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bnemabnema/pi-pstack/skills/principle-exhaust-the-design-space/SKILL.md

principle-exhaust-the-design-space

Skill2 starsChanged 3 months agoMITView on GitHub

Apply when facing a novel UI interaction or architectural decision with no precedent in the codebase. Build 2-3 competing prototypes and compare side by side before committing.

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

2 rules. 1 is common, 1 is distinctive, and 0 are very specific to this project.

  • 1

    Common

    Most of the 33 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 1

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 0

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Common:

    When a novel interaction or architectural decision has no established precedent, explore several concrete alternatives before …

    line 9
  2. Distinctive:

    The rule: When the right answer is not obvious, build 2-3 competing prototypes or sketches.

    line 11

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 33 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Exhaust the Design Space

When a novel interaction or architectural decision has no established precedent, explore several concrete alternatives before implementation. Building the wrong thing costs more than exploring three options.

The rule: When the right answer is not obvious, build 2-3 competing prototypes or sketches. Compare them side by side. Only then commit.

When it applies:

  • Novel UI interactions (no prior art in the codebase)
  • Architectural choices with multiple viable approaches
  • Product design decisions where user experience depends on feel, not logic

When it doesn't:

  • Mechanical implementation where the pattern is established
  • Bug fixes or refactors with a clear target state
  • Changes where constraints dictate a single viable approach

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