Media framework

Decks

Canonical hybrid spec: `contexts/google-slides-system.html`.

Canonical hybrid spec: contexts/google-slides-system.html. Canonical source template: templates/decks/slide-system.md. Foundation source: contexts/design-foundations-system.html.

System Waterfall

Apply in order: update ledger, foundation context, tokens and brand systems, media framework, channel database, this deck sheet, Google Slides hybrid spec, deck source template, export/review checks. Slide coordinates may use px, pt, or inches, but the source rhythm and hierarchy come from the foundation layer.

Requirement

INTO Consulting decks must support proposal presentations, project status decks, investor presentations, and reader-first editorial decks. The default deck is readable without a narrator.

Constraints

INTO Consulting only.
Google Slides compatible 16:9 landscape.
Warm Light is the default surface.
Blueprint Dark is reserved for cover, section, and high-contrast moments.
Newsreader, Lexend, and IBM Plex Mono are the only fonts.
Petrol is signal/action/primary-series emphasis, not decoration.
Brand codes are restrained: one to three codes on a typical slide.
The four-point star is a north-star or compact AI cue. The thick circle is a framing/highlight device. Neither is a bullet.
Charts, KPIs, Gantt plans, and schematics follow brand/data-visualization-system.md.

Bet

The deck system should behave like a concise editorial document with reusable master layouts. This costs some slideware variety, but gives humans and agents a reliable way to build proposals, status updates, investor narratives, and appendices without rebuilding the brand.

Failure Modes

Slide becomes pitch theatre and cannot be read as a PDF.
The deck becomes a topic list instead of a decision argument.
Slide titles are neutral labels instead of conclusions.
Display/H1 type is too large or heavy and makes the deck feel theatrical.
Margins and gaps are improvised slide by slide.
The slide uses custom complexity when a clean two-column layout would read better.
A reused layout stays unnamed and drifts across decks.
Evidence appears on the slide but does not prove the title.
Text is shrunk below the mode minimum instead of split into another slide.
Charts lack conclusion titles, unit/period/source notes, or direct labels.
Charts are built from unquantified headlines with no source, method, denominator, or assumption.
The slide uses visible meta commentary instead of executive-value content.
The deck defaults to prose when a chart, table, screenshot, schematic, timeline, or decision board would reduce interpretation time.
Presented or interactive slides omit meaningful sequencing where animation would clarify hierarchy, proof, or state.
Petrol, star, circle, gradients, or marks become decorative filler.
Critical content lands in the bottom-right control zone.
KPI, table, chart, annotation, footnote, or source-note text is made tiny to force a crowded slide to fit.
Left accent rails appear on many items and become decoration.
Title or section backgrounds are guessed instead of using Warm Light, Blueprint Dark, editorial gradients, or photo overlays with governed text color.

Benchmark Logic

Use external benchmarks for operating discipline only:

Bang & Olufsen: category-led guideline architecture, template governance, strict usage rules, and layout discipline.
Accenture: authored research-report structure, figure labels, source notes, methodology/endnote discipline, and evidence-led editorial pacing.
McKinsey-style doctrine: decision memo in slide form, Pyramid Principle, SCQA opening, MECE grouping, action titles, and title-chain review.
Design/research consultancies: observed needs, systems context, prototype learning, method clarity, and implications for action.

Do not copy their visual identities, colors, typefaces, imagery, branded language, or proprietary templates.

Website Calibration

Use https://www.weareinto.consulting/ as a current positioning reference before finalizing external-facing decks. Translate only the signals that help the deck make better decisions:

INTO is a Montreal AI studio for practical custom AI work and senior operators.
The editorial rhythm uses numbered sections, direct claims, and visible proof.
Delivery language can use Discovery, Define, Build, and Optimize when it matches the work.
Use-case claims should connect outcome, mechanism, and evidence.
Closing slides should include a concrete next action, route, owner, and timing.
Footer behavior should preserve copyright notice, optional context, and page number.

Do not copy the website hero composition, web animation, section layout, historic slide formatting, or old deck tone.

Legacy Deck Reference Calibration

Operator-supplied legacy decks for QDHP, About INTO, Puxxle, and Banque Nationale are calibration inputs only. Extract the communication jobs and missing system requirements; do not copy their styling, density, client-specific wording, or stale tone.

Useful system learnings:

Enterprise decks need a clear pattern-to-client-implication sequence.
Proposal decks need challenge, architecture, phased delivery, timeline, investment, team, terms/notices, and next action.
Capability decks need reusable proof, team, and case-pattern masters rather than generic who-we-are prose.
Legal/commercial end matter from the Puxxle reference is important enough to become a named master, not appendix filler.

Do not carry forward dense three-column prose, tiny copy, inconsistent copyright casing, decorative AI imagery, client-specific proof as generic evidence, or legal notices squeezed into a closing wall of text.

Decision Setup

Before building slides, answer these items:

What decision must the audience make?
What is the recommendation in one sentence?
What is the SCQA frame: situation, complication, question, answer?
What are the MECE supporting arguments?
What evidence proves each argument?
What belongs in the appendix instead of the main path?

If these are unknown, create a reader-first discovery deck rather than a proposal, investor, or decision deck.

Executive Composition Gate

Use brand/layout-composition-system.md before styling slides.

The first meaningful line should be the conclusion, recommendation, or decision question. Do not make executives wait for the answer.
Every visible phrase must answer what changed, why it matters, what decision is needed, what evidence proves it, or what action follows.
Remove visible meta commentary. Internal labels, facilitator cues, AI narration state, build names, and process notes belong in speaker notes, facilitator drawers, voiceover files, or appendix detail.
Related items sit closer together than unrelated items. A source note belongs near the exhibit it qualifies; an action belongs near the decision it executes.
Choose the dominant visual before expanding prose. Analytical slides should use a chart, table, screenshot, schematic, timeline, owner/action/date strip, comparison, or decision board unless the slide is intentionally a quote, legal notice, or concise recommendation.
One or two columns are the default. Three columns are only for peer content.

Brand-Defense Patterns

Brand-defense slides protect trust without turning the deck into legal theatre. They are used for proposal covers, joint-working session decks, regulated reader-first exports, partner attribution, and commercial end matter.

Pattern	Use When	Placement	Rule
Fictional or client logo lockup	A deck needs to show the relationship between INTO and a client or partner.	Cover metadata line or title safe area; optional footer center on reader-first slides.	Use the client’s approved asset only in real work. In system examples, use obvious placeholders such as ACME Corp, never real logos. Keep INTO primary unless the engagement contract says otherwise.
Regulatory or legal text	A slide carries confidentiality, use restrictions, SOW precedence, assumptions, or approval context.	Footer, Terms master, or a dedicated Legal Notices slide before the closer.	Keep text readable. Split legal notices before reducing type below the floor.
Disclaimers and assumptions	Evidence is illustrative, sampled, directional, modelled, or dependent on client input.	Directly below the chart, table, or claim it qualifies.	The disclaimer sits on the slide, not in speaker notes. Use plain language and identify the affected claim.
Source notes	Any quantitative claim, client-provided record, benchmark, or diagram basis.	Attached to the exhibit, above the footer.	Include unit, period, source, method, and assumption when relevant. Do not group all sources on a final slide when the reader needs them in context.
Partner attribution	A named tool, implementation partner, or research source materially supports the work.	Near the relevant schematic/table or in appendix reference notes.	Use names only when recognition helps the reader. Avoid logo walls and vendor collages.

Deck Density Budgets

Density is governed by deck contract. If a draft exceeds the budget, split the slide, move detail to appendix, or change the evidence form before shrinking type or adding boxes.

Deck Contract	Main Path	Section Budget	Exhibit Budget	Text Budget	Evidence:Argument Ratio	Common Failure
Proposal	12-18 slides before appendix.	SCQA 4-5, evidence 3-5, approach/commercials 4-6, ask 1-2.	One dominant exhibit per analytical slide; no more than three MECE evidence branches in the main path.	Max three support blocks per slide, max two short sentences per block.	At least 60 percent evidence or decision surfaces after the opening.	Scope, team, commercials, and risks compressed into one unreadable closing wall.
Project Status	6-10 slides before appendix.	Pulse 1-2, progress 1-2, decisions 1-2, risks/asks 2-3.	One status table, timeline, or decision board per slide.	Max three asks or risks per main-path slide.	At least 70 percent decision, risk, progress, or ask surfaces.	Status prose replaces decisions and owners.
Investor	10-16 slides before appendix.	Thesis 1-2, market/problem 2-3, proof 3-5, system/model 2-4, ask 1-2.	One proof exhibit per evidence slide; market slides need source and method.	Max three proof points per slide.	At least 50 percent proof surfaces after thesis.	Market theatre, oversized TAM claims, or unsupported traction graphics.
Reader-First Editorial	8-24 pages depending on document job.	One idea per page; appendix only when needed.	One table, chart, schematic, or screenshot per analytical page.	Max two text groups plus one exhibit; long prose becomes a document, not a deck.	At least one evidence object for every major claim.	Dense report pages forced into slide format with tiny text.

Design Foundation Rules

Use contexts/design-foundations-system.html before choosing slide-specific geometry or typography.

Treat the 0.25rem micro baseline and 0.5rem structural baseline as the source rhythm, then translate the rhythm into slide points or pixels.
Use letter-spacing 0 by default. Do not use negative tracking. Mono labels get rhythm from content structure, not CSS tracking.
Use Newsreader display treatment only for covers, section breaks, quote moments, major numerals, H1s, and editorial title slides.
Italics are limited to one short heading phrase when editorial contrast or quotation-like emphasis is needed. Never use italics in buttons, data labels, chart labels, captions, or UI controls.
Use Z-pattern only for sparse cover, section, and final decision slides. Use vertical/layer-cake scanning for normal reader-first slides. Treat F-pattern behavior as a sign the slide is too dense.
Use bento only for a small set of comparable peer proof modules or one dominant proof plus supporting modules. Nested card grids fail review.
Put text beside photography, on quiet negative space, or on a controlled overlay. Never place text over the focal subject. Captions and cutlines stay attached.

Media

Format: 16:9 landscape, Google Slides compatible.
Size: 1920 x 1080 design coordinate or native 13.333 x 7.5in.
Coordinate conversion: 1px equals 0.006944in at the 1920 x 1080 working coordinate. Keep the deck in one coordinate system once started.
Surface: Warm Light for readable decks; Blueprint Dark for title cards, section dividers, and high-contrast presentation moments.

Reader-first margin: 96px on all sides.
Presented margin: 80px on all sides.
Bottom-right safe area: keep critical content out of the final 96px x 96px corner zone.
Footer zone: 40px high.
Reader-first, evidence, commercial, appendix, status, investor, and proposal body slides should use the footer.
Footer left: copyright notice, usually © INTO Consulting [year]. Confidential.
Footer center: optional client, section, or document status.
Footer right: page number.
Compact mark is optional and should not replace the copyright or page number.
Cover, Section Title, Q&A, Thank You, and high-contrast quote slides may omit the footer when the composition needs a full pause.
Full-bleed exception: Blueprint Dark section breaks may bleed to the slide edge when text still sits inside the safe margin.

Grid

Reader-first: 12 columns x 8 rows, 24px gutters, 96px margin.
Presented: 12 columns x 6 rows, 24px gutters, 80px margin.
Column width at 1920px: reader-first approximately 125px; presented approximately 127px.
Use columns to preserve reading measure. Do not let body prose span the full 16:9 canvas.
Wide evidence gets its own full-width row before being compressed.
Default layout is one or two columns. Three columns are allowed only for agenda lists, compact comparisons, KPI triplets, or clearly peer evidence. Four-column body slides fail review.
Do not use custom geometry to compensate for unclear grouping. Fix proximity, alignment, and evidence choice first.

Grid Grammar

The Google Slides context file is now the master visual reference for deck composition. Use contexts/google-slides-system.html#grid-grammar before reviewing or generating a native theme.

Canvas: 16:9, 13.333 x 7.5in or 1920 x 1080px.
Safe margin: 0.5in left, right, and top.
Bottom content clear: 0.38in.
Footer band: 0.24in.
Gutter: 0.14in.
Text modules: 4-5 columns.
Visual modules: 6 columns.
Panoramic evidence: 12 columns or a full evidence row.
Footer: copyright left, optional context center, page number right.

The default master move is label, pause, conclusion title, narrow argument, dominant evidence, source note, and recovery space. Do not let grid overlays, hairlines, or petrol become decoration; they should reveal structure.

Typography Scaling

Two modes exist. Do not mix modes on one slide. A deck may alternate modes intentionally when each slide declares its job.

Role	Reader-First	Presented
Cover title	Newsreader 54-66pt	Newsreader 60-72pt
Slide title	Newsreader 34-44pt	Newsreader 42-56pt
Section title	Newsreader 40-52pt	Newsreader 48-64pt
Lead / argument	Lexend 18-21pt	Lexend 22-26pt
Body	Lexend 16-18pt	Lexend 20-24pt
Caption / meta	IBM Plex Mono 10-12pt	IBM Plex Mono 12-14pt
Figure labels	IBM Plex Mono 10-12pt	IBM Plex Mono 12-14pt

Defect lines:

Reader-first body below 16pt is too dense.
Screen-share body below 20pt is a defect.
Presented slide title above 56pt needs a documented reason.
Newsreader above 400 weight is an exception; never use heavy bold.
Long labels should wrap or move into captions before type is reduced.

Spacing

Base related-object gaps: 16px and 24px.
Label to title: 12-16px.
Claim to supporting copy: 20-28px.
Body to exhibit: 32-48px.
Major slide breathing room: 64-96px.
Dense diagram internals: 16-24px.
Evidence recovery: leave 32-64px after tables, charts, Gantt plans, and schematics before the next argument.

Color Schemes

Warm Light: default deck pages, tables, charts, KPI, agenda, executive summary, proposal argument, team, appendix.
Blueprint Dark: cover, section break, Q&A, thank-you, and occasional high-contrast quote or conclusion moment.
Chart/Data: teal for answer or active series, gray for context, warm Saffron for milestones/warnings/comparisons, red only for critical contrast.
Editorial gradients: allowed only for cover, title, section, or atmospheric editorial surfaces. Not for charts, KPI cards, tables, or routine evidence.

Visual Evidence And Chart Validity

Every analytical slide should have one dominant evidence object. Text can explain implication, but it should not replace the exhibit when comparison, movement, workflow, responsibility, or prioritization is the communication job.

Charts must show conclusion, unit, period, population or denominator, source, method or calculation basis, and assumption/caveat when relevant. Bar charts must start at zero. Do not turn unquantified headlines into bars; use a ranked evidence table, confidence scale with method note, or decision list instead.

Diagrams must explain a real workflow, system, dependency, ownership model, architecture, or evidence chain. They need direction, real grouping, labelled non-obvious connectors, and static export readability.

Legibility Floor

Do not solve fit by shrinking text. KPI labels, table cells, chart axis labels, annotations, footnotes, and source notes must follow brand/typography-spacing-system.md.

Reader-first slide body below 16pt is a defect.
Presented body below 20pt is a defect.
Reader-first table cells below 12pt fail; 14pt is preferred.
Presented table cells below 16pt fail.
Reader-first chart labels below 10pt fail.
Presented chart labels below 12pt fail.
Source notes below 9pt fail; source notes carrying legal, commercial, or evidential meaning should be 10pt or larger.

If the content does not fit, remove copy, use a full-width exhibit, split the slide, or move detail to appendix before reducing type.

Accent Rails And Section Backgrounds

Use at most one accent rail on a normal slide.
Petrol rails mark current path, selected proof, or the one item needing attention.
Neutral rails can group related notes when spacing alone is not enough.
Repeated left borders on every item fail review.
Use open columns without boxes when related arguments need side-by-side comparison and no individual card inspection.
Use Blueprint Dark, editorial gradients, or photo overlays only for covers, title cards, section breaks, high-contrast quotes, dramatic conclusions, or room resets. Normal evidence stays on Warm Light.
If a background changes, use the matching theme text tokens. Do not guess foreground colors.

Motion Decision

Presented and interactive decks should declare whether motion is used. Use motion to reveal evidence order, draw chart or timeline progression, stage a schematic path, or confirm a decision. Do not use motion for routine hover effects, decorative loops, or hiding source notes. If a presented deck uses no motion, document why the static slide sequence is clearer.

Layout Primitive System

Layout primitives are reusable geometry patterns used inside master layouts. They do not replace masters. Choose the master first, then choose the layout primitive that best carries the slide’s content.

Visual Master Gallery

Use contexts/google-slides-system.html#wireframe-set for the first visual review surface. The gallery should show master specimens, not blank gray boxes. Each specimen must show:

Visible 12-column and row grammar.
Surface: Warm Light or Blueprint Dark.
Slide job and canonical master name.
Dominant exhibit, argument, or commercial structure.
Copyright, optional context, and page number when the master requires a footer.
Source, assumption, or decision line when the slide is analytical or commercial.

Before adding long prose for a new recurring deck pattern, add a master-gallery specimen that shows margin, hierarchy, dominant exhibit, footer behavior, and safe-area intent.

Interactive Presentation Contract

Google Slides is the default production surface, but the same system can drive interactive presentations built with reveal.js, anime.js, D3.js, Mermaid, Three.js, and PixiJS.

Build the static master first.
Every interactive slide needs a readable PDF/static equivalent.
Reveal.js owns the slide shell, route, and keyboard navigation. It should stay simple: one or two columns, clear margins, restrained type, and no custom slide theatre unless the evidence requires it.
Anime.js owns lightweight sequencing only: chart reveal, timeline current marker, schematic path draw, evidence callout, and section transition.
D3.js owns custom charts, data-driven infographics, animated evidence reveals, axes, scales, labels, joins, and bespoke quantitative exhibits.
Mermaid owns quick source-controlled flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt diagrams, and process diagrams where editability matters more than polish.
Three.js is reserved for spatial models, architecture walkthroughs, and object/system demonstrations that cannot be explained clearly in 2D.
PixiJS is reserved for high-performance 2D canvas/WebGL scenes, dense animated maps, and sprite/canvas-heavy explainers.
Motion must respect reduced-motion preferences.
Every dynamic chart, diagram, scene, or canvas needs loading, empty, partial-data, error, success, static, keyboard, and focus-order states.
No decorative loops, parallax, glow, kinetic filler, animated source notes/legal terms, spinning logos, or particle effects without analytical meaning.

D3 Chart Rules

D3 is the default recommendation for interactive charts and infographics, but it still inherits the INTO data visualization system.

Use a conclusion title, not a neutral chart label.
Use direct labels where possible; legends are secondary.
Use INTO data colors only: petrol for selected data/action/current path, Saffron for caution/milestone/comparison, semantic green/red only when the meaning is favorable/critical, and neutrals for structure.
Put the source note and assumption label on the static slide.
Animate the reasoning path, not the decoration.
Reduced-motion mode shows the final readable chart with the same labels.
If the interactive view fails, the static fallback must still support the decision.

Layout	Use When	Grid / Margins	Gap	Type	Color / Surface
Title	Opening, chapter, or high-emphasis claim.	Presented 12 x 6, 80px margin. Title spans columns 1-8, rows 3-4.	32px between label and title; 64px recovery below.	Newsreader 60-88pt, mono metadata 12-16pt.	Blueprint Dark or Warm editorial gradient.
Agenda	Orienting the reader before the argument.	Reader-first 12 x 8, 96px margin. Agenda spans columns 1-10, rows 3-7.	24px row gap; 48px between title and list.	Newsreader 40-52pt, Lexend 18-20pt, mono numbers 11-13pt.	Warm Light. Petrol only for current section.
Section Title	Resetting pace between chapters.	Presented 12 x 6, 80px margin. Title spans columns 1-8.	32px label-to-title; keep one empty third.	Newsreader 60-80pt, Lexend 24-30pt transition.	Blueprint Dark by default.
Timeline	Showing sequence, phases, dependencies, or wave plan.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Labels columns 1-3; axis columns 4-12.	16-24px inside rows; 32px between axis and notes.	Mono phase labels 11-13pt, Lexend body 16-20pt.	Warm Light; Saffron signal only for milestones.
Image And Text	Pairing evidence image, screenshot, or macro texture with interpretation.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Text 4-5 columns, image 6-7 columns.	48px gutter between text and image; 24px caption gap.	Newsreader 40-52pt title, Lexend 16-20pt body, mono caption.	Warm Light. Photo overlay only when contrast passes.
Columns	Comparing related points or structuring dense editorial copy.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Two columns use 5+5; three columns use 3+3+3 with gutters.	32-48px between columns; aligned baselines.	Lexend 16-20pt body; Newsreader 28-36pt subheads if needed.	Warm Light; no decorative color blocks.
Terms	Commercial, legal, assumptions, exclusions, or glossary detail.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Term column 3-4 cols, explanation 7-8 cols.	16-24px row gap; 32px section groups.	Mono term labels 11-13pt, Lexend 16-18pt body.	Warm Light; hairlines and light row shading only.
Chart	Showing quantitative pattern, comparison, composition, or movement.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Header rows 1-2; exhibit rows 3-7; source above footer.	24-32px title/context gap; 32px chart-to-note gap.	Newsreader action title, mono figure/context/source, chart labels 10-13pt.	Chart/Data scheme on Warm Light.
Statistic	Showing one to four numbers with movement and cause.	Reader-first 12 x 8. One hero stat spans 5-6 columns; multi-stat uses 3 or 4 equal cells.	32-48px between stat cells; 24px value-to-explanation.	Newsreader numerals 54-88pt; mono period/unit; Lexend cause.	Warm Light; petrol for primary value only.
Budget Table	Showing fees, budget, cost plan, discount, taxes, or assumptions.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Row labels 3-4 cols, values 2-3 cols, notes 4-5 cols.	12-16px cell padding; 24-32px group spacing.	Mono headers 10-12pt; Lexend cells 15-18pt; tabular numerals.	Warm Light; hairlines, light row shading, petrol total line only if action.
Team	Showing people, roles, responsibilities, decision rights, availability.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Role matrix spans columns 1-12; optional portraits stay secondary.	24px row gap; 32-48px group gap.	Newsreader title, Lexend role copy, mono responsibility labels.	Warm Light; no portrait-first card wall.
Get In Touch	Closing with contact, next action, and route.	Presented 12 x 6 or reader-first 12 x 8. Contact block columns 1-5, action columns 7-12.	32px between contact lines; 48px to next action.	Newsreader closing title, Lexend contact, mono URL/email metadata.	Blueprint Dark or Warm Light. Wordmark or mark, not both.
Comparison	Comparing options, vendors, models, or scenarios.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Criteria left 3 cols, options across remaining 9 cols.	12-16px cell padding; 24px section group gap.	Mono criteria labels; Lexend evidence; tabular numerals.	Warm Light; petrol marks selected option only.
Decision / Ask	Requesting approval, access, budget, or commitment.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Ask columns 1-5, rationale columns 7-12, decision line above footer.	32px claim-to-rationale; 48px before decision line.	Newsreader ask, Lexend rationale, mono owner/date.	Warm Light; petrol marks action required.
Risk / Issue	Surfacing uncertainty, blocker, dependency, or mitigation.	Reader-first 12 x 8. Risk table or issue log spans columns 1-12.	16-24px row gap; 32px between risk groups.	Mono severity/owner/date; Lexend mitigation; no oversized status badges.	Warm Light; Saffron for warning, red only for critical.

Primitive rules:

Title and Section Title may use Blueprint Dark or editorial gradients.
Agenda, Timeline, Image And Text, Columns, Terms, Chart, Statistic, Budget Table, Team, Comparison, Decision / Ask, and Risk / Issue default to Warm Light.
Do not use star, circle, or square mark devices as bullets in any layout.
Image And Text must use evidence images, screenshots, diagrams, or approved macro texture. No stock imagery.
Terms slides require source, assumption, or approval context when used for commercial or legal content.
Budget Table slides must expose assumptions, totals, exclusions, and approval path.
Terms & Conditions / Legal Notices slides must expose confidentiality/use, resource availability, validity period, pricing/terms review, IP/copyright, assumptions, and SOW precedence. Split into multiple slides before reducing body text below the reader-first minimum.
Get In Touch slides must include a concrete next action, not only contact information.

Canonical Master Layout Set

Master	Default Surface	Mode	Layout Rule
Cover	Blueprint Dark or Warm Light editorial gradient	Presented	Wordmark, client, date, one title claim, optional north-star cue.
Section Break	Blueprint Dark	Presented	Mono section marker, Newsreader section title, one transition sentence.
Agenda	Warm Light	Reader-first	Numbered agenda in two columns; no decorative bullets.
Executive Summary / Conclusion Up Top	Warm Light	Reader-first	Conclusion band first, three evidence points below, next action visible.
Proposal Argument	Warm Light	Reader-first	Claim left 5 columns, proof or workflow right 6 columns.
Evidence / Table	Warm Light	Reader-first	Table or exhibit dominates; caption and source attached.
KPI	Warm Light	Reader-first	Three to four metrics with period, unit, delta, and cause.
Chart	Warm Light	Reader-first	Figure label, conclusion title, chart, direct labels, source note.
Gantt	Warm Light	Reader-first	Workstream labels left, quiet timeline right, milestones in Saffron signal.
Schematic / Architecture	Warm Light	Reader-first	Layered node canvas, seven primary nodes or fewer, labeled connectors.
Quote	Warm Light or Blueprint Dark	Presented	One quote, attribution, optional thick-circle highlight on one phrase.
Team / Roles	Warm Light	Reader-first	Role matrix over portraits; names, responsibilities, decision rights.
Terms & Conditions / Legal Notices	Warm Light	Reader-first	Confidentiality/use, resource availability, validity period, pricing/terms review, IP/copyright, assumptions, and SOW precedence.
Q&A	Blueprint Dark	Presented	Large Q&A title, quiet prompt line, optional compact mark.
Thank You	Blueprint Dark	Presented	Contact, next action, wordmark or compact mark; no extra claims.
Appendix	Warm Light	Reader-first	Dense but readable evidence; one idea or table per slide.

Deck Contracts

Proposal presentation:

Lead with recommendation, bottleneck, value, and proof.
Put evidence before scope and commercials.
Make decision, owner, date, and acceptance path explicit.
Include readable terms/notices when the deck contains pricing, scope, validity, or commercial assumptions.

Project status deck:

Lead with decisions, progress, risks, and asks.
Use the same weekly layout rhythm.
Separate facts, judgment, and action.

Investor presentation:

Lead with thesis, market pressure, proof, and system advantage.
Use evidence charts instead of market theatre.
End with ask, timing, and use of funds or support.

Reader-first editorial deck:

Treat each slide as a page.
Put conclusion up top and source/evidence below.
Keep speaker notes optional, never required for comprehension.

Layout Rules

Use the pacing sequence: label, pause, display, argument, evidence, recovery space.
One dominant claim or evidence object per slide.
Use action titles: a full-sentence conclusion with a verb, under two lines, proven by the slide body.
Run the title-chain test: slide titles alone should read like a coherent executive memo.
Every analytical slide needs a context line for scope, period, geography, unit, population, or method.
Every analytical slide needs an implication or decision line.
Every number is sourced, labeled as an assumption, or moved to the appendix until evidence is available.
No cards inside cards.
No badges, pill clusters, generic SaaS chrome, or decorative color splits.
Use hairlines for structure, not box decoration.
Use the wordmark on covers and recognition moments.
Use the square mark only for compact identity in the footer or final slide.
Use star/circle devices once, only when they clarify a goal or highlight.

Evidence Taxonomy

Evidence Job	Default Layout	Rule
Quantitative pattern	Chart	One dominant chart with direct labels, source, and implication.
Option tradeoff	Evidence / Table	Criteria down the left, options across the top, preferred option highlighted.
Prioritization	Chart or Evidence / Table	Use a matrix only when the two axes are explicit and useful.
Number movement	Chart	Use a waterfall or bridge when explaining movement from one value to another.
Workflow or operating model	Schematic / Architecture	Show roles, systems, decision gates, exception paths, and controls.
Execution sequence	Gantt	Show timing, dependencies, milestones, and ownership.
Uncertainty	Evidence / Table	Show risk, impact, mitigation, owner, and trigger.
Commitment	Proposal Argument	Recommendation, rationale, decision required, owner, and date.

Export Review

Present once at screen-share size.
Export to PDF and inspect page order, links, charts, captions, and appendix.
Confirm every chart has conclusion, unit/period/source/note, and readable labels.
Confirm the title chain reads as a complete argument.
Confirm every main-path slide has one message and one proof object.
Confirm the deck can be read without speaker notes.
Confirm bottom-right safe area on cover, conclusion, chart, CTA, Q&A, and thank-you slides.