Acceptance 5 Gates · 100 Points

Quality Gates.

Five gates that determine if a deck is production-ready. Test against each before delivery.

Completeness

25% of total score

All planned slides are present. Navigation controls work. The deck is structurally sound.

Criteria

  • Slide count matches plan. If you planned 9 slides, there are 9 slides.
  • No missing content. No placeholder text (“INSERT DATA HERE”, “TODO”), blank stat cards, or incomplete sections.
  • All navigation works. Dot navigation is clickable. All dots present (count matches slide count).
  • Arrow buttons functional. Left button disabled on slide 0. Right button disabled on last slide. Both work in between.
  • Keyboard navigation works. ← and → advance slides. Home / End jump to first / last.
  • Progress bar present and moves. Bar starts at 0%, increments with each slide, reaches 100% on last slide.
  • Slide counter present. Shows “X / Y” format (e.g., “3 / 9”) and updates correctly.
  • No console errors. Open dev tools (F12). Console should be clean.
Gate 1 Checklist
  • Slide count correct
  • All text content filled in (no TODOs)
  • All data populated (no blank stat cards)
  • Dot navigation present and clickable
  • Arrow buttons work and disable correctly
  • Keyboard arrows (← →) work
  • Home / End keys work
  • Progress bar is visible and moves
  • Slide counter present and correct
  • No console errors
PassUser can navigate through entire deck using dots, arrows, and keyboard. All slides load without errors. No missing content.
FailUser cannot navigate to all slides. Buttons are broken. Content is missing or shows TODOs. Console has errors.

Content

25% of total score

Talking points are covered. Data is accurate. The narrative is clear and compelling. The story flows logically from problem to solution to action.

Criteria

  • All talking points covered. If brief specified 3 talking points, each appears in the deck.
  • Data is accurate. Numbers match the source brief. Percentages, figures, metrics are correct. If data was edited, sources are cited.
  • Sources cited for stats. If a stat grid includes a stat, attribute it: “— Gartner 2025” or similar.
  • No logical gaps. The narrative flows: hero → context → point 1 → point 2 → point 3 → insight → CTA.
  • Grammar and spelling. No typos. Proper capitalization. Consistent professional tone.
  • Headline clarity. Each slide headline is specific and actionable. Not vague (“Key Point” is bad, “Enterprise Adoption is Accelerating” is good).
  • Call-to-action is present. A final slide directs the audience: “Learn more at [URL]”, “Join us at [event]”, “Contact [email]”.
  • Key message is reflected. The deck’s narrative reinforces the key message stated in the brief.
Gate 2 Checklist
  • All talking points from brief are covered
  • All data / stats are accurate (checked against brief)
  • Data sources cited where applicable
  • No typos or grammar errors
  • Headlines are specific and clear
  • Narrative arc is logical (no random jumps)
  • Key message is reinforced throughout
  • Call-to-action is present and clear
  • Tone is professional and appropriate for audience
PassUser reads through deck and understands the narrative. All talking points are covered. Data is accurate. The CTA is clear.
FailTalking points are missing. Data doesn’t match the brief. Typos are present. There’s no CTA. The narrative doesn’t flow.

Visual Design

20% of total score

The deck looks polished. Components are used consistently. Colors and backgrounds create visual flow. The design is responsive on mobile.

Criteria

  • Component consistency. All stat grids have the same layout and spacing. All split layouts align left / right text properly. All quote blocks use the same font size and styling.
  • Color alternation is intentional. Dark, ivory, white backgrounds alternate in a logical pattern. No two dark slides in a row without visual break. No jarring color jumps.
  • Typography hierarchy is clear. Headings are larger than body. Labels are smaller and uppercase. Body text is readable (18px+).
  • Spacing is consistent. Margins between sections are uniform. Stat cards have equal padding. Text is not crowded.
  • Images / visuals (if used) are high quality. No blurry images, distorted mockups, or low-res graphics. Aspect ratios are correct.
  • Responsive on mobile. Resize browser to 375px width. Text still readable. No horizontal scroll. Split layouts stack vertically. Stat grids reflow gracefully.
  • Accent color is used consistently. Accent appears in labels, progress bar, active dots, and interactive elements. Not scattered randomly.
  • Font rendering is clean. Google Fonts load correctly. No blurry or pixelated text.
Gate 3 Checklist
  • Stat grids are consistent in layout
  • Split layouts align text left, visual right
  • Quote blocks use consistent font size
  • Color alternation (dark / ivory / white) is logical
  • Typography hierarchy is clear
  • Spacing / margins are uniform
  • Images are high quality (if present)
  • Responsive at 375px width
  • Accent color is used consistently
  • No broken images or missing assets
PassDeck looks professional and polished. Components are consistent. Design is responsive. User is impressed by visual quality.
FailComponents are inconsistent. Colors clash. Text is too small or crowded. Mobile layout breaks. Images are missing or blurry.

Interaction

15% of total score

Transitions are smooth. Controls respond instantly. The user experience is polished and feels intentional.

Criteria

  • Slide transitions are smooth. Fade and slide effect is visible but not jarring. Transition duration is consistent (0.5 seconds typical).
  • No lag or stutter. Clicking a dot or arrow immediately shows the next slide. No delay.
  • Progress bar animates smoothly. Bar width changes smoothly as slides advance. Not instant or jerky.
  • Active dot highlights correctly. Active dot is accent-colored and slightly wider. When you click a dot, it becomes the active dot.
  • Keyboard nav is responsive. Pressing arrow keys advances slides instantly. No delay between key press and slide change.
  • Mouse hover states work. Hovering over a dot or arrow shows subtle visual feedback (color change, scale). Indicates clickability.
  • No unintended animations. Only slide transitions should animate. Text shouldn’t fade in / out unexpectedly. Stat cards shouldn’t move or resize.
  • Slide counter updates instantly. When you navigate, counter changes immediately (e.g., “3 / 9” → “4 / 9”).
Gate 4 Checklist
  • Slide transitions are smooth and visible
  • No lag when clicking dots or arrows
  • No lag with keyboard arrow keys
  • Progress bar animates smoothly
  • Active dot highlights and widens
  • Hover states visible on interactive elements
  • Slide counter updates instantly
  • Transitions are not too fast or too slow
  • No unintended animations on non-interactive elements
PassUser navigates smoothly through deck. All interactions feel responsive and polished. No janky animations or lag.
FailTransitions are jerky or invisible. Clicking doesn’t advance slides. Keyboard nav is slow. Progress bar doesn’t move. Hover states are missing.

Deliverability

15% of total score

The deck is a single, self-contained HTML file. No external dependencies (except Google Fonts). Opens in any modern browser without setup.

Criteria

  • Single HTML file. Not a folder with multiple files. Everything is in one .html file.
  • No external CSS files. All styles are in <style> tag within the HTML head.
  • No external JS files. All JavaScript is in <script> tag at the bottom of the HTML.
  • Google Fonts only. The only external dependency is Google Fonts loaded via <link>. No local font files needed.
  • Opens in any browser. Works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge without warnings or errors. HTML5 compatible.
  • Reasonable file size. HTML file is under 500KB (most decks are 150-300KB).
  • Valid HTML. No unclosed tags. No broken markup. Passes basic HTML validation.
  • No console errors on load. Open dev tools (F12). Console should be clean on initial load and after navigation.
  • Can be shared as email attachment. Single file is easy to email and download. No setup required for recipient.
  • Preserves state on reload. If user is on slide 5 and refreshes, they return to the start (slide 0 is acceptable). Persisting via localStorage is a nice-to-have.
Gate 5 Checklist
  • Single .html file (not a folder)
  • All CSS inline in <style>
  • All JS inline in <script>
  • Only external resource is Google Fonts
  • No broken image / asset links
  • Opens in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • File size under 500KB
  • Valid HTML5 (no broken tags)
  • No console errors on load
  • Can be emailed as attachment
PassUser receives single .html file. Opens immediately in any browser. Can be sent via email. No setup required.
FailMultiple files or folders required. External CSS / JS files missing. Broken image links. Console errors on load. Requires installation or setup.

Testing Workflow

Use this workflow to QC a deck against all five gates. Total time: 30 minutes thorough, 10 minutes tight.

Step 1 — Environment Setup (5 minutes)

  1. Download the HTML file or open from disk.
  2. Open in a new browser tab (Chrome recommended).
  3. Open Developer Tools (F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I). Go to Console tab.

Step 2 — Gate 1: Completeness (5 minutes)

  1. Check console for errors. Should be clean.
  2. Count slides by clicking through all dots. Note total slide count.
  3. Verify this matches the planned slide count.
  4. Click each dot. Verify it navigates to the correct slide.
  5. Test arrow buttons at start and end (should disable).
  6. Press left and right arrow keys. Verify navigation.
  7. Watch progress bar as you advance. It should go from 0% to 100%.
  8. Watch slide counter. Should read “1 / X”, “2 / X”, etc.

Step 3 — Gate 2: Content (10 minutes)

  1. Read every slide title and body text carefully.
  2. Check talking points against the original brief. All covered?
  3. Check stat cards against the data in the brief. Numbers correct?
  4. Look for typos, misspellings, poor grammar. Flag any issues.
  5. Verify the narrative flows logically. Does it tell a coherent story?
  6. Check the last slide for CTA. Is it clear what the audience should do next?
  7. Verify the key message is reinforced throughout.

Step 4 — Gate 3: Visual Design (5 minutes)

  1. Scroll through all slides. Do backgrounds alternate nicely (dark → ivory → white)?
  2. Check stat grids. Do all cards have consistent spacing and styling?
  3. Check split layouts. Does text align left, visual align right?
  4. Verify fonts are readable. Headings should be large. Body text should be 18px+.
  5. Look for color consistency. Is accent used consistently (labels, progress bar, dots)?
  6. Resize the browser to 375px wide (mobile). Verify layout doesn’t break.
  7. Look for any missing images, broken layouts, or misaligned elements.

Step 5 — Gate 4: Interaction (5 minutes)

  1. Click a dot. Slide should change smoothly with fade / slide effect. No jerky transitions.
  2. Press arrow keys. Should advance / retreat smoothly.
  3. Watch progress bar. Should animate smoothly as you advance.
  4. Hover over dots and arrows. Should see hover effect (color change, scale).
  5. Watch active dot. Should be accent-colored, slightly wider, and change as you navigate.
  6. Navigate quickly (click 5 dots in rapid succession). Should not lag or stutter.

Step 6 — Gate 5: Deliverability (2 minutes)

  1. Check file size. Open file properties. Should be under 500KB.
  2. Verify it’s a single .html file (not a folder).
  3. Try opening in a different browser (Firefox or Safari). Should work identically.
  4. Inspect the HTML source (Ctrl+U). Verify all CSS and JS are inline.
  5. No broken image links (console would show 404 errors).

Total QC time: 30 minutes for thorough testing.

Shortcut (if time is tight): 10 minutes minimum. Focus on: navigating all slides (Gate 1), reading content against brief (Gate 2), checking mobile responsiveness (Gate 3).

Scoring

Each gate has a weight. A deck “passes” if it meets all criteria in all five gates.

Gate Weight
Gate 1  Completeness25 points
Gate 2  Content25 points
Gate 3  Visual Design20 points
Gate 4  Interaction15 points
Gate 5  Deliverability15 points
Total100 points · Pass threshold 90+

In practice. A deck either passes all gates or it doesn’t. Minor issues (one typo, one slow transition) don’t block delivery. Major issues (missing slides, broken navigation, no CTA) require rework before delivery.