critique_skill

Overview

This skill evaluates design effectiveness from a UX perspective and produces a director-level critique with actionable fixes. It inspects visual hierarchy, information architecture, emotional resonance, microcopy, states, and detects common AI-generated anti-patterns. Use it to turn subjective impressions into prioritized design work you can act on.

How this skill works

Follow the Context Gathering Protocol from the frontend-design skill first; if no context exists, run teach-impeccable before proceeding. The skill then runs a 10-dimension critique (AI Slop Detection, Visual Hierarchy, IA, Emotional Resonance, Discoverability, Composition, Typography, Color, States, Microcopy) and outputs an Anti-Patterns Verdict, Overall Impression, What’s Working, Priority Issues with fixes and commands, Minor Observations, and provocative Questions to Consider.

When to use it

• Before a design review to surface high-impact UX problems
• When preparing a redesign or sprint backlog, to prioritize fixes
• After an initial prototype to catch AI-generated template sameness
• To audit product pages, dashboards, or onboarding flows
• When handing off to engineers to clarify visual and behavioral intent

Best practices

• Always run the Context Gathering Protocol first; gather goals and target user
• Start critiques by checking AI Slop Detection—eliminate fingerprint patterns early
• Prioritize 3 highest-impact fixes, not a laundry list
• Give concrete, implementable fixes: size, color, copy, state behavior
• Reference specific components (e.g., primary CTA, card grid, nav) when recommending changes

Example use cases

• Audit a SaaS dashboard that feels generic and has poor task focus
• Evaluate onboarding screens to improve completion and clarity
• Review marketing pages to ensure hierarchy and conversion paths
• Critique a mobile app layout for discoverability and affordance
• Assess a component library for consistent typography and color purpose