name	ui-refactor
description	Tactical user interface design guide for fixing layouts, selecting colors/fonts, and creating professional UIs. Use when the user asks to "make this look better," needs help with CSS/styling decisions, wants to create a design system, or needs to fix a cluttered interface.

UI Refactoring and Design

This skill applies tactical, logical rules to user interface design. It prioritizes clarity, hierarchy, and systems over "artistic talent."

Feature First: Do not start by designing a "shell" (nav bars, sidebars). Start with the specific functionality (e.g., the search form, the contact card).
Low Fidelity: Ignore color, shadows, and fonts initially. Design in grayscale using a thick marker or basic wireframes to solve layout and spacing first.
Define Systems: Do not use arbitrary values. establishing restrictive systems for spacing, type, and color immediately.
Refine: Apply specific tactics for hierarchy, depth, and polish.

Consult these references for specific implementation rules:

Making elements stand out/fit in: See hierarchy.md (Size, weight, contrast, semantics).
Whitespace and alignment: See layout-spacing.md (Grids, spacing scales, density).
Text and fonts: See typography.md (Type scales, line-height, fonts).
Colors and palettes: See color.md (HSL, saturation, accessible contrast).
Images, shadows, and polish: See depth-and-polish.md (Light sources, assets, finishing touches).

Limit Choices: If you can't decide between two options, you have too many choices. constrain your inputs (colors, font sizes, spacing) to a pre-defined scale.
Personality:
- Serious/Elegant: Serif fonts, sharp corners, gold/blue colors, formal language.
- Playful/Friendly: Rounded sans-serifs, large border-radius, pink/orange, casual language.
Complexity: Do not design for edge cases first. Design the "happy path" (simple version), then iterate for complexity.

name	ui-refactor
description	Tactical user interface design guide for fixing layouts, selecting colors/fonts, and creating professional UIs. Use when the user asks to "make this look better," needs help with CSS/styling decisions, wants to create a design system, or needs to fix a cluttered interface.

This skill applies tactical, logical rules to user interface design. It prioritizes clarity, hierarchy, and systems over "artistic talent."

Feature First: Do not start by designing a "shell" (nav bars, sidebars). Start with the specific functionality (e.g., the search form, the contact card).
Low Fidelity: Ignore color, shadows, and fonts initially. Design in grayscale using a thick marker or basic wireframes to solve layout and spacing first.
Define Systems: Do not use arbitrary values. establishing restrictive systems for spacing, type, and color immediately.
Refine: Apply specific tactics for hierarchy, depth, and polish.

Consult these references for specific implementation rules:

Making elements stand out/fit in: See hierarchy.md (Size, weight, contrast, semantics).
Whitespace and alignment: See layout-spacing.md (Grids, spacing scales, density).
Text and fonts: See typography.md (Type scales, line-height, fonts).
Colors and palettes: See color.md (HSL, saturation, accessible contrast).
Images, shadows, and polish: See depth-and-polish.md (Light sources, assets, finishing touches).

Limit Choices: If you can't decide between two options, you have too many choices. constrain your inputs (colors, font sizes, spacing) to a pre-defined scale.
Personality:
- Serious/Elegant: Serif fonts, sharp corners, gold/blue colors, formal language.
- Playful/Friendly: Rounded sans-serifs, large border-radius, pink/orange, casual language.
Complexity: Do not design for edge cases first. Design the "happy path" (simple version), then iterate for complexity.

ui-refactor