| name | cross-domain-seeing |
| description | Pull design principles from architecture, fashion, film, industrial design, and physical spaces into screen-based design. Use when seeking inspiration beyond digital, expanding creative range, or building cross-disciplinary design vocabulary. |
Cross-Domain Seeing
Learn design principles from everything that isn't a screen.
How to use
/cross-domain-seeing Apply cross-domain observation principles to this conversation./cross-domain-seeing <domain> Extract design principles from a specific non-digital domain.
Constraints
Transferable Principles
- MUST identify the underlying principle, not the surface aesthetic
- MUST translate observations into screen-applicable language
- "The museum uses a single material palette with one contrast accent" becomes "restrained palette with one accent color"
- "The restaurant spaces tables far apart" becomes "generous whitespace signals premium positioning"
- NEVER copy an aesthetic literally. Extract the principle and reapply it.
Domains to Draw From
- Architecture: spatial hierarchy, material relationships, light direction, density vs. openness
- Fashion: proportion, rhythm, texture contrast, restraint, the role of fit
- Film: pacing, focal point, color grading, tension, the cut as a design decision
- Industrial design: form following function, material honesty, ergonomics as interface
- Music: rhythm, dynamics, silence as design element, tension and resolution
Anti-Patterns
- Saying "inspired by Japanese minimalism" without naming the specific principle
- Collecting cross-domain references without connecting them to design problems
- Using architectural terms as jargon rather than genuine analytical tools
