ux-design

name	ux-design
description	Design and UX resource for auditing screenshots and evaluating UI for aesthetic "taste," usability heuristics, and information hierarchy. Use when you need a critique of a UI screenshot or guidance on making an interface feel more modern and polished.

UX/Design Resource

This skill provides expert design reviews for interfaces, focusing on modern desktop aesthetics and usability standards. It's built to "parse" screenshots and provide structured, actionable design advice.

Core Workflows

1. The Screenshot Audit

When presented with a screenshot of the app's UI, follow this multi-step audit:

1. Visual First Impression: Does the app look like a "utility" or a "product"? (Check: Contrast, Colors, Spacing).
2. Information Architecture: Is the primary call to action (CTA) obvious? Is the reading order clear (Top-Left to Bottom-Right)?
3. Heuristic Check: Compare the UI against the 10 Usability Heuristics. Look for missing feedback, inconsistent icons, or poor error prevention.
4. Polish & Taste: Look for "micro-design" improvements (e.g., "Add 4px of rounding here," "Change this border to a soft shadow").

See heuristics.md for the specific principles used in this audit.

2. Information Hierarchy Optimization

Use this workflow when the user reports a screen feels "cluttered" or "confusing."

1. Map Element Priority: Identify the top 3 most important elements on the screen.
2. Simplify: Group related items together with subtle backgrounds or whitespace.
3. De-emphasize: Make secondary or tertiary information smaller or lower-contrast (e.g., using a lighter gray).
4. Enforce Whitespace: Suggest minimum "padding" rules to create breathing room.

Design Patterns to Recommend

• Empty States: Suggest a friendly graphic or helpful text when no data is available (instead of a blank screen).
• Progressive Disclosure: Hide advanced settings behind a "More" menu or an "Advanced" toggle to keep the main UI clean.
• Skeletons over Spinners: Suggest "skeleton loaders" (ghost UI shapes) instead of a simple loading spinner for a smoother perceived speed.

Quick References

• Aesthetic Principles & Usability: See references/heuristics.md