intent Detection
Parse the original question/content for intent:
| Intent Type | Signals | Focus |
|---|
| Problem-solving | "How do I..." | Actionable steps |
| Learning | "What is..." | Core concepts + examples |
| Decision-making | "Should I..." | Key considerations + recommendation |
| Troubleshooting | "Why isn't..." | Likely causes + solutions |
Context Signals
| Signal Type | Examples | Adaptation |
|---|
| Urgency | "today", "now", "urgent" | Compress to immediate next steps |
| Scope | "huge", "complex", "overwhelming" | Lead with simplification |
| Experience | "beginner", "new to" | Increase explanation, decrease jargon |
| Personal stakes | "I", "my project" | Increase specificity, decrease abstraction |
Content Transformation Principles
1. Hierarchical Restructuring
Written: Lists methods 1-7 equally
Spoken: "There are three main approaches. Start with [most relevant]. If that doesn't work, try [backup]."
2. Front-Load Value
Written: Builds up to key insights
Spoken: Lead with core insight, then supporting details if needed
3. Compress Conceptual Space
Written: Seven distinct frameworks
Spoken: "Basically three strategies: sort by importance, limit your focus, or batch similar work"
4. Context-Dependent Detail
Written: Explains everything at same depth
Spoken: Start simple, indicate where more detail is available
- "Use a priority matrix - urgent versus important"
- Optional expansion cue: "I can break down those four categories if helpful"
5. Eliminate Structural Artifacts
Remove in Speech:
- Section headers read verbatim
- Bullet point enumeration
- Visual formatting cues
- Redundant category labels
Add for Speech:
- Transition phrases between ideas
- Purpose statements before methods
- Summary/recap statements
6. Progressive Revelation Strategy
- Core insight (one sentence)
- Primary recommendation (actionable step)
- Backup approach (if primary doesn't fit)
- Availability cue for additional methods
Implementation Guidelines
Pre-Processing Steps
- Parse original question for functional intent and context signals
- Identify 1-2 most relevant pieces for their specific need
- Determine appropriate compression ratio based on urgency/complexity
Content Selection Rules
| Context | Selection |
|---|
| High urgency | 1 primary method + 1 backup |
| Learning focused | Core concept + 1 detailed example + availability of more |
| Decision support | Key considerations + clear recommendation |
| Complex topic | Simplify conceptual framework first, offer detail expansion |
Speech-Specific Adaptations
- Replace structural language with functional language
- Add explicit transitions between ideas
- Use pronouns and referential terms to avoid repetition
- Include "escape valves" for different user needs
- End with clear next step or summary
Quality Checks
| Test | Question |
|---|
| Compression | Is this 30-50% of original length? |
| Completeness | Does this answer their core question? |
| Flow | Would this make sense heard linearly? |
| Action | Do they know what to do next? |
Example Transformation
Question Type: Immediate problem-solving with overwhelm signals
Written Response: 7 methods with full explanations
Spoken Adaptation:
- Acknowledge state: "When facing a huge list..."
- Core insight: "The key is separating what needs doing from what feels urgent"
- Primary action: "Try this: scan for things both urgent AND important"
- Boundary setting: "Pick just 3 - more than that sets you up to feel behind"
- Escape valve: "Other approaches available if this doesn't click"
Success Metrics
- User can act immediately after listening
- Cognitive load feels manageable
- Key insights retained after single hearing
- Optional detail access feels natural when needed
Integration Points
Inbound:
- From written documentation or articles
- From comprehensive analysis outputs
- From detailed framework content
Outbound:
- To audio content production
- To presentation delivery
- To voice assistant responses
Complementary:
presentation-design: For visual + spoken coordinationdialogue: For conversational delivery patterns
Anti-Patterns
1. Uniform Compression
Pattern: Reducing all content by the same ratio regardless of importance.
Why it fails: Not all content is equal. Some ideas need full explanation; others can be summarized in a phrase. Equal compression buries critical insights and pads trivial ones.
Fix: Identify the 1-2 most important points. Protect those while ruthlessly compressing supporting material. Lead with what matters most.
2. Written Sentences Spoken
Pattern: Reading written prose aloud without restructuring for speech patterns.
Why it fails: Written and spoken language have different rhythms, sentence structures, and information density. Written sentences spoken sound formal, awkward, and hard to follow.
Fix: Restructure for oral delivery. Shorter sentences. More personal pronouns. Explicit transitions. Repetition for emphasis. Natural breathing points.
3. Exhaustive Completeness
Pattern: Including all information from the written source because "it might be important."
Why it fails: Listeners can't skim, reread, or control pace. Information overload in speech creates immediate cognitive overload and retention collapse.
Fix: Accept that spoken content is selective. Provide escape valves: "More on this if helpful." Trust that listeners can ask for expansion rather than front-loading everything.
4. Missing Signposts
Pattern: Moving between ideas without explicit verbal transitions.
Why it fails: Listeners can't see paragraph breaks or headings. Without verbal signposts, ideas blur together. The structure becomes invisible.
Fix: Add explicit transitions: "First..." "More importantly..." "Here's the key point..." "Moving on to..." Make the structure audible.
5. Buried Action
Pattern: Leaving actionable recommendations for the end after extensive context.
Why it fails: Listeners who zone out during context miss the action items. Those still engaged have forgotten the details by the time recommendations arrive.
Fix: Front-load action with context to follow. "Do X. Here's why..." rather than "Here's all the context, therefore do X."
Integration
Inbound (feeds into this skill)
| Skill | What it provides |
|---|
| prose-style | Written content quality to work from |
| (written documentation) | Source material for adaptation |
Outbound (this skill enables)
| Skill | What this provides |
|---|
| presentation-design | Spoken content structure for slide coordination |
| (audio production) | Scripts ready for recording |
| (voice assistants) | Responses optimized for spoken delivery |
Complementary
| Skill | Relationship |
|---|
| presentation-design | Speech-adaptation handles the spoken component; presentation-design coordinates visual and spoken elements |
| dialogue | Speech-adaptation for informational delivery; dialogue for conversational and dramatic speech patterns |
