# Sketchnote

> Generate a branded visual overview of any feature from a PRD. Produces a copy-paste-ready prompt for Claude, ChatGPT, or any image-capable AI. Output is sized for Notion embeds and Slack shares (1080px width). Sits between /prd-draft and /generate-ai-prototype in the workflow.

- Skill: `talgacapri/sketchnote` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add talgacapri/sketchnote`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/talgacapri/sketchnote/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: talgacapri (https://skillmd.com/u/talgacapri)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/talgacapri/sketchnote

---


# Sketchnote Skill

Generate a clean visual feature overview from a PRD — sized for Notion and Slack, branded for your product.

This skill produces a **copy-paste-ready prompt** you take to Claude, ChatGPT (with image gen), or any AI that can render visual diagrams. It auto-fills the feature name, brand colors, and user problem from your active PRD so you're not rewriting boilerplate every time.

---

## Quick Start

1. Run `/sketchnote`
2. I check your active PRD for: feature name, problem statement, proposed solution, user journey
3. I generate a ready-to-use prompt — copy it, paste it into Claude or ChatGPT, attach the PRD
4. The AI renders your sketchnote; save the output to `outputs/prototypes/[feature]-sketchnote.png`

**Example:** "Create a sketchnote for the Bank Connect flow"

**Output:** Prompt saved to `outputs/prototypes/[feature]-sketchnote-prompt.md`

**Time:** 5 minutes to generate prompt, 2 minutes to render

---

## When to Use This Skill

- Communicating a new feature to stakeholders before engineering starts
- Embedding a visual summary in a Notion PRD page
- Sharing a feature overview in Slack without attaching the full spec
- Pre-meeting alignment — one image that replaces three slides
- Adding a visual layer to a PRD review panel session

---

## Workflow

### Step 1: Context Check

Before generating the prompt, I check the following in order:

| Source | Files | What I Extract |
|--------|-------|----------------|
| Active PRD | `outputs/prds/*.md`, `context-library/prds/*.md` | Feature name, problem statement, proposed solution, user journey steps |
| Your design system | `context-library/design-system/` or equivalent | Brand accent color, typography rules, surface colors |
| User research | `context-library/research/*.md` | Real user pain points and quotes to use in before/after |
| Past sketchnotes | `outputs/prototypes/*-sketchnote*` | Visual consistency with previous outputs |

If no PRD is open, I'll ask: **"Which feature is this for? Drop in the PRD or give me a quick description."**

### Step 2: Fill the Template

I substitute real context into the prompt template below — feature name, problem, solution, journey steps, brand color. No generic placeholders left in the final prompt.

### Step 3: Deliver the Prompt

I output the filled prompt in a code block you can copy directly. I also save it to `outputs/prototypes/[feature-name]-sketchnote-prompt.md`.

### Step 4: Render and Save

Take the prompt to your AI tool of choice, attach the PRD as context, and generate. Save the image output to `outputs/prototypes/[feature-name]-sketchnote.png`.

---

## The Core Prompt Template

This is the base prompt I fill in and hand to you. Variables in `[BRACKETS]` are replaced with real context from your workspace.

```
I'm attaching my product requirements document as MD. Read it fully, then generate a clean visual overview of [FEATURE NAME] that shows:

1. The user problem being solved (before/after comparison)
   Before: [SPECIFIC PAIN POINT FROM RESEARCH OR PRD]
   After: [THE OUTCOME THE FEATURE ENABLES]

2. The proposed solution as a labelled product diagram
   Show the key components: [LIST 2-4 CORE COMPONENTS FROM THE SOLUTION SECTION]
   Label each element clearly. Use connecting arrows to show data or action flow.

3. The key user journey in [3 or 4] annotated steps:
   Step 1: [FIRST USER ACTION]
   Step 2: [SECOND USER ACTION]
   Step 3: [THIRD USER ACTION]
   [Step 4 if needed]

Visual style:
- White background (#FFFFFF), [BRAND ACCENT COLOR] accents
- Bold sans-serif headers (e.g. Inter or DM Sans)
- Clean connecting arrows between elements — no decorative clutter
- Readable at 1080px width without zooming
- Embed-ready for Notion and Slack

Do not add a title slide or page border. Start the visual content at the top of the canvas.
Output as a single image (PNG preferred, 1080px wide, ~800-1000px tall).
```

---

## Brand Values

When generating a sketchnote, I pull these from your design system file. If you don't have one yet, fill in defaults below:

| Token | Default value | Usage |
|-------|---------------|-------|
| Brand accent | `[your accent color]` | Highlights, arrows, labels, dividers |
| Surface | `#FFFFFF` | White canvas background |
| Primary text | `#1A1A1A` | Headers and body labels |
| Secondary text | `#7F7F7F` | Captions, step annotations |
| Success/positive | `#15907F` | "After" state, positive outcomes |

Replace these with your real brand tokens before running the skill for production use.

---

## Output Format

Every sketchnote skill run saves two files:

**1. The filled prompt** — `outputs/prototypes/[feature]-sketchnote-prompt.md`

```markdown
# Sketchnote Prompt: [Feature Name]
**Generated:** [Date]
**PRD source:** [file path]
**Target tool:** [Claude / ChatGPT / other]

---

[FILLED PROMPT GOES HERE — copy everything below this line]

...
```

**2. The rendered image (after you generate it)** — `outputs/prototypes/[feature]-sketchnote.png`

Save the image here manually after your AI tool generates it. This keeps your visual outputs alongside your prototype prompts.

---

## Choosing Your AI Tool

| Tool | Best for | How to use |
|------|----------|------------|
| Claude (Artifacts) | Structured diagrams, annotated layouts | Paste prompt + attach PRD MD file |
| ChatGPT (DALL-E / GPT-4o) | Illustrative visuals with color fills | Paste prompt + upload PRD as file |
| Gemini (with image gen) | Quick overview visuals | Paste prompt + paste PRD text inline |
| Figma Make | Editable component diagrams | Adapt prompt for FigJam/Figma Make format |

**Recommendation:** Start with Claude Artifacts. It renders structured diagrams with labeled components well, respects hex colors, and lets you iterate inline.

---

## Customization Options

When you run `/sketchnote`, I'll ask if you want any of these:

- **Steps:** 3 or 4 journey steps?
- **Tone:** Technical (for engineers) or high-level (for executives/stakeholders)?
- **Include metrics?** Add a "success looks like" callout box with your target metrics
- **Dark mode?** Invert to dark background with light text (less common, but useful for slides)

---

## Integration with Other Skills

**Follows:**
- `/prd-draft` — PRD is the source of truth for the sketchnote
- `/user-research-synthesis` — Use real pain points in the before/after

**Feeds into:**
- `/generate-ai-prototype` — Sketchnote shows what to build; prototype makes it interactive
- `/prd-review-panel` — Attach sketchnote to give reviewers a visual anchor
- `/sync-to-notion-doc` — Embed the sketchnote image in the Notion PRD page
- `/status-update` — Drop the sketchnote into stakeholder updates to replace paragraphs of explanation

---

## Context Routing

| If you say... | I do... |
|---------------|---------|
| `/sketchnote` with no context | Ask which feature, or look at the most recently edited PRD |
| `/sketchnote for [feature]` | Pull that PRD, fill the template, generate prompt |
| `/sketchnote` + paste PRD inline | Use the pasted content directly |
| `/sketchnote` + "use dark mode" | Swap to dark canvas variant |
| `/sketchnote` + "add metrics" | Include a success callout box with metrics from the PRD |

---

## Quality Check Before Handing Off the Prompt

Before delivering, I verify:

- [ ] Feature name is real (not "[FEATURE NAME]")
- [ ] Before/after uses specific pain point language, not generic filler
- [ ] Solution components are named correctly (match PRD terminology)
- [ ] Journey steps are in the right order and match the PRD flow
- [ ] Brand accent color is from your design system (not a made-up color)
- [ ] Step count is 3 or 4 (not "3-4" left as a range)
- [ ] Output path is set and matches the feature name

If any check fails, I fix it before delivering.