The six stages from planning through final preparation, with the checks that belong at each stage.
Define Context: 1. What type of talk? (Conference, seminar, defense, etc.) 2. How long? (Duration in minutes) 3. Who is the audience? (Specialists, general, mixed) 4. What's the venue? (Room size, A/V setup, virtual/in-person) 5. What happens after? (Q&A, discussion, networking)
Research and Literature Review (Use research-lookup skill): 1. Search for background literature: Find 5-10 key papers establishing context 2. Identify knowledge gaps: Use research-lookup to find what's unknown 3. Locate comparison studies: Find papers with similar methods or results 4. Gather supporting citations: Collect papers supporting your interpretations 5. Build reference list: Create .bib file or citation list for slides 6. Note key findings to cite: Document specific results to reference
Develop Content Outline: 1. Identify 1-3 core messages 2. Select key findings to present 3. Choose essential figures (typically 3-6 for 15-min talk) 4. Plan narrative arc with proper citations 5. Allocate time by section
Example Outline for 15-Minute Talk:
1. Title (30 sec)
2. Hook: Compelling problem (60 sec) [Cite 1-2 papers via research-lookup]
3. Background (90 sec) [Cite 3-4 key papers establishing context]
4. Research question (45 sec) [Cite papers showing gap]
5. Methods overview (2 min)
6-8. Main result 1 (3 min, 3 slides)
9-10. Main result 2 (2 min, 2 slides)
11-12. Result 3 or validation (2 min, 2 slides)
13-14. Discussion and implications (2 min) [Compare to 2-3 prior studies]
15. Conclusions (45 sec)
16. Acknowledgments (15 sec)
NOTE: Use research-lookup to find papers for background (slides 2-4)
and discussion (slides 13-14) BEFORE creating slides.
Choose Implementation Method:
Option A: PowerPoint (via PPTX skill)
1. Read assets/powerpoint_design_guide.md
2. Read skills/pptx/SKILL.md
3. Choose approach (programmatic or template-based)
4. Create master slides with consistent design
5. Build presentation following outline
Option B: LaTeX Beamer
1. Read references/beamer_guide.md
2. Select appropriate template from assets/
3. Customize theme and colors
4. Write content in LaTeX
5. Compile to PDF
Design Considerations (Make It Visually Appealing): - Select MODERN color palette: Match your topic (biotech=vibrant, physics=sleek, health=warm) - Use pptx skill's color palette examples (Teal & Coral, Bold Red, Deep Purple & Emerald, etc.) - NOT just default blue/gray themes - 3-5 colors with high contrast - Choose clean fonts: Sans-serif, large sizes (24pt+ body) - Plan visual elements: What images, diagrams, icons for each slide? - Create varied layouts: Mix full-figure, two-column, text-overlay (not all bullets) - Design section dividers: Visual breaks with striking graphics - Plan animations/builds: Control information flow for complex slides - Add visual interest: Background images, color blocks, shapes, icons
Populate Slides (Visual-First Strategy): 1. Start with visuals: Plan which figures, images, diagrams for each key point 2. Use research-lookup extensively: Find 8-15 papers for proper citations 3. Create visual backbone first: Add all figures, charts, images, diagrams 4. Add minimal text as support: Bullet points complement visuals, don't replace them 5. Design section dividers: Visual breaks with images or graphics (not just text) 6. Polish title/closing: Make visually striking, include contact info 7. Add transitions/builds: Control information flow
VISUAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS (Make Slides Engaging): - Images: Use high-quality photos, illustrations, conceptual graphics - Icons: Visual representations of concepts (not decoration) - Diagrams: Flowcharts, schematics, process diagrams - Figures: Simplified research figures with LARGE labels (18-24pt) - Charts: Clean data visualizations with clear messages - Graphics: Visual metaphors, conceptual illustrations - Color blocks: Use colored shapes to organize content visually - Target: MINIMUM 1-2 strong visual elements per slide
Scientific Content (Research-Backed): - Citations: Use research-lookup EXTENSIVELY to find relevant papers - Introduction: Cite 3-5 papers establishing context and gap - Background: Show key prior work visually (not just cite) - Discussion: Cite 3-5 papers for comparison with your results - Use author-year format (Smith et al., 2023) for readability - Citations establish credibility and scientific rigor - Figures: Simplified from papers, LARGE labels (18-24pt minimum) - Equations: Large, clear, explain each term (use sparingly) - Tables: Minimal, highlight key comparisons (not data dumps) - Code/Algorithms: Use syntax highlighting, keep brief
Text Guidelines (Less is More): - Bullet points, NEVER paragraphs - 3-4 bullets per slide (max 6 only if essential) - 4-6 words per bullet (shorter than 6×6 rule) - Key terms in bold - Text is SUPPORTING ROLE, visuals are stars - Use builds to control pacing
Generate Images:
# Convert PDF to images
python scripts/pdf_to_images.py presentation.pdf review/slides
# Or create thumbnail grid
python skills/pptx/scripts/thumbnail.py presentation.pptx review/grid
Systematic Review: 1. View each slide image 2. Check against issue checklist 3. Document problems with slide numbers 4. Test readability from distance (view at 50% size)
Common Issues to Fix: - Text extending beyond boundaries - Figures overlapping with text - Font sizes too small - Poor contrast - Misalignment
Iteration: 1. Fix identified issues in source 2. Regenerate PDF/presentation 3. Convert to images again 4. Re-inspect 5. Repeat until clean
Practice Schedule: - Run 1: Rough draft (will run long) - Run 2: Smooth transitions - Run 3: Exact timing - Run 4: Final polish - Run 5+: Maintenance (day before, morning of)
What to Practice: - Full talk with timer - Difficult explanations - Transitions between sections - Opening and closing (until flawless) - Anticipated questions
Refinement Based on Practice: - Cut slides if running over - Expand explanations if unclear - Adjust wording for clarity - Mark timing checkpoints - Prepare backup slides
Technical Checks: - [ ] Multiple copies saved (laptop, cloud, USB) - [ ] Works on presentation computer - [ ] Adapters/cables available - [ ] Backup PDF version - [ ] Tested with projector (if possible)
Content Final: - [ ] No typos or errors - [ ] All figures high quality - [ ] Slide numbers correct - [ ] Contact info on final slide - [ ] Backup slides ready
Delivery Prep: - [ ] Notes prepared (if using) - [ ] Timer/phone ready - [ ] Water available - [ ] Business cards/handouts - [ ] Comfortable with material (3+ practices)