Designing Interfaces

Designing Interfaces

This is the fleet's consolidated interface-design workflow. Refero supplies the reference-research capability; the companion skills own focused implementation, review, performance, and test work.

Refero gives agents taste and product evidence. Use it before design work instead of relying on generic model knowledge.

Refero has three research layers:

1. Styles - visual direction and taste.
2. Screens - concrete UI patterns and product-screen decisions.
3. Flows - multi-step journey logic.

Best results come from combining layers: visual direction from styles, concrete UI patterns from screens, and sequencing from flows when the task has multiple steps.

Non-Negotiables

• Research before design work. Every design must be grounded in references before implementation. Do not rely on the model's generic design taste.
• Use styles first for visual work when Refero MCP tools are available. If tools are unavailable, use bundled craft references and keep the same reference-lock workflow.
• Do not copy one reference. Study several strong references and synthesize a new direction for the user's product.
• Do not average references into a safe middle. When references conflict, choose one dominant direction and preserve its sharp traits. Secondary references may add narrow details only.
• Reject category reflexes twice. First reject the default aesthetic implied by the product category. Then reject the predictable anti-default; choose a direction grounded in the brief and research instead.
• Use grid backgrounds only when the product has a grid. A two-axis gradient grid belongs to canvases, maps, blueprints, or measurement surfaces. Else use product structure or a plain surface.
• Do not change token meanings. If a reference says a color, font, radius, shadow, gradient, or component is for a specific role, use it only for that role or omit it.
• Respect imagery guidance. If a style depends on photography, illustration, product shots, or graphics, preserve the media role. Use real/generated/stock assets when available; otherwise create an intentional placeholder with art direction. Do not fake complex imagery with weak CSS, text, or decorative boxes.
• Do not use generic frontend/product design skills as a parallel design authority when this skill is available. This fleet skill is the design methodology; generic design skills tend to pull work back toward generic AI design.
• Research output must be specific. Name the references, describe concrete choices, and explain what will be adapted.
• No design from vibe memory. Every major visual, layout, content, or interaction decision must trace to Refero research, the user's brief, or a craft reference.
• Synthesize before implementation. Turn research into a concept, token direction, and concrete decision ledger before drawing or coding.
• A brief is not a build target. Before implementation, lock either a user-provided visual source, an existing product/design-system target, a selected generated mockup, or an explicit reference-locked direction approved for direct build.
• Use image generation only when it changes the outcome. Image generation can be slow and may not exist in every coding environment. Use it for visual exploration, mockups, imagery, illustrations, textures, and difficult assets; skip it for small fixes, obvious production edits, or code-native UI work.
• Validate after building visual work. Compare the rendered implementation against the locked target/reference before handoff. Fix actionable design drift instead of treating research as sufficient.

Companion Skills

This skill owns design direction: reference research, the visual lock, and the implementation direction. Use the companion skills only for their narrower roles:

• improving-web-interfaces for component construction and motion after the direction is locked.
• extracting-design-systems for turning repeated, proven interface patterns into tokens and components.
• reviewing-web-interfaces for deterministic anti-pattern and accessibility review.
• optimizing-react-interfaces for React performance work.
• testing-web-interfaces for browser and component-test coverage.

MCP Setup

This skill is useful on its own as a research-first design methodology and craft reference. Research is mandatory. Use Refero MCP for live style, screen, and flow research when available; otherwise research with bundled craft references and any user-provided references.

Typical MCP setup:

claude mcp add --transport http refero https://api.refero.design/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

For full tool details, read references/mcp-tools.md.

Discovery

Before researching, form a short design brief. Ask only for missing information that would materially change the result; otherwise make reasonable assumptions and proceed.

Clarify:

• what is being designed
• platform: web, iOS, or both
• audience and technical level
• primary user goal
• desired feeling or brand direction
• business/user objections to overcome
• constraints: existing brand, framework, deadline, accessibility, content
• whether the task needs visual direction, concrete UI patterns, journey logic, or a mix
• whether the task should go directly to code, produce visual options first, or create generated assets during implementation

Brief format:

Designing [WHAT] for [WHO] on [PLATFORM].
Goal: [PRIMARY USER GOAL].
Tone: [DESIRED FEELING].
Main objection/risk: [OBJECTION].
Must remember: [HOOK OR DISTINCTIVE IDEA].
Constraints: [CONSTRAINTS].
Research needed: [styles/screens/flows].
Path: [direct build / visual exploration / audit / asset generation].

Workflow Routing

Choose the lightest workflow that can produce a high-quality result.

• Direct build: use for small UI fixes, clear production edits, existing design-system work, or tasks with a concrete source to match. Research and lock the direction, then code.
• Visual exploration: use when the user asks for variants, a new visual language, a major redesign, a landing page, or another high-visibility surface with several plausible directions. Default to three reference-locked options and ask the user to choose; see references/visual-workflow.md.
• Audit: use captured screenshots, Refero screens, or flows as evidence before critique.
• Asset generation: use generated imagery only when the reference lock requires bitmap media that code, icons, or existing assets cannot faithfully provide; see references/visual-workflow.md.

Tool Routing

Use Styles First For Visual Work

Use refero_search_styles when the user asks to design, redesign, improve, polish, or create anything with a visual component.

A style is a semantic design reference extracted from a real web marketing/product page. It is not a screenshot and not a component library. Search results give previews; full style references from refero_get_style provide design guidance such as visual thesis, tokens, typography, layout/composition, section rhythm, spacing, elevation, surfaces, components, imagery treatment, implementation notes, and do/don't rules.

Current limitation: Refero styles currently cover web marketing/product pages such as landing pages, pricing pages, product marketing sites, editorial brand sites, and SaaS websites. They do not currently cover in-app dashboards, auth screens, settings screens, or iOS app screens as style systems. Still use styles for product UI tasks to establish visual language, then use screens/flows for product logic.

Use styles for:

• look and feel
• brand direction
• landing pages and marketing pages
• typography, palette, layout, section structure, spacing, radius, elevation, surfaces
• component treatments and sometimes component/code examples
• imagery and product screenshot treatment
• design-system inspiration
• making a generic interface feel more tasteful

Use Screens For Concrete UI Patterns

Use refero_search_screens when you need:

• a specific screen type
• a specific component or UI pattern
• page layout and content hierarchy
• copy and CTA patterns
• form/state examples
• dashboards, settings, modals, tables, pricing, empty states, auth, or product-screen details

After finding strong screens:

• use refero_get_screen for full details
• use refero_get_similar_screens to expand from a strong example
• use refero_get_screen_image only when raw screenshot inspection is needed

Use Flows For Journeys

Use refero_search_flows when the task has a before/after sequence:

• onboarding
• signup
• checkout
• subscription management
• cancellation
• account deletion
• password reset
• profile/settings changes
• any multi-step process

After finding a strong flow, use refero_get_flow for step-by-step goals, actions, system responses, and completion states.

Use Visual Workflow For Images And QA

For image generation, visual options, generated assets, and visual QA, read references/visual-workflow.md when the task needs it.

Research Workflow

1. Research Visual Direction With Styles

For any visual design task, start here.

Recommended loop:

1. Search 3-5 different visual angles.
2. Include one broad aesthetic query.
3. Include one domain/category query.
4. Include one known-brand or strong-product query when relevant.
5. Retrieve 3-4 strong styles with refero_get_style; full styles are large, so split larger research into multiple batches.
6. Compare what each style contributes.
7. Choose one primary foundation and borrow 1-2 specific details from other styles.
8. Lock the primary reference's signature traits before implementation.

Good style queries:

• editorial monochrome SaaS landing page
• warm trustworthy healthcare product marketing
• premium fintech website with restrained typography
• playful creator tool landing page with vivid accents
• developer tool website with product screenshots
• luxury ecommerce editorial product page
• productivity SaaS with airy spacing
• data infrastructure website dark technical style
• Attio editorial SaaS typography
• Linear changelog dark developer tool
• shadcn monochrome design system

Extract from styles:

• north star / visual thesis
• typography personality and type scale
• color roles and accent discipline
• spacing density and rhythm
• layout system, section rhythm, and composition patterns
• card/button/surface treatments
• borders, shadows, radius
• elevation and depth rules
• component examples and implementation/code notes when present
• imagery, graphics, illustration, or product screenshot treatment
• media asset strategy: real asset, generated/stock asset, code-native primitive, product screenshot, or placeholder
• do/don't rules
• one memorable visual move to adapt

Synthesis rule:

• Primary style: overall mood, density, and structure.
• Secondary styles: specific borrowed details.
• User context: adapt everything to the product, audience, and task.
• Do not use the average/intersection of all references. If one reference is dark, one is acid, and one is serif, the answer is not warm cream + muted orange + polite serif.

Never present the result as "copying X". Present it as a new direction inspired by several references.

Before implementation, create a reference lock:

Primary reference/direction: [one dominant source]
Preserve: [3-5 traits that must survive: canvas, type, accent, layout, density, media]
Borrow only: [1-2 specific secondary details]
Role rules: [source token/component meanings to preserve, e.g. CTA-only, code-only, decorative-only]
Media strategy: [real/generated/stock/code-native/placeholder, with aspect ratio and art direction]
Reject: [defaults/averages that would collapse the direction]
Token commitments: [background, type, accent, radius, border/shadow, imagery treatment, with roles]

If implementation drifts from the lock, stop and correct it. Do not soften distinctive traits into safer colors, safer fonts, softer radius, or generic section layouts. Reference lock is not cloning; it preserves selected traits while adapting content, brand, and interaction details to the user's product.

When combining styles, assign each source a bounded job. For example: one source may own canvas/type, another may own code-window treatment, and another may own primary CTA. Never move a token outside its source role: CTA colors stay CTA-only, syntax colors stay inside code, decorative gradients stay decorative, and card/button rules keep their specified radius, shadow, and state behavior.

If the primary style is image-led, do not replace it with text-only layout. If you cannot produce the needed image or graphic, preserve the slot with stable dimensions, aspect ratio, caption/alt text, and a short art-direction note. Build simple diagrams, icons, code windows, or geometric primitives only when they match the source style.

For substantial visual exploration, generated mockups, bitmap assets, or post-build visual QA, follow references/visual-workflow.md.

2. Research Screens For Product Details

Use screens when you need to know what the interface should contain or how real products solve a specific UI problem.

Good screen queries:

• pricing page annual monthly toggle
• feature comparison table
• dashboard empty state
• billing settings cancellation modal
• onboarding progress indicator
• 2FA setup recovery codes
• data table filters
• destructive action confirmation

Search by facts on the screen:

• page type
• component
• state
• company/product
• on-screen text

Avoid using screens as the primary style source when the task is visual. Use styles first, then screens for structure and concrete details.

Extract from screens:

• layout structure
• information hierarchy
• component choices
• CTA patterns
• content/copy patterns
• states and edge cases
• trust or conversion tactics
• concrete details worth adapting

3. Research Flows For Journey Logic

Use flows when there are multiple steps or a user changes state over time.

Good flow queries:

• signup onboarding
• checkout with promo code
• subscription cancellation
• account deletion feedback
• password reset 2FA
• workspace billing upgrade

If flow search is sparse, broaden the query. If still sparse, use screens and reconstruct the journey.

Extract from flows:

• entry point and exit state
• step count
• decisions the user makes
• friction reducers
• required confirmations
• save/recovery states
• error handling
• retention or persuasion moments
• system response at each step

Research Depth

Match depth to task risk.

For a quick visual improvement:

• 2-3 style searches
• 2-3 full styles
• 1 short synthesis

For a new landing page, brand direction, or major redesign:

• 3-5 style searches
• 3-4 full styles in one batch; use additional batches only when needed
• screen research for concrete sections/components
• clear visual direction before implementation

For a product workflow:

• styles for visual language
• screens for key states/components
• flows for sequencing

For high-stakes or ambiguous tasks:

• search from several angles
• inspect later pages
• compare strong and unusual references
• document tradeoffs before designing

Synthesis

Separate findings into three buckets.

Visual Direction

From styles:

• mood
• typography
• palette
• density
• surfaces
• imagery
• distinctive details
• do/don't rules

Output example:

Use a precise analytics SaaS foundation: white canvas, compact UI copy, restrained black
primary actions, thin borders, and product screenshots in framed panels. Borrow disciplined
accent use from another reference, but keep color rare.

Product Pattern

From screens:

• what the interface needs to contain
• common layouts
• component patterns
• states
• copy and CTAs
• specific tactics

Output example:

Pricing pages commonly put the billing toggle above plan cards, highlight one plan, and
move detailed feature comparison below. We should adapt the comparison structure but keep
the hero quieter because this product sells trust, not hype.

Journey Logic

From flows:

• steps
• decision points
• system responses
• user confidence and friction
• success/failure states

Output example:

Cancellation flows usually collect a reason, offer a relevant alternative, confirm the
destructive action, then state when access ends. The best flows give a clear return path.

Delivery and Craft

Before presenting research, implementing the direction, or doing final visual QA, read delivery-and-craft.md.

For UI labels, errors, empty states, confirmations, and recovery copy, read interface-copy.md.

For final tuning dials like clarify, distill, harden, onboard, bolder, quieter, and delight, read refinement-modes.md.