Generate a Clean Slide Outline from Any Topic Using ChatGPT

What you’ll get

You will get a structured presentation outline with clear, assertive headlines and up to three bullet points per slide. This approach helps you avoid generic outlines by forcing you to define your audience and goal, ensuring each slide has a strong takeaway message.

Tools you need

• ChatGPT (freemium): An AI chatbot that can generate text, outlines, and more based on your prompts.

Steps

1. Open ChatGPT: Go to the ChatGPT website on your phone or computer. You should see the chat interface ready for your input.

2. Prepare the template: Copy the provided template. Before pasting, replace the {{variables}} with your specific details:

   • {{topic}}: What your presentation is about.
   • {{who they are and what they already know}}: Describe your audience and their current knowledge. This is crucial for tailored results.
   • {{the one thing they should do or believe after}}: Your main goal for the audience.
   • {{N}}: The exact number of slides you want.

   For example, if your topic is “Benefits of Solar Power for Small Businesses”, your audience is “Small business owners in Lagos who are worried about electricity costs but don’t know much about solar”, your goal is “Convince them to explore solar installation options”, and your length is “7”.

3. Paste the prompt: Paste your filled-in prompt into the ChatGPT chat box and press Enter.

   Build a presentation outline about {{topic}}. Audience: {{who they are and what they already know}} Goal: {{the one thing they should do or believe after}} Length: {{N}} slides, hard cap. Rules: - One idea per slide. If a slide has two ideas, split it into two. - Each slide = an assertive headline (the takeaway, not a label like "Overview") + max 3 bullets. - No "Introduction" or "Conclusion" filler slides. Open on the stakes, close on the ask. - Order the slides as an argument, each one setting up the next. Output a numbered list: slide number, headline, up to 3 bullets. Nothing else.

   You should receive a numbered list, where each item is a slide number, followed by a bold headline, and then up to three bullet points.

Original source

This workflow comes from a Reddit post by user /u/Key-Scallion7406, who shared a ChatGPT template for creating effective presentation outlines.

Notes & variations

• Free-tier alternatives: The free tier of ChatGPT (GPT-3.5) is perfectly capable of handling this task. Other freemium chatbots like Google Gemini (gemini.google.com) or Claude (claude.ai) could also work with similar prompts, though the exact output style might vary.
• Common mistake: The author warns against over-specifying the {{topic}} while under-specifying the {{audience}} and {{goal}}. These two variables are key to getting a tailored, non-generic outline. Make sure to give detailed descriptions for them.
• Tip for better results: The author highlights that “headline is the takeaway, not a label” is the biggest upgrade. Focus on making your headlines assertive and informative, summarizing the main point of the slide, rather than just labeling the content. For example, “Revenue grew because enterprise renewals doubled” is better than “Revenue”.