ux-audit

# Design Audit Skill Evaluate interfaces against proven UX principles. Based on [Making UX Decisions](https://uxdecisions.com) by Tommy Geoco. ## When to Use This Skill - Making UI/UX design decisions under time pressure - Evaluating design trade-offs with business context - Choosing appropriate UI patterns for specific problems - Reviewing designs for completeness and quality - Structuring design thinking for new interfaces ## Core Philosophy **Speed ≠ Recklessness.** Designing quickly is not automatically reckless. Recklessly designing quickly is reckless. The difference is intentionality. ## The 3 Pillars of Warp-Speed Decisioning 1. **Scaffolding** — Rules you use to automate recurring decisions 2. **Decisioning** — Process you use for making new decisions 3. **Crafting** — Checklists you use for executing decisions ## Quick Reference Structure ### Foundational Frameworks - `references/00-core-framework.md` — 3 pillars, decisioning workflow, macro bets - `references/01-anchors.md` — 7 foundational mindsets for design resilience - `references/02-information-scaffold.md` — Psychology, economics, accessibility, defaults ### Checklists (Execution) - `references/10-checklist-new-interfaces.md` — 6-step process for designing new interfaces - `references/11-checklist-fidelity.md` — Component states, interactions, scalability, feedback - `references/12-checklist-visual-style.md` — Spacing, color, elevation, typography, motion - `references/13-checklist-innovation.md` — 5 levels of originality spectrum ### Patterns (Reusable Solutions) - `references/20-patterns-chunking.md` — Cards, tabs, accordions, pagination, carousels - `references/21-patterns-progressive-disclosure.md` — Tooltips, popovers, drawers, modals - `references/22-patterns-cognitive-load.md` — Steppers, wizards, minimalist nav, simplified forms - `references/23-patterns-visual-hierarchy.md` — Typography, color, whitespace, size, proximity - `references/24-patterns-social-proof.md` — Testimonials, UGC, badges, social integration - `references/25-patterns-feedback.md` — Progress bars, notifications, validation, contextual help - `references/26-patterns-error-handling.md` — Form validation, undo/redo, dialogs, autosave - `references/27-patterns-accessibility.md` — Keyboard nav, ARIA, alt text, contrast, zoom - `references/28-patterns-personalization.md` — Dashboards, adaptive content, preferences, l10n - `references/29-patterns-onboarding.md` — Tours, contextual tips, tutorials, checklists - `references/30-patterns-information.md` — Breadcrumbs, sitemaps, tagging, faceted search - `references/31-patterns-navigation.md` — Priority nav, off-canvas, sticky, bottom nav ## Usage Instructions ### For Design Decisions 1. Read `00-core-framework.md` for the decisioning workflow 2. Identify if this is a recurring decision (use scaffold) or new decision (use process) 3. Apply the 3-step weighing: institutional knowledge → user familiarity → research ### For New Interfaces 1. Follow the 6-step checklist in `10-checklist-new-interfaces.md` 2. Reference relevant pattern files for specific UI components 3. Use fidelity and visual style checklists to enhance quality ### For Pattern Selection 1. Identify the core problem (chunking, disclosure, cognitive load, etc.) 2. Load the relevant pattern reference 3. Evaluate benefits, use cases, psychological principles, and implementation guidelines ## Decision Workflow Summary When facing a UI decision: ``` 1. WEIGH INFORMATION ├─ What does institutional knowledge say? (existing patterns, brand, tech constraints) ├─ What are users familiar with? (conventions, competitor patterns) └─ What does research say? (user testing, analytics, studies) 2. NARROW OPTIONS ├─ Eliminate what conflicts with constraints ├─ Prioritize what aligns with macro bets └─ Choose based on JTBD support 3. EXECUTE └─ Apply relevant checklist + patterns ``` ## Macro Bet Categories Companies win through one or more of: | Bet | Description | Design Implication | |-----|-------------|-------------------| | **Velocity** | Features to market faster | Reuse patterns, find metaphors in other markets | | **Efficiency** | Manage waste better | Design systems, reduce WIP | | **Accuracy** | Be right more often | Stronger research, instrumentation | | **Innovation** | Discover untapped potential | Novel patterns, cross-domain inspiration | Always align micro design bets with company macro bets. ## Key Principle: Good Design Decisions Are Relative A design decision is "good" when it: - Supports the product's jobs-to-be-done - Aligns with company macro bets - Respects constraints (time, tech, team) - Balances user familiarity with differentiation needs There is no universally correct UI solution—only contextually appropriate ones. --- ## Generating Audit Reports When asked to audit a design, generate a comprehensive report. Always include these sections: ### Required Sections (always include) 1. **Visual Hierarchy** — Headings, CTAs, grouping, reading flow, type scale, color hierarchy, whitespace 2. **Visual Style** — Spacing consistency, color usage, elevation/depth, typography, motion/animation 3. **Accessibility** — Keyboard navigation, focus states, contrast ratios, screen reader support, touch targets ### Contextual Sections (include when relevant) 4. **Navigation** — For multi-page apps: wayfinding, breadcrumbs, menu structure, information architecture 5. **Usability** — For interactive flows: discoverability, feedback, error handling, cognitive load 6. **Onboarding** — For new user experiences: first-run, tutorials, progressive disclosure 7. **Social Proof** — For landing/marketing pages: testimonials, trust signals, social integration 8. **Forms** — For data entry: labels, validation, error messages, field types ### Audit Output Format ```json { "title": "Design Name — Screen/Flow", "project": "Project Name", "date": "YYYY-MM-DD", "figma_url": "optional", "screenshot_url": "optional - URL to screenshot", "macro_bets": [ { "category": "velocity|efficiency|accuracy|innovation", "description": "...", "alignment": "strong|moderate|weak" } ], "jtbd": [ { "user": "User Type", "situation": "context without 'When'", "motivation": "goal without 'I want to'", "outcome": "benefit without 'so I can'" } ], "visual_hierarchy": { "title": "Visual Hierarchy", "checks": [ { "label": "Check name", "status": "pass|warn|fail|na", "notes": "Details" } ] }, "visual_style": { ... }, "accessibility": { ... }, "priority_fixes": [ { "rank": 1, "title": "Fix title", "description": "What and why", "framework_reference": "XX-filename.md → Section Name" } ], "notes": "Optional overall observations" } ``` ### Checks Per Section (aim for 6-10 each) **Visual Hierarchy**: heading distinction, primary action clarity, grouping/proximity, reading flow, type scale, color hierarchy, whitespace usage, visual weight balance **Visual Style**: spacing consistency, color palette adherence, elevation/shadows, typography system, border/radius consistency, icon style, motion principles **Accessibility**: keyboard operability, visible focus, color contrast (4.5:1), touch targets (44px), alt text, semantic markup, reduced motion support **Navigation**: clear current location, predictable menu behavior, breadcrumb presence, search accessibility, mobile navigation pattern **Usability**: feature discoverability, feedback on actions, error prevention, recovery options, cognitive load management, loading states