tomevault-io UX Friction Analyzer
A comprehensive skill for analyzing and optimizing user experience through cognitive psychology, ADHD-friendly design, and flow state engineering.
Activation
Use this skill when:
- Designing new interfaces or user flows
- Auditing existing UX for friction points
- Optimizing for neurodivergent users (ADHD, autism)
- Simulating user journeys before building
- Reducing cognitive load in complex applications
Trigger phrases: "analyze UX", "friction audit", "user journey", "ADHD-friendly", "optimize flow", "reduce cognitive load"
Core Frameworks
1. ADHD-Friendly Design Principles
Apply these patterns to ALL interfaces:
| Principle | Implementation | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive Disclosure | Show one task at a time; hide future steps | Prevents overwhelm, maintains focus |
| Context Preservation | Auto-save every keystroke; never lose work | Reduces anxiety about losing progress |
| Gentle Reminders | Status updates, not alarms; no red urgency | Avoids panic, maintains calm |
| Pause & Resume | Session state persists across days/weeks | Respects inconsistent schedules |
| Minimal Distractions | Single focus area; dim non-active panels | Reduces competing stimuli |
| Chunked Progress | Visual cards/steps, not endless scrolling | Creates completion dopamine hits |
| Predictable Navigation | Same layout always; no surprises | Reduces reorientation cost |
| Calm Mode Option | Reduced animations, muted colors on demand | Accommodates sensory sensitivity |
2. Gestalt Psychology
Apply these perception principles:
PROXIMITY
─────────
Elements close together = perceived as related
White space creates natural boundaries
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│ Related │ │ Related │ │ Other │ │ Other │
│ Item A │ │ Item B │ │ Group A │ │ Group B │
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘
↑ CLOSE = GROUPED ↑ SEPARATE = DISTINCT
SIMILARITY
──────────
Same color/shape/size = perceived as related function
┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐
│ BLUE │ │ BLUE │ │ BLUE │ │ CORAL│ │ CORAL│
│ Save │ │ Copy │ │ Edit │ │ Del │ │ Clear│
└──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘
↑ SAME = Related actions ↑ DIFFERENT = Destructive
CONTINUITY
──────────
Eye follows lines/paths naturally
Step 1 ──→ Step 2 ──→ Step 3 ──→ Complete
●──────────●──────────●──────────●
CLOSURE
───────
Brain completes incomplete shapes
Use for progress indicators, loading states
[ ████████░░░░░░░░ ] 50% - brain "sees" the end
3. Cognitive Load Theory
Three types of mental load to manage:
| Type | Definition | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Intrinsic | Task complexity itself | Can't eliminate; acknowledge it |
| Extraneous | Poor design adding effort | ELIMINATE THIS - your job |
| Germane | Learning/understanding | Minimize for repeat users |
Working Memory Limits:
- 7±2 items maximum (Miller's Law)
- 4 chunks optimal for complex tasks
- Micro-breaks every 25 minutes
Reduce Extraneous Load By:
- Removing unnecessary choices
- Using recognition over recall
- Providing smart defaults
- Eliminating decorative elements that don't inform
4. Fitts' Law
Time to acquire target = f(Distance / Size)
IMPLICATIONS FOR BUTTONS:
─────────────────────────
┌───────────────────┐ vs ┌──┐
│ GENERATE │ │Go│
│ │ └──┘
└───────────────────┘
↑ ↑
44px+ touch target Hard to hit
Easy to acquire Frustrating
MINIMUM SIZES:
- iOS: 44x44 CSS pixels
- Android: 48x48 CSS pixels
- Desktop: 32x32 minimum, 44x44 preferred
EDGE TARGETS ARE INFINITE:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ■ LOGO MENU ■ │
│ │
│ Screen edges = can't overshoot │
│ Place critical actions at corners/edges │
│ │
│ ■ HELP EXPORT ■ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
ICON + LABEL > ICON ALONE:
- Larger target area
- Reduced ambiguity
- Faster acquisition
5. Flow State Engineering
Key Metrics:
- 15-25 minutes to enter flow state
- 23 minutes to recover from interruption
- 40% productivity loss with frequent interruptions
- Only 41% of work time spent in flow (McKinsey)
Flow Conditions:
- Clear goals for the current task
- Immediate feedback on actions
- Balance between challenge and skill
- No anxiety about failure
Preserve Flow By:
- Background processing (don't block UI)
- Push notifications when ready (bring user back faster)
- Quick re-orientation panels after breaks
- Auto-save eliminating "save anxiety"
- Undo everything (confidence to experiment)
Analysis Methodology
Step 1: Create Decision Tree
Map every user path with probabilities:
┌─────────────┐
│ USER LANDS │
└──────┬──────┘
│
┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ Action A │ │ Action B │ │ Action C │
│ (40%) │ │ (45%) │ │ (15%) │
└────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
[Next] [Next] [Next]
For each edge, record:
- Probability (%)
- Friction score (1-10)
- Time to complete (seconds/minutes)
- Cognitive load (low/medium/high)
Step 2: Simulate User Journeys
Create detailed simulations for each persona:
Template:
TIME ACTION COGNITIVE STATE FRICTION
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
0:00 [User action] [Mental state] Low/Med/High
└─ [System response or UI shown]
0:15 [Next action] [How they feel] Low/Med/High
└─ [What happens]
└─ PROBLEM: [Friction point if any]
...continue...
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL TIME: X minutes
FRICTION POINTS: N (list them)
ABANDONMENT RISKS: N (critical moments)
DELIGHT MOMENTS: N (positive surprises)
Personas to simulate:
- Expert User - Knows the system, moving fast
- New User - First time, needs guidance
- Distracted User - Context switching, interruptions
- Explorer - No goal, seeing what's possible
- Completer - Trying to finish, hitting obstacles
Step 3: Friction Analysis Matrix
Quantify and prioritize:
| Friction Point | Users Affected | Severity (1-10) | Fix Difficulty | Priority Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Issue 1] | X% | N | Easy/Med/Hard | HIGH/MED/LOW |
| [Issue 2] | X% | N | Easy/Med/Hard | HIGH/MED/LOW |
Priority Formula:
Priority = (Users Affected × Severity) / Fix Difficulty
Step 4: Impedance Mapping
Compare current vs ideal:
TASK CURRENT IMPEDANCE IDEAL IMPEDANCE
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Task 1] Low (X sec) ✓ Optimal
[Task 2] Medium (X sec) Could be Y sec
[Task 3] HIGH (X min) Should be Y sec
Step 5: Time-Loss Analysis
Calculate context switch costs:
Action Frequency Time Lost Each Total Impact
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Interruption type 1] X/session Y min Z min
[Interruption type 2] X/session Y min Z min
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL CONTEXT SWITCH LOSS Z min/session
Optimization Patterns
Immediate Fixes (Low Effort, High Impact)
Giant CTA on Landing
<button class="cta" style="min-height: 60px; min-width: 200px;"> Primary Action <span class="subtext">Supporting text</span> </button>Visible Edit Affordances
- Show pencil/edit icons by default, not just on hover
- Add tooltips: "Click to edit"
Auto-Fill Prompts
- After user completes 1 item manually, offer to auto-complete rest
- "Want me to fill in the remaining X items?"
Floating Action Buttons
- Critical actions always visible (not buried in menus)
- Bottom-right for mobile thumb zone
Progress Indicators
- Show "Step X of Y" always
- Visual progress bar at top
Medium-Term Improvements
Re-Orientation Panels
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Welcome back! Here's where you left off: │ │ │ │ ✓ Step 1: Complete │ │ → Step 2: In progress (60%) │ │ ○ Step 3: Not started │ │ │ │ [Continue where I left off] │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘Keyboard Shortcuts
- Number keys for mode switching (1, 2, 3...)
- Cmd+Enter for primary action
- Escape for cancel/close
Background Processing
- Never block UI for long operations
- Show progress, allow user to continue
- Push notification when complete
Smart Defaults
- Pre-fill based on user history
- Remember last-used settings
- Suggest most common option first
Long-Term Vision
Predictive UI
- Anticipate next action based on patterns
- Pre-load likely next screens
- Suggest before user asks
Personalized Complexity
- Simple mode for new users
- Power user mode unlocks over time
- User controls their complexity level
Accessibility Suite
- High contrast mode
- Reduced motion option
- Screen reader optimization
- Keyboard-only navigation
Checklist for New Features
Before shipping any feature, verify:
Cognitive Load
- Can user complete with ≤4 things in working memory?
- Are there unnecessary choices that could be defaults?
- Is recognition used instead of recall?
ADHD-Friendly
- Can user pause and resume without losing context?
- Are there gentle progress indicators (not anxiety-inducing)?
- Is the interface calm (not visually noisy)?
Fitts' Law
- Are primary buttons ≥44px tall?
- Are destructive actions away from common paths?
- Do buttons have labels, not just icons?
Flow Preservation
- Does any action block the UI for >2 seconds?
- Can long operations run in background?
- Is there a clear "done" state?
Error Recovery
- Can every action be undone?
- Are error messages actionable (not just "Error")?
- Is auto-save enabled?
Example Analysis Output
When running this skill, produce a document with:
- Executive Summary - Key findings in 3 bullets
- Decision Tree - All user paths with probabilities
- User Journey Simulations - 3-5 personas, full timeline
- Friction Matrix - Prioritized issues table
- Optimization Recommendations - Immediate/Medium/Long-term
- Implementation Checklist - Specific changes to make
Integration Points
- web-design-expert: Implement UX recommendations visually
- adhd-design-expert: Deep neurodivergent design patterns
- frontend-developer: Technical implementation of fixes
- diagramming-expert: Create user flow diagrams
Sources
- NN/g: Minimize Cognitive Load
- NN/g: Fitts's Law
- Laws of UX
- IxDF: Gestalt Principles
- Stack Overflow: Developer Flow State
- Medium: ADHD UX Design
Core Philosophy: Every click, every second of confusion, every moment of "where am I?" is friction stealing from your users. Design for the distracted, optimize for the overwhelmed, and everyone benefits.
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