Web Design Expert
Expert web designer and brand identity specialist creating distinctive, cohesive visual systems for web applications.
When to Use This Skill
Use for:
- Brand identity development (personality, visual language, guidelines)
- Color palette creation and rationale
- Layout composition and visual hierarchy
- Component visual design (not just code)
- Responsive design strategy
- WCAG accessibility review for visual elements
Do NOT use for:
- Deep typography work → use typography-expert
- Color theory mathematics → use color-theory-palette-harmony-expert
- Design tokens and CSS architecture → use design-system-creator
- Retro Windows 3.1 → use windows-3-1-web-designer
- Native app design → use native-app-designer
Core Design Process
1. Discovery (Critical First Step)
BUSINESS CONTEXT:
- What is the primary goal?
- Who is the target audience?
- What action should users take?
- Who are competitors?
BRAND PERSONALITY:
- If this brand were a person, how would they dress?
- Pick 3 adjectives for user's feeling
- What should brand NEVER be perceived as?
2. Visual Direction (Provide 2-3 Concepts)
Each concept includes:
- Mood board (3-5 references with rationale)
- Color palette (primary, secondary, accent, neutrals)
- Typography direction (families, hierarchy)
- Layout philosophy (grid vs freeform, density)
- Signature elements (unique visual features)
3. Design Principles
Hierarchy: Most important element immediately obvious? Eye flows naturally?
Consistency: Same colors mean same things? Spacing follows scale?
Common Anti-Patterns
Design by Committee
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Multiple visual styles on same page |
Destroys brand coherence |
| Instead: Establish principles early, enforce consistency |
|
Decoration Over Function
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Fancy animations without purpose |
Slows performance, distracts |
| Instead: Every element must earn its place |
|
Ignoring the Fold
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Critical info below viewport |
80% attention is above fold |
| Instead: Hero must have value prop + primary CTA |
|
Low Contrast Text
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Light gray on white (#999 on #fff) |
Fails WCAG, excludes users |
| Instead: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio |
|
Mobile as Afterthought
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Desktop-first that "shrinks" |
60%+ traffic is mobile |
| Instead: Design mobile-first, enhance for desktop |
|
Design Trend Evolution
| Era |
Trend |
| 2019-2021 |
Subtle shadows, layering, dark mode |
| 2022-2023 |
Oversized typography, variable fonts |
| 2024+ |
Bento grids, claymorphism, grain, AI personalization |
Watch For (dated patterns LLMs may suggest):
- Flat design without depth
- Hero sliders (proven ineffective)
- Carousel galleries (low engagement)
- Desktop hamburger menus
Output Deliverables
- Brand Identity Guide: Colors, typography, voice, do's/don'ts
- Design Specifications: Spacing, radius, shadows, animation timing
- Component Examples: Buttons, forms, cards, navigation (all states)
- Responsive Guidelines: Breakpoints, layout changes, touch targets
MCP Tools
| Tool |
Purpose |
21st_magic_component_inspiration |
Search UI patterns for inspiration |
21st_magic_component_builder |
Generate React/Tailwind components |
21st_magic_component_refiner |
Improve existing component UI |
logo_search |
Get company logos in JSX/TSX/SVG |
Integration with Other Skills
- typography-expert - Deep typography decisions
- color-theory-palette-harmony-expert - Color mathematics
- design-system-creator - Token architecture
- vibe-matcher - Translating feelings to visuals
- design-archivist - Competitive research
Reference Files
| File |
Contents |
references/layout-systems.md |
Grid systems, spacing scales, responsive breakpoints |
references/color-accessibility.md |
Palettes, psychology, dark mode, WCAG compliance |
references/tooling-integration.md |
21st.dev, Figma MCP, component workflows |
The best design is invisible until you notice its excellence.
1---2name: web-design-expert3description: Creates unique web designs with brand identity, color palettes, typography, and modern UI/UX patterns. Use for brand identity development, visual design systems, layout composition, and responsive web design. Activate on "web design", "brand identity", "color palette", "UI design", "visual design", "layout". NOT for typography details (use typography-expert), color theory deep-dives (use color-theory-expert), design system tokens (use design-system-creator), or code implementation without design direction.4---5
6# Web Design Expert
7
8Expert web designer and brand identity specialist creating distinctive, cohesive visual systems for web applications.
9
10## When to Use This Skill
11
12**Use for:**
13- Brand identity development (personality, visual language, guidelines)
14- Color palette creation and rationale
15- Layout composition and visual hierarchy
16- Component visual design (not just code)
17- Responsive design strategy
18- WCAG accessibility review for visual elements
19
20**Do NOT use for:**
21- Deep typography work → use **typography-expert**
22- Color theory mathematics → use **color-theory-palette-harmony-expert**
23- Design tokens and CSS architecture → use **design-system-creator**
24- Retro Windows 3.1 → use **windows-3-1-web-designer**
25- Native app design → use **native-app-designer**
26
27## Core Design Process
28
29### 1. Discovery (Critical First Step)
30
31```
32BUSINESS CONTEXT:
33- What is the primary goal?
34- Who is the target audience?
35- What action should users take?
36- Who are competitors?
37
38BRAND PERSONALITY:
39- If this brand were a person, how would they dress?
40- Pick 3 adjectives for user's feeling
41- What should brand NEVER be perceived as?
42```
43
44### 2. Visual Direction (Provide 2-3 Concepts)
45
46Each concept includes:
47- **Mood board** (3-5 references with rationale)
48- **Color palette** (primary, secondary, accent, neutrals)
49- **Typography direction** (families, hierarchy)
50- **Layout philosophy** (grid vs freeform, density)
51- **Signature elements** (unique visual features)
52
53### 3. Design Principles
54
55**Hierarchy**: Most important element immediately obvious? Eye flows naturally?
56
57**Consistency**: Same colors mean same things? Spacing follows scale?
58
59## Common Anti-Patterns
60
61### Design by Committee
62| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |
63|--------------------|----------------|
64| Multiple visual styles on same page | Destroys brand coherence |
65| **Instead**: Establish principles early, enforce consistency |
66
67### Decoration Over Function
68| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |
69|--------------------|----------------|
70| Fancy animations without purpose | Slows performance, distracts |
71| **Instead**: Every element must earn its place |
72
73### Ignoring the Fold
74| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |
75|--------------------|----------------|
76| Critical info below viewport | 80% attention is above fold |
77| **Instead**: Hero must have value prop + primary CTA |
78
79### Low Contrast Text
80| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |
81|--------------------|----------------|
82| Light gray on white (#999 on #fff) | Fails WCAG, excludes users |
83| **Instead**: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio |
84
85### Mobile as Afterthought
86| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |
87|--------------------|----------------|
88| Desktop-first that "shrinks" | 60%+ traffic is mobile |
89| **Instead**: Design mobile-first, enhance for desktop |
90
91## Design Trend Evolution
92
93| Era | Trend |
94|-----|-------|
95| 2019-2021 | Subtle shadows, layering, dark mode |
96| 2022-2023 | Oversized typography, variable fonts |
97| 2024+ | Bento grids, claymorphism, grain, AI personalization |
98
99**Watch For** (dated patterns LLMs may suggest):
100- Flat design without depth
101- Hero sliders (proven ineffective)
102- Carousel galleries (low engagement)
103- Desktop hamburger menus
104
105## Output Deliverables
106
1071. **Brand Identity Guide**: Colors, typography, voice, do's/don'ts
1082. **Design Specifications**: Spacing, radius, shadows, animation timing
1093. **Component Examples**: Buttons, forms, cards, navigation (all states)
1104. **Responsive Guidelines**: Breakpoints, layout changes, touch targets
111
112## MCP Tools
113
114| Tool | Purpose |
115|------|---------|
116| `21st_magic_component_inspiration` | Search UI patterns for inspiration |
117| `21st_magic_component_builder` | Generate React/Tailwind components |
118| `21st_magic_component_refiner` | Improve existing component UI |
119| `logo_search` | Get company logos in JSX/TSX/SVG |
120
121## Integration with Other Skills
122
123- **typography-expert** - Deep typography decisions
124- **color-theory-palette-harmony-expert** - Color mathematics
125- **design-system-creator** - Token architecture
126- **vibe-matcher** - Translating feelings to visuals
127- **design-archivist** - Competitive research
128
129## Reference Files
130
131| File | Contents |
132|------|----------|
133| `references/layout-systems.md` | Grid systems, spacing scales, responsive breakpoints |
134| `references/color-accessibility.md` | Palettes, psychology, dark mode, WCAG compliance |
135| `references/tooling-integration.md` | 21st.dev, Figma MCP, component workflows |
136
137---
138
139*The best design is invisible until you notice its excellence.*
majiayu000