---
name: ted-talk-outline
description: "Structures TED-style talk outlines with narrative arc, audience engagement points, and timing markers."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# TED Talk Outline

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Structure a TED-style talk with a compelling narrative arc
- Create a talk outline with audience engagement points and timing markers
- Design a presentation that delivers one powerful idea in 10-18 minutes
- Prepare for a TEDx event, keynote, or any idea-driven presentation

**DO NOT** use this skill for panel discussions, workshop facilitation, or sales presentations. This is for a single-idea, story-driven talk in the TED format.

---

## Core Principle

A TED-STYLE TALK IS NOT A LECTURE — IT IS ONE IDEA, WRAPPED IN STORIES, DELIVERED WITH SUCH CLARITY THAT THE AUDIENCE CANNOT STOP THINKING ABOUT IT AFTER YOU LEAVE THE STAGE.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **The one idea** | "What is the single idea worth spreading?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Why it matters** | "Why should the audience care about this idea?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Your connection** | "What personal experience connects you to this idea?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Talk length** | "How long is the talk? (10, 12, 15, or 18 minutes)" | 12 minutes |
| **Audience** | "Who is in the audience?" | General public (TEDx-style) |

**GATE: Confirm the brief before structuring the outline.**

---

## Phase 2: Narrative Arc

### TED Talk Structure (The Arc)

```
## The 5-Beat Structure

1. THE HOOK (10% of time) — Grab attention with a surprising fact, personal moment, or bold question
2. THE PROBLEM (20%) — Establish what is broken, wrong, or misunderstood
3. THE INSIGHT (20%) — Reveal your idea — the shift in thinking that changes everything
4. THE PROOF (35%) — Demonstrate the idea with stories, data, and examples
5. THE CALL (15%) — Challenge the audience to think or act differently
```

### Timing Guide

For a 12-minute talk:

```
| Beat | Time | Duration | Purpose |
|------|------|----------|---------|
| Hook | 0:00-1:12 | ~1 min | Capture attention |
| Problem | 1:12-3:36 | ~2.5 min | Build tension |
| Insight | 3:36-6:00 | ~2.5 min | Reveal the idea |
| Proof | 6:00-10:12 | ~4 min | Demonstrate with stories and evidence |
| Call | 10:12-12:00 | ~2 min | Inspire action or new thinking |
```

### Story Selection

Every TED talk needs 2-3 stories:

```
## Story 1: Personal — opens the talk (Hook or Problem section)
What happened, what you felt, what you learned

## Story 2: Evidence — proves the idea (Proof section)
Someone else's experience that demonstrates the idea works

## Story 3: Vision — closes the talk (Call section)
What the world looks like when people adopt this idea
```

**GATE: Present the narrative arc and story selection for approval.**

---

## Phase 3: Build

### Detailed Outline

```
## HOOK (0:00 - 1:12)
**Opening line:** [The first sentence the audience hears — make it count]
**Setup:** [Brief context that leads to the central question or tension]
**Transition to problem:** [One sentence that pivots to what is wrong]

## PROBLEM (1:12 - 3:36)
**Story 1:** [Personal story that illustrates the problem — 60-90 seconds]
**The conventional wisdom:** [What most people believe that is wrong]
**The cost:** [What this misunderstanding costs — time, money, opportunity, lives]
**Transition to insight:** [Sentence that signals "but there is another way..."]

## INSIGHT (3:36 - 6:00)
**The idea, stated clearly:** [One sentence — this is the TED "idea worth spreading"]
**Why this is different:** [How this challenges the conventional wisdom]
**The mechanism:** [Brief explanation of HOW the idea works]
**Transition to proof:** [Set up the evidence: "Let me show you what this looks like..."]

## PROOF (6:00 - 10:12)
**Story 2:** [Evidence story — someone who applied this idea and what happened]
**Data point:** [One compelling statistic or research finding]
**Example:** [A concrete, relatable example the audience can picture]
**Callback:** [Reference back to the opening story with new understanding]
**Transition to call:** [Signal the close: "So what does this mean for you?"]

## CALL (10:12 - 12:00)
**The challenge:** [What you want the audience to do or think differently]
**Story 3 / Vision:** [What the future looks like when this idea spreads]
**Closing line:** [The final sentence — memorable, quotable, emotional]
```

### Writing Rules

- **One idea only** — if you have two ideas, pick the stronger one. Save the other for another talk.
- **Conversational language** — write for the ear, not the page. Short sentences. Simple words.
- **Show, do not tell** — "I was terrified" is telling. "My hands were shaking so hard I could not hold the microphone" is showing.
- **No jargon** — if your grandmother would not understand the word, replace it.
- **150 words per minute** — a 12-minute talk is roughly 1,800 words. Do not overshoot.

### Engagement Markers

Build in moments that re-engage attention:

```
## Engagement Points (place every 2-3 minutes)
- Humor — a well-placed moment of levity
- Surprise — a stat or fact that contradicts expectations
- Pause — a deliberate silence after a powerful statement
- Question — a rhetorical question that makes the audience think
- Physical — a gesture, a demo, or a visual change
```

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Talk Quality Checklist

```
- [ ] The idea can be stated in one sentence
- [ ] The opening line grabs attention in under 10 seconds
- [ ] At least 2 stories are included (personal + evidence)
- [ ] One clear data point or statistic supports the idea
- [ ] The closing line is memorable and quotable
- [ ] Total word count matches the time limit (150 words/minute)
- [ ] No jargon or unexplained technical terms
- [ ] Engagement markers are placed every 2-3 minutes
- [ ] The talk has been read aloud and timed
```

### 2. Rehearsal Plan

```
## Rehearsal Schedule
**Week 1:** Read aloud from the outline 3 times. Time each run.
**Week 2:** Practice from memory with note cards. Focus on transitions.
**Week 3:** Rehearse in front of 1-2 trusted people. Get feedback.
**Week 4:** Full dress rehearsal in a similar setting. Record yourself.
**Final:** Watch the recording. Fix one thing. Then stop perfecting and trust the preparation.
```

### 3. Slide Guidelines (if applicable)

- Maximum 20 slides for a 12-minute talk
- One image or phrase per slide — never bullet points
- Slides support the story, they do not tell it
- Practice the talk without slides first — they should enhance, not crutch

---

## Example 1: Business/Entrepreneurship TEDx Talk

```
Idea: "The most successful solopreneurs don't work harder — they build systems that work for them"
Hook: "Last year I earned $300,000. I worked 20 hours a week. And I have no employees."
Problem: The hustle culture myth that more hours = more success
Insight: Systems replace effort — automate, delegate, eliminate
Proof: 3 case studies of solopreneurs who cut hours by 50% and grew revenue
Call: "This week, automate one thing. Just one. And watch what happens."
```

## Example 2: Personal Development TEDx Talk

```
Idea: "Saying no is the most productive thing you will ever do"
Hook: Story of saying yes to everything and ending up hospitalized from burnout
Problem: We are taught that opportunity = obligation
Insight: Strategic no's create space for the right yes's
Proof: Research on decision fatigue + personal story of saying no and tripling income
Call: "The next time someone asks you for something, pause. Ask: does this serve my mission? If not, say no. You have my permission."
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Multiple ideas** — the fastest way to lose an audience. One idea, explored deeply.
- **Starting with "Today I'm going to talk about..."** — the most boring opening in speaking history. Start with a story, question, or bold statement.
- **All data, no stories** — data convinces the mind, stories convince the heart. You need both.
- **Reading from a script** — TED talks sound conversational. Memorize the structure, not the words.
- **No rehearsal** — even great outlines fail on stage without practice. Rehearse 10+ times minimum.
- **Ending with "Thank you"** — end with your closing line. The power of the final moment is lost when you add "thank you" as a filler.

---

## Recovery

- **Idea is too broad:** Ask "What is the ONE thing you want the audience to remember a week later?" Narrow to that.
- **No personal story:** Everyone has a story. Ask "When did you first realize this idea was true? What happened?" That moment IS the story.
- **Talk runs too long:** Cut the weakest story or example. Do not speed up — cut content.
- **User is terrified of public speaking:** Focus on telling stories to one person in the audience, not presenting to a crowd. Practice in low-stakes settings first.
