Principle Exhaust The Design Space Skill for Claude
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.
Install
one command, takes just this skill from the repositorynpx skills add https://github.com/michael-denyer/pstack-claude --skill principle-exhaust-the-design-spaceThe instruction itself
1 sections, as written by the authorExhaust 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. Design it twice is this rule by another name. A second flavor of the first shape does not count.
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
How to use it
Take michael-denyer/principle-exhaust-the-design-space from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the
same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.