Guide · Agent skill
How to use the McKinsey-Style Margin Deck agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The McKinsey-Style Margin Deck is an agent skill, a folder of instructions and template files that an AI agent such as Claude can load and follow. This skill makes the agent build a consulting-style HTML presentation (a governing thought, a driver tree, priorities and a roadmap) in a fixed dark sage, bone-paper and burnt-orange design. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it in plain language, and what to check before a deck goes to a client.
McKinsey-Style Margin Decknexu-io/open-design · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. Confirm the folder contains example.html, SKILL.md and template.json.
- 2Place the skill folder. Move the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into .claude/skills/ inside one project. In the Claude apps, upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills instead.
- 3Describe your deck. Ask in plain words for a consulting-style HTML deck, naming the audience, such as a client steering committee, and the decision it supports.
- 4Answer the agent's questions. Provide the audience, decision target, source materials, deadline and must-keep numbers when the agent asks.
- 5Supply your content. Paste your headlines, figures and section labels so the agent can place them into the template layouts.
- 6Open and review the HTML. Open the returned HTML file in a browser and step through each slide to check layout and navigation.
- 7Verify every figure. Check all numbers and sources against your original data, since the skill does not verify them.
What the McKinsey-Style Margin Deck skill makes the agent do
The skill gives the agent a ready-made visual template for a single self-contained HTML presentation. The source describes the look as a dark sage background, bone-colored paper and burnt-orange accents, in a mid-century modern style with wood undertones.
When you ask for a deck, the agent copies the example deck (example.html) into your workspace and replaces the placeholder headlines, numbers, names and section labels with your own. It is meant for consulting-style decks: a margin-recovery diagnosis for a client sponsor or steering committee, built around a governing thought, a driver tree, priorities and a roadmap.
- It keeps fonts, palette, layout grid and decorative elements unchanged, because the skill treats them as part of the design.
- It adds slides by duplicating a layout that fits, or removes slides from the bottom if you have less content.
- If a slide needs a layout the template does not have, the agent designs one using the same fonts, colors and decorative style.
Install the skill from the ZIP
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page. Unzip it, then place the folder where your agent looks for skills. For Claude Code, that is ~/.claude/skills/ in your home folder for all projects, or .claude/skills/ inside a specific project folder for that project only.
If you use the Claude apps instead, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills. The skill's files are example.html, SKILL.md and template.json. SKILL.md also refers to a LICENSE file, so check that it is in the folder after unzipping.
- Project-only install: put the unzipped folder in .claude/skills/ inside the project.
- All-projects install: put the unzipped folder in ~/.claude/skills/.
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload.
How to trigger the skill with a natural request
You do not need a special command. Describe the deck you want in plain words and mention what it is for. The skill's tags and triggers include consulting, consulting-deliverable, strategy, client, html deck and html slides, so requests using those ideas are the most likely to load it.
The skill's example prompt shows the pattern. It asks the agent to build a decision-grade consulting deck in this template's visual system, on a margin-recovery diagnosis for a regional grocery chain, for a client sponsor and steering committee.
- 'Make an HTML slide deck for our steering committee on margin recovery, using the consulting template. Here are our headlines and numbers.'
- 'Build a client-ready html deck with a governing thought, a driver tree and a 90-day roadmap from these notes.'
- 'Turn this strategy memo into html slides in the consulting style for the client sponsor.'
What the agent will ask you first
The skill's example prompt tells the agent to ask only for missing essentials before it writes slides. Expect questions about the audience, the decision you want the deck to support, your source-of-truth materials, the deadline, and any numbers that must stay exactly as given.
Answering these up front produces a better first draft. The source also describes a plan, written slides, visual direction, speaker-ready structure and a final review pass against one test: would a client know what to do on Monday morning?
- Audience and decision target
- Source documents or data the numbers come from
- Deadline
- Figures that must be kept exactly
Check the output and the file it produces
The skill's output format wraps the finished HTML in an artifact tag with the identifier zhangzara-mat, so the deck arrives as one HTML document. Open it in a browser to review it. The skill keeps the navigation code from the template as shipped, so the slide controls should work as the original does.
The skill does not check numbers, sources or claims. Every figure in the deck must be verified against your data before it goes to a client.
- Open the file in a browser and step through every slide.
- Compare each number and source line against your original data.
- Confirm that page-number labels match the final slide count.
<artifact identifier="zhangzara-mat" type="text/html" title="Deck Title">Safety, requirements and licence notes
The listing says this skill requires nothing beyond the agent itself, does not run scripts, and does not use the network. It is a template and instruction set, not a tool that connects to outside services.
The listing shows the licence as Apache-2.0. The skill's own SKILL.md says the vendored upstream template is MIT-licensed and that the upstream license text must be kept with any copy of example.html, template.json or the assets. Read the LICENSE file in the folder and keep it with any copies you share.
- Requirements: none listed beyond the agent.
- Runs scripts: no.
- Uses network: no.
- Keep the LICENSE file alongside any redistributed copy.
Tips for better decks
The template is deliberately warm and muted. It suits advisory, design studio, architecture and craft work. It is a poor fit for a fast, high-energy tech look.
Give the agent your real numbers and the decision you need, not just a topic. The skill is strongest when it has content to place in the existing layouts.
- Paste your headlines and numbers in full rather than summarising them.
- Ask for a shorter deck if you have fewer slides than the demo holds, rather than editing layouts by hand.
- Keep the template's decorative elements; the skill's rules say removing them breaks the design.
What people use it for
- A consultant builds a margin-recovery diagnosis deck for a client sponsor and steering committee.
- An advisor turns a strategy memo into a single HTML file that can be emailed or hosted.
- A design studio creates a warm, mid-century presentation for a credentials pitch.
- A team writes a roadmap slide set with priorities and owners for a client review meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Is the McKinsey-Style Margin Deck skill free to use?
The listing shows the licence as Apache-2.0, while the skill's SKILL.md says the vendored template is MIT-licensed. Both are permissive, but read the LICENSE file included in the folder and keep it with any copies you share.
What do I need to install this agent skill?
The listing says nothing is required beyond the agent itself. You download the ZIP, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the skill run scripts or use the internet?
No. The listing says it runs no scripts and uses no network. It is a template and set of instructions the agent follows.
Can I use this skill instead of PowerPoint or Google Slides?
Yes, if you want a self-contained HTML file rather than a PowerPoint or Google Slides file. The skill outputs one HTML document, which suits teams who prefer that format.
Does the skill check my numbers and sources?
No. The skill does not check figures or sources, so unverified client numbers could be presented as fact. Verify every figure against your data before sending the deck.
What are the alternatives if this look is not right for my deck?
The source says the muted sage and burnt-orange palette is a poor fit for fast, high-energy tech decks. For that kind of look, pick a different template or skill, since this one is designed to stay in its own visual system.
New agent skills, repos and AI tools — every week
The best new skills and open-source projects, the fastest-growing repos, and one free prompt. Five minutes to read. Unsubscribe anytime.
Our verdict
Use this skill if you are a consultant or advisor who wants a polished, warm single-file HTML deck for a client sponsor or steering committee, or a designer who wants a mid-century look. Pick something else if you need a fast, high-energy tech style, or if your deck depends on figures you have not checked, since the skill will not verify them.
Download the skill