% =========================================================
% Durham Beamer Theme — Demo Deck (CTAN)
% Author: Suhail Rizwan (Durham University)
% =========================================================
\documentclass[11pt,aspectratio=169]{beamer}

% --- Load the theme ---
\usetheme{Durham}

% --- Minimal packages ---
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb}

% --- Title metadata ---
\title[Durham Theme Demo]{Durham Beamer Theme}
\subtitle{A content-first theme for teaching and research}
\author[S. Rizwan]{Suhail Rizwan}
\institute{Durham University}
\date{\today}

% --- Optional: a simple macro used in this demo only ---
\newcommand{\DemoTag}[1]{\texttt{#1}}

\begin{document}

% ---------------------------------------------------------
% Title (should be excluded from progress)
% ---------------------------------------------------------
\maketitle

% ---------------------------------------------------------
% Outline (should be excluded from progress)
% ---------------------------------------------------------

\DurhamOutline

% =========================================================
\section{Motivation}
% =========================================================

\subsection{The Beamer Ecosystem}

\begin{frame}{The Strength of the Beamer Ecosystem}
Beamer has a rich and mature ecosystem that remains central to academic life: \par\medskip
\begin{itemize}
  \item conceptually well-designed themes,
  \item strong support for structure and navigation,
  \item deep integration into teaching and research workflows.
\end{itemize}
\medskip
Many existing themes are genuinely effective and widely trusted in academia.
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{Where Tension Emerges in Daily Use}
In everyday academic work, a recurring tension appears: \par\medskip
\begin{itemize}
  \item themes that look impressive in short demonstrations,
  \item but feel heavy in long lectures or multi-hour workshops,
  \item and visually crowded when slides carry dense material.
\end{itemize}
\medskip
A common experience is that:
\begin{itemize}
  \item large visual bands consume valuable content space,
  \item navigation elements compete with slide material,
  \item presenters adapt content to the theme rather than the reverse.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\subsection{What Typically Breaks}

\begin{frame}{What Typically Breaks in Real Use}
Across teaching and research presentations, three issues recur:
\begin{itemize}
  \item \textbf{Readability under density}
    \begin{itemize}
      \item hierarchy weakens as slides become fuller,
      \item spacing degrades under pressure.
    \end{itemize}
  \item \textbf{Structural over-assertion}
    \begin{itemize}
      \item navigation draws attention to itself,
      \item visual noise increases as structure deepens.
    \end{itemize}
  \item \textbf{Loss of pacing awareness}
    \begin{itemize}
      \item speakers lose a sense of progress,
      \item audiences lose a sense of direction.
    \end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\subsection{Design Gap}

\begin{frame}{A Gap Between Design and Practice}
Over time, many presenters want:
\begin{itemize}
  \item the structural clarity of classic Beamer themes,
  \item the calm aesthetics of modern minimalist design,
  \item without excessive colour, bands, or visual rules.
\end{itemize}
\medskip
A content-first theme should:
\begin{itemize}
  \item stay visually quiet when content is dense,
  \item remain structured without becoming intrusive,
  \item adapt naturally to the presenter’s workflow.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{What the Durham Theme Optimizes For}
This demo deck showcases the Durham theme under realistic academic conditions:
\begin{itemize}
  \item long-form structure (\DemoTag{\textbackslash section}, optional \DemoTag{\textbackslash subsection}),
  \item stable layout for dense text, lists, and mathematics,
  \item navigation that orients without competing for attention,
  \item progress that remains truthful by excluding non-content frames.
\end{itemize}
\medskip
\textbf{Design note:} the palette is inspired by Durham University’s visual identity; the theme is not an official or endorsed institutional template.
\end{frame}

% =========================================================
\section{Development}
% =========================================================

\subsection{Design Principles}

\begin{frame}{Core Design Principles}
Every design decision was tested against realistic academic scenarios:
\begin{itemize}
  \item \textbf{Minimalism:} only elements with a clear purpose are visible
  \item \textbf{Consistency:} predictable layout across all frames
  \item \textbf{Hierarchy:} titles, bullets, and sub-bullets clearly separated
  \item \textbf{Restraint:} navigation present but visually quiet
  \item \textbf{Robustness:} no reliance on fragile, optional structure
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{Typography and Spacing Under Stress}
Academic slides are often dense because the material itself is dense.
Under such conditions, the theme should:
\begin{itemize}
  \item remain calm rather than amplify complexity,
  \item preserve spacing and hierarchy,
  \item avoid forcing artificial slide breaks.
\end{itemize}
\medskip
This matters most in multi-week courses and technical seminars.
\end{frame}

\subsection{Structural Logic}

\begin{frame}{Sections as Chapters}
Sections are treated as meaningful milestones:
\begin{itemize}
  \item consistent opening slide resets attention,
  \item identical behaviour across all sections,
  \item useful in long lectures and seminars.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{Subsections as Optional Signposts}
Subsections are intentionally optional:
\begin{itemize}
  \item they enhance clarity when needed,
  \item their absence never breaks layout or navigation,
  \item presenters never add structure just to satisfy the theme.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

% =========================================================
\section{Implementation}
% =========================================================

\subsection{Technical Design}

\begin{frame}{Theme Architecture (Conceptual)}
The theme is organized so the presenter changes as little as possible:
\begin{itemize}
  \item a calm visual baseline with restrained color use,
  \item typography tuned for sustained reading,
  \item headline and progress indicators used as subtle orientation aids.
\end{itemize}
\medskip
Goal: not to impress visually, but to remain dependable and unobtrusive in long sessions.
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{Navigation as Orientation, Not Decoration}
Navigation is intentionally understated.

\medskip
\textbf{For presenters:}
\begin{itemize}
  \item continuous sense of progress in long lectures,
  \item support for pacing without external timers,
  \item reduced cognitive load during delivery.
\end{itemize}

\medskip
\textbf{For audiences:}
\begin{itemize}
  \item clear orientation without distraction,
  \item stable sense of where the talk is heading.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

% ---------------------------------------------------------
% Showcase: math + text stability
% ---------------------------------------------------------
\begin{frame}{Mathematics Under Realistic Layout Stress}
The theme should remain stable when equations and text coexist:
\[
y_t = \alpha + \beta x_t + \varepsilon_t,\qquad t=1,2,\ldots,T
\]
\[
\hat{\beta} =
\frac{\sum_{t=1}^{T}(x_t-\bar{x})(y_t-\bar{y})}{\sum_{t=1}^{T}(x_t-\bar{x})^2}
\]
\medskip
\begin{itemize}
  \item equations should not force awkward spacing,
  \item surrounding text should remain readable.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

% ---------------------------------------------------------
% Showcase: blocks, table, and nested lists
% ---------------------------------------------------------
\begin{frame}{Blocks and Emphasis}
\begin{block}{Principle}
Navigation should support comprehension, not compete with content.
\end{block}

\begin{alertblock}{Failure Mode}
If navigation becomes visually dominant, it increases cognitive load.
\end{alertblock}

\begin{exampleblock}{Design Outcome}
A quiet theme makes dense slides easier to deliver and easier to follow.
\end{exampleblock}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{Tables and Alignment}
A small table to test spacing and typography:
\medskip

\begin{tabular}{@{}lccc@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Element} & \textbf{Goal} & \textbf{Risk} & \textbf{Mitigation} \\
\midrule
Headline & Orientation & Distraction & restrained contrast \\
Footline & Pacing & Visual noise & minimal geometry \\
Sections & Structure & Fragmentation & consistent transitions \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}

\medskip
Tables should remain clean and consistent with surrounding typography.
\end{frame}



% =========================================================
\section{Conclusion}
% =========================================================

\begin{frame}{Demo: A Section With No Subsections}
This frame exists to demonstrate a common edge-case:
\begin{itemize}
  \item some sections in real lectures are short,
  \item they may not justify \DemoTag{\textbackslash subsection},
  \item the theme should remain stable and navigable regardless.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{What the Durham Theme Delivers}
The Durham theme is designed for everyday academic use:
\begin{itemize}
  \item calm, neutral visual environment,
  \item stable layout for dense and sparse content,
  \item structural clarity without visual noise,
  \item navigation that supports pacing rather than competing for attention.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}{An Open Question}
This theme reflects experience of teaching and research over time.

\medskip
A question for regular Beamer users:
\begin{itemize}
  \item which aspects of this approach feel most useful in practice?
  \item where could minimalism be pushed further without losing structure?
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

% ---------------------------------------------------------
% Thank you (should be excluded from progress)
% ---------------------------------------------------------

\Durhamthankyou

% ---------------------------------------------------------
% Showcase: non-counted references
% ---------------------------------------------------------
\appendix
\section*{References}

\begin{DurhamReferences}
\small
\begin{thebibliography}{9}

\bibitem{beamer}
Till Tantau.
\newblock \emph{The Beamer Class}.
\newblock Available with standard TeX distributions.

\bibitem{metropolis}
The Metropolis Contributors.
\newblock \emph{Metropolis: a modern beamer theme}.
\newblock Conceptual influence acknowledged; no code reuse.

\end{thebibliography}
\end{DurhamReferences}


\end{document}
