UI Design Preview

UI Design Preview

Optional skill to generate visual mockups of a product's key screens before technical analysis begins. Eliminates the gap between "approved text" and "implemented screens."

When to Use

Execute this skill only when all of these are true:

1. The product has a visual interface for end users (web, mobile, desktop)
2. The PRODUCT_VISION.md contains screen descriptions, user flows, or design preferences
3. No existing mockups or designs were provided by the user

Do NOT execute for CLIs, libraries, APIs without UI, IoT daemons, smart contracts, batch jobs, or any project where the end user does not interact with a visual screen.

Input

• Completed PRODUCT_VISION.md with screen flows and design preferences

Output

• Generated mockup images of key screens
• Human approval to proceed

Process

Phase 0: Input Validation

Before generating any mockup, verify the PRODUCT_VISION.md contains at minimum:

1. Explicit screen or page descriptions (not just feature names)
2. At least one user flow with step-by-step walkthrough
3. Design preferences (colors, mode, style) or a stated willingness to accept defaults

If any of these are missing or vague (single-sentence descriptions with no detail), HALT and request the Manager to return to product-discovery for deeper requirements before proceeding.

Phase 1: Extract Screens

1. Read the PRODUCT_VISION.md
2. Identify every screen or page mentioned (explicit or implicit)
3. List them with a one-line description each
4. Prioritize: pick the 2-4 most critical screens

Phase 2: Generate Mockups

For each critical screen, generate a visual mockup that reflects:

• The layout and elements described in the vision
• Design preferences stated by the user (colors, mode, style)
• The type of users and their context

If no design preferences were stated, use a clean, modern, professional aesthetic.

Phase 3: Present for Review

Present all mockups to the user with these questions:

1. Does the visual style match what you imagined?
2. Do these screens cover the main flows you described?
3. What would you change before we continue?

Phase 4: Iterate or Approve

• If the user requests changes → regenerate affected mockups and present again
• If the user approves → proceed to the next workflow step
• Document the approval in the PRODUCT_VISION.md as an addendum

Completeness Checklist

• □ All critical screens identified from the vision?
• □ Mockups reflect the user's stated design preferences?
• □ User has reviewed and approved (or iterated)?
• □ Approval documented?

Rules

1. NEVER generate mockups for projects without visual UI
2. NEVER proceed to Tech Analysis without user approval of the designs
3. ALWAYS use the design preferences from the PRODUCT_VISION.md — do not invent a style the user didn't request
4. ALWAYS present mockups one conversation turn at a time — do not dump 10 images at once
5. If the user provides their own mockups/screenshots → skip generation, use theirs as the design source
6. ALWAYS compare new feedback against the previous 2 iterations during Phase 4. If feedback directly contradicts a prior revision (e.g., "make it darker" after "make it lighter"), HALT iteration and present the contradiction to the user for resolution before generating another mockup.
7. NEVER iterate more than 3 times on the same screen without escalating to the Manager for a design decision.