revealjs-presenter skill by jwynia

RevealJS Presenter Skill

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Creating a RevealJS presentation from content/outline
Converting document content into slide format
Building a pitch deck, technical talk, or educational presentation
User requests "slides," "presentation," "deck," or mentions RevealJS

This skill produces a single self-contained HTML file with embedded CSS and CDN references.

Part 1: RevealJS Foundation

1.1 Required Configuration

Always initialize RevealJS with these settings:

Reveal.initialize({
  hash: true,
  center: true,
  transition: 'fade',
  transitionSpeed:

Why these values:

center: true — Let RevealJS handle vertical centering. Do not fight this with flexbox on sections.
width: 1920, height: 1080 — Standard HD ratio. Content scales automatically.
margin: 0.08 — Provides breathing room at viewport edges.
transition: 'fade' — Professional, non-distracting. Avoid 'zoom', 'convex', etc.

1.2 Base HTML Structure

1.3 Base CSS Reset

Apply these styles to normalize RevealJS behavior:

Part 2: Theme Selection

Themes are complete specifications. Before generating any slides, read the appropriate theme file from the themes/ directory. Themes control both visual styling AND content strategy.

2.1 What Themes Control

Each theme file specifies:

CSS Variables — Colors, typography sizes, spacing, fonts
Typography Application — How CSS variables apply to elements
Word Limits — Maximum words per slide type
Slide Type Preferences — Which types to prefer, use sparingly, or avoid
Content Rhythm — Impact vs information slide ratios
Structure Rules — Max bullets, card counts, splitting guidance

2.2 Default Theme

Use themes/bold.md unless the user specifies otherwise.

2.3 How to Apply a Theme

Read the entire theme file before generating slides
Follow the theme's Content Strategy section for word limits and slide type choices
Include all CSS from the theme's variables and typography sections
Combine with the base CSS reset from Part 1.3

2.4 Available Themes

Theme	File	Content Approach
Bold	`themes/bold.md`	Minimal words, dramatic impact, simple structures, 40%+ impact slides
Corporate	`themes/corporate.md`	Information-dense, detailed content, complex structures allowed

Future themes may include minimal.md (clean, understated design).

Part 3: Core Components

3.1 The Bar (Accent Element)

A horizontal bar used as a visual anchor and section indicator.

Usage:

3.2 Content Container

For slides that need width constraint:

3.3 Card Component

3.4 Grid Layouts

A persistent footer element for branding or context. Placed outside the slides container.

HTML placement (before the reveal div):

When to use: Corporate presentations, conference talks, any context where persistent branding helps. Mistakes: Too much information, large font size, distracting from content.

Part 4: Slide Types

Each slide type includes: HTML structure, when to use, and common mistakes.

4.1 Title Slide

The opening slide. Sets tone and context.

When to use: Opening slide only.
Mistakes: Too much text, including agenda, adding logos/footer clutter.

4.2 Section Break

Transitions between major sections. Creates visual pause and establishes section identity through color.

Color rotation for visual rhythm: Vary section break backgrounds to create distinct visual identities for each major topic. Suggested rotation:

Section	Background	Bar Accent
1 (Problem/Context)	`var(--bg-dark)`	`bar-accent-3`
2 (Solution)	`var(--accent-1)`	`bar-accent-2`
3 (Details)	`var(--accent-2)`	default
4 (Future/CTA)	`var(--bg-dark)`	`bar-accent-2`

Example with accent background:

When to use: Between major sections (3-5 per presentation typically). Mistakes: Using for every topic change, adding content beyond the section name, using the same color for all section breaks.

4.3 Single Word / Phrase

Maximum impact. One idea, massive type.

When to use: Emphasizing a key concept, creating a moment, transitional pause.
Mistakes: Overuse (more than 2-3 per presentation), using for concepts that need explanation.

4.4 Hero Stat

The dramatic data moment. ONE number dominates.

When to use: Your most important data point. Usually only 1-2 per presentation.
Mistakes: Using hero treatment for every stat, burying in other content.

4.5 Standard Stat

Prominent data, but not the hero moment.

When to use: Supporting data points, secondary metrics.
Mistakes: Making all stats the same size, no context labels.

4.6 Stat Cluster

2-3 related statistics shown together for comparison.

When to use: Comparing related metrics, showing before/after, dashboard-style summary.
Mistakes: More than 3 stats, mixing unrelated data.

4.7 Quote

Attributed quotation with visual emphasis.

When to use: Expert authority, memorable phrases, user testimonials. Mistakes: Long quotes (aim for under 20 words), missing attribution.

4.8 Single Assertion (Impact Statement)

A dramatic statement that deserves its own slide. Uses impact typography with optional inline highlights.

With hero treatment:

With context label:

When to use: Thesis statements, paradigm shifts, key assertions that define your argument. The moments where you want the audience to pause and absorb a single idea. Mistakes: Overuse (2-4 per presentation max), adding supporting text, using for minor points, forgetting highlights for emphasis.

4.9 Assertion + Evidence

The workhorse slide. Clear claim supported by visual proof.

When to use: Most content slides. Default choice when presenting information.
Mistakes: Burying assertion in body text, no visual evidence, bullet lists instead of visuals.

4.10 Card Grid (2-4 items)

Multiple items with equal visual weight.

When to use: Features, benefits, options, categories—items with equal importance.
Mistakes: More than 4 items (split into multiple slides), walls of text in cards.

4.11 Timeline / Phases

Sequential progression over time.

When to use: Project phases, historical progression, step-by-step processes.
Mistakes: More than 5 phases (simplify or split), too much detail per phase.

4.12 Comparison (A vs B)

Direct contrast between two options or states.

When to use: Problem/solution, old/new, us/them comparisons.
Mistakes: Unfair comparisons, too much text, more than 2 items.

4.13 Icon Grid

Concept cluster with visual anchors. Icons provide scannable landmarks.

When to use: Principles, values, feature categories—abstract concepts that benefit from visual anchors.
Mistakes: Generic icons that don't aid understanding, too many items.

4.14 Code Block

For technical presentations. Syntax highlighting required.

CSS for code blocks:

When to use: Technical talks, API demos, implementation examples.
Mistakes: Too much code (max ~15 lines), no syntax highlighting, showing boilerplate.

4.15 Image with Caption

Full or large image with minimal text.

When to use: Product screenshots, photos, diagrams that need to dominate.
Mistakes: Small images with lots of surrounding text, poor image quality.

4.16 Breath Slide

Minimal content. Creates pause, lets audience process.

When to use: After dense sections, before major transitions, emphasizing key messages.
Mistakes: Adding more content, using too frequently.

4.17 Closing / CTA

Final slide. Clear next step.

When to use: Final slide.
Mistakes: No clear CTA, too much contact info, "Questions?" as the only content.

Part 5: Inline Visualizations

For presentation-specific diagrams that don't require external tools.

5.1 Process Flow (Horizontal)

5.2 Simple Bar Chart (SVG)

5.3 Concept Relationship (Hub and Spoke)

5.4 When to Use External Tools

Use inline SVG/HTML for:

Simple process flows (3-5 steps)
Basic bar/line comparisons
Concept diagrams (hub-spoke, venn-like)
Icon-based illustrations

Use external tools (Chart.js, D3, Mermaid) for:

Data with more than 5-7 points
Interactive visualizations
Complex relationships
Precise data representation

Part 6: Universal Content Principles

These principles apply regardless of theme. For specific word limits, slide type preferences, and rhythm rules, consult the theme file (Part 2).

6.1 One Concept Per Slide

Every slide should answer: "What is the ONE thing I want them to take from this?"

If you can't answer in one sentence, split the slide.

6.2 Assertion-Evidence Structure

Replace bullet points with:

Assertion: Complete sentence stating the point (as headline)
Evidence: Visual that supports the assertion

Instead of:

Use three separate slides:

"Development time drops 50% with automated tooling" + chart
"Defect rates decreased after implementation" + data
"Total cost of ownership reduced by $2M annually" + comparison

6.3 Slide Count Guidance

1 slide per minute of speaking time is a rough maximum
20-minute talk = 15-25 slides typical
More slides with less content each is better than fewer dense slides
Section breaks and breath slides count toward total

6.4 Progressive Disclosure

For complex information, reveal sequentially using RevealJS fragments:

6.5 Word Limits and Rhythm

Consult the theme file for specific word limits per slide type and content rhythm rules. These vary significantly between themes:

Bold theme: Strict limits (~12 words for assertions), 40%+ impact slides
Corporate theme: Generous limits (~50 words for assertion+evidence), information-dense

Part 7: Anti-Patterns

7.1 Presentation Anti-Patterns

The Data Dump
Every slide full of data without interpretation.
Fix: One insight per slide. State conclusion first.

The Script Reader
Slides contain the speaker's full script as bullet points.
Fix: Slides show what you can't say; you say what you can't show.

The Template Trap
Generic template applied without considering how design serves message.
Fix: Start from communication need, not template options.

The Animation Circus
Transitions and effects on everything.
Fix: Animation only for progressive disclosure or emphasis. Default to none.

Bullet Point Disease
Every slide is a bullet list.
Fix: Use assertion-evidence structure. If you need a list, question whether it needs to be a slide.

7.2 RevealJS-Specific Anti-Patterns

Fighting the Framework
Adding flexbox centering when center: true is set, or vice versa.
Fix: Choose one approach. This skill uses center: true with section-level text alignment.

Viewport Unit Escalation
Using vw units for font sizes without upper bounds, leading to absurdly large text.
Fix: Always use clamp() with rem-based maximums: clamp(4rem, 10vw, 8rem).

Fixed Pixel Dimensions
Hardcoding pixel values for fonts and spacing that don't scale.
Fix: Use CSS variables with clamp() for responsive sizing.

Ignoring Slide Dimensions
Forgetting that RevealJS scales content to fit configured dimensions.
Fix: Design for 1920×1080. Test at multiple window sizes.

Background Color Inline Styles Using style="background: color" on sections instead of data-background-color. Fix: Use data-background-color="var(--bg-dark)" for RevealJS to handle properly.

Typography Utility Specificity Creating utility classes like .stat, .label, .lead without sufficient specificity. Problem: .reveal p has higher specificity (class + element) than .stat alone (just class), so typography utilities on <p> elements get overridden. Fix: Always prefix typography utilities with .reveal: use .reveal .stat, .reveal .label, .reveal .lead, etc. This ensures they override the base .reveal p styles.

Color Utility Specificity Creating color utilities like .text-on-dark without sufficient specificity. Problem: .reveal .lead (two classes) has higher specificity than .text-on-dark (one class), so class="lead text-on-dark" shows the lead's color instead of white. Fix: Always prefix color utilities with .reveal: use .reveal .text-on-dark, .reveal .text-muted, .reveal .highlight-1, etc.

Missing Margin Reset on Stats Stats and stat-hero elements inherit margin-bottom from .reveal p, creating unwanted gaps. Fix: Add margin-bottom: 0 to .reveal .stat and .reveal .stat-hero rules.

Section Background Override Adding background to .reveal .slides section blocks data-background-color from showing. Problem: RevealJS applies data-background-color behind the section element. If the section has an opaque background, the color is hidden behind a white/colored box. Fix: Never set background on .reveal .slides section. Set overall page background on .reveal only. Use data-background-color on individual sections for colored backgrounds.

Part 8: Speaker Notes

8.1 RevealJS Notes Syntax

Speaker notes are added inside an <aside> element with class notes:

Access speaker view by pressing S during presentation. Opens a new window with current slide, next slide, notes, and timer.

8.2 Notes for TTS/Video Recording

When notes will be read by TTS or recorded as voiceover, structure them for spoken delivery:

Pacing markers:

Pronunciation hints (for TTS or unfamiliar terms):

Emphasis markers (for recording, stripped for TTS):

8.3 Timing and Word Count

Speaking pace reference:

Slow/deliberate: ~120 words per minute
Conversational: ~150 words per minute
Energetic: ~170 words per minute

Per-slide timing targets:

Slide Type	Target Duration	Word Count (150 wpm)
Title	15-30 sec	40-75 words
Section Break	10-20 sec	25-50 words
Single Word/Phrase	10-15 sec	25-40 words
Hero Stat	20-40 sec	50-100 words
Standard Stat	15-30 sec	40-75 words
Assertion + Evidence	45-90 sec	110-225 words
Card Grid	60-120 sec	150-300 words
Timeline	60-90 sec	150-225 words
Closing	30-60 sec	75-150 words

Total presentation timing: sum of slide durations, plus ~10% buffer for transitions.

8.4 Speech-to-Slides Workflow

When starting with a written speech and decomposing into slides:

Step 1: Identify assertion boundaries

Mark every place the speech makes a distinct claim or shifts topic. Each becomes a slide candidate.

Step 2: Classify each segment

For each marked segment, identify the slide type:

Is it a single key number? → Stat slide
Is it a claim with supporting detail? → Assertion + Evidence
Is it a transition between topics? → Section Break or Breath Slide
Is it listing multiple items? → Card Grid (if 2-4) or split further

Step 3: Extract visual content

From each segment, pull out:

Headline: The core assertion (one sentence max)
Visual need: What image/chart/diagram supports this?
Notes: The remaining spoken content

Step 4: Balance visual and spoken

The slide shows what's hard to say. The notes say what's hard to show.

On Slide	In Notes
"Development time dropped 50%"	"When we measured twelve teams over six months, comparing their velocity before and after platform adoption, the results were consistent..."
[Bar chart showing reduction]	"Notice how the improvement was immediate—within the first sprint—and sustained over the full period."
Key data points	Context, caveats, methodology
Conclusions	Reasoning process

8.5 Slides-to-Speech Workflow

When generating speaker notes for existing slides:

For each slide, answer:

What context does the audience need that isn't on screen?
What's the transition from the previous slide?
What interpretation or insight accompanies the visual?
What's the bridge to the next slide?

Structure for each note:

Example:

8.6 Notes Formatting for Different Outputs

For live presentation (speaker view):

Full sentences, natural paragraphs
Reminder cues: "[CHECK TIME]", "[DEMO HERE]", "[ASK AUDIENCE]"
Key stats/names you might forget under pressure

For TTS processing:

No brackets except pacing markers [PAUSE]
Numbers written as words for correct pronunciation: "fifty percent" not "50%"
Acronyms expanded or pronunciation-guided on first use
Shorter sentences (easier for TTS phrasing)

For video recording script:

Include all spoken content verbatim
Mark emphasis and pacing
Note where to look (at camera, at screen)
Include timing targets per slide

8.7 Enabling Speaker Notes Plugin

Speaker notes work by default, but for the separate speaker view window:

To enable the separate speaker notes window with timer and preview, press S during presentation. This requires the presentation to be served over HTTP (not just opened as a local file) for the popup window to work in most browsers.

8.8 Notes Anti-Patterns

The Script Dump
Pasting entire paragraphs meant to be read verbatim, creating dependency on notes.
Fix: Notes should be prompts and context, not a teleprompter script (unless explicitly for TTS).

The Bare Minimum
Notes that just repeat what's on the slide: "Talk about the 50% reduction."
Fix: Notes add what's NOT on the slide—context, transitions, interpretation.

The Forgetter
No notes at all, assuming you'll remember.
Fix: At minimum, note the transition logic between slides and any stats you might misremember.

The Novelist
500 words of notes for a slide you'll show for 30 seconds.
Fix: Match note length to slide duration. See timing table above.

Part 9: Pre-Flight Checklist

Before delivering the presentation:

Structure

Main message clear within first 2 slides
One concept per slide throughout
Section breaks between major topics
Closing has clear call to action

Content

No slide exceeds word count limits
Assertion-evidence structure used (not bullet lists)
Stats have context (labels, comparisons)
No orphan slides (single slide sections)

Visual

Consistent use of color accents
Typography hierarchy clear
No text smaller than --size-small
Images high enough resolution

Speaker Notes

Every slide has notes (even if brief)
Transitions between slides noted
Key stats/names included as memory aids
Total word count matches target duration
If TTS: numbers written as words, acronyms handled
If video: timing targets per slide noted

Technical

All fonts load (Google Fonts links correct)
RevealJS initializes without errors
Works at multiple viewport sizes
Fragment animations work as expected
Speaker view opens correctly (press 'S')

Accessibility

Color contrast meets WCAG AA (4.5:1 for text)
Alt text on meaningful images
Text not embedded in images
Readable without animations

Complete Example: Minimal Presentation

This example shows a minimal presentation structure. For full presentations, use the complete CSS from themes/bold.md. This example uses a subset for brevity.

Appendix: Creating Custom Themes

To create a custom theme:

Copy themes/bold.md to a new file (e.g., themes/corporate.md)
Modify the CSS variables to match your brand:

Add your theme to the Available Themes table in Part 2.3
Reference your theme when generating presentations

Theme files should include all CSS variables and typography rules needed for a complete presentation.

RevealJS Presenter Skill

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Creating a RevealJS presentation from content/outline
Converting document content into slide format
Building a pitch deck, technical talk, or educational presentation
User requests "slides," "presentation," "deck," or mentions RevealJS

This skill produces a single self-contained HTML file with embedded CSS and CDN references.

Part 1: RevealJS Foundation

1.1 Required Configuration

Always initialize RevealJS with these settings:

Reveal.initialize({
  hash: true,
  center: true,
  transition: 'fade',
  transitionSpeed:

Why these values:

center: true — Let RevealJS handle vertical centering. Do not fight this with flexbox on sections.
width: 1920, height: 1080 — Standard HD ratio. Content scales automatically.
margin: 0.08 — Provides breathing room at viewport edges.
transition: 'fade' — Professional, non-distracting. Avoid 'zoom', 'convex', etc.

1.2 Base HTML Structure

1.3 Base CSS Reset

Apply these styles to normalize RevealJS behavior:

Part 2: Theme Selection

Themes are complete specifications. Before generating any slides, read the appropriate theme file from the themes/ directory. Themes control both visual styling AND content strategy.

2.1 What Themes Control

Each theme file specifies:

CSS Variables — Colors, typography sizes, spacing, fonts
Typography Application — How CSS variables apply to elements
Word Limits — Maximum words per slide type
Slide Type Preferences — Which types to prefer, use sparingly, or avoid
Content Rhythm — Impact vs information slide ratios
Structure Rules — Max bullets, card counts, splitting guidance

2.2 Default Theme

Use themes/bold.md unless the user specifies otherwise.

2.3 How to Apply a Theme

Read the entire theme file before generating slides
Follow the theme's Content Strategy section for word limits and slide type choices
Include all CSS from the theme's variables and typography sections
Combine with the base CSS reset from Part 1.3

2.4 Available Themes

Theme	File	Content Approach
Bold	`themes/bold.md`	Minimal words, dramatic impact, simple structures, 40%+ impact slides
Corporate	`themes/corporate.md`	Information-dense, detailed content, complex structures allowed

Future themes may include minimal.md (clean, understated design).

Part 3: Core Components

3.1 The Bar (Accent Element)

A horizontal bar used as a visual anchor and section indicator.

Usage:

3.2 Content Container

For slides that need width constraint:

3.3 Card Component

3.4 Grid Layouts

A persistent footer element for branding or context. Placed outside the slides container.

HTML placement (before the reveal div):

When to use: Corporate presentations, conference talks, any context where persistent branding helps. Mistakes: Too much information, large font size, distracting from content.

Part 4: Slide Types

Each slide type includes: HTML structure, when to use, and common mistakes.

4.1 Title Slide

The opening slide. Sets tone and context.

When to use: Opening slide only.
Mistakes: Too much text, including agenda, adding logos/footer clutter.

4.2 Section Break

Transitions between major sections. Creates visual pause and establishes section identity through color.

Color rotation for visual rhythm: Vary section break backgrounds to create distinct visual identities for each major topic. Suggested rotation:

Section	Background	Bar Accent
1 (Problem/Context)	`var(--bg-dark)`	`bar-accent-3`
2 (Solution)	`var(--accent-1)`	`bar-accent-2`
3 (Details)	`var(--accent-2)`	default
4 (Future/CTA)	`var(--bg-dark)`	`bar-accent-2`

Example with accent background:

When to use: Between major sections (3-5 per presentation typically). Mistakes: Using for every topic change, adding content beyond the section name, using the same color for all section breaks.

4.3 Single Word / Phrase

Maximum impact. One idea, massive type.

When to use: Emphasizing a key concept, creating a moment, transitional pause.
Mistakes: Overuse (more than 2-3 per presentation), using for concepts that need explanation.

4.4 Hero Stat

The dramatic data moment. ONE number dominates.

When to use: Your most important data point. Usually only 1-2 per presentation.
Mistakes: Using hero treatment for every stat, burying in other content.

4.5 Standard Stat

Prominent data, but not the hero moment.

When to use: Supporting data points, secondary metrics.
Mistakes: Making all stats the same size, no context labels.

4.6 Stat Cluster

2-3 related statistics shown together for comparison.

When to use: Comparing related metrics, showing before/after, dashboard-style summary.
Mistakes: More than 3 stats, mixing unrelated data.

4.7 Quote

Attributed quotation with visual emphasis.

When to use: Expert authority, memorable phrases, user testimonials. Mistakes: Long quotes (aim for under 20 words), missing attribution.

4.8 Single Assertion (Impact Statement)

A dramatic statement that deserves its own slide. Uses impact typography with optional inline highlights.

With hero treatment:

With context label:

4.9 Assertion + Evidence

The workhorse slide. Clear claim supported by visual proof.

When to use: Most content slides. Default choice when presenting information.
Mistakes: Burying assertion in body text, no visual evidence, bullet lists instead of visuals.

4.10 Card Grid (2-4 items)

Multiple items with equal visual weight.

When to use: Features, benefits, options, categories—items with equal importance.
Mistakes: More than 4 items (split into multiple slides), walls of text in cards.

4.11 Timeline / Phases

Sequential progression over time.

When to use: Project phases, historical progression, step-by-step processes.
Mistakes: More than 5 phases (simplify or split), too much detail per phase.

4.12 Comparison (A vs B)

Direct contrast between two options or states.

When to use: Problem/solution, old/new, us/them comparisons.
Mistakes: Unfair comparisons, too much text, more than 2 items.

4.13 Icon Grid

Concept cluster with visual anchors. Icons provide scannable landmarks.

When to use: Principles, values, feature categories—abstract concepts that benefit from visual anchors.
Mistakes: Generic icons that don't aid understanding, too many items.

4.14 Code Block

For technical presentations. Syntax highlighting required.

CSS for code blocks:

When to use: Technical talks, API demos, implementation examples.
Mistakes: Too much code (max ~15 lines), no syntax highlighting, showing boilerplate.

4.15 Image with Caption

Full or large image with minimal text.

When to use: Product screenshots, photos, diagrams that need to dominate.
Mistakes: Small images with lots of surrounding text, poor image quality.

4.16 Breath Slide

Minimal content. Creates pause, lets audience process.

When to use: After dense sections, before major transitions, emphasizing key messages.
Mistakes: Adding more content, using too frequently.

4.17 Closing / CTA

Final slide. Clear next step.

When to use: Final slide.
Mistakes: No clear CTA, too much contact info, "Questions?" as the only content.

Part 5: Inline Visualizations

For presentation-specific diagrams that don't require external tools.

5.1 Process Flow (Horizontal)

5.2 Simple Bar Chart (SVG)

5.3 Concept Relationship (Hub and Spoke)

5.4 When to Use External Tools

Use inline SVG/HTML for:

Simple process flows (3-5 steps)
Basic bar/line comparisons
Concept diagrams (hub-spoke, venn-like)
Icon-based illustrations

Use external tools (Chart.js, D3, Mermaid) for:

Data with more than 5-7 points
Interactive visualizations
Complex relationships
Precise data representation

Part 6: Universal Content Principles

These principles apply regardless of theme. For specific word limits, slide type preferences, and rhythm rules, consult the theme file (Part 2).

6.1 One Concept Per Slide

Every slide should answer: "What is the ONE thing I want them to take from this?"

If you can't answer in one sentence, split the slide.

6.2 Assertion-Evidence Structure

Replace bullet points with:

Assertion: Complete sentence stating the point (as headline)
Evidence: Visual that supports the assertion

Instead of:

Use three separate slides:

"Development time drops 50% with automated tooling" + chart
"Defect rates decreased after implementation" + data
"Total cost of ownership reduced by $2M annually" + comparison

6.3 Slide Count Guidance

1 slide per minute of speaking time is a rough maximum
20-minute talk = 15-25 slides typical
More slides with less content each is better than fewer dense slides
Section breaks and breath slides count toward total

6.4 Progressive Disclosure

For complex information, reveal sequentially using RevealJS fragments:

6.5 Word Limits and Rhythm

Consult the theme file for specific word limits per slide type and content rhythm rules. These vary significantly between themes:

Bold theme: Strict limits (~12 words for assertions), 40%+ impact slides
Corporate theme: Generous limits (~50 words for assertion+evidence), information-dense

Part 7: Anti-Patterns

7.1 Presentation Anti-Patterns

The Data Dump
Every slide full of data without interpretation.
Fix: One insight per slide. State conclusion first.

The Script Reader
Slides contain the speaker's full script as bullet points.
Fix: Slides show what you can't say; you say what you can't show.

The Template Trap
Generic template applied without considering how design serves message.
Fix: Start from communication need, not template options.

The Animation Circus
Transitions and effects on everything.
Fix: Animation only for progressive disclosure or emphasis. Default to none.

Bullet Point Disease
Every slide is a bullet list.
Fix: Use assertion-evidence structure. If you need a list, question whether it needs to be a slide.

7.2 RevealJS-Specific Anti-Patterns

Fighting the Framework
Adding flexbox centering when center: true is set, or vice versa.
Fix: Choose one approach. This skill uses center: true with section-level text alignment.

Viewport Unit Escalation
Using vw units for font sizes without upper bounds, leading to absurdly large text.
Fix: Always use clamp() with rem-based maximums: clamp(4rem, 10vw, 8rem).

Fixed Pixel Dimensions
Hardcoding pixel values for fonts and spacing that don't scale.
Fix: Use CSS variables with clamp() for responsive sizing.

Ignoring Slide Dimensions
Forgetting that RevealJS scales content to fit configured dimensions.
Fix: Design for 1920×1080. Test at multiple window sizes.

Background Color Inline Styles Using style="background: color" on sections instead of data-background-color. Fix: Use data-background-color="var(--bg-dark)" for RevealJS to handle properly.

Part 8: Speaker Notes

8.1 RevealJS Notes Syntax

Speaker notes are added inside an <aside> element with class notes:

Access speaker view by pressing S during presentation. Opens a new window with current slide, next slide, notes, and timer.

8.2 Notes for TTS/Video Recording

When notes will be read by TTS or recorded as voiceover, structure them for spoken delivery:

Pacing markers:

Pronunciation hints (for TTS or unfamiliar terms):

Emphasis markers (for recording, stripped for TTS):

8.3 Timing and Word Count

Speaking pace reference:

Slow/deliberate: ~120 words per minute
Conversational: ~150 words per minute
Energetic: ~170 words per minute

Per-slide timing targets:

Slide Type	Target Duration	Word Count (150 wpm)
Title	15-30 sec	40-75 words
Section Break	10-20 sec	25-50 words
Single Word/Phrase	10-15 sec	25-40 words
Hero Stat	20-40 sec	50-100 words
Standard Stat	15-30 sec	40-75 words
Assertion + Evidence	45-90 sec	110-225 words
Card Grid	60-120 sec	150-300 words
Timeline	60-90 sec	150-225 words
Closing	30-60 sec	75-150 words

Total presentation timing: sum of slide durations, plus ~10% buffer for transitions.

8.4 Speech-to-Slides Workflow

When starting with a written speech and decomposing into slides:

Step 1: Identify assertion boundaries

Mark every place the speech makes a distinct claim or shifts topic. Each becomes a slide candidate.

Step 2: Classify each segment

For each marked segment, identify the slide type:

Is it a single key number? → Stat slide
Is it a claim with supporting detail? → Assertion + Evidence
Is it a transition between topics? → Section Break or Breath Slide
Is it listing multiple items? → Card Grid (if 2-4) or split further

Step 3: Extract visual content

From each segment, pull out:

Headline: The core assertion (one sentence max)
Visual need: What image/chart/diagram supports this?
Notes: The remaining spoken content

Step 4: Balance visual and spoken

The slide shows what's hard to say. The notes say what's hard to show.

On Slide	In Notes
"Development time dropped 50%"	"When we measured twelve teams over six months, comparing their velocity before and after platform adoption, the results were consistent..."
[Bar chart showing reduction]	"Notice how the improvement was immediate—within the first sprint—and sustained over the full period."
Key data points	Context, caveats, methodology
Conclusions	Reasoning process

8.5 Slides-to-Speech Workflow

When generating speaker notes for existing slides:

For each slide, answer:

What context does the audience need that isn't on screen?
What's the transition from the previous slide?
What interpretation or insight accompanies the visual?
What's the bridge to the next slide?

Structure for each note:

Example:

8.6 Notes Formatting for Different Outputs

For live presentation (speaker view):

Full sentences, natural paragraphs
Reminder cues: "[CHECK TIME]", "[DEMO HERE]", "[ASK AUDIENCE]"
Key stats/names you might forget under pressure

For TTS processing:

No brackets except pacing markers [PAUSE]
Numbers written as words for correct pronunciation: "fifty percent" not "50%"
Acronyms expanded or pronunciation-guided on first use
Shorter sentences (easier for TTS phrasing)

For video recording script:

Include all spoken content verbatim
Mark emphasis and pacing
Note where to look (at camera, at screen)
Include timing targets per slide

8.7 Enabling Speaker Notes Plugin

Speaker notes work by default, but for the separate speaker view window:

8.8 Notes Anti-Patterns

The Script Dump
Pasting entire paragraphs meant to be read verbatim, creating dependency on notes.
Fix: Notes should be prompts and context, not a teleprompter script (unless explicitly for TTS).

The Bare Minimum
Notes that just repeat what's on the slide: "Talk about the 50% reduction."
Fix: Notes add what's NOT on the slide—context, transitions, interpretation.

The Forgetter
No notes at all, assuming you'll remember.
Fix: At minimum, note the transition logic between slides and any stats you might misremember.

The Novelist
500 words of notes for a slide you'll show for 30 seconds.
Fix: Match note length to slide duration. See timing table above.

Part 9: Pre-Flight Checklist

Before delivering the presentation:

Structure

Main message clear within first 2 slides
One concept per slide throughout
Section breaks between major topics
Closing has clear call to action

Content

No slide exceeds word count limits
Assertion-evidence structure used (not bullet lists)
Stats have context (labels, comparisons)
No orphan slides (single slide sections)

Visual

Consistent use of color accents
Typography hierarchy clear
No text smaller than --size-small
Images high enough resolution

Speaker Notes

Every slide has notes (even if brief)
Transitions between slides noted
Key stats/names included as memory aids
Total word count matches target duration
If TTS: numbers written as words, acronyms handled
If video: timing targets per slide noted

Technical

All fonts load (Google Fonts links correct)
RevealJS initializes without errors
Works at multiple viewport sizes
Fragment animations work as expected
Speaker view opens correctly (press 'S')

Accessibility

Color contrast meets WCAG AA (4.5:1 for text)
Alt text on meaningful images
Text not embedded in images
Readable without animations

Complete Example: Minimal Presentation

This example shows a minimal presentation structure. For full presentations, use the complete CSS from themes/bold.md. This example uses a subset for brevity.

Appendix: Creating Custom Themes

To create a custom theme:

Copy themes/bold.md to a new file (e.g., themes/corporate.md)
Modify the CSS variables to match your brand:

Add your theme to the Available Themes table in Part 2.3
Reference your theme when generating presentations

Theme files should include all CSS variables and typography rules needed for a complete presentation.

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title>Project Update</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/reveal.js/4.6.1/reveal.min.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/reveal.js/4.6.1/theme/white.min.css"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@100;200;300;400;500;600;700;800;900&family=Space+Grotesk:wght@300;400;500;600;700&family=JetBrains+Mono:wght@100;200;300;400;500;600;700;800&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <style> :root { --bg-primary: #ffffff; --bg-secondary: #f5f5f7; --bg-dark: #1a1a2e; --text-primary: #1a1a1a; --text-secondary: #4a4a4a; --text-muted: #7a7a7a; --text-on-dark: #ffffff; --accent-1: #0066cc; --accent-2: #00a86b; --font-display: 'Space Grotesk', sans-serif; --font-body: 'Inter', sans-serif; --font-mono: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; --size-stat: clamp(4rem, 10vw, 8rem); --size-h1: clamp(6rem, 8vw, 9rem); --size-h2: clamp(4rem, 12vw, 7rem); --size-body: clamp(1.25rem, 2vw, 2rem); --size-body-lg: clamp(1.5rem, 2.5vw, 2.25rem); --size-label: clamp(1.5rem, 2.5vw, 2.25rem); --space-sm: 1rem; --space-md: 2rem; --bar-width: 120px; --bar-height: 8px; } .reveal { font-family: var(--font-body); color: var(--text-primary); } .reveal h1, .reveal h2 { font-family: var(--font-display); font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0 0 0.5 .reveal h1 { font-size: var(--size-h1); } .reveal h2 { font-size: var(--size-h2); } .reveal p { font-size: var(--size-body); line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 0 1em 0; } .reveal .slides section { text-align: left; padding: 60px; } .reveal .slides section.centered { text-align: center; } .reveal .label { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size: var(--size-label); text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; color: var(--accent-1); } .reveal .lead { font-size: var(--size-body-lg); color: var(--text-secondary); } .bar { width: var(--bar-width); height: var(--bar-height); background: var(--accent-1); margin-bottom: var(--space-md); } .centered .bar { margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; } .reveal .stat { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size: var(--size-stat); font-weight: 700; line-height: 1; color: var(--accent-1); margin-bottom .reveal .stat-label { font-size: var(--size-body-lg); color: var(--text-secondary); margin-top: var(--space-sm); } .text-on-dark { color: var(--text-on-dark); } </style> </head> <body> <div class="reveal"> <div class="slides">  <section class="centered"> <p class="label">Q3 Update</p> <h1>Project Alpha</h1> <div class="bar"></div> <p class="lead">Engineering Progress Report</p> <aside class="notes"> Good morning everyone. Today I'll walk you through where we stand on Project Alpha as we close out Q3. We've got good news to share, and a clear path to our October target. Let's start with the results. </aside> </section>  <section class="centered" data-background-color="#1a1a2e"> <h1 class="text-on-dark">Results</h1> <aside class="notes"> [PAUSE for transition] So—where do we actually stand? </aside> </section>  <section class="centered"> <p class="label">Key Metric</p> <p class="stat">73%</p> <p class="stat-label">milestone completion rate</p> <aside class="notes"> Seventy-three percent of our planned milestones are complete. That's ahead of where we projected in the Q2 review. More importantly, the remaining twenty-seven percent are all in active development—no blockers, no unknowns. </aside> </section>  <section> <h2>On track for October launch</h2> <div class="bar"></div> <p class="lead">Core features complete. Final testing phase begins next week.</p> <aside class="notes"> What does this mean for the timeline? We're green for October. Core features locked last Friday. The team is now focused entirely on hardening—edge cases, performance tuning, and the integration test suite. Testing phase kicks off Monday. We'll have preliminary results by end of next week. </aside> </section>  <section class="centered" data-background-color="#1a1a2e"> <h1 class="text-on-dark">Questions?</h1> <div class="bar" style="background: var(--accent-2);"></div> <p class="text-on-dark">team@example.com</p> <aside class="notes"> That's the summary. Happy to dig into any area—timeline, technical details, resource allocation. What questions do you have? [WAIT FOR QUESTIONS] If anything comes up later, reach out to the team alias. </aside> </section> </div> </div> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/reveal.js/4.6.1/reveal.min.js"></script> <script> Reveal.initialize({ hash: true, center: true, transition: 'fade', transitionSpeed: 'fast', width: 1920, height: 1080, margin: 0.08 }); </script> </body> </html>

revealjs-presenter

Documentation

Documentation

RevealJS Presenter Skill

When to Use This Skill

Part 1: RevealJS Foundation

1.1 Required Configuration

1.2 Base HTML Structure

1.3 Base CSS Reset

Part 2: Theme Selection

2.1 What Themes Control

2.2 Default Theme

2.3 How to Apply a Theme

2.4 Available Themes

Part 3: Core Components

3.1 The Bar (Accent Element)

3.2 Content Container

3.3 Card Component

3.4 Grid Layouts

3.5 Slide Footer

Part 4: Slide Types

4.1 Title Slide

4.2 Section Break

4.3 Single Word / Phrase

4.4 Hero Stat

4.5 Standard Stat

4.6 Stat Cluster

4.7 Quote

4.8 Single Assertion (Impact Statement)

4.9 Assertion + Evidence

4.10 Card Grid (2-4 items)

4.11 Timeline / Phases

4.12 Comparison (A vs B)

4.13 Icon Grid

4.14 Code Block

4.15 Image with Caption

4.16 Breath Slide

4.17 Closing / CTA

Part 5: Inline Visualizations

5.1 Process Flow (Horizontal)

5.2 Simple Bar Chart (SVG)

5.3 Concept Relationship (Hub and Spoke)

5.4 When to Use External Tools

Part 6: Universal Content Principles

6.1 One Concept Per Slide

6.2 Assertion-Evidence Structure

6.3 Slide Count Guidance

6.4 Progressive Disclosure

6.5 Word Limits and Rhythm

Part 7: Anti-Patterns

7.1 Presentation Anti-Patterns

7.2 RevealJS-Specific Anti-Patterns

Part 8: Speaker Notes

8.1 RevealJS Notes Syntax

8.2 Notes for TTS/Video Recording

8.3 Timing and Word Count

8.4 Speech-to-Slides Workflow

8.5 Slides-to-Speech Workflow

8.6 Notes Formatting for Different Outputs

8.7 Enabling Speaker Notes Plugin

8.8 Notes Anti-Patterns

Part 9: Pre-Flight Checklist

Structure

Content

Visual

Speaker Notes

Technical

Accessibility

Complete Example: Minimal Presentation

Appendix: Creating Custom Themes

Documentation

revealjs-presenter

Documentation

RevealJS Presenter Skill

When to Use This Skill

Part 1: RevealJS Foundation

1.1 Required Configuration

1.2 Base HTML Structure

1.3 Base CSS Reset

Part 2: Theme Selection