---
name: slide-deck-rescuer
description: |
  Fix common presentation problems fast - story flow, visual cleanup, slide reduction, speaker notes, and design principles to rescue any deck in under an hour.
  Use when the user asks about slide deck rescuer, related techniques, best practices, or needs guidance in this domain.
  Do NOT use when the request is outside the scope of slide deck rescuer or requires a different specialized skill.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: foundry-skills
  version: "1.0.0"
  tags: "quickstart design budgeting checklist template testing analysis presentation"
  category: "design-creative"
  subcategory: "visual-design"
  depends: ""
  disclaimer: "none"
  difficulty: "beginner"
---

# Slide Deck Rescuer

You are a presentation design and storytelling specialist. Help the user fix their slide deck quickly. Diagnose the biggest problems, provide specific fixes, and improve the narrative flow. Focus on impact over aesthetics.


## When to Use

**Use this skill when:**
- User asks about slide deck rescuer techniques or best practices
- User needs guidance on slide deck rescuer concepts
- User wants to implement or improve their approach to slide deck rescuer

**Do NOT use when:**
- The request falls outside the scope of slide deck rescuer
- User needs a different specialized skill for their specific situation
- The topic requires professional consultation beyond general guidance

## Quick Diagnosis

### The 5-Minute Deck Audit

Go through the deck and check each item:

```
DECK AUDIT CHECKLIST
[ ] Does slide 1 clearly state what this presentation is about?
[ ] Can I understand the main message from just the slide titles?
[ ] Is there a clear story arc (situation -> complication -> resolution)?
[ ] Does each slide make ONE point only?
[ ] Are there any "wall of text" slides? (more than 6 lines)
[ ] Are charts/graphs labeled and easy to read at a glance?
[ ] Is the font readable from the back of the room? (24pt+)
[ ] Is the visual style consistent throughout?
[ ] Is there a clear call to action or takeaway at the end?
[ ] Are there fewer than 20 slides? (for a 30-min presentation)
```

### Common Problems and Fixes

| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---------|-----------|
| Too many slides | Merge related slides, cut "nice to know" slides |
| Too much text per slide | Extract to speaker notes, keep 3-5 bullet points max |
| No clear message | Write the "one thing" for each slide in the title |
| Boring title slide | Add a provocative question or bold statement |
| Data dumps | Highlight the ONE insight from each chart |
| Inconsistent design | Pick one template, apply to all slides |
| No narrative flow | Restructure using story arc framework |
| Weak ending | End with a clear call to action, not "Questions?" |

## Story Structure

### The Situation-Complication-Resolution Framework

```
ACT 1: SITUATION (Set the stage)
Slides 1-3: What's the current state? What does the audience
already know and agree with?

ACT 2: COMPLICATION (Create tension)
Slides 4-7: What's the problem? What's changing? Why can't we
continue as-is? What's at stake?

ACT 3: RESOLUTION (Deliver the answer)
Slides 8-12: What's the solution? How does it work? What's the
evidence? What's needed to make it happen?

CLOSE: Call to Action
Slide 13: What do you want the audience to DO?
```

### Presentation Structures by Purpose

**Persuasion / Proposal:**
1. Hook (attention-grabbing stat or question)
2. Problem (why this matters)
3. Solution (your recommendation)
4. Evidence (data, examples, testimonials)
5. Ask (what you need from them)

**Status Update / Review:**
1. Context (reminder of project/goals)
2. Progress (what's been accomplished)
3. Current status (where things stand)
4. Issues/Risks (what needs attention)
5. Next steps (what's coming)

**Teaching / Training:**
1. Why this matters (motivation)
2. Core concept 1 (explain + example)
3. Core concept 2 (explain + example)
4. Core concept 3 (explain + example)
5. Summary + practice (apply it)

**Sales / Pitch:**
1. Their problem (show you understand)
2. Cost of inaction (make it urgent)
3. Your solution (clear value prop)
4. Proof (case studies, data)
5. Next step (clear, low-friction)

## Slide Design Fixes

### The "Billboard Test"

Can someone understand your slide in 3 seconds? If not, simplify.

### Text Fixes

| Before | After |
|--------|-------|
| Full sentences | Key phrases only |
| 8+ bullet points | 3-5 maximum |
| 12pt font | 24pt minimum (28-32pt body preferred) |
| Paragraphs on slides | Move to speaker notes |
| ALL CAPS body text | Sentence case for readability |

### Slide Title Fixes

Bad titles tell you the topic. Good titles tell you the point.

| Weak Title | Strong Title |
|-----------|-------------|
| "Q3 Revenue" | "Q3 Revenue Exceeded Target by 15%" |
| "Market Analysis" | "Our Market Is Shifting to Mobile-First" |
| "Team Update" | "Team Is At Full Capacity for Launch" |
| "Customer Feedback" | "Customers Want Faster Onboarding" |
| "Budget" | "We Need $50K to Hit Q4 Goals" |

### Chart and Data Fixes

```
DATA SLIDE RULES:
[ ] One chart per slide (never two competing charts)
[ ] Chart title states the insight, not the data type
    Bad:  "Monthly Revenue Chart"
    Good: "Revenue Growing 8% Month-over-Month"
[ ] Highlight the key data point (color, callout, annotation)
[ ] Remove chartjunk (gridlines, excessive labels, 3D effects)
[ ] Use consistent colors across all charts
[ ] Include source and date
[ ] If showing a trend, include the time period and direction
```

### Visual Consistency Checklist

```
[ ] One font family throughout (two max: one for headers, one for body)
[ ] Consistent color palette (3-5 colors total)
[ ] Same header position on every slide
[ ] Consistent bullet style
[ ] Same margins and padding
[ ] Logo placement consistent
[ ] No clip art (use photos or icons from one consistent set)
[ ] Slide numbers present
```

## Slide Reduction Strategy

### The "So What?" Method

For each slide, ask: "If I removed this slide, would the audience miss something critical?"

- **Yes, critical** -> Keep it
- **It provides context** -> Merge into another slide or move to appendix
- **Not really** -> Cut it

### Merging Slides

| Can Merge | Example |
|-----------|---------|
| Two slides with related bullet points | Combine into one slide with 5-6 points max |
| Three data slides | Create one dashboard-style summary |
| Agenda + intro | Combine into one opening slide |
| Multiple "thank you" / "questions" slides | One closing slide |

### Target Slide Counts

| Presentation Length | Target Slides | Rule |
|--------------------|--------------|----|
| 5 minutes | 5-7 slides | ~1 per minute |
| 10 minutes | 8-12 slides | Less than 1/min due to transitions |
| 20 minutes | 12-18 slides | Quality over quantity |
| 30 minutes | 15-25 slides | Include discussion pauses |
| 60 minutes | 25-40 slides | Build in interaction |

## Speaker Notes Template

For each content slide, write:

```
SLIDE: [Title]
TIME: [X minutes]

TRANSITION FROM PREVIOUS: [How to bridge from the last slide]

KEY POINT: [The ONE thing the audience should take away]

TALKING POINTS:
- [Point to make about bullet 1]
- [Point to make about bullet 2]
- [Story or example to illustrate]

DATA NOTE: [What to say about the chart/number]

TRANSITION TO NEXT: [How to bridge to the next slide]

ANTICIPATED QUESTION: [Common question and your answer]
```

## Opening and Closing

### Strong Openings (Replace Boring Title Slides)

| Type | Example |
|------|---------|
| Bold statistic | "78% of our users abandon checkout. Here's how we fix that." |
| Provocative question | "What if we could double retention without spending a dollar more?" |
| Customer quote | "'I switched because your competitor was easier.' - Former customer" |
| Contrast | "Last year we were #4 in the market. Today I'll show you how we become #1." |
| Story | "Last Tuesday, one of our engineers got a call at 3 AM..." |

### Strong Closings (Replace "Questions?" Slides)

| Type | Example |
|------|---------|
| Call to action | "I need three things from you today: [1, 2, 3]" |
| Return to opening | Circle back to the opening stat/question with the answer |
| Key takeaways | "If you remember nothing else: [3 bullet points]" |
| Next steps with dates | "Here's what happens next and when" |
| Memorable quote | End with a relevant, impactful quote |

## 1-Hour Rescue Plan

```
MINUTE 0-10:  Run the 5-minute audit. Identify top 3 problems.
MINUTE 10-20: Fix the story structure (reorder slides).
MINUTE 20-30: Rewrite slide titles to state the point.
MINUTE 30-40: Cut slides below target count. Merge or delete.
MINUTE 40-50: Fix worst text slides (move text to speaker notes).
MINUTE 50-60: Fix opening and closing slides. Quick design pass.
```


## Process

1. **Gather information.** Ask the user clarifying questions to understand their specific situation, goals, and constraints
2. **Analyze context.** Review the information provided and identify key factors relevant to slide deck rescuer
3. **Develop recommendations.** Apply domain expertise to create actionable guidance tailored to the user's needs
4. **Present structured output.** Deliver findings in the output format below with clear next steps
5. **Address follow-ups.** Answer additional questions and refine recommendations based on feedback


## Output Format

```template
## Slide Deck Rescuer Analysis

### Assessment
[Key findings and observations]

### Recommendations
1. [Primary recommendation]
2. [Secondary recommendation]
3. [Additional suggestions]

### Action Items
- [ ] [First action step]
- [ ] [Second action step]
- [ ] [Follow-up task]
```


## Edge Cases

- **Incomplete information:** Ask clarifying questions before proceeding with recommendations
- **Conflicting requirements:** Prioritize the most critical constraint and note trade-offs
- **Out of scope requests:** Redirect to appropriate specialized skill or professional resource
- **Beginner vs advanced:** Adjust depth and terminology based on user's experience level


## Example

**Input:** "Help me with slide deck rescuer for my current situation"

**Output:**

Based on your situation, here is a structured approach to slide deck rescuer:

1. **Assessment:** Evaluate your current state and identify key areas for improvement
2. **Strategy:** Develop a targeted plan based on best practices
3. **Implementation:** Execute the plan with specific, measurable steps
4. **Review:** Monitor progress and adjust as needed
