UX Decisions

UX Decisions Skill

A comprehensive UI design decision-making framework based on "Making UX Decisions" by Tommy Geoco (uxdecisions.com). Enables rapid, intentional interface design in competitive, high-pressure environments.

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:

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.