design-preferences

timequity's avatarfrom timequity

Gather user design preferences before building UI.Use when: starting a project with visual interface (Web App, Mobile, Browser Extension).Triggers: "design preferences", "visual style", "choose theme", "design step".

⭐0stars🔀0forks📁View on GitHub🕐Updated Dec 18, 2025

When & Why to Use This Skill

This Claude skill streamlines the initial UI design phase by systematically gathering user preferences for visual style, themes, typography, and motion. It eliminates ambiguity in frontend development by generating a comprehensive `docs/DESIGN.md` specification, ensuring the final product aligns with the user's aesthetic vision and project priorities. By establishing a 'design source of truth' early, it prevents costly visual reworks and ensures brand consistency across web apps, mobile platforms, and browser extensions.

Use Cases

  • Scenario 1: Starting a new SaaS or Web App project and needing to define a professional visual identity (e.g., 'Dark & Professional' or 'Modern Minimalist') before writing any frontend code.
  • Scenario 2: Rapidly prototyping an MVP where a 'Functional' design priority is needed to ensure a clean, usable interface without over-investing in custom aesthetics.
  • Scenario 3: Developing a brand-consistent mobile application or browser extension by documenting specific color hex codes, font pairings, and animation levels in a structured format.
  • Scenario 4: Integrating design requirements into an automated development workflow (like /ship), providing the AI agent with clear visual constraints to follow during the build phase.
namedesign-preferences
description|
Use whenstarting a project with visual interface (Web App, Mobile, Browser Extension).
Triggers"design preferences", "visual style", "choose theme", "design step".

Design Preferences

Gather user preferences for visual design before building. Creates docs/DESIGN.md with selected choices.

When to Use

Applies to project types with UI:

  • Web App (SaaS)
  • Mobile App
  • Browser Extension
  • Telegram Bot (if inline keyboards / web app)

Skip for:

  • REST API (no UI)
  • GraphQL API (no UI)
  • CLI Tool (terminal only)
  • Data Pipeline
  • Library/SDK

Question Flow

Step 1: Design Priority

question: "Насколько важен дизайн для этого проекта?"
header: "Design"
options:
  - label: "Профессиональный"
    description: "Уникальный стиль, впечатляет пользователей"
  - label: "Функциональный"
    description: "Чистый и понятный, без лишнего"
  - label: "Минимальный MVP"
    description: "Работает -> достаточно, стиль потом"

If "Минимальный MVP" -> Skip remaining questions, use defaults.

Step 2: Aesthetic Direction

question: "Какой визуальный стиль ближе?"
header: "Style"
options:
  - label: "Minimalist"
    description: "Много пространства, чистые линии"
  - label: "Bold & Modern"
    description: "Яркие акценты, современный"
  - label: "Soft & Friendly"
    description: "Округлые формы, мягкие тона"
  - label: "Dark & Professional"
    description: "Тёмная тема, серьёзный"
  - label: "Colorful & Playful"
    description: "Яркие цвета, игривый"

Step 3: Theme Selection

Based on aesthetic direction, offer matching themes from theme-factory:

Direction Matching Themes
Minimalist Modern Minimalist, Arctic Frost
Bold & Modern Tech Innovation, Sunset Boulevard
Soft & Friendly Desert Rose, Botanical Garden
Dark & Professional Ocean Depths, Midnight Galaxy
Colorful & Playful Golden Hour, Sunset Boulevard
question: "Какая цветовая схема?"
header: "Theme"
options:
  - label: "{Theme 1}"
    description: "{Primary colors}"
  - label: "{Theme 2}"
    description: "{Primary colors}"
  - label: "Custom"
    description: "Опишу свои цвета"

If "Custom" -> Ask follow-up: "Опиши желаемые цвета или бренд"

Step 4: Typography Style

question: "Какой стиль текста?"
header: "Fonts"
options:
  - label: "Sans-Serif (современный)"
    description: "Чистый, технологичный"
  - label: "Serif (классический)"
    description: "Традиционный, солидный"
  - label: "Mixed (заголовки/текст)"
    description: "Display + body fonts"

Step 5: Animation Level

question: "Сколько анимации?"
header: "Motion"
options:
  - label: "Subtle"
    description: "Только hover эффекты"
  - label: "Moderate"
    description: "Переходы, hover, scroll"
  - label: "Rich"
    description: "Page transitions, stagger, parallax"
  - label: "None"
    description: "Без анимации"

Output: docs/DESIGN.md

# Design Specification

## Priority
{Professional / Functional / MVP}

## Aesthetic Direction
{Selected style}

## Theme
**Name:** {theme name}
**Colors:**
- Primary: {hex}
- Secondary: {hex}
- Accent: {hex}
- Background: {hex}
- Text: {hex}

**Fonts:**
- Headers: {font name}
- Body: {font name}

## Motion
**Level:** {Subtle / Moderate / Rich / None}
**Patterns:**
- Hover: {yes/no}
- Page transitions: {yes/no}
- Scroll animations: {yes/no}
- Loading states: {yes/no}

## Implementation Notes
- Use CSS variables for theme colors
- Follow frontend-design skill principles
- Avoid generic fonts (Inter, Roboto, Arial)
- {Additional notes based on choices}

Default Values (MVP mode)

If user chooses "Минимальный MVP":

  • Theme: Modern Minimalist
  • Fonts: System sans-serif
  • Motion: None
  • Priority: Ship fast, style later

Integration with /ship

Place this step between Phase 1 (Idea Validation) and Phase 2 (Project Setup):

Phase 1: Idea Validation
  -> Step 1.6: Create PRD

Phase 1.5: Design Preferences   <-- NEW
  -> Ask design questions
  -> Create DESIGN.md

Phase 2: Project Setup
  -> Read PRD.md + DESIGN.md
  -> Apply theme to templates

Theme Details Reference

Ocean Depths

  • Primary: #1a2332 (Deep Navy)
  • Secondary: #2d8b8b (Teal)
  • Accent: #a8dadc (Seafoam)
  • Background: #f1faee (Cream)
  • Use: Corporate, finance, trust

Sunset Boulevard

  • Primary: #e76f51 (Burnt Orange)
  • Secondary: #f4a261 (Coral)
  • Accent: #e9c46a (Warm Sand)
  • Background: #264653 (Deep Purple)
  • Use: Creative, marketing, lifestyle

Forest Canopy

  • Primary: #2d4a2b (Forest Green)
  • Secondary: #7d8471 (Sage)
  • Accent: #a4ac86 (Olive)
  • Background: #faf9f6 (Ivory)
  • Use: Eco, wellness, organic

Modern Minimalist

  • Primary: #36454f (Charcoal)
  • Secondary: #708090 (Slate Gray)
  • Accent: #d3d3d3 (Light Gray)
  • Background: #ffffff (White)
  • Use: Tech, architecture, data

Golden Hour

  • Primary: #f4a900 (Mustard)
  • Secondary: #c1666b (Terracotta)
  • Accent: #d4b896 (Warm Beige)
  • Background: #4a403a (Chocolate)
  • Use: Food, hospitality, artisan

Arctic Frost

  • Primary: #d4e4f7 (Ice Blue)
  • Secondary: #4a6fa5 (Steel Blue)
  • Accent: #c0c0c0 (Silver)
  • Background: #fafafa (Crisp White)
  • Use: Healthcare, tech, clean

Desert Rose

  • Primary: #d4a5a5 (Dusty Rose)
  • Secondary: #b87d6d (Clay)
  • Accent: #e8d5c4 (Sand)
  • Background: #5d2e46 (Burgundy)
  • Use: Fashion, beauty, boutique

Tech Innovation

  • Primary: #0066ff (Electric Blue)
  • Secondary: #00ffff (Neon Cyan)
  • Accent: #ffffff (White)
  • Background: #1e1e1e (Dark Gray)
  • Use: Startups, AI/ML, digital

Botanical Garden

  • Primary: #4a7c59 (Fern Green)
  • Secondary: #f9a620 (Marigold)
  • Accent: #b7472a (Terracotta)
  • Background: #f5f3ed (Cream)
  • Use: Garden, food, natural

Midnight Galaxy

  • Primary: #2b1e3e (Deep Purple)
  • Secondary: #4a4e8f (Cosmic Blue)
  • Accent: #a490c2 (Lavender)
  • Background: #e6e6fa (Silver)
  • Use: Entertainment, gaming, creative