ux-audit – Design & UI skill for AI agents

UX Audit

When to Use

Use this skill when you need audit screens for UX issues using Nielsen's heuristics and modern mobile UX best practices.

When NOT to use

• For accessibility-only issues → use /ss-a11y
• For design system token/golden-rule compliance → use /ss-review
• For copy/microcopy quality → use /ss-copy
• For brand new screens that don't exist yet — design first with /ss-page or /ss-flow

Target: $ARGUMENTS

Use these as heuristics to test against the actual audience and task, not universal rules or WCAG certification. The 6px grid, four-item card limit, three-tap goal, 300ms skeleton and icon-family choices are upstream design preferences. Grade only observed flows; flag untested states. Use optimistic updates only where failure can be reconciled without misleading users about payments, destructive actions or saved state.

Audit Framework

Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics

1. Visibility of System Status

• [ ] Loading states present (skeleton screens, not spinners)
• [ ] Success/error feedback after actions (toast notifications)
• [ ] Progress indicators for multi-step flows
• [ ] Active state clearly shown on navigation items
• [ ] Real-time data has timestamp showing freshness

2. Match Between System and Real World

• [ ] Labels use user's language, not technical jargon
• [ ] Icons have understandable labels or tested meaning; an icon library does not make them universal
• [ ] Number formats match user expectations (comma separators, currency symbols)
• [ ] Date formats are locale-appropriate

3. User Control and Freedom

• [ ] Back navigation available on all non-root screens
• [ ] Destructive actions have confirmation dialogs
• [ ] Undo available for reversible actions (toast with undo)
• [ ] Bottom sheet/modal can be dismissed (backdrop tap, swipe down, X button)
• [ ] No dark patterns (no forced actions, always a way to dismiss)

4. Consistency and Standards

• [ ] Same action = same appearance everywhere
• [ ] Color meanings are consistent (green=success, red=error, brand=active)
• [ ] Text hierarchy follows the 5-level grayscale system
• [ ] All cards use the same shadow, radius, padding
• [ ] Spacing follows the 6px grid system

5. Error Prevention

• [ ] Destructive buttons are visually distinct (destructive variant)
• [ ] Form validation happens on blur (not while typing)
• [ ] Dangerous actions require explicit confirmation
• [ ] Input constraints are visible before errors occur (character limits, format hints)

6. Recognition Rather Than Recall

• [ ] Labels on all icons (especially BottomNav)
• [ ] Current state visible without memorization (active tab highlighted)
• [ ] Recent/frequent items shown for quick access
• [ ] Placeholder text shows expected format

7. Flexibility and Efficiency

• [ ] Key actions reachable within 3 taps from home
• [ ] Pull-to-refresh on data screens
• [ ] Prefer generous touch targets; distinguish usability preference from normative accessibility failures
• [ ] Frequently used actions in easy-to-reach zones (bottom of screen)

8. Aesthetic and Minimalist Design

• [ ] Each screen focuses on ONE primary task
• [ ] No decorative elements that don't serve a purpose
• [ ] Information pyramid respected (most important = biggest)
• [ ] Card density follows the max-4-items rule
• [ ] No competing visual elements (one hero metric per page)

9. Help Users Recover from Errors

• [ ] Error messages explain what went wrong in plain language
• [ ] Error messages suggest how to fix the problem
• [ ] Partial failures don't break the whole page (one card fails, others load)
• [ ] Network errors show retry button
• [ ] Form errors highlight the specific field

10. Help and Documentation

• [ ] Empty states guide users to take action
• [ ] Onboarding for first-time features (if applicable)
• [ ] Tooltips for complex metrics (if applicable)

Mobile-Specific UX Checks

Touch & Gesture

• [ ] Prefer 44x44px as a usability goal; assess the applicable platform/accessibility requirement and exceptions
• [ ] Minimum 8px between adjacent touch targets
• [ ] No hover-dependent interactions (mobile has no hover)
• [ ] Swipe gestures have visible affordances (carousel indicators)

Performance Perception

• [ ] Skeleton screens appear within 300ms
• [ ] Optimistic updates for user actions
• [ ] Above-the-fold content loads first
• [ ] No layout shift after content loads

Safe Areas

• [ ] Content not hidden behind notch/Dynamic Island
• [ ] Bottom content not behind home indicator
• [ ] BottomNav has pb-safe padding

Dark Pattern Prevention

• [ ] No forced bottom sheets on entry
• [ ] No exit-prevention dialogs
• [ ] Every screen has a way to go back/dismiss
• [ ] CTA labels clearly describe the action
• [ ] No manipulative graphics (begging, urgency)

Output Format

1. Score: A+ to F rating with breakdown

2. Critical Issues: Must fix (blocks usability)

3. Major Issues: Should fix (degrades experience)

4. Minor Issues: Nice to fix (polish)

5. Recommendations: Specific code changes for each issue

Example

User request:

> Audit screens for UX issues using Nielsen's heuristics and modern mobile UX best practices.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches its upstream source and local project context.
• Verify commands, generated code, dependencies, credentials, and external service behavior before applying changes.
• Do not treat examples as a substitute for environment-specific tests, security review, or user approval for destructive or costly actions.